Hoover Dam

Grand Canyon National Park: Today we drove from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon - and stopped to walk over Hoover Dam. Yes, yes, yes, we have been here before, but it is always an interesting stroll - especially since they are building a "by-pass bridge" on the down-river side of the dam. The new bridge is supposed to open in 2010 and watching the engineering marvel develop is a very awe-inspiring sight. Especially since the workers move back and forth above the chasm in a small trolley on cables suspended over the future bridge.

The new bridge will bypass the drive over the dam and become Highway 93.
Tourists will still be able to drive over the dam, park and visit the dam via the "old" highway.


The north portion of the bridge. Notice the lower span brace rising out of the rock.


Close-up for my favorite Purdue engineer in Abu Dhabi

To drive over the dam, RV's are inspected. A guard entered our motorhome (said it was pretty sweet) and then had us open every bay before we were allowed to cross the dam. The inspection takes only a few moments. After driving over the dam, there are several parking lots above the dam to park even the largest RVs and many sets of stairs lead down to the dam. Lots of walking, but well-worth the hike.

Hoover Dam


Back-side of the dam


Lake Mead - behind Hoover Dam

And so we continued on our trek to the Grand Canyon... following Historic Route 66 for a while and stopping in touristy Seligman for an ice cream at the Delgadillo's Snow Cap. This restaurant has been feeding tourists for eons, and the Delgadillo family was instrumental in ensuring Seligman became a part of "historic route 66", instead of another lost town when the interstate bypassed Seligman. John Delgadillo now operates the Snow Cap and has fun teasing the tourists.

Delgadillo's Snow Cap in Seligman, Arizona on Historic Route 66


John Delgadillo prepares our ice cream cones at the Snow Cap in Seligman, Arizona

The restaurant is simply covered an inch-thick in "stuff" and memorabilia and... well, junk. A sign over the door proclaims, "Sorry, we are open". Zillions of customers have pinned their business card to the wall. Old cars are parked behind the restaurant. If you ask for a straw, John is apt to hand you a bit of hay. John is a jokester. He asked if we wanted our ice cream cones "for here or to go" while holding up an empty ice cream cone in one hand a a traffic cone in the other. Orders are called out on the microphone as: "Order for Dan. Dan the Man, your order is ready." The Snow Cap is famous for their burgers, so stop in the next time you find yourself in the middle of nowhere in Arizona.

Before turning north to the Grand Canyon, we stopped for fuel in Williams. The station is also on Historic Route 66 and had a few antique gasoline pumps displayed on the island - with gas priced at 26 cents per gallon - from the Good Old Days! We were simply thrilled to be paying only $3.39 per gallon for diesel.

DT fuels up on Historic Route 66 - we only needed $210 today

Tomorrow we will explore the park - so check back for lots of pretty photos. Until my next update, I remain, your dam correspondent.

Campground: Trailer Village. #I-59. $32. Full hook-ups up to 50-feet length, with 30 & 50 amp and even cable television. Long pull-though, BBQ grill and picnic table. Bath house and laundry, store, etc. Strange sewer hose requirement though: our check-in host said sewer hoses are only allowed outside while dumping your tanks - because the birds peck holes in the sewer hoses! I have been RVing since the Johnson administration and this is the first time I have ever heard of this.