Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon Caverns

So today Richard and I checked out of the Excalibur Hotel about 8:30am, stopped at Starbucks for coffee and a quick breakfast (they don't toast bagels) and headed out. But first we needed to get gas. As usual with a rental, I forgot to check which side the gas cap was on. In addition, I couldn't find the button to open the gas door (just like I couldn't find the button to open the trunk). Well, that's because there aren't any buttons for gas door and trunk latches in a Chevy Cruise; they are manual. Oy!

 

We headed out to the Hoover Dam after navigating our way out of Las Vegas and the one way streets and no U-turn traffic lights. We made it through security at the Dam and after being told to 'drive slowly' we parked for the reasonable fee of $7. We signed up for the power plant tour which included a 10 minute movie and the panoramic view of the Hoover Dam and Tillman Memorial Bridge. Wow, it is unbelievable what they were able to accomplish in the 30's!! The guys on the big dig could have taken some lessons from these creative engineers. Learning about how they were able to divert the water during the construction of the Dam was extremely interesting, very informative and the speaker had our undivided attention. It was 110 degrees here today but it was such a dry heat that it didn't bother us. (Well, Richard wasn't liking it too much).  We went into the generator room and while there, the alarm went off to turn on an additional generator based on the current demand. I'll bet air conditioners had something to do with it. Then Richard and I walked halfway across the new memorial bridge. From here, photographing the dam was a cinch.

After visiting the Hoover Dam, we got in the 'cruise' and drove out toward Flagstaff. But I added a via point to the ole GPS; the Grand Canyon Caverns. This is one of only 4 dry underground caverns. We needed to take Rt 66 out to the Grand Canyon Caverns, it was a little off course for us, but another little gem in the southwest that might be worth a visit. The cavern was found accidentally; the original owner found the hole, went down inside and the rest is history. Well, actually there is more to it, but that can spoken to at  a later date. It was nice to travel down Rt 66 also; one of those nostalgic trips, when life was slower, simpler and full of green dinosaurs at the Sinclair station. The tour guide at the Caverns was pretty good. They also rent a room in the caverns for the paltry sum of $700 per night for 2 people. Imagine that, and it is always a constant 56 degrees!! For those interested in the paranormal, it is believed there are ghosts in the caverns that move the chairs around haphazardly.

After the caverns, we had about an hour and a half trip before we could check in at the hotel in Flagstaff. In route we drove into a torrential downpour that ended as abruptly as it began. Tomorrow our plan is to get up early and travel up to the Grand Canyon for our first hike. Can't wait!