London Bridge at Sunset

I'm always up for some exploring with the kids, and I've always wanted to take the kiddos to see the London Bridge, but since Lake Havasu City is a little off the beaten path, we just hadn't been there yet.  So, when my parents said they were going there for a few days, and that we'd have somewhere to hit the hay, I knew we had to go!  I requested makeup work from the girls' teachers, packed a bag, and we were on our way, lickitysplit!

The girls did all of their classwork and homework during the four-and-a-half hour drive.

There were lots of places along the way that were photo worthy, and where I would have liked to have let the kids get out and stretch, but we had a deadline. 

I was keeping one eye on the clock, and the other on the road, and knew that if we stayed focused and didn't stop for anything, we might make it in time to see the bridge at Sunset.  It is really unlike me to pass by one adventure and photo opportunity for another.  I'm all about the-more-the-merrier!  But something in me was driving me to get there for that sunset photo and jaunt.

On the way there, we just had a ball, joking and singing, and joking some more.  We really do have a great time together.  And we all think that we are the funniest people ever, and I'm convinced that when everyone is in a good mood, it's pretty close to true!  I have nothing to say about when everyone's NOT in a good mood, however.

But on this day, we were all happy, and thrilled to be doing one of things we love to do together best:  

ROADTRIPPING.

As the sun lowered, the kids knew what I was trying to do.  They knew I was racing that ball of incandescent gas to the bridge, and by golly, I meant to win!  

About half an hour out, I knew we were going to just miss it.  I started telling the kids we were going to miss it by just a few minutes, and what a shame that we had rushed to get there and missed other photo-ops just to barely be beaten by the earth's too-speedy rotation.

As a matter of fact, we entered the city limits of Lake Havasu City just as the sun was beginning to disappear behind the California mountains.  I had Nevan take a photo, just to remember how we almost made it.

We hurried through town until we found the bridge and then rushed to find parking.  The parking lot we were in was just below the bridge, closer to the water level.  There was a steep hill of rocks leading to the road that crossed the bridge directly in front of where we parked.  I told the kids to unbuckle the baby, take the sidewalk, and meet me at the top.  I was gong to sprint up that mountain of rocks and try to get a photo of the sky before the sun was completely gone.  

When I got to the top, I decided that the photo would be better from the other side of the street, so I crossed, and this is what I got.  

Neon clouds and the Union Jack.

I was actually pretty pleased that 

 I crossed back and found the kids just making it to the top with Archer.

We decided to descend and see the bridge from water-level.

 And the view just kept getting better.

And better.

 We felt like we had stepped right 

out of Arizona, and into London.

It was amazing to think that they took this bridge apart 

stone by granite stone, 

shipped it around the world, and put it back together again.

I think that's a bit more impressive than Humpty Dumpty.

And clearly, this bridge was not put back together by 

the same group of the kings horses and men.  

Clearly.

It couldn't have changed scenery any more than it did.  

From a cold, foggy little island, to a hot, arid desert.  

From a bustling, multi-milenia old city, 

to a small, out-of-the-way startup of a western town.  

From moss and alder to sand and palm.  

I think the only thing they really share in common is that there is water.

The founders of Lake Havasu City had a vision of this bridge here, and I find it amazing that they had the wherewithal to make it happen.  

Every time I turned around, Mayzie was shooting photos.  I wonder where she got that from...

By the time we were done taking photos, 

it had become completely dark.

We were glad to be there, but were ready to find 

somewhere to rest from our travels, too.

Read more about how the London Bridge came to be in Arizona here.  

And find a list of fun facts about the bridge here.