We have been planning to meet several friends in Laughlin, NV, for months. Audrey Baardson worked as a postal clerk for Bill in Eatonville. She has been asking us for years to meet her in Laughlin. She loves to go to casinos and since she is 82 years old, we decided it was time. She traveled there with Rosie (Boush) Johnson, 80 years old, who was a rural carrier at Eatonville. These two ladies can wear you out. We also got to spend time with Uretta and Rick Lykstad (pictured with us on the riverwalk). Rick and Uretta are from Bonney Lake, WA. Teri met Uretta at the first job she had after high school in 1966 at the Mutual of Enumclaw Insurance Company. Our families became friends and have stayed in touch ever since. We were excited when we discovered that all our friends were going to be in Laughlin at the same time. We had so much fun with all of them.
After playing bingo one morning, Rick and Uretta took us for a short drive to Katherine's Landing, a resort on Lake Mojave. The lake is a reservoir of the Colorado River. The river divides Nevada and Arizona and runs between Laughlin and Bullhead City. There were some beautiful ducks and lots of carp waiting for you to feed them. There was even an albino carp. It was amazing that such a beautiful lake was just behind a mountain from these two busy cities.
Rick and Uretta asked us if we wanted to go visit Oatman, AZ, an old mining town. We have always enjoyed seeing historical places so we jumped on the band wagon for the outing. Oatman, AZ, and nearby, Goldroad, were the largest gold producers of Arizona in the early 1900's. Oatman is located just across the Colorado River from Laughlin. It is also located on Historic Route 66 and a living ghost town with many shops and attractions.
We visited the Post Office and talked with the current postmaster. She is happy to report they will stay open for a while even though some small post offices are slated to close soon.
We had lunch at the Oatman Hotel where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent a honeymoon night after marrying in Kingman, in 1939. The hotel was built in 1902 and is the oldest two-story adobe building in Mojave County.
Happy looking group. Around the table, Teri, Bill, Uretta, Jan (Uretta's and Rick's friend from WA) and Rick. Lunch was great and what a fun atmosphere.
The hotel was decorated with dollar bills. We were told the most recent count of bills totaled over $50,000 stapled on the walls, ceilings and uprights of the hotel. We had good lunch entertainment - a country western singer.
No wild west town would be complete without a "shootout". Shame on the outlaw for trying to pretend to rob the hotel. He had to be stopped!!!
The wild burros were not so wild but curious and funny.
We couldn't leave Oatman until we smiled for the camera.
Bill, Teri, Audrey and Rosie went to the Oak Ridge Boys concert at the Riverside Casino. This group has been around longer than Bill and I have been married and that is a long, long time. Chuck Yeager, a well known WW II pilot and friend of the group, gave a great introduction for the them and shared some of his life story. He was the first pilot to travel faster than sound (1947). A night for reminiscing - who can forget these lyrics - Giddy up, omm poppa, omm poppa, mow mow - from the unforgettable song, Elvira. The "Boys" put on an energetic, fun show.
This was our first trip to Laughlin and it is a laid back casino town with a nice riverwalk. It was great that it worked out to see everyone and share some good times together again.
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