Dam Bridge
Looking toward the Arizona side of the Colorado River canyon.
The Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge spans the Colorado River between Arizona and Nevada south of Hoover dam on U.S. Highway 93. It was built to bypass Hoover Dam making travel to Las Vegas from Kingman, AZ, and vice versa, much quicker and easier. After 9/11, the federal government restricted access to all major dams in the USA, but until the Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge was built, the only way to go to and from Las Vegas on U.S. Highway 93 was to drive over Hoover Dam. Now there is one way in and out to access the bridge walkway and Hoover Dam from the Nevada side, with a checkpoint every vehicle going to Hoover Dam has to stop at. The line of vehicles can be very long waiting to get through the checkpoint. We didn't have time to drive over the dam and get photos of the bridge, and stop and walk the bridge, so we opted to walk the bridge and photograph Hoover Dam. There is a very nice set of displays as you walk up to the bridge that explains how the bridge was built.
One of the displays on how the bridge was built.
Welcome to Nevada.
Laurie
Overflow spillway is at the top of the photo.
Hoover Dam
At the center of the bridge I have one foot in Nevada, the other in Arizona.
Towers of power farm are part of the electrical distribution system.
Intake towers on the Nevada side.
Intake towers on the Arizona side.
Arizona welcome sign on the east end of the bridge.
Tunnel Vision
Hoover Dam Lodge standing among the volcanic rock.
We stayed at the Hoover Dam Lodge, which is 17 stories with a casino, Wednesday night. First thing Thursday morning, I went out for a walk and climbed down to a trail that's an old railroad bed. As I hiked toward Hoover Dam, with Lake Mead on my left, I came across a couple of tunnels. I don't know what it is about old railroad tunnels, but they are really fun. Since I didn't have a lot of time, I quickly walked through the tunnels, took photos from inside and out, and walked back to the hotel.
The old railroad bed with Lake Mead in the background.
One of the marinas that is part of the Lake Mead recreation area.
Road to Hoover Dam
We drove to Boulder City, NV from Corrales on Wednesday, November 11 on our way to Las Vegas for the joint MAP/RMMRA conference. The wind howled at 50 mph or more all the way. Whenever we stopped to take a break or get gas, the wind was so strong that I didn't bother to photograph anything. On U.S. Highway 93 to Hoover Dam, I got this photo of the many taillights in front of us getting blown about by the strong winds. After we got to the hotel at Boulder City, the wind blew at the same intensity all night. Because the wind was so strong, the woman who checked us in said she was putting everyone in an area of the hotel most protected from the wind. The room was very nice, with a great view. After we got settled in, Laurie looked at the terms on the door and asked "How much are we paying for this room?" I told her I got an Internet special that was $80 for the night. The terms on the door said the room was $500 a night. $500 would be excessive. I think they put $500 a night on the terms as a maximum, and to make you think you are getting a really super deal.
Spunk's Turn
Spunk is the last of the kitties to have a post this week. He got in Laurie's bag this morning when she was on her way to an open house at school. Later, we made the rounds of the property to do a photo shoot of Spunk in the wild.
Spunk had to take a nap after the photo session.
Still a little sleepy, he managed to get to the rail on the deck on his way back inside.
Marble in the Mix
Continuing with the solo kitty series, Marble wanted to get in on the mix.
"Wow! That is a really big noisy bird!
Najar Happens
Najar, who is usually camera shy, was not going to be outdone by Lola, Silver, Loki and Sasha, especially when it comes to making different faces and expressions, so she put on the cute.
Enough! I'm bored.
Where in the World is Sasha Sandiego?
While on the subject of vintage computer games from the 1990's, Sasha wanted to be like Carmen Sandiego and posed in mystery places.
Leisure Cat Loki Hammocking Like A Lounge Lizard
When Loki heard about the old computer game Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards, he did his best to do a kitty imitation of Leisure Suit Larry. I think he did an excellent imitation of LSL.
Loki couldn't contain himself and burst out laughing.
Enough of that nonsense.
Extreme Lounging
Silver, determined not to be outdone by Lola's lollygag-style lounging, showed off the nuances, subtleties and his mastery of extreme lounging.
Lounging with Lola
We spent Easter Sunday doing various chores, feeding the snake, and working on papers and presentations. Between the various happenings, I took a break to lounge with Lola.
We ended up with a little Easter bunny to celebrate Easter
Last night about 10:00 pm, I went out to find Loki. He was laying in some grass with something next to him. As I got closer I saw it was a little bunny lying against Loki. Loki moved back when I walked up, and the bunny hopped up to Loki and tried the snuggle up against him again. I picked up Loki and took him inside, and Laurie went back out with me to check out the bunny. The bunny didn't seem injured, and it tried to snuggle up to Laurie's fuzzy slippers. I got a tall box, we put grass in it, put the bunny in the box, and put the box with the bunny in the bird room for the night. In the morning the bunny had jumped out of the box, and was hiding under a rolling file drawer. I moved the file drawer and photographed the bunny before we got him back in the box. We took him outside and I got one photo of him before he hopped off to safety in a large pile of branches.
After I coxed him out of the box, he hesitated long enough for me to get one shot before he hopped into a pile of branches.
Easter beavers
We went out on a walk after sundown, and this time there were three beavers on the opposite bank of the river munching on willow branches.
Two Pterodactyls at Twilight
Two pterodactyls in treetops on opposite sides of the clearwater ditch.
We were out walking on the levee long after sunset when I spotted two pterodactyls in the treetops. There was a third pterodactyl, but it flew down into the ditch where it was too dark to see it. Since pterodactyls are usually solitary, we're thinking it must be breeding season.
I got fairly close to this one before it flew.
It flew across the ditch to the tree the other pterodactyl was in.
They must be very lightweight as they perch on very thin, flimsy branches.
Looking very dragon-like as it settles on the branches.
A final, really good dragon-like pose worthy of an insignia.
The pterodactyl on its spindly branches remained unfazed by all the flapping about from the other as it settled on the branches.
We got a little closer and they took flight.
Fly, fly away.