Road Trip Part 4

Hoover Dam here we come! Tuesday dawned bright and beautiful; and my man was in a hurry to see the Hoover Dam. He's been talking about this stop since we started planning this trip. I too am excited to see the Hoover Dam. There are all the obvious reasons, but I must be honest; I own the old movie “Fools Rush In” and love the scene where she drives over the bridge and at the Nevada/Arizona border tosses a coin into the river. I can't wait to go home and get my man to watch this chick-flick.

An hours drive east we winded around in the desert mountains and came to a police checkpoint. Security up there is no joke, but thankfully the police were super friendly, almost like they were glad you were there to visit.  Anyway, we came upon the Dam early in the morning so there weren't many people there (if you ever get to go to Hoover Dam I recommend getting there before the crowds join you, you'll get some pics without other people dotting your landscape:). 

 It was incredible. At first glance it appears small, nestled into the canyon; then as you drive over it you realize what an engineering feat it is. We joined the Powerplant tour (the Dam tour requires that everyone be over the age of 8; we just couldn't think of a good place to stash the kids while we went on the underground tour:) ha. Amazing, truly amazing. My favorite piece of trivia: there is enough concrete in that Dam to make a 4 foot wide sidewalk around the equator! Since we got there so early we were able to get a good parking spot for the trailer, so we ate our lunch looking out our picture window overlooking the Hoover Dam. Best turkey sandwich I've ever had!

One foot in Nevada, One foot in Arizona 

We then turned hard South. I've been so excited to see the Grand Canyon for the first time. I've heard of it, seen pictures of it, and studied it in school; none of which prepared me for the sight I would see. We got to the Park in the late afternoon. We set up camp and fixed some dinner. Right before sunset we headed up to Yavapai Point. This is where I don't have the words to write or express how it felt to see the Grand Canyon for the first time. Tears immediately burned my eyes, I couldn't take my eyes off the view. It beckons you, draws you in. Immediately, the words from the hymn “How Great Thou Art” played in my head...

“O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed, then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee; How great Thou Art, how Great Thou art!”

We saw the sunset. The colors were desert reds, pinks, and browns and then it turned to a hazy blue. It was just stunning. How Great Thou Art.

the girls

the boys (dawson loves to dress like his dad)

took this picture because that is a one Real Woman...

This was my favorite sightseeing day. It was also the day of the death grip. Everything we saw, every trail or sidewalk edged a cliff. All day, my man and I were on vigilant watch keeping these 3 kids from falling to their demise. But we did it; there were five heads hitting the pillow (exhausted) at the end of the day.