First I feel the need to thank all the BNSF train drivers for tooting your horn to say happy birthday to me. Seriously, you didn't all have to do it, but it was a nice touch and you all did. Every one of you.
Now, for anyone who doesn't understand, there are massive freight trains (we clocked one at a mile and a half long) that move stuff around the country. The biggest we saw had seven engines on it, but the normal configuration is three or four with two at the front and either one or two at the back. The picture below is of one I took more or less on the California / Arizona border.
So, these beasts honk their horns every time they pass through a town and their horns are loud enough that you can hear it above a car stereo. Now, I'm not saying that our hotel was close to the track, but the 2:30am passed through my bathroom and the driver of the 3:15am lent out the window and nicked one of my pillows.
So, you've probably got the point that it wasn't the best night's sleep. OK - back to the day. We started in Yuma and made the run to the coast to say that we'd done the coast to coast bit. We achieved this mid morning:
And then headed for the airport to drop off two of our party. The drop off went without a hitch and we said our goodbyes:
I reckon that's it for seeing those boys on this trip. After we dropped them off, we cranked up the tunes and hit the road travelling more without them than we have with them. With the stereo blaring heavy metal full blast, the car was half as noisy as it was before the split. For some strange reason the annoying whining noise in the back of the car had gone.
The last thing the boys were doing was to try and find a pub where they could go watch the rugby. It appears their current plan is to go on a seven day bender for the rest of the holiday and watch the rugby - so pretty much the same as having a long weekend in Grantham then.
We managed to pass through Lake Havasu City on our way to take a quick look at London Bridge - and no, it wasn't bought by mistake. That said, it was another one of our truly underwhelming sights along the way.
It's about time we hit the road again to make our way up to four corners. I think this is particularly apt as it really does mean that I don't know what state I will end my birthday in.
