It's day 185.....It's also November 7, 2019.....and we are in Lake Havasu City Arizona

It's day 185.....It's also November 7, 2019.....and we are in Lake Havasu City Arizona

I'm not gonna lie......this desert thing...its startin to grow on me! And it's not just about the November Weather.....but it certainly doesn't hurt when folks back home tell me how they are enjoying their 58 degree rainy, breezy afternoon.....in Tacoma Washington.....and I get to share that 58 was the low last night and I'm enjoying a 78 degree sunny afternoon here in Lake Havasu City....not a cloud in the sky.

But maybe a little more importantly.....it's about the learning of the deserts .... personality.....and oh yea...the desert...has a personality.

As most every place we've been......I'm quickly learning that I knew nothing about a place I thought I knew quite a bit about. Until now....for me....the desert...well that meant Phoenix Arizona.

Prior to 2006....I'd never seen a desert. .... not in real life anyway. But when the company I worked for at the time purchased a chain of stores in Phoenix....I would spend the next 4 years traveling to Phoenix from Tacoma for a week out of each month. And during that time....I came to dislike the desert quite a lot. Each month when I visited Phoenix....all I could think....was HOT....really HOT. This born and raised west coast guy having spent the last 20 some years of his adult life within minutes of an ocean......just really didn't "get" the desert.

It was most certainly about the people as well....that part of the desert....was awesome. Our new family in Phoenix were some of the most open, genuine, and giving people I had ever met.....

And yes.....there was always that 3 or 4 month period....if I was lucky.....December thru March when I could leave the chilly and wet Pacific Northwest Rainforest and enjoy a few days of 60 degree nights....and 80 degree days.....ya...I totally got "that desert"

The other 8 months....my memories revolved around HOT. Frequently recalling the time I rolled down a window on the rental car and absent mindedly hung my arm out the window.......when the second degree burn on my forearm quickly snapped me back to the reality of where I was. Or...the countless times I would pull into the parking lot of one of our stores......trek quickly across the asphalt to enter the air conditioned building.....a quick hello to the staff before darting back to the office so I could sit down behind the managers desk....quickly kick my shoes off.....and wait for my feet to stop sweating...then spend the next 3 days longing for that 7pm flight on Thursday night that would return me faithfully to the 58 degree air waiting to greet me back in Seattle. A 40 minute drive home from the airport.....and the desert was over......until the next month.

But in the last few weeks.....watching wild burrows wander the streets of Beatty......or picking through the remnants of an abandoned home in Rhyolite.....or even spending two nights on the parking lot of a fuel stop in Schurz....I was learning.....that Phoenix.....is not...the desert. Phoenix might be in the desert.....but it most definitely is not the desert.

The desert....by definition....is a dry, barren area of land that typically receives less than 10 inches of rain annually. Now compare that....to the 40 or 50 inches of rain we get each year back home......and one quickly realizes why things look so different. Deserts are characterized by their extreme conditions including sparce vegetation, high temperatures during the day, and significant temperature drops at night. They can be sandy, they can be rocky, they can even be covered with salt flats, and they often have unique ecosystems that have adapted to these harsh environments.

And Arizona is unique in that it contains parts of four distinct desert regions, each with its own characteristics and ecosystems:....and it is the only state in the US that can make this claim.

First up....the Sonoran Desert. This is the largest desert in Arizona, covering much of the southern part of the state. It's known for its diverse vegetation, including the iconic saguaro cactus, which is native to this desert and found nearly nowhere else on the planet. The Sonoran Desert is also home to a variety of wildlife, such as javelinas, coyotes, and countless bird species.

Next.....the Mojave Desert**:.....and that is where we are right now.....in Lake Havasu City. It's Located in the northwestern part of Arizona, the Mojave Desert is the driest desert in North America². It's characterized by its Joshua trees and it's unique rock formations. This desert spans not only Arizona....but also parts of Nevada, Utah, and California.

Third.....the Chihuahuan Desert**: Found in the southeastern part of Arizona, the Chihuahuan Desert is known for its grasslands and the Chiricahua Mountains, which feature striking rock formations called hoodoos². This desert also extends into Mexico and parts of Texas and New Mexico. here in the US....after reading a bit about this particular desert region....it is most definitely on the list of desert regions we will be sure to check out.

