Today was car hire day. I rented a Mustang and we drove out to the Hoover Dam.
Weather was pretty damned hot (no pun intended) when we left the hotel at 8:45, the overnight low was only 79!
We took the short walk to the Wynn hotel, completed the paperwork and were soon pulling out onto The Strip in our electric blue mussa! There wasn't much fuel in it, so we had to look for a gas station. Navigation out of the city was a piece of p*ss, as I'd already printed off directions from google maps. We pulled off the interstate following a sign for gas and ended up in a supermarket car park. We decided to make a quick visit. Round the corner we fuelled up and then joined the interstate again to head for Boulder City and the Hoover Dam beyond.
We drove through Boulder City and past our planned lunch stop, the Boulder Dam Brewing Co. This is a micro brewery or brew pub. Basically it means they brew their own beers on the premises and that's what they serve. Shortly after Boulder we rejoin the highway to be confronted with a 4 mile queue of traffic to the Dam. There is a new road/bridge being constructed and I had thought it was finished but it's not. Not sure if this contributes to the queue or not but certainly the security checkpoint does. This is a bit like a customs check at a border. Every car is stopped, then either waved through or directed to an area for a search. Soon as I open my mouth (foreigner) they wave me into a bay. I have to turn off the engine and open the bonnet and boot. I pop the buttons and get out. I expect the woman to lift the bonnet but she says she's not allowed. I tell her I don't know how to do it as the car is rented!! I manage though and she seems quite happy that there is no high explosive strapped to my engine! The boot is empty, so we are waved on our way with a cheery have a nice day. F U assholes! Once past these, the traffic moves swifter and we soon pull into the visitor centre car park. The temp gauge in the car is registering about 107. We park up and make our way to the centre.
Security in the centre is very tight. no food allowed, no drink, except water. It's like the airport, everything having to go through the scanner. I have my camel back and wonder if that might prove a problem but it's Cath that gets turned back with a carton of juice. Ticket bought we walk about 15 feet before someone else wants to check it!!
Once past the stiff necks, there is a short film about the building of the dam. Next a guide takes you down 54 stories into the inside of the dam itself. Here you see the massive pipes, 30ft in diameter, that the Colorado water rushes through, from Lake Mead. Next stop, the generator house with 8 massive generators. Finally we are deposited at a viewing overlook, giving a superb view over the dam, lake and the river the other side.
It is baking hot. There is quite a breeze blowing but it's like the blast of air you get when you open the oven door. We take a walk out onto the dam. The middle is the state line between Nevada and Arizona, so we cross into Arizona on one side then back on the other. Cath is feeling the heat, so we seek out shade asap before she passes out. A quick visit to the gift shop follows, then we are back in the car heading for the brew pub at Boulder City. Traffic coming towards the dam is still backed up for about 3-4 miles.
We have our lunch at the brewpub, a salad and some fries for Cath, a bratwurst hotdog for me. I try a small glass of one of the brews, Raspberry Vice then have a root beer to dilute it, as I'm driving. Cath has iced tea. The waitress directs us to the hotel across the road. It's a landmark, as it's an original building from when the city was built to house the dam workers in 1933.
From Boulder we head back towards the dam to take the lakeshore drive. This is quite pleasant, affording some lovely views of Lake Mead. We stop at a few viewing points along the drive to take pictures. I get a fresh roasting each time I get out of the car. We have seen the temp gauge in the car hit 114!
Our final destination in the car is the Gun Shop. I had planned to fire a gun here since I first discovered you can. I have to say though the whole experience was a tad disappointing. Pretty much like a production line. You walk through the door and are invited immediately to sign a form if you want to shoot. Then shuffling along the counter a guy asks you what you want to shoot. He suggests a Glock 17. I say I want to fire the Dirty Harry .44 Magnum as well. He asks me to chose two targets. These are paper targets on the wall. Numbered 1-18 they range from basic target type images to several of middle eastern chaps. He unashamedly suggests the one of Bin Laden. I chose this and one of a Nazi zombie, given our upcoming game against the Germans. Racism rules in the Gun Shop. We choose goggles and ear defenders, then wait in line for an instructor to become available. When he is, we are taken to the ranges. There are about 8 shooting bays, with guys, women and kids even, shooting machine guns and all manner of hardware. The floor is littered with spent shell cases. I'm led to the booth. The guy attaches the first of my targets and winds it down the range. He loads the Glock and shows me how to hold it then tells me to line up the sights. That's my tuition done. I take a few shots but have to stop to put my reading glasses on. I can't focus on the sights. Glasses on I can see properly and empty the clip into Osama. The guy loads the next clip and I have another 10 shots at the hateful terrorist. One down, the magnum to go. The target is retrieved and I think I only missed once. OBL would definitely be dead and the world at peace once more. The next target is wound down the range, the magnum loaded and the same drill run through. I pump all five shots into the Nazi zombie. Once more the world can rest easy. And that's the experience over. Probably from walking through the front door to walking out again was no more than 20 minutes. Not quite the experience I was expecting but still something to remember. It's a bit surreal really. Another first in my life though and they say life begins at 40!
We ran the car back, then headed back to the hotel for a rest and freshen up before going out again. We walked up the strip to The Bellagio to watch the dancing fountain music show. Each performance is different, with different music. Our performance was to some USA forever, God bless the yanks type anthem. The water and light show is pretty spectacular though. We make the walk back to the Mirage. I have to say I'm not really that happy in the crowds. You can barely move for people, half of whom seem to be drunk or on the verge and carrying huge glasses, yards of ale, etc, full of beer or cocktails. I like to walk fast and you just can't do that I'm afraid. I long for the open road of R66 and my Harley again.
Back at our hotel, we get a table at the pizza restaurant. An all meats pizza with a root beer fills the gap for me.
Cath dips her toe in the gambling waters by having a go on the 1 cent slots. Loading up $5 she plays for a little while, ignoring my advice to 'bank' when she got over $6, finally retrieving her $5. None the richer or poorer but having had a good time none the less.
Bedtime. No alarm set, DND sign on the door, that's all for today.
Neill
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