MIKE O'CALLAGHAN-PAT TILLMAN MEMORIAL BRIDGE

The bridge was completed in 2010 and took five years to construct.
With concerns for security after 911 and the increasing traffic over the  dam, the bridge by passes the dam  dam road.

It is almost 2000 ft long, 88 ft wide and 880 ft above the river.

The view of  Hoover Dam has to be the best over view of the dam.

The engineering of the bridge is explained at various displays on the walking route
to the bridge  observation deck. 

The observation walk way is the length of the bridge.
It does not have an exit on the other side of the bridge and the return trip
was a little "scary"  for some.

The Lake Mead "bath tub ring" shows the highest level of the lake.

The complete Hoover Dam.

NEVADA ARRIVAL

Lake Mead RV Park was our home base in Nevada.

It was located between Las Vegas and the Hoover Dam.

This is a view of the Lake mead Marina.

Note: this was a copy of the Stars and Stripes article on the ten best places in the world to view wild flowers. Way to GO Bruce!

Lake Mead was created to maintain a reliable water source for Hoover Dam.

The shore line around the lake has some interesting rock formations.

A tour of Hoover Dam is a must see.

The visitor parking facility itself is an engineering marvel.

View of the generator room.

The visitors have the best view in the house.

Observation areas surround the dam.

Dam Big!!

View of the water discharge and a recently built bridge  for traffic  to by pass the  dam.

The Mike O'Callaghan - Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.
I will post pics from this bridge on an upcoming post.

800 ft drop to the river!!

The great Colorado River

A wonderful tribute to the workers who built the dam.

Intake control towers

Parking lot view of the top of the dam.

OVER NIGHT IN THE DESERT

After enjoying Yosemite, we relaxed before our trip to Nevada.

On the route we passed many fruit crops in blossom.

Over night at a great RV park in Bakersfield CA.

We decided to take "the road less travelled" to Las Vegas.

Turning off the interstate, we headed towards Death Valley.

Instantly the landscape changes to a desert setting.

As darkness set, we hoped to find a pull over area.

The desert beckoned us for an over night stop.

Maggie enjoyed the wide open area we picked.

Quiet and moon light, it was a great chance to experience the great outdoors.

Maggie was ready for some rest time.

Good Night

Good Morning

Breakfast was most enjoyable in this setting.

Maggie enjoyed a morning run on the nearby sand dunes.

The soft sand was a concern exiting our desert campsite.

We managed to make it out and asphalt never looked better!

Death Valley was a journey to remembered.

This old gas bar was now a tourist information building in Death Valley.

It is interesting to note that the car was a 1939 Chev, my first car, and back then gas cost 25 cents a gallon while in this village I paid 5 dollars a gallon.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK CA

After our arrival outside Yosemite National Park, we set up in the town of Oakhurst. It was an ideal base camp for our park tour.

From our dining window we enjoyed the river view as it passed through the RV park.

After a cold snap, our water hose froze as did the river shore line. 

Yosemite National Park, one of the first wilderness parks in the United States, is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.

A fallen sequoia root size was amazing.

A fresh snow fall added to the wonder of walking among these giant redwoods.

This scene shows all as you enter Yosemite valley.

Bridalveil Falls

A fresh spray freeze up provided some excitement at the bottom of the falls as pieces of ice crashed on the rocks below.

Yosemite Falls

This falls is one of the highest in the world.

The run off  from the falls provided wonderful reflecting pools in the valley below.

Horsetail Falls

Horsetail Falls is very unique as its position in relation to the setting sun can make it appear to be a river of fire.This usually happens in the month of Febuary.
Click here to see Horsetial Falls Firefall

The short drives in the park are most interesting.

How's this for a natural tunnel.

If you're ever in California, do not miss

Yosemite National Park.