(Trying to Avoid) Gettin' Our Kicks

7/13

The road to Oatman starts off easy enough...

Leaving Kingman, Route 66 starts off fairly normal, mostly flat, a couple of turns.  But then the roller coaster ride begins.  It’s twisty, turny, and has lots of 180-degree switchbacks.  All this on a ribbon of a road, both ascending and descending.  And to add to the excitement, no guardrail on the cliff side and some on-coming traffic on the mountainside.  Whoa!  What a ride!

But the end game was a sight to see.  We arrive in Oatman, Arizona.  It was once a gold mining boomtown, but now a fun stop on Route 66.  It’s like stepping back into the Old West.  Here, the only road is lined with shop after shop, and a smattering of eatin’ places.  Wooden planks make for the raised sidewalks along the dusty, hot road. 

But the real stars of Oatman are the Bethlehem Burros; 2 intersecting black lines make a cross on their backs; hence the name.  They are descendants of the pack animals who helped the gold miners back in the 1830’s.  They live in the surrounding mountains, but mosey into town where they wander the streets, block traffic and shake-down tourists for some grub.  They may seem gentle, but they are still wild animals.  We didn’t want to get our Kicks on Route 66 from a wild burro! 

At high noon, there was a bank robbery and shootin’ right in the middle of town.  It was all for fun and charity.  Dan & I even helped out a bit and had the best vantage point! 

As we leave Oatman, we digress from The Mother Road.  We travel a bit north to Laughlin, Nevada.  It’s located right on the Colorado River.  There are several casinos, a river walk, beaches, and several other water sports activities.   We stayed 10 miles off the strip at the Avi Casino & Resort and RV Park.  It is also on the Colorado River.  There was a beach right on the river.  We ventured in, but it was very, very cold.  So we headed to the pool, very nice.  It was hot, the high 115, but it cooled off to 99 by 6am the next morning!  Then rose to 114 by noon!  I know it’s crazy, but I really like the warmth!

We will be off Route 66 for a few days, heading south to Lake Havasu, for some relaxation and some down time!

Remember there's lots more of our adventure to see on our YouTube Channel:

"The Ramblers 88". https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRamblers88

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Till tomorrow...keep Ramblin’!