And finally.....the Great Basin Desert: This desert is located in the northeastern part of Arizona and is characterized by its cold desert climate⁴. It features a ton of the stereotypical...sagebrush and other hardy vegetation adapted to its harsher conditions.

And it was reading through the four different desert regions in this place called Arizona., one of which we are sitting in the middle of.....when I realized......I spent 4 years of my life travelling to a place covered in asphalt thinking this was the desert.....when the fact is.......I missed it all...completely......but I'm here now.....and I won't miss anything....this time.

Just 119 miles up the road from Meadview.....we started passing thru what we would later learn is BLM land......and the multiple motorhomes and travel trailers parked amidst the mountains were telling us.....we should hang out here for a while.

We picked our dirt road......pulled down into....and then back up out of an arroyo...then on up the hill to find the spot we would call home for the next few days......

A great place to spend long days.....and longer November nights.......learning about these Arizona deserts.....specifically. a place called Lake Havasu City.

Vacilando was due for an oil change....so our first morning would be spent learning about....and scheduling an oil change with a local mechanic that offered mobile service......Sounded pretty convenient to have the oil change come to us. .little did we know that scheduling an oil change would lead to our next lesson.....a lesson around the predators that watch us......apparently no matter where we are.

It was around 10 am when the oil change guys arrived....super nice guys...Rick and Chuck. They got to work right away. Chuck worked under the hood of Vacilando....while Rick crawled underneath.....Dougie, Billie, and I decided to get out of their way. Both the boys tethered via their leashes and lounging on the ground while I sipped the last cup of coffee for the day. I was typing away on the laptop while Dougie studied what the guy under Vacilando was doing......Billie was at the end of his leash (as usual).....when I heard.......

"Where's your cat man?

What's that......I responded.....as I glanced down to see a hand come out from under Vacilando and point into the distance........

Rick asked again....where's your cat?......and he kept pointing?

I responded....he's right here.....why?

Rick continued to point into the distance as he slid out from under Vacilando.....

As I picked up Billie I followed Ricks gaze up the mountainside.....and there it was....

Almost indistinguishable from the branches of the mesquite tree it was perched in.....

A red tailed hawk.

Turns out that while Billie had been shifting his attention between the two strangers working on Vacilando....and the occasional roadrunner scurrying across the desert floor in search of prey.....the red tail hawk had been laser focused on Billie.

Rick explained that while Billie might have been a bit large for your average red tail hawk to consider prey.....it didn't mean he wouldn't try. An ugly scuffle on the desert floor would have determined the outcome....

He went on to recommend that Billie definitely stay indoors at night....when the more formidable horned owls were out hunting.....they can definitely make a cat disappear into the sky pretty quickly he noted.

Rick finished up with.....it's the eagles to keep an eye out for really.......you typically find them out over the lake fishing....they prefer fish.....but they're also known to make sweeps out over the desert from time to time.....and ya never know what might catch their eye.

Thanking, and paying the guys as they packed up a few minutes later...I was appreciative that along with my oil change....I had received a bit of a lesson when it comes to the safety of the boys out here in the desert. I'd already considered.....way back there in Wyoming that one really never knows why might be lurking out there in the grass....or in the woods.....but .....apparently.....I also needed to keep an eye out overhead.....for whatever might be doing a flyby......

Later that first afternoon...I flipped on the tv for a quick news update.... Every network was leading with the impeachment inquiry into President Trump....and then coverage of the wildfires devastating California for a second season in a row. From there....things shifted a bit....one network told me about a mass shooting at a mosque in Christ Church New Zealand....while another circled back around to talk more about the impeachment.....I was also told of a cold snap gripping large parts of the country...throwing much of the Midwest into a deep freeze....and that made me even a little more grateful to be spending our November down here in the Mohave Desert. It was when CBS began telling me of an incident at the Mall of America in Minnesota in which a five year old child was thrown from a third floor balcony by a 24 year old male.....when I turned off the television. Why? I shook my head as I grabbed the leash for a walk with Dougie. Why would the entire nation need to be told of a horrible incident such as this.....a sick individual....and a sick act....and then I remembered...money ... Why are we as humans so drawn to the bad.....and why do legacy media networks get to capitalize on it?

