Lake Havasu & Arizona Desert

Relics and Rods: A Sizzling Start to Our Desert Adventure

Our day began with a stroll over to the golf course for the "Run to the Sun Relics and Rods" show. It was an auto enthusiast's dream come true, with a jaw-dropping collection of hot rods that could make your heart race faster than their engines. But before we could fully immerse ourselves in this automotive wonderland, we had an unexpected encounter with the local wildlife – a rattlesnake on the course. By the time we arrived, the snake had been safely relocated into a sealed bin, and part of me was relieved, although the adventurous spirit in me secretly yearned for a glimpse.

As we approached the event, the gleaming paintwork of these vintage beauties caught our attention, each car a piece of rolling art basking in the morning sun. I scoured the rows of classics and modern marvels, but sadly, my chosen birth year beauty '61 Corvette remained elusive. Nevertheless, I did manage to snag a little something from the swap meet section, a memento of the day.

The show was massive, the sun scorching, and the cars nothing short of amazing. But the real highlight of our day came in the afternoon when we ventured into the desert for some off-roading in UTVs. The ride was a thrill from the start, taking us to the summit of a rocky hill. This is where my comfort zone was thoroughly tested as we embarked on a daunting rock climb. With a mix of colorful language and silent prayers, I summoned the courage to ascend, even conquering my fear of heights for a quick photo op. Andy wisely advised me not to look left or down, so I crawled my way up and down, but it was worth it.

Our trusty UTVs delivered the off-roading adventure we craved. It felt like a cocktail of excitement, with a dash of dust, a splash of water, and a generous shake. The desert sun was relentless, despite my preparation of drinking three liters of water before setting off. About halfway through, the heat hit me hard. The guys, being the kind souls they are, shared their water as we huddled in the scarce shade we could find to escape the scorching 40-degree heat. Andy made the wise call to head back, concerned about the possibility of heatstroke.

Although the desert heat tested our endurance, today's adventure was an absolute blast. We zipped around rugged tracks, tackled steep inclines, and navigated treacherous descents. When we returned, Andy insisted on a chilling ritual, to douse myself with what felt like icy-cold water to bring my body temperature down. It felt torturous, but it worked wonders.

We all took a much-needed shower, clothes and all, and watched as the water turned a dirty shade of brown from the layers of dust we had accumulated. Finally, we rewarded ourselves with a refreshing dip in the resort pool. Despite Andy pushing me to my limits, I wouldn't trade this day for anything. We had an absolute blast, and I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. Here's to more relics, rods, and dusty desert adventures!Read more