On Monday morning, we were more than ready to get out of Las Vegas. We had met some people on a hike that recommended the Lake Mead RV Village in Boulder City, NV. It is part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, one and a half million acres, including the Mohave Desert and Lake Mead. We drove the 21 miles and found a site with a view of the water. It was a lovely, warm morning and it was forecasted to get hot (by our standards!) We decided to go for a walk over to the Boulder Beach Campground, a National Park Service campground.
We found some great sites with a great view of the lake, one-half mile away. The next time that we come, we will definitely stay here. It is quite a deal at $5 a night with our Access Pass, but we were glad to have hook-ups for a couple days to watch the election results. We could not believe how far the lake had receded. In the picture below, you can see our RV park and where the lake used to come up to the edge of it.
When we asked about it at the RV office, we were told very emphatically that it was because Nevada was selling water to California. On our walk back, we saw our first road runner. And yes, they do move fast; too fast for me to get a picture. As we were sitting at our campsite relaxing and cooling off from our walk, we noticed a covey of Gambel's Quail walking by and making quite a racket.
We woke to another warm morning and decided to get our hike in early. We hiked 6.5 miles on an old Railroad Trail, through 5 tunnels ending up at the maintenance yard for the Hoover Dam.
Completed in 1936 taming the wild Colorado River and transforming it into the still waters of Lake Mead. Built over a 5 year period between the steep walls of Back Canyon, the Dam held enough concrete to pave a 16 foot wide road from New York City to San Francisco. We walked for a while toward the Dam but not knowing how far away it was, we headed back. We stopped at a bench looking out at the lake and spotted 5 Big Horn Sheep making their way down to the water, a red-tailed hawk and a covey of quail.
The afternoon was spent at what we do best...relaxing! It was a gorgeous night so we cooked outside and watched the election results. Fortunately, our TV turns in order for us to watch it through the door.
On Wednesday, we drove across the new Mike O'Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, a project that spans the Hoover Dam. We were disappointed that a view of the Dam was obstructed by concrete barricades. We opted to drive to the Monument Plaza, walking the mile to the center of the bridge. The bridge was quite a feat and not without controversy. It is the first concrete-steel composite arch bridge built in the United States, it includes the longest concrete arch in the Western Hemisphere. The bridge is believed to be the second-highest in the nation, at 840 feet above the Colorado River. Built as part of the Hoover Dam Bypass Project at a cost of $240 million, the bridge portion cost $114 million alone.
After, we did a little shopping in Boulder City and had great lunch at the South West Cafe. Although, it was 92 degrees when we got back, we packed up the camp chairs, the umbrella, our books, some cold drinks and set out for the beach. Of course, when I think of the beach, I immediately think sand and water. Oh, there was plenty of water but it is surrounded by rocks and muck. If you have never been to Lake Mead, let us warn you that if you are looking for serenity, this is not the place for you. There are plenty of large power boats with inboard V-8 engines without mufflers roaring around the lake. You often can hear them but not always see them. We agreed that there are worse places that we could be freezing our butts off so we made a pact not to whine. It was another fantastic night to sit outside between doing loads of laundry. We can't play all of the time!
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