After the Desert Rat Rally ended, we were invited along with Raymond and Leda Wynn to spend a week at Emerald Cove Resort as the guests of Chris and Sonya Cratch (also the proud owners of an Alpine).
This is where we experienced resort life with other snow birds, cruised the river in Chris' pontoon boat, enjoyed all-you-can-eat fresh fish at the local restaurant, avoided the wild burros that call this area home, and made several new friends. Chris even took Michael out on his RZR (Razor) all-terrain vehicle. A good time was had by all.
Emerald Cove is a strip of land wedged between Parker Dam Road and the Colorado River, on the California side, close to Earp. And yes, it is of Wyatt Earp fame, named after the same lawman who staked copper and gold mining claims near the base of the Whipple Mountains and lived here for a few years.
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| Emerald Cove Resort from Google Maps |
There is a string of similar resorts that hug the river, all the way to the Parker Dam, each one catering to the RV-ers who come to spend time in the sun.
Here a few photos for the scrapbook of memories:
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| crossing the Colorado River from Arizona into California |
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| following the Wynns to Emerald Cove Resort |
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| the scenery along the way |
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| the Colorado River and an RV resort on the Arizona side, RV's side by side |
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| the last bend before the Emerald Cove turn-off |
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| turning in to Emerald Cove |
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| sundown on the Colorado River |
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| on the pontoon boat with "Captain" Chris, making our way to Sundance Bar and Restaurant |
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| scenery along the river |
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a family of wild burros munching away at this resort we passed
We saw many burros standing along the road whenever we took a trip into Parker
to do shopping. Road signs warn motorists to watch out for the animals, and to leave
them alone. They become aggressive, particularly when protecting their young, and have been
known to make their way through any of the resorts. Some folks have told us that they have
charged little dogs and chased their owners between the RV's! Along the road, they can
be difficult to spot in the fading light because they blend into the background. |
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| approaching the resort after an afternoon cruising the river |
I met a couple of ladies who have the good fortune of having their very own sewing rooms that travel with them. The couples drive their vehicle into a trailer and tow the trailer behind their coach. When in camp, the trailer becomes a dedicated sewing room! I made friends with Linda, whose hubby, Don, was putting the finishing touches to her traveling sewing room. Linda was gracious to have me with her as she un-boxed her brand new Pfaff sewing machine. I enjoyed talking to her about sewing and sharing project ideas.
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thanks Linda for letting me help you unpack your wonderful
new sewing machine! |
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| on the way to a restaurant, we crossed the Parker Dam |
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| Parker Dam |
Here we all are at Tommy's Paradise Bar Grill, having a good time together:
The ultimate cherry was the ATV ride that Chris took Michael on. He scrambled into an abandoned copper mine, visited a memorial to a young boy killed in a rock-fall, and traversed rough trails in the desert where few vehicles could go. Take a look here at the video Michael shot during the ride: https://youtu.be/pYlwLgjlmvQ
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Michael and Chris in the "Razor"... (and in the background is Linda's sewing
room trailer) |
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strapped in and ready to go.... thanks to Chris and Sonya for their warm welcome,
friendly hospitality and new exciting experiences.... |
Tomorrow we head to River Island State Park where we will spend a few days before the start of the SoCal Winter Blast Rally and fireworks display at Lake Havasu. We will not have internet during that time but I promise to take many photos and to catch up once we are back on line again.
