Parker 425

We claimed area 2 off Shea Road in Parker for our race viewing space. This is BLM land right along the route of the desert race. The track is 141 miles long through the desert and they must go around 3 times. There were 242 entries this year. The vehicles are all types of desert racers... stock trucks, modified ones as well as dune buggies, jeeps and volkswagons. Here is a partial map of the race course. The red line is Shea Road and the black road is the race course. We were parked at the number 6 (mile marker for the race). As you can see we had front row seats.

Thursday before the race they had a street fair where some of the racers and their vehicles are parked on the main street. Fans are invited to come see and talk to the race teams. Here are a few of them.

Robby Gordon participated again this year.... only difference was he won it.

They had this motorcycle that was built to celebrate the Arizona centenial this year. It is made of copper and just shone in the sun.

Ray and Millie's son Paul flew out from Massechusettes to watch the race with them. He stayed for 4 days.......  I think he enjoyed himself despite the fact he was with a group of seniors.

Before the race we took a trip to Swansea, a ghost town that was a copper mining town in the early 1900's. We had gone there last year but our newbies, Rick and Joanne wanted to go since they were from Swansea Mass. On the way back, Ray got a flat tire.... again..... just like last year. Don't think he'll go there again. Question.... How many Ray's Stays does it take to change a tire? Answer....5. One to hold the lug nuts from the spare, one to hold the lug nuts from the tire, one to remove the spare and the flat tire and switch them, one to jack up the car (3 times until we got it to the right height), and one to tell the others what to do.

There were some interesting mountains in our area and Joanne and I hiked up into them to find a neat little cavern. If I had been several years younger and had Paula or Vera ( search and rescue friends who were great at ropes/repelling) with me, I would have gone further up. But alas.....

Yeah Giants. We watched the Patriots lose with our New England friends Ray, Millie, Rick, Joanne. It was sweet.... especially since Ray put his Patriot blanket over me at half time.
Next stop Lake Havasu City for Winterfest and Fireworks.