I'm not even really sure why....but as I sat down with the laptop this afternoon to begin reading about this place called Lake Havasu City.....the first thing I looked up were the five highest paid network anchors ......I think I wanted to understand a bit more about the money being made in the news industry.

I was more than a little surprised to learn that the top paid journalist on the list will make 45 million dollars this year. The lowest paid on the list still rakes in 12 million.

I found myself trying to internalize why a network news organization would strategize that spending 45 million dollars on a single individual was a solid business decision....and things start to fall into place for me.

I have listened to....and know...that each of the individuals on the list have very specific opinions when it comes to reporting certain elements of the news.....how do I know their opinions....because they tell me....every time they report the news.....it's as much about the speculation and conjecture the reporter infuses. So it makes sense....I guess....that Fox news is pretty confident that Sean Hannity.....can somehow get his viewers to think they same way he does.....which is the same way Fox News needs us to think. And at the other end....CNN and ABC feel the same way about Anderson Cooper and Robyn Roberts.....just not as strongly I guess....or why does Fox News appear to have such deeper pockets.....back to that viewership thing I guess.

In the end....I'm left pondering the same thing I always am after consuming the news. Why is it so difficult to get .... just the news....and when did it all become so much about the cash.

For relevance......I went back...Some 50 years ...and well before my time in front of a television. news anchor...a time when a guy named Walter Cronkite would take to the airwaves each night and report live...for 15 to 30 minutes.....on the days news. Nearly 30 million viewers would tune in...at a time when television and the newspapers were the nations only source of news. With around 60 million viewers tuning in each night to one of the three available networks....This meant that nearly half the nation was listening to one man....and believing him. After watching a few YouTube videos of Walter Cronkite myself....it feels like the nation believed him....because he reported facts. He did make stuff up. Spread rumors or conspiracy theories....and he certainly didn't tout personal opinions...CBS paid Walter Cronkite a little over 2 million dollars a year (factoring in inflation) to tell half the country each night what was happening in the world....

And today....Fox News pays Sean Hannity 45 million dollars per year to speak to just under 4 million Americans each night.....and clearly....Fox News needs those 4 million Americans...to believe him....and they do....what s unsettling for me ...is that anyone taking the time to do a bit of fact checking on most anything he tells us....will learn that he's telling us his opinion., and what he thinks...and his opinion....doesn't always square with the truth....

I gotta start payin attention.

Anyways....it was off for a walk in the Desert with Dougie.....enjoy the scenery...the weather.....and watching those around us do the same.

Back at the Campsite for the afternoon.....it was time to learn a little more.....about this place we were. in.....and how a place called Lake Havasu City came to be,,,,,

The first thing I would learn...outta the gate....is that relatively speaking....this area in general is fairly new to modern civilization.

All the way Up through, and into the 1930's the area was primarily inhabited by native American's. They continued to live along the Colorado river in villages growing crops and fishing the river. European and American settlers were present in the area....but in small numbers and primarily involved in the trapping and fur trading industries. These early settlers would become more involved in the area in the mid 19th century as the Steamship industry began to grow...and the Colorado River would become an important travel route in the movement of goods throughout the area.

Activity in the area would remain constant in the area all the way up to the installation of the parker dam,

The construction of Parker Dam, began in 1934 and was completed in 1938, creating Lake Havasu. The Colorado River Compact of 1922, was a crucial agreement among 7 US states in the Colorado River Basin. It's objective was to allocate the rivers resources among the states and manage it's use effectively. This would be the agreement that laid the groundwork for the installation of various water management projects in the area....including the installation of the Parker Dam.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California was a significant proponent of the dam. They needed a reliable water source for the rapidly growing population in Southern California......and Lake Havasu would serve as a reservoir for the Colorado River Aqueduct, supplying water to the Southern California region.

Interestingly, the construction of Parker Dam was contentious, particularly for Arizona. Several political groups and utility companies in Arizona opposed the project, fearing it would limit their access to Colorado River water. The state of Arizona even deployed the National Guard to the dam site in 1934 to assert its opposition. Despite this, the project proceeded, and Arizona eventually signed the Colorado River Compact in 1944.

