vacation week - 2009
[spring break]
Day 3
While Rozann finished repacking for our journey to Lake Havasu City, I went and picked up our rental car. This was accomplished by taking the Hotel shuttle to the airport, then catching the car rental shuttle to the rental facility.
The airport uses one fleet of Airport Car Rental Facility buses and transports all car renters to the same centralized facility. Each of the Major car rental companies is located together at this one same facility. It makes it really convenient. Renters just go to the individual counter for the rental car company they have chosen, and complete their transaction. It is a lot like a food court in a mall or airport, only this is a car rental court.
Back to the hotel, pick up Rozann and our luggage and begin our 4-1/2 hour trek to Lake Havasu City. Actual driving time was probably under 4 hours - the rest of the time was bathroom and scenic view stops.
Lake Havasu City is in the extreme western side of Arizona. It is on a man-made lake formed on the Colorado River by a dam at Parker AZ [the Parker Dam] about 25 miles south of Lake Havasu City. On the other side of the lake / river is California. To the North about 60 miles is the southern tip of the state of Nevada.
The area is mostly dry mountainess terrain - arid and desert-like conditions abound. Cactus of many varieties thrive here. They average just under 3-1/2 inches of rainfall per year. The average annual daytime high is 88 degrees farenheit. It has become a retirement and resort type community. The permanent population is around 55,000 - the winter snow-bird population adds another 20 - 25,000 from November to April. Friends of ours rented a house for 6 weeks and invited us to come visit [they are retired school teachers from Minnesota].
The drive from Phoenix provided a great deal of scenic opportunities. We arrived at their home around 3pm. After unpacking and getting settled, they took us on a short driving tour of the city. It included a walk along the touristy area of the Canal Bridge River District.
It is here that the world famous "London Bridge" is relocated. An American Industrialist had purchased the bridge in London, had it totally disassembled, shipped to the desert of AZ, reassembled, and used it to form the heart of what is now Lake Havasu City. An oasis in the desert is what was created, and people from around the world come to visit...even from Muncie, IN.
Back home for a leisurely dinner was next on the agenda...a game of cards, and then to bed for a full night's sleep.
[to be continued]
The airport uses one fleet of Airport Car Rental Facility buses and transports all car renters to the same centralized facility. Each of the Major car rental companies is located together at this one same facility. It makes it really convenient. Renters just go to the individual counter for the rental car company they have chosen, and complete their transaction. It is a lot like a food court in a mall or airport, only this is a car rental court.
Back to the hotel, pick up Rozann and our luggage and begin our 4-1/2 hour trek to Lake Havasu City. Actual driving time was probably under 4 hours - the rest of the time was bathroom and scenic view stops.
Lake Havasu City is in the extreme western side of Arizona. It is on a man-made lake formed on the Colorado River by a dam at Parker AZ [the Parker Dam] about 25 miles south of Lake Havasu City. On the other side of the lake / river is California. To the North about 60 miles is the southern tip of the state of Nevada.
The area is mostly dry mountainess terrain - arid and desert-like conditions abound. Cactus of many varieties thrive here. They average just under 3-1/2 inches of rainfall per year. The average annual daytime high is 88 degrees farenheit. It has become a retirement and resort type community. The permanent population is around 55,000 - the winter snow-bird population adds another 20 - 25,000 from November to April. Friends of ours rented a house for 6 weeks and invited us to come visit [they are retired school teachers from Minnesota].
The drive from Phoenix provided a great deal of scenic opportunities. We arrived at their home around 3pm. After unpacking and getting settled, they took us on a short driving tour of the city. It included a walk along the touristy area of the Canal Bridge River District.
It is here that the world famous "London Bridge" is relocated. An American Industrialist had purchased the bridge in London, had it totally disassembled, shipped to the desert of AZ, reassembled, and used it to form the heart of what is now Lake Havasu City. An oasis in the desert is what was created, and people from around the world come to visit...even from Muncie, IN.
Back home for a leisurely dinner was next on the agenda...a game of cards, and then to bed for a full night's sleep.
[to be continued]