Wales may 2004

Click on the images for full size and use the browser back button to return here

The high and mighty Hoover Dam.

The route northwards took us along highway 93 through a forest of saguaro cacti.

The lovely campground beside Burro Creek provided a few nights rest.

Oops! Now we have a cactus roof garden!

Through Kingman to Lake Mead where the Temple Bar campground was deserted.

Dot soon had the meal cooking!

Even the marina was quiet as we wandered around-the water level was exceptionally low and all the jetties were strung out on long chains.

Back to the main road we travelled towards the Hoover Dam.

All vehicles have to pass through a security checkpoint as the road goes across the dam.

First we drove across the dam only to find that all motor homes had to park on the other side-so back we went across the dam once more!

Then we walked back-it was a great view looking down the high wall- however the dam was smaller than we expected!

The Colorado river is the boundary between Arizona and Nevada and down beside the river in each state is a generator hall.

Water management is the prime purpose of the dam and electricity generation only a by product!

The tour route included a quick visit down to the hall where we could see that only two of the generators were on line.

But the leaning pylons were quite something!

When the dam was being constructed railways had to be built to bring in the equipment and materials..

This huge aerial tramway-still in use today-was used to get men and machines across the river.

The spillway was bone dry with weeds and rubbish-it has not been used since the sixties due to low water levels.

The white line around the edge of the lake shows where the water level should be!

A new road bridge is being constructed to take traffic across the river high above the dam.

The reason given is to avoid the traffic jams in summer but we did not believe that as the cost must be phenominal!

Las Vegas again and Nellis Air Force Base.

On this visit to Las Vegas we stayed for a few nights on a campground and took the free shuttle bus to the strip.

Double deck buses had just been introduced and were always full so we walked to visit the Stratosphere as the sun was setting.

The view from the top of the tower was worth the long wait to go up.

Believe it or not this is a roller coaster ride outside on the edge of the top of the tower and up the very top is one of those awful plunge rides.

On this ride the arm swings out over the edge of the tower. Then it swirls around with the chairs hanging out over -nothing! Insanity!

Just a few days later a power cut left people stranded on the roller coaster track out over the edge and those on Insanity screaming like mad!

For the air show we camped at the motor speedway right alongside Nellis Air Force Base.

There are several different race circuits in use most of the time. The drag strip was in use all night by the Harley Owners Club- the fast jets seemed quiet after all that noise!

The air show took place on Saturday and Sunday but with usual military planning a rehearsal was held on Friday so we had a sneak preview.

As we ate our breakfast two stealth Nighthawks flew overhead.

This lovely Donier flying boat belongs to the grandson of the maker and is flying around the world raising money for Unesco.

There were lots of interesting planes in the static display and some great flying by both military and civilian pilots.

The local EAA chapter did an impressive fly past.

As expected there was also a lot of the latest electronic stuff on display and Jim had a long talk with the electronics officer about the Predator-the unmanned planes-which are stationed at Nellis.

Two more interesting vehicles- a Russian mobile rocket launcher and a Spam truck!!!

The RAF had flown in with a Tornado and a Harrier. All from the Stamford area they were on a six week tour of duty in the US to test new avionics fitted to the planes.

Wing Commander Waterfall was an ex Red Arrows pilot and as Dot was wearing her Arrows T- shirt he posed for a photo in front of his personal Harrier!

The US marines have Harriers and the flying display was very popular with the crowd-made us feel very proud!

The Thunderbirds, the USAF display team are based at Nellis and would bring the show to a close each day.

We had watched them practise and asked the RAF boys if they were as good as the Red Arrows-

No comment!

The introduction video was long and boring as we wanted to see the flying.

Only six in the team they repeated many manoeuvres but this upside down side by side low pass was excellent.

The display was not as exciting as the Red Arrows-the Thunderbirds only have white smoke!

Down in the lowest point in the USA in Death Valley.

In Las Vegas we had collected a new piston and rings for Dot's TTR and out at the SKP campsite in Pahrump Jim set to work to repair the engine.

As soon as the work was finished we went off to visit Death Valley in California.

On the way we passed the Armagosa opera house-right out in the middle of the desert.

Then we stopped to admire the view at the lookout down to the salt flats below.

Outside the visitor centre is this old steam driven tractor which was used to pull the ore carts out to the railway main line.

Now we were down at sea level.

Out along the dried lake at Badwater is the lowest point-86metres below sea level-the sign on the hillside above is at sea level!

