Day 1

This is day one of a two-week trip from Tucson to Vancouver. Today was a lot of driving! The destination was Beatty, NV. Bet you don't know where that is!

The route was Tucson-Phoenix-Wickenburg-Kingman-Hoover Dam-Las Vegas-Beatty.

The drive from Wickenburg to Kingman goes over the Joshua Tree Parkway. Joshua trees are kind of like a big yucca. they have arms that thrust out in all directions. Named by the Mormons as a look-alike for the prophet.

The highlight of the trip was Hoover Dam. I've been watching the construction of the new bridge over the Colorado river for the past several years. Last January, the bridge wasn't quite finished, but today it was. At least the span and its supports are complete. No indication when it will open for traffic.

The traffic flow down to the dam, over it and up the other side was very slow. I'm talking sloooow! You can see the line of traffic on the way down in this photo, and going across the dam. The traffic going the other way was backed up even more, perhaps 2 miles!

We didn't stop in Las Vegas, but drove right on northwest to tonight's spot, beautiful Beatty.

Tomorrow is Death Valley and on to Yosemite.