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Published: October 21st 2010
Sunday 10th Ocotber
Flagstaff (Arizona) - Las Vegas (Nevada) - 255 miles.
We left Flagstaff (pop59,900) and drove along parts of Route 66 on our way to the main freeway that took us up through Arizona and into the Nevada desert.
On the way to Vegas we stopped at Hoover Dam which is just inside Arizona State on one side and as we passed over the other side we entered Nevada State.
It was really busy with traffic as they are still completing the new flyover bridge which has been built to stop congestion here. Also it didn't help with the security checks on each vehicle before crossing the Dam. We were held up on the highway at 25mph for about twenty miles as the scale of the bypass construction and bridge is astronomical!!
Hoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the US states of Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936. Over 100 men lost their lives in the building of the dam and the nearby town of Boulder city was originally built for the workers.
Its Length is 379 m and its Height is 221 m. Its also 200 m thick concrete at the base!!
The old road over the dam is the only route to Las Vegas from Arizona without taking a long route around so they have been crying out for a bypass to the dam for years but seeing as its so rugged and mountainous its been a challenge.
Another reason they are building this road is because since the 9 11 terror attacks they have been worried about a terror attack on the dam. The consequences would be too great a risk to the whole of the East coast as so many people rely on the power and water from the dam and Lake Mead that provides the water.
We later found out that they are 2 years behind opening the road bridge and well over budget too which is funny as the Dam itself was built 3 years behind schedule and under its original budget in the 1930's.
There was enough concrete used in the building of the dam equal to building a concrete path around the planet earth or a 4 way highway from LA to
New york. Scarey!!
It took us about half an hour to cross the dam and we stopped for a few photo's and then carried on up and around the hills past Boulder City which looked very nice indeed. We could see Lake Mead for the first time and it looks equally as nice.
Zooomm!Zooooom!! oh, that was a Ferrari followed by a Porsche coming out the Lake Mead turnoff. Could we be close to Vegas then? The anticipation as we came over the last hill was exciting and lo and behold we had arrived....Viva Las Vegas!!!
The view from even this far out is ultra cool as you can see the city in its entirety and it give you a sense of calm as you know your in for a good time, well we are feeling like this as we have a four day stop here which means no driving and no more cheap motels!!
The sat nav took us right to the Hotel Luxor which would be our home for the next few days.
The Luxor is a very large pyramid shaped hotel on the Vegas strip and it looks fantastic. Outside there is a
large Sphinx and also lots of Egyptian themes statues along the entrance which is ace as we've been to Egypt before and we know who the various sculptures are.
We empty the car of our stuff and a car valet guy gives us a ticket and takes our car away. What a state the car is in, i've just noticed just now and i'm a bit embarrassed letting anyone else drive it!
It was still only 4pm and still blistering sunshine. Jill reminds me that it all changes at night and to hold fire as i was wanting to get out and about asap!!
We check in and we are chuffed to be on the 28th floor in the pyramid. We huff and puff our way round to the lift's with our backpacks and bags and after working out that our keycard activate the lift's we were rushing up the elevator lift for ages until we reached the 28th floor.
Wow...our room is really cool and it looks onto the Mandalay Hotel next door which has gold window panels and gold writing on it which are glistening in the sun back at us which adds to the
Egyptian effect...
We spent a good hour or two getting our clothes sorted out and looking out nice clothes for going out later. We spent a bit of time checking out the free vouchers our hotel gave us for casino chips and restaurant vouchers aswell as discounted tickets for the various cirque du soleil shows in town.
Its getting dark and im like a kid in a sweet shop now!!! Lets go!!! To be continued in next blog...sorry folks.
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