Sep 27, 2008 - Hoover Dam

On Friday, we went to see Hoover Dam, which gets about a million visitors each year. The place is amazing, the dam is huge and Lake Mead is the most beautiful blue color. The cranes that are being used to build a road across the Colorado River can be seen from the distance and the whole picture just defies the camera with its vastness. The Black Canyon is winding and deep, so you can't see Lake Mead from the dam. We drove through the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which has a marina and a campground an the lake. The wonder of...

Jul 28, 2008 - Hoover Dam

I didn't realize the Hoover Dam is only 35-40min away from Vegas! Well, at least that is what it is supposed to be if you don't get lost!! wink wink. I realized that down here, nobody shows you/tells you the time (so you don't realize you are supposed to be tired) and nobody tells you the temperature (because you won't believe them). Today...its is 114degrees!!! no...that is not a typo! Can't believe that??? It is damn hot! So, we went to Hoover Dam and tried to take in all its wonder. that is one incredible piece of work!! I loved the fact...

Jun 30, 2008 - Hoover Dam Day 3

6-30-08 Hoover Dam Decided today would be a good day to go see the Hoover Dam. As it’s only 25 miles away we didn’t need to get too early a start. We left about 9:30 and made stops at the post office and the bank before we headed for the dam. By that time it was pushing 115 Deg! AGAIN! I don’t know how people could stand to live here all the time. I guess you just get used to it. It’s so hot AND dry we’re having to use chapstick to keep our lips moist or else they chap up really fast. It’s truly like walking around in an oven. And the car...

Apr 23, 2008 - The Hoover Dam

WOW, WOW, WOW! I just got back from Phantom of the Opera. I have never been to an opera before, but have wanted to since I was a teenager. It was one of the things on my list of “things to do before I die,” (like this holiday). I LOVED it! The whole opera house was used as the stage in many acts. There was a massive chandelier over our heads that broke into three large pieces and came (almost) crashing down on us. The phantom came out of parts of the ceiling, there were flames, fireworks, scenery changes that were unbelievable (to me) and...

Apr 12, 2008 - Las Vegas Strip and Hoover Dam

Carla here—today we drove out to Lake Mead to take a tour of Hoover Dam. I’ve seen pictures of Hoover Dam and I know it is large, but seeing it up close—WOW—is all I can say! We walked up to the overlook, taking many pictures like this one On the Hoover Dam tour we took an elevator, stuffed like sardines with 40 people, down to the power plant. The tour went over the intake pipelines then on to the power plant The picture of the power plant, really doesn’t convey how large those generators are. We learned that Hoover Dam is designed to...

Mar 25, 2008 - Hoover Dam, NV

Hoover Dam was very much a tourist destination. It took us almost 45 minutes to drive across the dam due to bumper to bumper traffic. The dam itself was not very impressive to me…I think Shasta Dam is more impressive. The history and the lives impacted by the building of the dam touched me. Knowing and watching the documentaries prior to actually seeing the dam… looking at the canyon walls and imagining the men hanging from them. Wow…if only we add such challenges today. My only thought is that we are a generation of wimps…as I sit in our...

Mar 6, 2008 - Hoover Dam

We depart mid-morning for a visit to the Hoover Dam. We did not drive over the Dam on our way here, because we heard only cars are allowed. The security has really increased after 9/11; when we traveled from Laughlin to Vegas, there were large signs indicating trucks, rental trucks, buses and vehicles towing trailers are not allowed. They even have radio station information in regards to security measures on Hoover Dam. Hoover Dam is only a 40 minute drive away; we drive through the small town of Boulder City, which is quite busy and has a...

Jan 13, 2008 - Hoover Dam

I’ve been in Las Vegas, on and off, for two months (I still can’t believe it!), and I finally made it to Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Hoover Dam today. Sometimes the closest attractions are the hardest to make time for. Kevin and I started with a hike through the historic railroad tunnels that used to link the town of Boulder with Hoover Dam. The railroad was used to haul construction equipment and supplies to the dam. The trail is now open all the way to Hoover Dam, so that’s where we stopped for lunch and then a tour. The tour...

Sep 8, 2007 - Hoover Dam

We crossed over the Hoover Dam early on Saturday morning on our way to the Grand Canyon. It is one of the tallest dams ever built at 760ft high and blocks the Colorado River. It also provides enough hydroelectricity for most of the cities in the South west. It was still bloody hot!!! The dam was right on the border between the states of Nevada and Arizona.

Jun 6, 2007 - Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam One of the top engineering wonders of the world. In 1999, it was named the number five construction achievement of the 20th century. In 1922 a representative from the seven states the Colorado river served met to decide how to equitably divide it's assets and ensure a stable year round water supply. Construction began in 1931 and the last concrete was pored in 1935. The dam was completed two years ahead of schedule and well below budget. It's primary purpose was the management of water, but in 1936 the first generator began...