We were HERE

Well not exactly sure how fast they were driving to make it to Yuma by 3.10, we made it in record time

Yuma is the “worlds” sunniest city (according to an American magazine). But I’m sure Mrs Fogg will geek it out later for y’all.

It is unfortunate to say but there actually is nothing here apart from a “Main Street” that is mainly micro breweries (where we sampled a blond jailbait) and empty stores.

Tomorrow a visit to the “Center of the Earth” (of course it’s in America and a jail.

Oh and Yuma is apparently the “dove” hunting capital of the world, yes you read it right, “dove” hunting. And the season starts 1st September, which explains the monster off road trucks, full of guys with hunting rifles to track down those vicious little killers

We’ve been HERE

Welcome to London Bridge as sold to the Americans in the 1960s, not as previously believed that they bought the wrong bridge. History bit states;

London Bridge is a bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. It was built in the 1830s and formerly spanned the River Thames in London, England. It was dismantled in 1967 and relocated to Arizona. The Arizona bridge is a reinforced concrete structure clad in the original masonry of the 1830s bridge, which was purchased by Robert P. McCulloch from the City of London. McCulloch had exterior granite blocks from the original bridge numbered and transported to America to construct the present bridge in Lake Havasu City, a planned community he established in 1964 on the shore of Lake Havasu. The bridge was completed in 1971 (along with a canal), and links an island in the Colorado River with the main port of Lake Havasu City.

The major past time here appears to involve getting in your 40ft speed boat (minimum length, but longer is better), with twin V8 or V12 engines and revving it as you travel at 2mph up the water, with scantily clad women dancing vigorously out of tune to your ghetto blaster strapped to the hood. And when you have done this, you turn round and go the other way, drink and repeat (picture a high street in the UK with little boys in their cars going up and down and you have the idea). Funny to watch.

So, Oatman, 2700 feet above sea level and only founded in 1906. An incredible little slice of history.

By 1931 official records show that the Oatman mining district (which covered a number of mines around the town and hillsides) produced $36,008,000, of which $35,740,000 was gold and the rest silver. Over 5000 people lived and worked in this hot dusty climate where water was initially brought in by burros over the passes.

According to the history of the town, the retirees in 1975 were adamant that there are still rich seams of gold in the hills waiting to be discovered. The mines were all closed and abandoned by 1945 as the second world war took the focus.

1930 view down Main Street with hotel on left:

Present day view with hotel on left:

Interestingly, it was only in the late 1970’s that it was even recognised as a township.

The burros that come into town are descendants of the original mining mules abandoned as the mines closed.

There were even films made here, “How the West Was Won”, Edge of Eternity” to name two

Oh and Clark Gable and Carole Lombard allegedly stopped here for one night on their honeymoon in 1939. Sadly the hotel is now a gift shop but it has preserved the hotel room and has an ace cafe bar which is covered in dollar bills left and signed by visitors.