Dam! Where Am I Going To Sleep?

The Hoover dam! What a cool piece of technology and engineering history. This dam was the largest of its kind when it was conducted, and many new technologies were created during the project. The concrete was continuously poured for 2 years. Just think about that for a minute. Continuously means 24/7/365 (it might have been 363). It was poured as interlocking blocks, not just one giant mass of concrete. The scale of the project was massive, not only for the construction itself, but the effect it has on the desert, people in the surrounding area, as well as the people hired to build the dam as it was built during the great depression. It would have been cool to see this dam as a kid when I was learning about the great depression. Things may have sunk in a bit better.

I almost didn't take the dam tour, but then I remembered that I was here specifically to see the dam. I'd be crazy not to go inside. The tour did make me late for my departure however. The tour was worth it though. I recommend seeing this wonder if you're on the fence, or have any interest in large scale energy and construction projects. It's also cool to see how people got shit done. Under the right circumstances we can accomplish anything. The dam was completed under budget and ahead of schedule. This is unheard of nowadays. Again, I think the great depression played a big part in the construction of this dam.

My plan for the night was to find some more BLM land as I entered Arizona. I left the dam around 3, so I only had 2 plus hours to find my home for the night. As I rode into the desert, the sun was getting dangerously low. I wasn't going to make it to where I had planned on sleeping. Lucky for me there is a lot of BLM land in northwestern Arizona. From the highway I spotted a few campers off the road, so I slammed on the brakes and set up my tent just before dark. Road noise was pretty loud but I was happy that I wasn't looking for a place to sleep in the dark. If it's for free it's for me!

Pictures: The intake towers. Marble floors made on the cheap during the depression. A 50 foot diameter underground intake pipe. Gratuitous dam photos. Where I slept for the night. The road is about 300 feet to my left.Read more