But even in the midst of the controversy....proponents of the dam further asserted the Hydroelectric Power generated by the dam, along with the increase in water management effectiveness throughout the desert region would far outweigh any negative impacts.

The location for Parker Dam was chosen due to its strategic position on the Colorado River, 155 miles downstream of Hoover Dam. The nearby community of Parker Arizona would lend it's name to the project. The site was ideal for creating a large reservoir and generation hydroelectric power would only enhance the power being generated at Hoover Dam.

And just like every dam being constructed at the time....Building Parker Dam was a significant engineering feat. The dam is a concrete arch-gravity structure, like that of Hoover Dam....but unlike Hooker dam.... 73% of Parker Dams height is below the original riverbed, making it the deepest dam in the world. The construction required extensive excavation to reach bedrock in order to ensure a stable foundation. The dam is 320 feet tall.....and 235 feet of it's structure lies below the riverbed.

Upon completion in 1938, the creation of Lake Havasu would completely transform the area.....bringing a large body of water , and creating over 450 miles of shoreline in the Mohave desert...Havasu....is the Mohave word for Blue....

During WW2....the area would begin being referred to as Site Six...established in 1942 as an emergency landing field for the Kingman Army Airfield. ...just 60 miles away. Site Six....was an abbreviated term used for the locations official name...Lake Havasu Auxiliary Field #6,...The military built a dirt runway on the peninsula, which is now an island. This site was used for training pilots and aircrews, and it also served as a rest, and recreation area for military personnel, offering activities like fishing, swimming, and boating. After the war, the military closed the landing field in 1946. The land was actually privately owned by Corinne and Victor Spratt, who transformed the site into the Fly-In Fishing Resort³⁴. They operated the resort until 1958, after which it was sold to Robert P. McCulloch, marking the beginning of Lake Havasu City.

Robert McCulloch, founded McCulloch Motors in Milwaukee Wisconson in 1943. He would move the operation to Las Angelos California in 1946. In 1964 he would establish a factory, and housing for it's workers right here in Lake Havasu City. He had been searching for a location to test his outboard engines when he discovered the potential of the land surrounding Lake Havasu.

Prior to McCulloch's arrival in the area....the city had been created as the Lake Havasu Irrigation and Drainage District by the Mohave County Board of Supervisors. But it would be the vision of Robert McColloch that would transform the area into what we see today. Even before expanding his companies operation in the area, he would begin acquiring land and promoting the area for residential and recreational purposes. He understood the potential in the land around the lake, and what the area could be.....His vision included creating a planned community that would draw both residents and visitors alike...along with creating ways to tap into the recreational opportunities around, and on the lake. One of his most fascinating contributions to the community would be in bringing a piece of British history to the Mohave desert of Arizona. It seems only McCulloch saw the value in having a 140 year old piece of British architecture relocated some 5000 miles and placed as the center piece of his fledgling community.

The London Bridge, I would learn, has a fascinating history that dates back over 800 years! The original bridge spanning the River Thames would be completed in 1209, with the purpose of connecting the city of London on the north bank....with Southwark on the south bank. This connection....spanning some 900 feet across the river was deemed crucial for several reasons. Not the least of which were.....

the bridge would facilitate the movement of goods and people boosting trade and commerce between the two sides of the river. The bridge itself would become a bustling hub for merchants and traders. Some even setting up residence in their shops on the bridge itself....by the 14th century over 500 people actually lived on the bridge.

Construction of the bridge also came with Military purpose at the forefront. During the bridges construction the Byzentine Empire....the Chinese Empire....and the Islamic Caliphate were all in a quest for world domination...in one way or another...but Britain had it's eye on a different type of world domination.....and the ability to move troops and assets quickly across the river was definitely a part of the vision.....and the original London bridge definitely saw many of these ambitions realized.

By the 18th century bridge had survived multiple fires, including the great Fire of London in 1666....but the city of London had outgrown the nearly 600 year old bridge. So the decision was made to replace the bridge with the "New"..London Bridge.

Work on the foundation of the new bridge would begin in 1825 and construction would span 6 years..being completed in 1831.

The lifespan of the New London Bridge would prove to be much shorter than that of it's predeccesor. The combination of significan urban growth in the London Metropolitan area....introduction of the autombile, and advancements in archeological and engineering science would all lead to the need to replace the bridge...yet again....

