Look on any globe, map, atlas, and spot the major cities of the world: London, Shanghai, New York City, Berlin, and so on. It’s no small coincidence that mankind has formed these metropolises on the banks of water as commerce was (and arguably still is) conducted upon the open seas and waterways of Earth. For all the work we do on the water, it only makes sense that we would have fun on it as well.

Diesel giants like this Ford F-650 were easy to find during the Desert Storm street party.

The history of Lake Havasu, Arizona dates back several decades, but now more than ever, it’s become less of an important reservoir behind a Colorado River dam, and more of a road trip destination to party and hang out. Case in point: the Desert Storm and Poker Run that has been hosted there for the past 16 years.

We were eager to see what the town would offer as none of us had ever been to Lake Havasu before. From what we had heard, events like these tend to combine a lot of sights, sounds, and pure awesomeness. We’re happy to report that this, in fact, is the truth.

Part and parcel of the awesomeness are the boats and trucks that haul them. Watercraft lengths range from 20 to 50 feet in length, and when combined with a trailer, the load reaches well into the five-digit territory. That’s where diesel trucks step in and deliver with unmatched towing capability, and when they’re on display for a show like this, they’re all dolled up and looking fantastic. Here are the top five rigs from the 2016 Desert Storm and Poker Run.

5. Mystery Owner’s Cummins

Maybe it was the heat getting to us, or maybe it was just love at first sight; whatever it was, we couldn’t take our eyes away from this killer white Cummins perched near Rotary Park during the Poker Run on Sunday.

Fitted to the bed was a mount for spare tires. In the case of the Cummins, a pair of 37-inch Toyo Open Country M/Ts.

Packing some meaty 37-inch Toyo Open Country M/Ts, the pickup had the off-road look down pat. This was helped by a custom-built tire cage in the bed and Rancho shocks on all fours. We also noticed a PureFlow AirDog device stuffed under the driver’s side undercarriage, indicating this owner was aware of fueling issues and wanted them taken care of.

This was clearly the type of truck that did some off-roading in its spare time, and to see it out at the Poker Run was a fun treat. It’s too bad the owner wasn’t there for further details, but we like to think he would’ve been a pleasure to talk to. He certainly knows how to build a killer, Cummins!

4. Dave Marabella’s Kodiak

Taken during the Desert Storm street party on Saturday, we were in love with this pure white Kodiak owned by Dave Marabella. Behind it was a 40-foot MTI boat, armed to the teeth and ready to rip on Sunday.

Dave Marabella’s Chevy Kodiak, making ample torque and power to haul around the 40-foot speedboat seen in the background.

Dave’s Kodiak was a 2010 model year, and when asked what it pulled (for torque), he joked, “A 40-foot MTI.” Dave estimated the trailer and boat measured out to a good 20,000 pounds altogether, and the Kodiak was right at home dealing with that level of demand. “I love the truck,” said Dave.

“They’re very heavy-duty, which is why I like them better than the three-quarter-tons out there,” Dave continued. “It’s got a Cummins diesel inside, and I like the way it just does its job without giving me problems.” Curiously, the truck had stickers and license plates that referenced “IBWacko,” but the meaning was lost on us. Just one more reason this truck caught our attention and made a statement while perched on McCulloch Boulevard.

3. Brett Spraggins’ Freightliner

Also crowding the streets during the Desert Storm event was Brett Spraggins and his sweet-looking Freightliner.”We’re based out of Huntington Beach,” Brett said. “We were here last year and it rained, but this year has been nice and sunny.”

Matching paint schemes on Brett Spraggins vehicles added that extra layer of cool to everything.

Brett was representing Dave’s Custom Boats (DCB) in the best way possible, letting folks climb up a ladder to get a better look at his humongous vessel, while also showcasing the equally gigantic Freightliner diesel tractor.

The truck was purchased in 2015 and was wrapped to match the boat. The interior was redone to give it a maximum level of comfort and luxury, with eight TVs and several speakers. The truck was lifted, too, and rides nicely with about 400 horsepower coming out of the straight-six, turbocharged Cummins ISL9 motor.

“It has TVs, satellite dishes … I don’t know what else to do with the truck,” Brett laughed. “It’s set up pretty well as it is and I’m just looking forward to the Poker Run tomorrow.” With that, we bid our adieu and walked away with admiration for a well set-up combo of land and sea power.

2. Chris Camire’s (Friend’s) Duramax

The Desert Storm event was in full swing as we sauntered past this rather eye-catching 2002 Duramax pickup. The truck belonged to a friend of Chris Camire, who was there displaying his brand, Lavey Craft, along with a beautiful 39-foot boat in tow and a Polaris RZR parked to the side. This year marked his 16th trip to the show, and he was proud to have never missed a single one since the event started in 2000.

The LaveyCraft Duramax made its first trip to Lake Havasu at this year’s Desert Storm and Poker Run, and did so with flying colors.

“This truck belongs to a friend of mine who let me drive it, believe it or not,” joked Chris. “This is the first time it’s crossed the almighty desert to make it out here, and it did really well. I’m very happy with it.” Based out of Corona, California this was a near-300-mile journey for the truck and its owner — one that would have to be repeated after the event came to a close.

Camire could not comment on the truck’s modifications, except to say that it had been lifted and was riding on 37-inch Toyo Open Country M/Ts. Nevertheless, the towing capability of the Duramax and Allison transmission could not be denied. “The boat, trailer, and supplies all come up to about 15,000 pounds,” Chris said. “I was driving the RV on the freeway and my buddy was driving this truck, and he smoked me a couple of times!”

1. David Durett’s F-650

The morning of the Poker Run, we found ourselves crossing the famous London Bridge and soon came across this killer 2004 F-650 belonging to David Durett. The truck was tugging a beauty of a 35-foot speedboat. David hails from Las Vegas, and was excited to be back among his kind there at Lake Havasu, and with the hard-charging Ford at his disposal was always ready for another adventure. “Every year, we come here for four days at a time, rain or shine,” he said. “This is my sixth year coming here.”

David Durett’s F-650 made it out to Havasu for its sixth straight year.

Getting back to the truck, David said, “The truck has the 7.2-liter Caterpillar straight-six with the Allison eight-speed behind it.” As he became more invested in boats, David wanted to have the ability to tow these massive vessels behind him. “It started 40 years ago with little rowboats, and accumulated into what we’re in now,” he said. “Diesels followed because it took the power and torque to tow these boats where I wanted to go.”

Modification-wise, David had done very little to the F-650. “All I’ve got on it is an Edge programmer for a little more torque and horsepower,” he said. “Other than that, for what I use it for, it’s pretty much perfect. Air bag suspension helps the ride, and it does what I need in terms of power, so I’m happy.”

Given the other medium-duty vehicles that we had seen at the show (like Freightliners and Kodiaks), we were curious as to why David went with the F-650. “The Freightliner is a beautiful truck, but I don’t like Kodiaks because I’m just not a Chevy guy,” he said. “The thing I like about the F-650 is that at the time, it was a very attainable vehicle for a good amount of power without going crazy. You can get them for about the same price as a modern-day pickup and they’re 10 times as powerful.”

No matter who brought what to the Desert Storm and Poker Run, fun was had by all there on the waters of Lake Havasu. We look forward to checking out this event next year and seeing what other awesome vehicles show up. Until then, keep in locked here on Diesel Army!