Friday, March 16, 2018 (Travel to Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area, Laughlin, NV)

I set my alarm for 5:00 this morning...we wanted to be out of here by 7:30 and I still needed at least a half hour for my coffee. It turned out that I didn't need it, getting up just before 5 to put the coffee on.

Unfortunately we had to drive back into Quartzsite to the RV Pit Stop to dump the tanks...we were finished there and on the highway north by 8:10 a.m.
When we reached Parker, instead of continuing up Arizona hwy 95, we crossed the Colorado River into California...

...and after a short 15 mile stint on hwy 62, were again heading north...

...this time on the California hwy 95...

We reached I-40 at Needles and after a brief spell heading west, we took the exit to the Needles Highway to Laughlin...and the worst stretch of highway that we have seen in a long time...man it was rough!

Luckily, it smoothed right out once we crossed into Nevada...

The Colorado River...with Fort Mohave on the other side (Arizona side)...

It was about 10:40 when we pulled into Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area, just south of Laughlin, on the left.

The attendant at the gate said that there was only a handicap site available and we could go take a look at it, or stay in the overflow until something becomes available. The campground only has 24 sites but all have full hookup (including sewer) for $30/night. As we were looking for the site she had mentioned, we noticed that a regular pull-through site was open...so after a tour of the whole loop...and stopping to say hi to Steve (M) who came out to greet us...Steve turned around so he could approach site #6 from the correct side.

We had just pulled into the site when Debbie, along with Craig and Jo appeared from the trailhead across from our site. After big hugs from Deb and introductions to Craig and Jo, we chatted for a few minutes and then they carried on their way, so we could get to the task of unhitching and setting up.

We had just unhitched and put the slides out when Craig came by in his truck to pick me up and go back to the gate to pay. He had to go anyway, so asked if I wanted to tag along...sure do, thanks Craig!

By the time I had returned, Steve pretty much had his set up outside all complete...just needed to do the satellite dish. After getting the co-ordinates updated on his dishpointer app, he went about getting it set up...the fun part came when we tried to snag onto a signal. For some reason, we couldn't get one! It was acting very odd, so after about an hour and a half, I went on-line with ShawDirect and chatted with one of their techs...only to be told that they could not help us since we were outside of Canada! Sheesh! So we said "to heck with it for today!"...we are being picked up at 3:30 to go into Laughlin and we both still had to shower and get ready!

Our site...#6...(we were last here 7 years ago and had site #17, the site Deb and Steve are in)...

We were ready just before 3:30, so decided to walk down to Craig and Jo's, just a few sites further along the road from us. Deb and Steve were leaving a little early to make a run into Bullhead City and would meet us at Bubba Gump Fish Co. located in the Golden Nugget Casino. We were also meeting more new friends there...Al and Ingrid...who were waiting in the bar of the restaurant when we wandered in. Ingrid saw us coming in and immediately figured we were the folks they were waiting for! After introductions, we gathered around a couple of small bar tables until Steve and Deb arrived...and since the restaurant was filling up, we decided we had better take a table offered to us by the server. Left to right around the table...Craig, Steve (M), Debbie, Al, Ingrid, Steve, me and Jo...

We were in time for the early bird specials...and after filling up with food and drink, decided to wander out into the casino. Al and Ingrid are just visiting for the day from Lake Havasu and had an hour and a half drive home...but before leaving, they (well, Ingrid) ended up leading the way to "the best eclairs in town!"...a walk that took us along the riverfront walkway to the Aquarius Casino.

Well...we at least wore off some of our dinner by the time we got there! 
After saying goodbye to Al and Ingrid, who decided to walk back on the street-side, the rest of us returned to the riverwalk...stopping at the Colorado Belle for a little try at our luck...

Steve and I "made a small donation" to the slots...but spent most of our time sitting in a bar with a bevie waiting for the others. We walked the rest of the way back to our vehicles along the street...

Made it back to the Golden Nugget!...and Craig and Jo's truck.  We were home at around 8:30...a great evening! And we met two more couples also enjoying this wonderful lifestyle on the road!

We're looking forward to spending the next few days with Steve, Deb, Craig and Jo!