Las Vegas to Oatman – 45°C, a Mustang and a Wild West Town!
After catching up over breakfast, it was time to check out of New York-New York and hit the road. Our destination was Needles, California, with a little exploring along the way.
We jumped into our Mustang, dropped the roof and headed out into the Mojave Desert. There’s something pretty special about cruising through the American desert in a convertible, with the open road stretching out in front of you and the scenery rolling by.
There was just one small problem – the temperature hit a scorching 45°C! 🥵
At first, having the roof down was great fun, but eventually the desert heat started winning the battle. We lasted as long as we could before admitting defeat and putting the roof up for a couple of hours. Sometimes, even the best convertible experience needs a little help from the air conditioning!
While travelling along the I-95, a divided highway, we witnessed a rather alarming bit of driving. The car in front of us suddenly pulled over, turned around and headed back into the path of oncoming traffic!
Our immediate thought was that they had to be tourists who’d forgotten they were on a divided highway. Whatever their reason, it was a dangerous move.
We made sure to keep clear of them while flashing our headlights to warn them about the traffic coming towards them. That was one bit of excitement we could have done without!
Eventually, we crossed into California and continued towards Needles, where we stopped for a cold drink. After travelling through that sort of heat, a refreshing drink was very welcome indeed.
But we weren’t finished exploring for the day. From Needles, we headed back into Arizona and made our way towards Oatman along the Oatman-Topock Highway.
Oatman – Where the Wild West Is Still Alive!
Oatman is one of those places that feels as though time has stood still. It’s a former mining town that once boomed during the gold-mining days, but these days it has become a popular stop for travellers exploring historic Route 66.
The town has plenty of old Western character, with buildings that would look right at home in a cowboy movie. Add in staged shootouts and donkeys wandering freely up and down the main street, and you’ve got yourself quite an attraction!
The donkeys are a big part of Oatman’s charm. They wander around among the visitors as though they own the place, and judging by the attention they receive, they’re probably the biggest celebrities in town.
It’s definitely a tourist stop, but that’s part of the fun. You can wander along the street, soak up the old mining-town atmosphere and imagine what life might have been like when Oatman was a bustling gold-mining community.
After the desert drive and the heat, it was great to explore somewhere with so much character and history.
If you’re travelling along Route 66, Oatman is well worth adding to your itinerary. It’s quirky, full of atmosphere and a great reminder that the journey is often just as much about the places along the way as the destination itself.
Another day of American adventure ticked off – with a few desert kilometres, a near heart-stopping traffic incident and a healthy dose of Wild West charm thrown in for good measure!
The Thirsty Tourists – Touring is thirsty work! 🇺🇸🚗🤠
#TheThirstyTourists #TouringIsThirstyWork #Route66 #OatmanArizona #MojaveDesert #CaliforniaRoadTrip #USAAdventure #WildWest