Although it seems to be a barren landscape the Badwater pool was teeming with microscopic fish.

The dried salt lake is very big with tracks going across to the other side-4x4 needed and a good hose pipe to wash the vehicle!

We enjoyed the drive back to camp as the sun was setting.

Las Vegas yet again and Knighter reigns supreme indoors!

David Knight from the Isle of Man-smart helmet-

has won everything in 2005-the E3 World Championship-ISDE class and Overall-British Championship and all the extreme enduros in Europe and the USA.

Dots banner proclaimed him KING!

He was not the only World Champion to come to Vegas for the Indoor Enduro Cross.

Spain sent Ivan Cervantes the E1 Champion and young Cristobal Guerrero the Junior World Enduro Champion.

Last year the event was unknown to American riders but this year they came from far and wide to try to qualify for the main event.

All the top riders were here and some who no longer compete and it was good to meet Jack Penton again.

Over one hundred hopeful qualifiers had to race on Friday with just ten getting a chance to ride with the invited pros in the main event on Saturday night.

Around the pits the talk had all been about how easy the course looked and how they were going to show the pros the way round.

The qualifier races were very entertaining as they crashed on the rocks and fell in the water and slipped off the big logs into the greenery! The course was not as easy to ride as they thought.

This cool California dude was parked next to us and we had to admire his fashionable gear!

On the first lap of the heat the front wheel of his KTM dropped into one of the big tractor tyres!

He was stuck!

He was still there when the race finished and the marshals had to let the front tyre down to get the wheel free!

This rider managed to sell his bike between heats!

The graphics on this bike did not help the rider to qualify!

Young Ricky Dietrich from Washington State was one of the qualifiers from Friday riding a Kawasaki and he was so happy to get into the finals!

Maxxis also gave prize money to the top qualifiers if they were using the right tyres.

Last years winner Ryno Hughes was now on a Suzuki and the press were interviewing him all day long.

Would he be able to retain the Number One plate?

It was strange to see that after the practise lap he fitted a trials tyre to his MX machine .

All seemed to going well for Ryno in the first heat which he won easily.

Other top American riders were struggling on the rocks!

In the second heat several riders fell on the first bend including Knighter but he rode smoothly and fast to finish fourth.

He had to go out and ride in a semi which he won and was through to the final!

KTM competition boss Kurt Nicol used all his MX skills to keep in front of much younger riders.

Kurt Caselli showed why he is the top USA ISDE rider.

Cervantes was the fastest European rider and he was very smooth and stylish in the main event!

This year the final would be a longer race of ten laps.

Once again the rocks would prove to be the downfall of Ryno.

He was in the lead when he fell-Knight came storming past into the lead.

We could hardly bear to watch!

Trying to catch Knight Ryno got stuck on the rocks again and to his horror Knight came past to lap him-it was all over!

Knighter rode a steady smooth race which he dominated.

On the podium were three very happy riders.

David Knight, popular veteran MX rider John Dowd and in third place Deitrich the young qualifier who could hardly believe it.

Now Knighter has another number one plate to add to his growing collection.

Also a few thousand dollars to add to those he won the weekend before in Texas at the Last Man Standing extreme enduro!

We were so pleased to have been able to enjoy the racing and share in some of David's success.

It had also been good to get news from home via Jonty Edmunds and the gang from the IOM.

Pity they forgot to bring us some M & S pork pies!

The organising team have worked so hard to make Enduro Cross a success and the arena was packed with an enthusiastic crowd who were enjoying the exciting races and cheering madly..

However I feel that this member of the team should give up that dangerous activity known as housework!

Oh no-not another toy!

South to the sunshine in Arizona and California.

Back on our route south we passed through the gambling towns along the river and pulled into Windsor Beach campground in the State park beside Lake Havasu.

Just around the corner was London Bridge brought here in the seventies.

After it had been re built a channel was cut to allow the lake to flow under the arches.

Strange to see it amongst the palm trees!

The city has a Lighthouse Society dedicated to improving the navigation aids around the shore line.

They have been busy building one third scale replicas of famous lighthouses.

This part of Arizona is known to be rich in minerals including gold.

This guy was searching for gold underwater in the channel by London Beach-claims he finds lots of gold rings that have been lost overboard!

Meanwhile Jim admired a replica of the Gold State Coach in the hotel foyer.

Then it was time to get busy once again in his role as bicycle repair man.

This time he was fitting nice new Maxxis tyres to the front wheels of our Yamahas.

