We left the Parker area and drove north. By the way, does anyone know why the soil around Parker is white? Are they spreading something, or is something leaching up? We couldn’t find any information about it. Leave us a comment below if you know.
On the way to our next BLM overnight, we stopped for a short hike at Bill Williams Refuge Lookout.
and went for a nice walk along the water.
We arrived at Standard Wash BLM an area by the highway that leads to Havasu and spent a quiet night there.
The next morning we continued to Havasu to explore the manufactured attractions, mainly, London Bridge and several lighthouse replicas.
We were under the impression that the bridge was a replica. It isn’t. The London Bridge span the Thames River between 1831 and 1968, at which time itm could no longer hold the increased amount of car traffic and needed t be replaced. Someone brilliant said “let sell it the Americans” and they did.
A real estate developer, Robert P. McCulloch, was an entrepreneur and real estate developer who founded Lake Havasu City. He purchased and installed the bridge in a new community he was developing to attract tourists and retirement home buyers.
If you want to read more about the history of the bridge, take a look here.
We admired the bridge and continued for a pleasant walk along the channel.
Then we set out to explore some of the cute scale lighthouses that dot the shoreline of the lake.
For some reason we were full of misconceptions and thought that these lighthouses were just a touristy gimmick. In fact, they all act as functioning beacons to protect boaters at night.
They were all designed after famous lighthouses and built to scale in memory of locals and sponsored by local residents and organizations. Here are some of the plaques that accompany the little lighthouses.
Just look at this cure door in relation to Tony’s foot.
Whichever way you turned, there was a lighthouse.
We only saw a few of the lighthouses as some of them are accessible by boat only. Looking at the lake, we kind of wished that we had some sort of a watercraft with us.
It was time to move on to our next boondocking spot at Craggy Wash just outside of town.
There was mstill time to ngo for a walk
and we nexploresn the surroundings
Up and down quartz covered hills.
We spotted from a distance something angular and white on the next ridge and went to explore.
When we got closer we realized that it was a memorial. Someone erected in thesen serene place a memorial to their friend TJ who died when he was 25 years old. A soldier. Sad.
The sun was creeping down so we walked back down to our van
and watched the light disappear
behind the mountain
until it was dark.
Sometimes at night in the desert , you can feel the weight of the entire world. Maybe because the stars are so close.
What a lovely day you spent out Margie. It was interesting to see the London Bridge and to learn that it is not a replica. All those lighthouses do seem gimmicky as a tourist thing but nice to know they are functional too.
You are brave to spend the night in the desert. I’d be too creeped out. But must be such an interesting feeling too being so close to the stars!
I love boondocking in the desert and it feels safer than populated areas. The silence, darkness, and endless horizons is mesmerizing.
Very interesting. I just love the lighthouses. But you can’t beat the sunset 😊
There is nothing like a good sunset at the end of the day!
I love lighthouses. Hubs and I were married at one!
Oh, that is so cool! Do you have a post about it? Must have been beautiful!
Those Americans will buy anything. I actually remember hearing that about the bridge on the news years ago. Love all the tiny lighthouses.
Funny,, I remembered after the fact that I read about it somewhere, I just never made the connection at the time. Funny what people with money can dream up.
Great to see this post, from people who love boondocking as much as I do! I knew about the bridge, but not the lighthouses, and I guess the lake is less busy this time of year – I hear it really buzzes some times of year! I’m not going to get further west than Texas this upcoming trip, but I’m glad to have another place to put on the list, and the remote camping is definitely what I’m looking for.
There are so many boondocking spots in the desert and it wasn’t crowded when we were there. I loved being able to just stop for the night and move on the next day freely.
Nice trip, thanks for the ride’
Years ago, we visited the London Bridge, but didn’t see the lighthouses. I guess they came later.
You might be right, I think that they are a newish addition to the place. It was fun to visit.
Looks like you are having real adventures. London Bridge looks so strange at Lake Havasu. Thanks for sharing and enjoy your trip. Allan
It was on the strange side, but we enjoyed it all. Thanks for stopping by!
I love the Parker area. I knew the London bridge was genuine. Your photos are wonderful – love the sunrises and sunsets of Arizona – so beautiful. What a great post – I loved it.
Thank you! We really enjoyed visiting the area.
