Mariah’s dad has a ranch in the Golden Valley area of Arizona, about an hour away from the Hoover Dam. He’s a dentist by trade, but since before Mariah was born, he has raced in the Baja 1000 and Mint 400 on two wheels and four. He offered to work on our teeth and ride motorcycles and quads with us if we came down to visit. Not a bad deal.
Mariah invited Jesse and Evelyn to join us for a 10 hour drive down there. We decided to leave after work around 5pm and drive all night.
Around daybreak, we checked into a hotel that her dad booked for us, as we had appointments in his dental office at noon in the town of Boulder City, Nevada.
After a teeth cleaning and 3 new porcelain fillings, we drove on toward the ranch, stopping at the Hoover Dam to check out the new bridge being built above the dam to alleviate traffic jams. Coming around the corner, you could see the construction crew walking down the transition for a break. They looked like ants coming down a branch. Unfortunately, no one got a photo as we couldn’t stop until the vista point.
Willow Springs Ranch.
This kid Yanni on summer break from college in New Mexico was hired on as the ranch hand. He offered to take Jesse and Evelyn for a ride. He had recently broken this horse and somewhere on the ride the horse bucked and rolled over on top of him, then ran away. He got up, sent Jesse and Evelyn back to the ranch, and waited for the horse to come back. It did and he rode back.
We took a 30 mile ride to the tiny town of Chloride for lunch and some adult beverages. It took us about an hour and a half of riding through washes and rocky trails. So much fun, even though I ate it in the sandwashes 3 times on the motorcycle I was riding.
Ron and Yanni coming down one of the less primitive roads.
Mariah.
Yanni and his lady waiting for the laggers.
After lunch, we rode up some hills to check out some rock art.
Yanni caught a snake.
Next day, a little target practice at the ranch.
One of the best junkyards I’ve seen on the way back home. It was mostly filled with pre-1970s cars and trucks.
Time for the long drive home.