By the 1960's....the bridge was failing once again. The increase in traffic, and the weight of it....would put the 130 some year old bridge under stress it could not handle. The footings of the bridge began sinking.....

This time....the nearly 140 year old architecture would not simply be thrown away. Instead, it would be sold as the London Bridge we see today in England took it's place.

And thats where the American Entreprenuer by the name of Robert McCulloch enters the scene and purchases the bridge in 1968 for nearly 2.5 million dollars. The bridge would be dismantled, with each stone being numbered....and shipped to the US through the panama canal. The blocks of the bridge would would arrive in Long Beach California and then be trucked to their final destination in Lake Havasu City....some 312 miles away. The bridge would be reassembled, stone by stone over the next three years over a concrete structure in Lake Havasu City Arizona. Total construction costs would exceed 7 million dollars....including the purchase price.....which means around 60 million bucks in todays money.

The bridge was dedicated in 1971 and has since become a major tourist attraction, helping to transform Lake Havasu City into a popular destination.

And apparently....just like that....that's how we end up with an 800 year old piece of British history in the middle of an Arizona desert....in the United States of America.....a country that would not even exist...for 567 years.....after the original bridge was built in England

Pretty impressive considering that the press at the time would label the endeavor "McCullochs Folly"....reporting on the absurdity of such an endeavor. But history would prove the McCulloch vision right....Today....Lake Havasu City, and the London Bridge pretty consistently ranks in the top five tourist attractions in the state and generates nearly 200 million bucks each year.

McCulloch would Found, and name the city in 1963 as a planned community.....and it would be officially incorporated in 1978.

Some 40 years later the over 50 thousand folks that call Lake Havasu City home....enjoy over 300 days each year of sunshing....and celebrate the community.....and invite visitors through out the year to celebrations like.....

The Western Winter Blast Pyrotechnics**: A spectacular fireworks show held every February².

- Havasu Balloon Festival & Fair: This event in January features hot air balloons, live entertainment, and family activity around the lake.

The international World Jet Ski Final Races**: Held in October, this event attracts jet ski enthusiasts from around the world⁵.

- **Havasu 95 Speedway holds regular events year round

- The Chillin-n-Swillin Beer Festival......a craft beer festival held each year in which all proceeds are donated to local charities.

- **Havasu Triathlon....an annual swim, run, and kyack event that attracks both professional and amateur athletes from over 35 states

The community even hosts the Lake Havasu Farmers market twice each month...year round.

For us.......we would spend 10 days on a hillside in Mohave desert....just a mile or so away from Lake Havasu City...spending the days exploring the shores of the lake...hiking the desert...and the occassional walk around town.

Being welcomed each morning by the desert in different ways. Sometimes....it's the quiet. Sometimes.....it's one neighbor headed out....while another rolls in. Other times it would be the sudden awakening in the early morning hours as dozens of adventure seekers rushed by in their side by sides headed for unknown adventure as they dissappeared in a cloud of dust over that hill just above us. Learned pretty quickly to get the windows shut.....BEFORE...those side by sides ride by.....or...spend an hour dusting!

Then.....a few more hours of silence before watching the dust clouds rise again over that very same hill.....well before the light bars on the side by sides bounced into site at dusk and rushed by yet again in the opposite direction.

It was interesting to me that in many ways...this desert was very similar to the one just 270 miles behind us in Beatty Nevada...but at the same time so very....very different. There were no burrows here wandering the campsites.....and there was no interaction between campers. In Beatty....Kentucky John and Yakima Cheryl had approached me....they seemed to "need" to bring me up to speed on the goings on in the neighborhood so to speak. But here....no fewer than 8 to 10 campers each night....but no interaction. This seemed to be a transient place. Campers came and went each day so our neighbors were different each night.....and beyond a friendly wave here and there....no one seem to care much what was going on next door. Interesting I spose......but what does it mean.....I dunno.

Waking up each morning thinking we would pack up and head out.....only to find myself asking why? Over that second cup of coffee while staring into, and through the limbs of that Mesquite tree....waiting for the next red tail hawk to perch and continue it's hunt for the day. Where else would we be.....where else would we want to be.....