Riding the Rails to the Grand Canyon...

Our next stop was Williams, AZ.  We checked in at the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park for three days and the very next morning added four more days to our stay!  It is a big, wide-open park, with paved, level sites, full hook ups including cable and WiFi...and they accept Passport America for seven days, so it was quite the bargain.  Since it is located across the street from the Grand Canyon Railway Depot, you do hear a lot of trains...but we loved it.

Williams is a cool, old town right on the Historic Route 66...worth taking a walk around town.  The big draw, of course is the Grand Canyon Railroad which takes you right to the Park.  We debated whether we should take the railroad as it's expensive, but it was highly recommended by a number of other campers so we splurged.

Before boarding the train you are directed to the corral to witness a shoot-out. Anyone can come watch...no ticket needed, just show up at nine.

Kathy with a K

After the shoot-out, you board the train.  These are old refurbished train cars ranging from a Pullman all the way to a luxury car with a glass dome and refreshments.  We opted for a coach car.  It is a comfortable ride to the Grand Canyon and takes about two hours. The scenery along the route is rather boring, but there's plenty to capture your attention inside the train.  A dedicated host for each car will entertain you with history and tips for seeing the Canyon as well as a few party games!  Our host was "Kathy with a K...because that's what everyone calls me around here."  I wish I had as much energy as she displayed.

We were also entertained by two singing, joke-telling cowboys and, on the way back, we experienced a train robbery!  I thoroughly enjoyed it. The cafe car was where the real robbery took place...$17 for a coke, pretzels, peanuts, a danish and some beef jerky!  The jerky was for Jack, I had the danish.

The train robbers on horseback (above) and on the train (below)...and the Sheriff 

We took a bus tour when we got to the Grand Canyon, which allowed us to see more than we would have been able to just wandering by ourselves.  It took us up on the South Rim for some breathtaking vistas.  Benjamin was our guide...he wasn't much more than a kid but he was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. 

After the tour, we had time to wander around the shops. We bought a locally done photo of the Grand Canyon and I resisted the beautiful Native American jewelry! We had lunch at The Arizona Room...on Kathy with a K's recommendation.  She was right...lunch was good and the prices reasonable.

As for the Grand Canyon itself...it's ten miles across, a mile deep and truly awesome.  We took way too many photos...here are a few...I'll let them speak for themselves...

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Lake Havasu and the London Bridge...

We left Vegas and drove 175 miles south to Lake Havasu City, Arizona...home of the London Bridge.

German Bullet Holes

The London Bridge was constructed in 1831 and spanned the Thanes River until 1967 when it was dismantled.  An American, Robert McCulloch who had just founded Lake Havasu, a community in the Arizona desert, bought the bridge at an auction and had it shipped over in numbered pieces.  It was reconstructed over a steel structure and was completed in 1971.  Some of the stones are reported to have German bullet holes from World War 2.

We spent a few quiet days relaxing at Crazy Horse RV Park in Lake Havasu City.  It's a large park with about 600 campsites, They are gravel and reasonably level.  We stayed in a pull through with full hook-ups, including cable, on the upper level, near the front of the park.  There are many water and electric sites on a lower level that are waterfront, as well as a marina. The one thing we didn't like is they put a sticker type parking pass on both a truck window and fifth wheel window.  They did not come off easily.

We visited the London Bridge and the small village constructed around it...there are a few shops but village looks like it is deteriorating.  I stopped at one of the shops and was trying on hats...forgot I had my reading glasses pushed up on my head until I missed them later on.  They were my favorite pair!

I have been tired of desert landscape for some time so it was nice to be near a large body of sparkling blue water.

Next stop...Sedona and the Grand Canyon!

Viva Las Vegas!

At The Blue Man Theater

Everyone needs to see Las Vegas at least once.  It took me many years to get here, but I made it!

We spent our first night on the road at Newberry Mountain RV Park and Motel in Newberry Springs, CA, a tiny desert town on old Route 66...population 2500...with an average summer temperature of 107 degrees F.  The campground is flat, wide open and gravel with a couple of ponds.  It makes for an easy overnight stop.  It is right up the road from the Bagdad Cafe.  It is also the first place we have had to change sites due to electrical issues.  We weren't getting enough voltage and our surge protector kept shutting off the power every time I turned the A/C on.  We moved to another site and had no problems.


The next morning we finished our drive to Vegas and checked in at the Las Vegas RV Resort.  It's a large paved resort with typical desert landscape.  Maggie didn't care for it as there was nary a blade of grass in the place...she doesn't like using gravel as her bathroom!  It is a clean, well-run RV Park with all amenities except cable...and over the air TV reception was awful.  It is only a few miles to the Las Vegas Strip and they are currently offering sites at $29 a night.  We would stay there again.

I'm not into gambling but I had to try the famed slot machines. We lost $25 and I gave it up.  I get no thrill from the remote possibility of winning big...just prefer to get something for my money.

Now, the glitz, glamour, and hustle bustle of the city is something else entirely.  I love it! Our first day there, we drove up and down the strip numerous times and never did find a place to park.  I took lots of photos through the windshield, then we headed back towards the RV park and partook of a Las Vegas buffet at Sam's Town.  It was pretty good for the price....which was about half what the buffets in the Strip are.

The next day we had better luck finding a place to park our monster truck.  I headed to New York, New York and took in the sights.  We passed the Nine Fine Irishmen Pub with outdoor tables and stopped in for a late lunch.  It was good, overpriced and an ideal spot for people watching.  Watching Vegas slowly light up as the sun goes down is a sight to see.

Statue of Liberty made entirely out of chocolate

We originally planned just a couple of days in Vegas, but I couldn't leave without seeing a Vegas show, so we extended our stay and I began my search for tickets.  We settled on the Blue Man Group at the Monte Carlo.  I was unfamiliar with them, but we'd heard it was a good show.  It was an excellent decision...the show was awesome!  The reviews all said it is impossible to describe and they are right.

Lots of energy, audience participation, almost mime-like vignettes, music played on all kinds of crazy instruments, colorful, funny, almost no dialogue which is ideal for me with my hearing loss.  Spontaneous...some people walked in late...suddenly the screen on stage popped up with with a flashing headline...late-comers... and video of them as the spotlight followed them to their seats. They make fun of many things but it's appropriate for all ages.  You leave the theater exhilarated.  Can you tell we loved it? Highly recommend you see it if you get the chance!

I won't return to Vegas to gamble, but I will return...