Off we went exploring on the boulder strewn dried up washes. Funny how you long for some nice squelchy mud!

We both got early Christmas presents-smart new Thor enduro jackets.

Image is all in the USA!

We found the big waterfall but saw no sign of the WWII B25 bomber that crashed in the hills!

As it was Thanksgiving holiday the trails were very busy with vehicles and roadrunners!

The view back to the lake was nice!

There were hundreds of ducks on the lake all dodging the noisy power boats.

Sunsets were beautiful.

With all this warm sunny weather it was hard to remember that Christmas was coming.

Then they switched on all the lights at the bridge and the English Village.

WOW!

Down through Yuma where once again we crossed the Colorado river this time into California.

In this area the fields are all cultivated-neat rows of vegetables or hay are growing with long concrete irrigation channels bringing the water from the river.

Turning north and west we passed through Glamis famous for the huge sand dunes where locals come to play.

They spend shed loads of money on buggies and ATV's to race around in circles all day!

Now another completely different lake awaited us-the Salton Sea.

Below sea level the water is shallow and very salty so no expensive power boats to disturb the peace-just the trains passing by!

All around this area date palms are grown but we decided not to sample a date shake.

After negotiating all the fast and furious traffic in the manicured Palm Desert resort area we climbed up into the narrow road in the San Jacinto mountains through the San Bernandino forest.

It was good to be up in the hills again as the road climbed up to 1250mtrs we could enjoy the views back down to the valley oasis.

Another SKP park, Jojoba Hills at Aguanga would be our resting place for a few days where we received the usual hugs from all the residents.

A luxurious resort with every comfort for just $2.50 per night-a real bargain!

It was strange to see roses blooming in December.

At this resort they take golf cart riding to extremes!

In the nearby city of Temecula we went shopping for last minute gifts.

Fancy finding Newcastle Brown being delivered!

Back in the old days when we watched that classic motorcycle film 'On Any Sunday' the enduro riders race through the main street in Elsinore.

We never ever imagined that one day we would drive along the very same street!

The town has grown since then and as we climbed up the hill we had a good view of Lake Elsinore.

The mountain road was twisty and it was slow going to the Pacific coast where we enjoyed lunch at Dana Point.

After all the months in the desert it was good to sea the ocean again.

Then we had to drive along the race track known as the Pacific Coast Highway!

Along past the expensive ocean side homes in Laguna Beach and Newport Beach where the most common cars are luxury European models. Jim would not stop to let Dot shop at this mall!

The airport is named after a famous local who made a few films here!

We pulled into the Bolsa Chico State park campground which had a wonderful view of the ocean, oil rigs and Catalina Island.

It was also right alongside the highway! However the cycle path beside the ocean took us to the surfing capitol of the World, Huntington Beach.

Just across the road is a huge wetlands area where thousands of migrating birds come to spend the winter.

To Long Beach for more bikes and a grand old lady!

Next stop was Long Beach convention centre for a motorcycle exhibition to see all the latest goodies !

A Honda Gold Wing complete with air bag!

Dot learned a new trick!

In the evening we watched Arena Cross-

The most exciting part was when the speakers in the roof of the arena caught fire and the fire trucks arrived and we all had to evacuate the hall!

We spent the next day on board the liner Queen Mary and it made us long for home once again.

While Dot toured the Marilyn Monroe exhibit Jim visited a Russian submarine!

Our friends Kathy and Bruce came to take us to stay outside their home where we could cruise around in a 1974 MG!

Seems there are a lot of British cars and bikes in Co Cal.

The bus was fitted with nice new tyres ready for the rigours of Central America. Then Bruce found a crack in one of the brake discs on his motor home!

So Jim put on his Dickies and set to work to fit a new hub-beside the road!

Then we had to drive back south along that race track again.

The driver of this unusual Landrover came alongside to wave!

Our very last campground in the USA was at Pio Pico in the hills near San Diego.

Now it was time for us to fly home for Christmas with our family and a visit to Lisbon for the start of the Dakar rally.

Here we are having a lovely meal with the gas heater and red wine keeping us warm!

(nights are cold down here-well 16deg)

The friendship we have enjoyed throughout our time in the New World has been fantastic-

thanks guys!

This inflatable Santa was just perfect and we went to the supermarket to buy one to take home!

The box was too big and heavy so we had to make do with a photo!

--------Follow us home to Europe for the 2006 Dakar Rally -------

----------------------Return to the main index page-------------------