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Hoover Dam

So we certainly slacked a bit... we've obviously been in Irvine for a while, and actually today Nicole left, so I'll finally update all you that we care updating, but don't care quite enough to call and say we made it.

But before we display the end of our journey... check out these pictures from Hoover Dam... really an impressive place.

You can see here how low the water is... about 100' down from the high, which is regulated by the spillways on the side of the dam. Damn! that's a lot of missing water. I'm drinking it here in Irvine.... I'll send you a bottle if you want. Interesting fact... when the lake is at capacity it has 2 years worth of water... meaning Colorado could shut off the valve, and the lake could sustain everything downriver for 2 years!

The downriver side... The dam is almost as deep (at the bottom) as it is tall... nuts.

The bottom... the water does not come out at the bottom... it is completely diverted, and actually enters the Colorado sideways, then finds its way downstream again

Hoover Dam.

A room with some of the 17 turbines that spin to generate electricity. I forget the statistic, but each of these suckers are rated at some ungodly power rating in the megawatts (120MWish).

This is a model showing the bridge that will be built to bypass the dam. There was security (that just waved our obviously loaded to the gills compact car) for the route going over the dam. The idea of the bridge is to bypass all non-tourist traffic, especially trucks, so the dam will be much more secure.

The water re-entering the Colorado River.... the swirls are from the angle at which the water is being introduced...

Big dust storm across the lake from our hot humid hot sticky damp awful campsite at Lake Mead. It's not THAT bad, just don't go in August.

Arches, hot like an oven.

After our 8 hour drive, we ended up in the lovely town of Moab,Utah. Known for its mountain biking (we didn’t do), beer (we didn’t drink), and Mexican food (we didn’t indulge), Moab is an adventure seekers’ haven. Instead we hiked in 100+ degree weather, kayaked down the Colorado River, and camped underneath the Milky Way (we think).

This is the view driving up to the park








Cactus (or Cactii)!




We hiked up the Double Arch where we were able to climb into the arch (we think it was part of the trail).






Erik’s dirty hair, or a plant??



The Double Arch: Arches are formed by a combination or water, time, and erosion. Basically a pool of water near a cliff’s face will erode down and eventually form holes or formations.






A potential arch beginning to form:



Next hike, the windows- but I think they should have called it the eyes.




The North and South Windows


This could have been us, if we didn’t drink enough water




Sun was so hot, shade was niiiice (say it like Borat... Niiiaaceee)


These are called fins and needles. Arches will eventually become these, as time water and erosion continues to form the sand.





Our last hike in the heat was called Park Avenue, known for its resemblance to NYC’s park ave. Lindsey & Beth can you see our apartment??






The hike was pretty flat, but on either side were huge cliffs.





After a much needed break from the hot hot sun, we ventured back out as the sun was setting.

Balanced Rock, interestingly, there are 3 main layers for each formation and they erode at different times. The top layer may take longer forming balanced rocks like the one below.



Erik flicked it!!


In these formations you can clearly see the different layers.



A combination of Nicole’s foot hurting and the heat, Erik sardonically (GRE word) made this video.




After a long day full of heat, hurt foot, and broken tent, we were able to end the day with a great sunset, sweet new tent and the most stars I’ve ever seen.

The drive:



Sunset:













Delicate Arch






Our Campsite:




Day 2:

Woke up and rented some kayaks, didn’t think we could get more into the car, but we did..just had to make Erik hitchhike..


Even with this on top…


This was the gas mileage…sweet hybrid.

The Colorado River, calm, yet we still found bugs in the car 3 hours later..





After suffering through the heat for day 2, and eating at the same local place for the third time, we decided to take off early and head on to the coast.

Watch out for the sheep


Goodbye hotness

Drive from Rocky Mountain - Coolest Day Ever

Everyone should go on Route 34 (from the months of July-Sept when it is open) West out of Rocky Mtn Natl Park once in their life, according to Professor VanVoorhis. This is easily the coolest road in the country, taking drivers (and some cyclists) up to over 12,000 feet and through the continental divide. The hybrid suffered a bit, but was able to slog up the mountain vistas that looked as if they belonged in the Tour.

This was just a warmup...


Yes, that is snow…actually glaciers up around 10,000ft.



This bowl shape is common with land shaped by receding glaciers. A large glacier used to exist in the “bowl” and when it melted and moved, it pushed its way out forming the opening in the picture.


This is not a walking trail. This is not a goat trail. Seriously steep gradient down….


These wooden poles (click picture to enlarge) are here so that the plows do not drift off the road while clearing the it of snow. In several places there are sheer dropoffs of at least 1,000ft directly off the lane of traffic. One of these occurred when one lane was closed… so we had to drive on the left side... about 3” from a pretty sweet freefall (we survived)


This shot looked a lot like Mt. Ventoux from the Tour… barren tundra at the top of the world… around 12,000ft. Well above the treeline.


Once we came back down into the treeline, these large pines (Ponderosas maybe?) dominated before giving way to more normal looking evergreens.


The Continental Divide was actually about 2,000ft lower than the highest point on the road. Despite this, the divide is the place which splits where water drains to, either the Atlantic or Pacific.

A wildlife sighting once we got down into reasonable altitudes. We watched this coyote catch and eat something.


Yes… that does say 84.7 mpg. We just filled up and tripped the meter, so the car doesn’t average in all the previous driving history. The gas station happened to be at the top of a few thousand foot descent. Take that big oil.


The rest of the drive featured crazy interstate climbs on route 70 through Colorado. These roads were actually harder on the car because the speed limit was so high. This lead to the assist battery being completely drained from time to time, and some climbs were therefore tackled in 2nd gear. Flashers!!


Jeez… I thought I had left the tunnels in Pittsburgh, there were a few of these to navigate too…


The changing landscape of Western Colorado in the side-view… Yes Officer, I had both hands on the wheel…


Welcome to Utah…. Too bad the camera focused on the bug guts on the car windshield instead.


The next few days will have us exploring Arches and Canyonlands…