941 April 4, 2023 Kingman
It was super chilly this morning. It was 36 degrees with a feels like temperature of 31 degrees because of wind. I took a brisk walk into Wickenburg. The history of this town literally rises up out of the sidewalks. There are beautifully crafted bronze statues that are reminders of the past.
The Yavapai Native Americans lived and farmed here for eons.
Henry Wickenburg was the founder of this town. He had a large and successful goldmine.
The prospectors arrived with their mules to seek their fortunes.
There were brothels and saloons in town.
The American Cowboy was and still is a strong presence.
Horses.
The railroads are a big piece of the western story.
The jail tree where outlaws were chained.
The tradition of music.
There were replicas of native wildlife as well!
There are murals on many of the buildings depicting life in earlier times.
Little red schoolhouse.
When I got back to the RV, it was time to go. We traveled north on the Joshua Tree Parkway of Arizona Scenic Road. It was breezy and we could feel the wind pushing us.
Joshua trees grow at about 3,000 feet of elevation.
Then, the hillsides were dotted with saguaros.
The mountains were bisected by the road.
There were fantastic rock formations precariously arranged by natural forces.
We crossed a bridge over Burro Creek, running with current.
We crossed over the Big Sandy River. This is one of the intermittent rivers that feeds Alamo Lake. It was also flowing.
We went through the tiny town of Wikieup and into scruffy desert. With expansive views.
We have been traveling most of the time for over 5 years and we still get surprised and delighted by a pretty ride!
We arrived in Kingman after about three hours. We stopped at Walmart to stock up on supplies.
We could see the dust blowing.
Some snow covered peaks.
We checked into the Fort Beale RV Park and rested for a short time.
Later, we drove into historic Kingman. We stopped at the Route 66 Museum and Visitor Center.
We took an invigorating walk downtown.
