May 11, 2018
After leaving Bryce we completed our drive on Scenic Highway 12. I will say it is one of the prettiest drives I’ve ever taken. We stopped in Red Canyon for a short hike and later spent the night on BLM land in Overton NV before proceeding to Hoover Dam.
Red Canyon
When was the last time you saw a Rexall Drug?
BLM night
The following picture is the Hoover Dam spillway which hasn’t been used since 1983. The spillway can handle the flow of water equal to Niagara Falls.
The Dam
The figures are sentries at the entrance to Hoover Dam, part angel, part symbol of the strength of man, they are the work of a sculptor named Oskar J.W. Hansen, a Norwegian immigrant.
The figures are so large, and the stones so heavy, an ingenious method of installation was used to get their placement just right. The square stones were lowered by crane onto big blocks of ice, which then slowly melted in the Nevada sun. The slow melt allowed for engineers to make minute adjustments in order to keep every aspect perfectly level and perfectly plumb.
Hoover Dam is awe inspiring! I remember being very frightened of its enormity. Your photos are amazing and you and Arnie look so relaxed….keep enjoying the road my friend!