On our way to Arizona
So, we left San Leandro for Lake Havasu City.
The Beast is running strong and anxious to be back on the road. All dials and gauges in the green and half a tank of diesel. Next stop will be Bakersfield as their Costco is one of five in California that has diesel (40 cents less than the surrounding stations).
Fueled and running strong past Tehachapi (which seems a little strange as we usually fuel there in our gas rigs) and out across the Mohave desert. The town (?) of Mohave off to the right with all the old airplanes sitting in the sun. Some rain to contend with (seems a little strange after the summer we have been having).
Decided to stop in the town of Boron, California.
We drive by here every time we take this route to or from Las Vegas and have never stopped. The signs on the highway tout a visitors center for the borax mines, a museum for the 20 mule team history and a private aerospace museum. We were also ready for our packed lunch. We pulled off the highway and followed the signs to the borax mine visitors center only to discover it was closed. Hmmmmm, so we head across the freeway to 20 mule team road and follow it eastbound to the center (?…?) of town where we readily see all the attractions in one glance.
The beast handily parks on the side of the road and we go in the 20 mule team museum. I remember my mother always seemed to have a box of “20 Mule Team Boraxo” above the washing machine. It’s distinctive picture of the mules pulling the borax trains from the mine is an image I can see today. We find out from the volunteer that works the desk that the visitors center at the mine is closed due to the rain…..I guess the put the parking area on top of a tailings pile that turns into a car sucking bottomless pit. There are some great exhibits in this little donation run museum that also covers life in the little desert towns of the Mohave. Don’t expect the Smithsonian but there are definitely some great little displays on life there.
We went out in the outside exhibit area where the volunteer said we could use a picnic table and had our lunch under the shade of a cottonwood. After making our lunch and enjoying the setting, I went next door to the aerospace museum (R.P. is not a huge fan).
This museum is run by donation as well but is somehow not associated with the town fathers. Tucked in between the two museums is this great little train depot that is original to the town.
Outside the building you are greeted by the iconic F4 which seems to grace every aircraft museum in the country. Beyond it are some not so common planes including a couple homebuilt experimental planes and a fairly rare early 2 seat Saab.
Next installment…….the London Bridge. Yea, really, look it up for the history. Just gonna add some personal pics and story from there and our continuing adventures.
That’s all for now.
BFD
