Wonders of the American West

Day Ten – 7 June 2011

Hoover Dam

Weather: 36, sunny

Wow, this town rocked till the early morning. When you first walk into your room, you think “great, I have a view of the Strip!”

Until you go to bed. The music was blasting and the Bellagio’s fountain show went on late into the night, every fifteen minutes later in the evening and part of the show set off what sounded like mortar shells.

Not so great for a retired war veteran.

Luckily, I had earplugs. I almost didn’t take them thinking my flights were short and I wouldn’t need them. Best thing I could have thrown into my bag.

I couldn’t sleep past seven, so I got ready for the Dam tour. I went down before nine to make sure I was in the right place and it turned out that Planet Hollywood was the main pick-up location so I didn’t need to be there at 9:15 precisely like the others who got picked up by smaller buses at their hotels. They all streamed in until ten – the real departure time.

You know how you can tell you’ll have a great guide the moment he opens his mouth?

Yup. Our guide for the day, Steve, was one of them. I carried my knapsack onto the bus and he said good morning and asked if I was taking the optional overnight to Mexico.

I stopped and stared at him, wondering if I was on the wrong bus.

He smiled and said, “I see you have an overnight bag.”

LOL

I was the first on the bus and I sat the second seat as the first was reserved for handicapped. And over the next forty-five minutes, the bus filled up. There were no handicapped passengers and Steve was running out of seats, so instead of giving the front seat to the last two passengers, he invoked the “right of being first refusal” and offered the seat to me.

You think I said no?

Ha! So, the last couple got seat #2 and I got the kick-ass seat within earshot of Steve.

When everyone was aboard, Steve got settled into his seat, picked up the microphone and then he started to pass it to me and said, “go ahead.”

Yeah. Right. LOL

So he kept the mic and thanked everyone for coming and said that he was feeling great. He said his shrink has told him he was doing well and that he was still on him meds.

Then goes on to say that was a good thing, cause our lives are literally in his hands.

I think two people laugh.

The rest hoped he was joking.

So, Steve chuckled and went on to remind everyone that the seats reclined, but that if we didn’t want to pay for the surgery to repair crushed chests and broken noses, one should stay seated normally.

Yeah, these seats were a real shock after the Insight bus (which was gone back to maintenance to have extra seats re-installed for the next tour).

As we passed the airport, Steve pointed to a billboard of bare chested male models.

“I’m the second from the left.”

Then he told us a very detailed summary of the history of Las Vegas and the purpose for the dam – which wasn’t just power generation. One of its primary functions was to control flooding.

Steve pointed to Mount Polosi and told us the story of Carole Lombarde who was Clark Gable’s wife. She was killed in a plane crash in 1942 and was considered the first female US casualty of the war because she was returning from a war bonds campaign in Indiana.

Steve went on to tell us story after story about the origins of Las Vegas including the story about the murder of Hiram Stewart by the Kiel brothers and the revenge taken by Stewart’s employees. He also talked about first hotel which was built after Tom Hull broke down on the road and decided it would be a great place for travelers to stop.

Google history of Las Vegas to read it all. This tale is long enough.

As we approached the dam, Steve told us about Lake Mead – the largest man-made lake in the US.

When the dam was completed, it took seven years to fill the lake as the Colorado River had to continue flowing. The first decade of the 21st century saw a drought in these parts and the lake was very low. In fact, he said that if the drought doesn’t break soon, they expected parts of the lake to go dry by 2018. (Update: the drought continued and although there was more snowpack in 2016, it may not be enough to avert a water shortage in the coming years).

With the construction of the dam bypass bridge (name partially for Pat Tillman) only tourist traffic is permitted on the dam. Three guards checked the bus over and we proceeded to drive into Arizona.

Remember. Don’t change your watches!

Steve said we had some extra time (since traffic was so light) so we could go up to the best viewpoint. He gave us fifteen minutes but reminded people to be back at the bus at a quarter after.

Not sauntering back after a quarter after.

