Day 15 - Fri 30th May

Las Vegas, Nv to Loughlin, Nv

We eventually managed to get out of Vegas by 12:00 mid-day.

Vegas is great, but we weren't used to the crowds and hustle & bustle. I know it sounds stupid, but we really did want to get back on the road. 

Maybe it was because in Vegas, you are just another tourist, whilst on R66 you are fairly unique and people are interested in you and where you are from. Not only the traders, (motels, bars, gift shops etc), who do rely on you for their livelihood, but also the everyday people who you meet in the motels, bars, gift shops etc.

Stopped at The Hoover Dam, took photos & grabbed a sandwich.

As we had left R66 in Kingman, Az to drive 100 miles north to Vegas, we had to do the return trip to rejoin the route. By the way, the yanks pronounce route 66,  "rout 66".

Arrived in Kingman @ 3:30 pm and started the "rout"

This is probably a good example of how we manage to do so little driving of the rout each day, as we don't get started 'til 3:30!

The drive from Kingman, takes you through Cool Springs, Ed's Camp and over the Sitgreaves Pass to Oatman. These are all in Arizona. The drive was as memorable as the drive through Monument Valley. Absolutely stunning! If Carlsberg did classic drives, this would probably be the best drive in the world. (almost!)

No other cars on a hilly, winding road through baking hot desert.

And then you arrive in Oatman. It's just the dog's testibules of wild west towns......and it isn't commercialised for tourists.

OK, they do stage a gunfight for the tourists twice per day, but luckily we missed this, and they do have many tacky gift shops, but many of the buildings are original wooden built structures with boardwalks. We arrived at 4:30, about 30 mins before the locals lock up and go to the bar.

Oatman was a wild west mining town (yanks call towns - "cities" and hamlets - "towns' - 'tis true). The descendants of the burros (donkeys) that were used in the mines, now roam wild in the town (hamlet). The first thing you see are the burros pestering tourists for carrots. You can buy a bag of carrots for $1 from one of the many shops. As soon as the burros see this they are after you and would come in the shop, given half a chance.

I bought a bag of carrots from a shopkeeper. He was a genuine old-timer who was keenly interested in us and where we are from. Sat outside was "Doc Holliday", chewin' tobacco. 

We fed the burros and fed them some more. They liked Arnie, but not as much as the stray dog in Monument Valley did (thank goodness!)

We had a drink in the Oatman Hotel (Est 1902) and asked the barmaid where we could stay the night. A biker couple, sat next to us at the bar, suggested Loughlin, about 30 miles away, in Nevada. We got talking to them (Hi John & Denise) and spent the next hour chatting away about all things American, soccer, Portugal, California, holidays etc.  John bought us a drink (cheers!) and we had a great time.

Afterwards we went outside and had photos taken next to their Harley which was beautiful. I thought Harleys were big, wide bikes that look like 3-wheelers. I couldn't have been more wrong. This one was fantastic. Max, you would have loved it. It was all black & chrome. John said that it is a "Valcera." (I think that's right). This is a particular style of Harley that the Hispanic/Mexicans like. Well the Irish/English in me & Boley like them too.

We left and bumped into John & Denise on the road 30 mins later. They gestured us to follow them and directed us to the hotels in Loughlin.

We arrived in Loughlin about 7:30 and booked into Don Loughlin's Riverside Hotel & Casino.

Now Loughlin is no Las Vegas.

It is a resort, next to Bullhead City, on the banks of the Colorado River. (Bullhed City has the record as the hottest place in the States.) There are about 8 or 9 Casino/Hotels along a 2 mile stretch. I guess Don Loughlin founded the place a good few years back. It is MUCH cheaper than Vegas, has a lovely setting, and caters for families. The Riverside has a pool, water activities on the Colorado, a cinema, bowling alley, 6 restaurants , many bars , casino & hotel. Loughlin lacks the glitz of Vegas, and could be compared to Benidorm, but has it's own charm and was an ideal stopover point for us on the night.

We checked in (£35 for the 2 of us for the night), had a great meal in the Mexican restaurant, and retired to the Loser's Lounge (bar) for the night.

There was live music from 2 bands and a DJ. The bands played rock n roll while the DJ played hip-hop. The yanks danced in their usual crazy, uninhibited way to everything.

The bands were still playing @ 3 am and the MC said that the DJ would be playing 'til 5:45 am. We retired early @ 5:30 (lol).

Mileage: 2852 miles