God Dammit Hoover.

Had a super early run to Yavapai Point to watch the sun rise. Back for brekkiie. Then off to say a final farewell to the Canyon from the appropriately named Grand View Point. Probably the best view of the Colorado we've seen. Enjoyed the peace & solitude until a noisy Japanese family appeared. Time to make a sharp exit. The small matter of 250 odd miles to Boulder City & the Hoover Dam. Decided to fill up (the car & us) at Williams - should be cheaper. The freeway junction was before town so we had to make something of a detour. By chance that meant we drove a little of Route 66. Williams was the last town to be bypassed. It was full of Americana looking shops & a Safeway. Stocked up for the journey ahead. Unfortunately the phone satnav wasn't playing ball so distances & arrival times were the old fashioned guestimate. What didn't help was the appalling standard of the motorway surface - pot holes on a motorway is just not safe. This is what you get in a low tax, small state, low investment society. Cruised along, searching for cacti and listening to a popular beat combo from Liverpool. Bizarre world. Made it to the Dam, allbeit with a couple of detours - one scenic outlook and one to try to approach over the dam - don't let you. Did as we were told & faced security, queues for parking & then more security to get in the visitor centre. And the heat!!! Some respite in the centre & jumped the queue with having booked online. Watched a video preaching how heroic it all was & then queued for a lift down to the powerplant. The scale was massive & all the while the subtle vibration of flowing water being channelled beneath. Battled the heat to get some photos outside - both on the dam and from the nearby bridge. The cooling stations dotted around the area helped ensure Liz didn't pass out. Once done - onwards to Boulder City. Hotel had a pool which was good. Did a little washing & it was dry in next to no time. Tea was at a diner that served drinks in the biggest jam jars that existed. Superb food as well.Read more