Day 6 – Hoover Dam and Las Vegas

We headed out from our campsite toward Hoover Dam. Lots of hills on the way. Hoover Dam was really hot and busy. We went across the Tillman bypass bridge that they built after 9/11, took almost 10 years to build and just opened up in 2010. It was really amazing, totally bypassed Hoover Dam which must have been a nightmare to cross without the bypass. The bridge was really high up.

This is the view of the bridge from Hoover Dam. We walked across it.

 

Hoover Dam from the bridge.

This is the bridge from the visitor center, it’s really BIG!!!

I like how the electric poles are slanted on the hill.  I can’t imagine how they built this place.

We had to park quite a ways from the visitor center at Hoover and walk in, it was really hot. We went on a tour $11.00 of the power plant. Watched a 10 minute video and then went down into the power plant by elevator which went 500 some feet down in the hill. It was really nice and cool down there. When they built Hoover Dam, they had to divert the Colorado River in order to build the dam. They built two tunnels through the hills (took 2 years). We got to see the tunnels they built and the big water pipes in them, then we headed to where the generators were at. It was a really neat tour.

 

The floor inside the generator section was really cool. It was put in originally in 1935 or so and has held up amazing for having over 30 million visitors at the dam. Kasey really liked the exhibits, especially the ones that had touch screens or anything interactive.

I thought this bronze guy on the side of the building was really cool.

This is the view as we left Hoover Dam and how far up we had to park in the camper!

I will say, I was really impressed with this place. I’m glad we went inside too and learned more about it. Quite an engineering feat.

When then headed out toward Las Vegas. We drove down the strip and managed to find a campground. It wasn’t just a campground, it was an RV Resort, had a nice pool area, with 2 pools, one for families and one for adults. An 18 hole put-put golf course. It was a really nice place, but VERY HOT. I don’t know how anyone survives living out here. I guess the winter months might make up for it, but I don’t know that I could stand it, give me winter anytime over this heat.

We took a nap, Kasey cried and fussed about it, but went right to sleep and then headed out later in the evening for Las Vegas walking around. Mark didn’t like all the guys down town that handed out cards to get him to go see the women. Everywhere your turned they were trying to lure you. Mark quickly figured out that he needed to walk with us instead of getting ahead of us. A single walking guy was a quick target for them. They also offered him “male” services too, I don’t think he left my side after that. :)  We walked a long ways, I bet over 6 miles. Walked through a couple of casino’s, but I couldn’t stand the cigarette smoke. Yuck! We got to see the last bit of the fountain show at the Bellaguia (spelling) when they were doing the song “Proud to be an American”. It was really neat.

We found this alien guy in a gift shop, Kasey was scared of him. Mark had told him on the trip about aliens and that they come out at night.