I’ve never heard the term “manufactured attractions” but that is the perfect description. I would have been right there with you assuming the bridge was a replica and the lighthouses were ornamental. I’m sure someone must have written a book about lighthouses. It’s fascinating observing their many styles.
I may have coined it 🙂 There absolutely books about lighthouses, I even have one!
There is nothing else like an Arizona sunset. I enjoyed reading about London Bridge. Happy travels!
The sunsets in Sarnia come very close to the sunsets in Arizona, but I agree that they are fabulous!
I love all the lighthouses!! The London Bridge story is hilarious!!
I thought so too!
So, London Bridge didn’t necessarily fall down -it just crossed an ocean!
Haha, it did indeed!
Like.
Love.
Wonderful desert scenery. And the sunset was superb.
There is something about the desert that always draws me back.
I love the collection of cute little lighthouses. The London Bridge looks beautiful. How funny that it was actually once a bridge in London. I had no idea that you could even take apart a bridge and move it somewhere else. That sunset in the desert looks spectacular.
Taking a bridge apart and reassembling it is no small feat. The guy spent many million and a few years on this insane task.
I remember “our” bridge being sent to the US (I’m a Londoner). Looks like they made a good job of reconstructing it – but what a huge task!
Ha! I never gave any thought about how the other side may have thought about it!
Such an interesting site to see. Those Lighthouses are so amazing. We have these here in our area. Anita
Yeah, I love visiting the maritimes lighthouses!
Well wow to those lighthouses…and the sunset is just gorgeous
I hope you find out why that sand went white
Me too! So far no one seems to know 🙁
Can’t tell you why the soil you saw was white, but I do know that the soil on the Island of Hawaii is black because it is the result of a volcano eruption. Chuckle. Cheers, Muriel
Haha, I knew I could rely on you to find me the answer to another question 🙂
It’s true that the wide, flat, and open desert landscape has that eerie, mysterious ambiance to it…it’s certainly a place that makes the mind think about how everything comes together, from the rock formations touching the sky to the sun dipping behind the horizon– there’s so much to think about while in the desert!
Well said, Rebecca! I am always drawn back to the desert for these reason.
A lovely area, which you have nicely captured. I found myself smiling broadly at the mention of Lake Havasu and London Bridge, as it reminds me of ‘Falling Down’, the fantastic movie starring Michael Douglas and Robert Duval. Duval is a retiring sergeant on his last day of service. He is retiring to Lake Havasu, upon his controlling wife’s demand. In one scene, where she is berating him angrily for some minor misdemeanour, he gently sings ‘London Bridge to her’ over the phone in order to placate her. Thanks for showing me the real thing and illuminating a little of the history. Never trust a person who doesn’t like lighthouses, loved this collection.
I forgot about this movie and the Lake Havasu connection, so thank you for the reminder! “Never trust a person who doesn’t like lighthouses” ❤️
I love all the little lighthouses. But I just can’t imagine thinking/wanting/being able to/afford to move a bridge across an ocean. Its kind of cool to think that that bridge used to be in another country far away and that it has been preserved but I wonder how much it costs.
I think he paid $2.46 million to purchase and ship, but the total cost of assembling was something like 7 million. Today it would probably be closer to a billion 🙂
Just look at all the wonderful lighthouses and I very much love your photos of desert sunset – no matter where you are in the world, it’s hard not to be dazzled by the sun’s final display of the day. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Thank you Aiva! Like you say, there is a sunset wherever you go
Very interesting. I just love the lighthouses. But you can’t beat the sunset..
Indeed!
Love the lighthouses and the progression of the sunset photos. I remember hearing about the relocation of London Bridge so many years ago. Weird, huh? But now I see it does look picturesque in that location.
Yeah, it doesn’t look out of place even though it almost should have 🙂
Thank you for sharing your somber moment and the beautiful photos of the sunset and night sky. Desert at night is hauntingly beautiful. It’s true that the stars can feel so close in the desert, and the vastness of the landscape can make one feel small and insignificant.
Thank you for the beautiful description!
Beautiful photos.
Thank you!
Very intriguing. I’m a sucker for lighthouses. But nothing beats a sunset.
Thank you for sharing your melancholy experience as well as the stunning images of the sunset and the night sky.
Thanks for stopping by.