Day 4 - Heading Home with Stops Along the Way

We started the morning with a hearty breakfast and a quick jaunt around Laughlin, NV, before heading south to Mesa, AZ.  We stopped at the Davis Dam which creates Lake Mohave.  The dam spans across the Nevada and Arizona border they share on the Colorado River.

Davis Dam on the Colorado River from the Nevada side.

Lake Mohave on the Colorado River from the Arizona side.

We followed Arizona State Hwy 95 south along the Colorado River and the California border.  It was a beautiful drive with scenic views of the mountains and the river.  We made a stop in Lake Havasu City, AZ, to check out the famous London Bridge.

The name speaks for itself.

Christmas wreaths still decorated the bridge.

We crossed the London Bridge onto a man-made island which included many beaches, resorts, and several lighthouses.  According to the Official Website of Lake Havasu City, they are "home to more lighthouses than any other city in the U.S.  These 1/3 scale replicas are actual functioning navigational aids built to the specifications of famous east and west coast lighthouses.  More than eighteen can be seen on the shores of the lake."

One of the eighteen lighthouses...

... and another!

One of the beautiful beach parks on the island.

We continued south and after miles upon miles of desert and mountains, we were treated to a refreshing view of cattail marshes in the Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge.  It provided for a cool retreat from the harshness of the desert.

First view of the marsh which reminded us of Michigan's wetlands.

More cattails among the desert mountains.

Looking to the north from whence we came.

Cattails galore!

Looking to the east, they almost look like a wheat field.

Leaving the marsh behind as we head south.

Arizona State Hwy 95 and the marsh in the distance.

One last look as we zoom off toward home.

It was onward south, again, and back into the desert mountains.  We took a short diversion from our route to drive across the Parker Damn.  After a quick stop on the other side to read about the building of the dam, we crossed back and returned to our trek home.  The drive across the dam was quite a treat for us as many dams have been closed to vehicle and foot traffic due to security reasons.

Across the dam...

Now I'm dam smart!

...and back again.

Once back on the main route, we arrived at the small town of Parker, AZ.  We grabbed some lunch at Taco Bell and took a potty stop.  We had planned on eating on the road but as we were leaving town, we found the Arizona & California RR yard.  We quickly pulled in and forgot about lunch as they were busy moving around engines and rail cars.  After Mr. Shutterbug got his fill of pictures, we pulled into the city park and watched them do their work.  Reluctantly we hit the road after our last bite of burrito and after a few more hours of drive we were finally home.

Two engines working in the rail yard.

The old depot is now the headquarters for the railroad.

It's taken awhile to share this story but I hope that you found it worth the wait.  Our next adventure included a visit from my parents, who flew in from Michigan on April 5th.  They stayed the week with us and are leaving tomorrow, April 14th.  I hope to start some posts on this adventure soon so please stay tuned.