The Travel Prescription: Wow that's a lot of concrete!

Yesterday, I visited a very large mass of concrete that blocks a river and forms a lake. This structure is located over 19 hundred miles outside of 285.

Lake Mead and Hoover Dam taken from the Mike O' Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge on 9/15/2012

The towering Hoover Dam (named for our 31st president) is located in Boulder City, Nevada, just south of Las Vegas. The dam itself is situated in Black Canyon. I spent an entire day at this landmark.

Before you enter the recreation area, you must first past a security checkpoint where a guard takes a look inside your vehicle. As long as your not a sheisty individual, you should be fine. Once you pass the checkpoint you can go check out the Callagan-Tillman Arch Bridge. The bridge is fairly new, just opening in 2010. As you climb the stairs to reach the bridge, there are several places where you can stop and read silver and black signs providing information about the bridge and it's namesakes. You can only reach the pedestrian bridge from the Nevada side.

Once reaching the top all you hear are cars, which are crossing the bridge too, and helicopters providing tourists birdseye views of the dam. Below are some pics I took while walking on the bridge's pedestrian walkway. Just in case you were wondering....yes it was hot. But still comfortable. (Or maybe I'm getting used to it.)

The 1st thing you see when you reach the top of the pedestrian bridge.

In this picture you can see Lake Mead (top), Hoover Dam and the Colorado River (bottom)

Straddling the state line.

Welcome to Arizona Sign

One man, Sherman Jones, died during the construction of the bridge. This is at the site in his honor.

After leaving the bridge, I made way to the great Hoover Dam. It will cost you 7 dollars to park in the garage, but its worth it. Who wants to get into a scorching car after walking around all day?? Not I! It is amazing that this was constructed in the 1930's. The main purpose of this dam was to control the mighty Colorado River. Once the dam was finished it took 6 years for Lake Mead to fill.

Above you see the bridge I was standing on in the earlier pictures. You also have a better view of the Colorado River and the Black Mountains.

This was the 1st time I EVER heard of the Bureau of Reclamation.

It's hard to capture the beautiful shade of blue eminating from Lake Mead. Here you can also see the flood line from 1983 and some water craft in the distance. I assume they can't pass that barrier.