Day 444 – 25th February 2010
Posted by TravellingStrom on February 25, 2010
Thursday – Las Vegas, USA
A relaxing day for me today, mainly catching up on some blog entries in the morning and keeping an eye on Grace. I went looking for some skunk beer later on but could not find any. This was a beer I was offered up in Salt Lake City last April when I arrived, but declined, I forgot to try one before I left, but it looks like I am going to miss out on that experience, oh well never mind but I did find a gold coloured Fosters large can, I am not sure if they are a new line back home, I guess I will find out in a day or so!
When the kids came home from school and could look after Grace, AltF4 took me out for another look around, this time we headed out to Hoover Dam, I had missed it last time I went past. On the way we passed some massive solar panels, the biggest I have seen, also we spotted a lot of water being wasted so it seemed but as we got closer it turned out to be firemen having a play 🙂
Lake Mead came into view and also the new highway bypass which is nearly complete along with the new suspension bridge. Apparently paranoia set in after 911 and they did not want big rigs crossing the dam, so they have to divert around the dam by an hour detour, but it is still OK for cars to cross over at this time, although the security is there. When the bypass is finished, then no more vehicle traffic will be allowed over as it is a major electricity producer for California, not Nevada, none of this electricity goes to Vegas.
We checked out the electric pylons heading out over the cliff edge and walked across the dam itself, the water levels are quite low and are around 30 metres lower than 20 years ago which can be seen by the bath tub line on the cliffs. Apparently back then only 400,000 people lived in Vegas, now there is 2.5M so all that extra water use does have an effect.
Up on the hill was a square blockhouse, this turned out to be a bunker from during WWII when they thought the dam was a target, there used to be AA guns around there as well.
Next we headed to the Lake Mead look out and the only thing spoiling the beauty of the views was the power lines!
We had missed out on the actual dam tours because we got there too late, oh well never mind. So we headed back for some dinner at the house, and while there sprung young Grace getting involved in the technological age 🙂
After dinner AltF4 took me out to a gentleman’s club, or as they are commonly called, a strip club or beer and titties 🙂 The one we chose was the largest in the world, but it was mainly my choice and I had no idea. We could not have a late one as I needed to be on the road tomorrow to head to LA again.
Well, although the action was nice, the prices matched and it was a bit out of my league. $30 cover charge, which ALtF4 managed to get us in without paying, but then it was $12 a beer and if you wanted a lap dance, well that was $50 as soon as she sat down 😯 So after the one beer and a perve we headed off, my wallet was still in shock, after paying $1 for a litre of beer for nearly the past month, this was going to be an expensive process and my heart was not in it. I guess in the end I was expecting just a topless bar with strippers, this was more up market, never mind I have mammories of the place 🙂 We grabbed a few beers to take back and stayed up for an hour or so but by midnight I was horizontal
Day –0 miles and km
Trip – 54,042 miles and 86,972 km
Cheers
TravellingStrom
WORLD
Geoff James said
Suberb blog and equally superb photos!
I don’t know whether you’ve ever seen this website: http://www.twistingthrottle.com/. Written by a Kiwi who has toured round Australia and the USA on his VStrom – I suspect that the 2 of you would get on so well! His books are hilarious.
Safe riding,
Geoff
NZ
TravellingStrom said
Hi Geoff and thanks for the link, I have not met him nor read his books as yet, too busy travelling 🙂
Cheers TS
Greg said
Do you still have the heat shield. If so contact Greg at gkw12954@yahoo.com Also looking for a broken muffler i can salvage the end cap. Greg
TravellingStrom said
HI
Nothing left sorry, they were both bought the next day
Cheers TS