Every Picture Tells a Story: Hoover Dam (2002)

 

 

EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY:
HOOVER DAM CROSSING (2002)

Before the expansive interstate highway-bridge was constructed about 20 years ago linking Nevada and Arizona, cars and trucks had to wind through a steep canyon along a narrow two-lane highway and crossover atop the Hoover Dam. Traffic was reduced to a crawl.

Then, after 9/11 happened, security checkpoints were set up on both sides of the dam. Cars were often searched and drivers were scrutinized before being permitted to pass. Naturally, this made any trip much longer because of delays. Sometimes, the line to cross backed up more than an hour. I still have no idea how any bomb could even scratch the dam if it exploded let alone pose a real danger, but hey–this is the crazy world we now live in.

I snapped this quick photo of Marieta while we were waiting at one of the dam security checkpoints. Cars would just stop in the middle of the road and we’d have to wait. People would get out and take pictures. It seemed like the temperature was always 120 inside the canyon. They call it a “dry heat.” Yeah, dry heat, my ass. Oh, and the wind blew through the canyon constantly, which felt like standing in front of a hair dryer cranked up on hot at full blast.

Some things never get old and Hoover Dam is one of them. Maybe that’s because it’s so overwhelming to see in person. Unfortunately, I haven’t been to Hoover Dam or driven this road in several years. I believe Highway 93 is now closed to thru traffic. Visitors can still drive across the dam, but then they must turn around and cannot proceed. I’m told this has reduced traffic jams considerably.

By the way, the one guided tour I’ve done three times now (when visitors come to Las Vegas) has been the Hoover Dam tour. It’s amazing. I cannot recommend this highly enough. The entire construction project is one of the great engineering wonders of the world. It’s hard to believe it opened nearly 100 years ago and still provides power for millions of people in this region. Hopefully, there will be enough water left in the lake for this to continue, but we’re now in the midst of an environmental crisis.

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