Lake Havasu City to Phoenix

Hot Rod cruise, Motorcycle Show and travel day to Phoenix followed by Top Golf.

Our morning kicked off with great anticipation as we parked up on the side of the road and watched the parade of classic Rods cruise by from yesterday's show. While it wasn't as crowded as we expected, the atmosphere was cool. We stood by the side of the road, waving at our dream cars as they rumbled past, a true car lover's dream and Ron's excitement had us entertained, as he was in awe with vehicles that are just everyday drivers over here.

But the surprises didn't end there. Just around the corner, we stumbled upon a Motorcycle show that turned out to be a must-see. Even for those of us who weren't die-hard bike enthusiasts, the custom motorcycles on display were a sight to behold. The intricate detailing that had gone into these machines was truly impressive.

With our automotive cravings satisfied, we restocked our water and while in the supermarket I came across a whole isle of alcohol, everything from whiskey to premixed cocktails. Back on the road heading towards Phoenix, the scenery along our road trip was nothing short of breathtaking. The layers of mountain ranges created a stunning backdrop to the Colorado River, and are a far cry away from our tiny mountains back home. Those table-top-shaped ones had me oohing and aahing at every turn.
A quick stop for refreshments gave us options of ready made thick shakes and Cracker Jill's! So how could we pass up trying those.
As we got closer to Phoenix, the landscape transformed into a desert wonderland. Cacti dotted the landscape, and we even witnessed some dust devils swirling along the desert road with a couple of small ones bumping us around as we drove through . And believe it or not, we encountered a real-life coyote road kill!
Arriving in Phoenix, we were amazed by the scale of the city. Andy pointed out the ring road that takes about 3 hours to circumnavigate, and we learned that the population here is around 5 million. That's quite a contrast to our homeland in New Zealand, which has a similar population for the entire country.
After checking into our hotel, we wasted no time and headed for a refreshing swim to cool off from the desert heat. Our dinner was at the Texas Roadhouse, where I couldn't resist ordering a Cactus Blossom, deep-fried whole onion that blooms like a flower – a delicious reminder of the same treat I had a few years back when in Florida.

Our evening activity was a trip to Top Golf, where Andy coached us in the art of swinging a club. Laughter filled the air as Steve calling a club a stick, turned out to be the sly golfing champ, winning two rounds, and Ron surprised us all with his skillful shots that also won him a game.

For our final round, Andy and I had to play "speed golf" as time our time was running out. Talk about a count down, the pressure was on, but it was a blast. I couldn't help but notice a pro golfer in our midst, swinging his own clubs and sending golf balls flying like missiles. I was tempted to ask for a few pointers, as he wasnt too shabby, if you get my drift.
With the night winding down, we retired to our rooms, knowing that we had an early start the next day for our pontoon boat adventure. The excitement for what lay ahead was palpable, and we couldn't wait to explore more of this desert oasis.Read more