Now, you know, there’s always one group that saunter back. We had four women who were late for every single departure.

The view was great. I took pictures, used the porta-potty, checked out the shop and sauntered back to the bus at a quarter after.

We picked up the women on the way back to the dam

Once there, Steve gave us our tickets and directions for the dam tour via the visitor’s centre. Since I was first off the bus, I made straight for the tour as I’d heard the lines could be long.

I first passed through security and had to ditch a chocolate bar but I could keep the bottle of water. Then I joined the line for the ten minute movie. (My green sticker on my shirt got me in free. Think it cost three or four dollars otherwise).

After the movie, I joined another line for the elevator down to see the generators. It was pretty impressive.

Then the guide asked for those with yellow wristbands. They got to go down inside the dam.

It wasn’t part of our tour as it added another half hour. Our tour ended at the observation deck which gave the best view of the dam.

But the dam was so big, I would have needed a wider angle to get it all.

Once off the observation deck, I walked across the dam taking pics. The most interesting pic was from the very centre looking down.

I crossed back over to the Nevada side, taking a pic of the plaque en route.

The low water level was obvious.

It was very hot and I decided to hit the gift shop before my sneakers started melting into the cocrete. I got a t-shirt with lizard skeletons that said, “but it’s a dry heat.”

Yeah. Until your sneakers stick to the sidewalk.

I picked up an ice cream (boy, do they taste great in this dry heat) and we boarded the bus.

Yeah. Guess who was ten minutes late.

Seriously, folks, you’re delaying fifty other people!!

On the way back, Steve stopped at the Lake Mead overlook. You could see the lighter limestone showing where the water used to be and a huge marina below us. Steve said they’ve already had to move the marina once and may have to do it again.

Just below the lookout was a bunch of white tailed squirrels running around the rocks and looking up at their food source. Steve warned people not to feed them.

Guess what those four women did?

And guess who was late for the bus?

And we were parked twenty feet away. Steve had to actually get out and shout at them to get aboard.

Our next stop was the Ethel M Chocolate Factory.

Ummm. Chocolate.

It was one of the Mars factories but was only a tribute plant now. We walked through the M&M store and walked along a short hallway filled with information on one side and windows to watch into the factory on the other side. At the end of the corridor was a woman handing out samples.

Then we were shown into the store filled with chocolate.

Ummm. Chocolate.

I picked up twelve bars at $2.50 each. I got a free bag and a free ice block to keep the chocolate from melting.

My first thought – can I put it in my luggage while it sits on the tarmac in thirty-five degree temps.

Then we started the hotel drop offs (after waiting for the four women. They delayed the overall tour by almost forty minutes). This gave me a chance to see the south end of the strip and plan my walk in that direction.

As Steve dropped everyone off, he honked and waved. Everyone who got off gave Steve a tip and complimented him on his amazing knowledge of the history and his humour.

The four women don’t hand him a cent.

I gave him ten bucks. Well worth it.

We got to Planet Hollywood by four, and as I walked into the hotel, I hear a honk.

Very impressed with the tour and Steve. Of course I waved.

I got back to my room and decided to go for a walk after loading up on sunscreen again. I walked along the shaded part of the street through NY NY, Excalibur and Luxor.

I didn’t go as far as Mandalay Bay, but found myself at the entrance to the tram that goes between the last three hotels, so I got a free ride back to Excalibur.

I walked through the hotel but missed the Krispy Kreme that I later heard was in there. Darn.

Then I crossed the street into the sun and checked out the shops. It was so hot, I kept going until I got back to Planet Hollywood and checked out the air conditioned Miracle Mile Mall. The mall had everything you would need (it wasn’t a posh mall like some – just a regular mall). The coolest part was the sky over part of the circular mall. It felt real and surreal at the same time.

By seven, my feet gave out and I went back to my room to get my luggage ready for my flight the next day. I hauled out my jeans (which have gotten a little tighter…..oh oh) for the flight.