Springtime on the Pacific Coast Highway

The only real mistake I made today was crossing Hoover Dam - but more about that in a minute.

Today's the last day of the road trip before I settle in to Las Vegas for a week - part fun, mostly work.  I get a good start out of Phoenix and marvel at how long the urban sprawil continues up US 60 thorugh Glendale. Peoria and Sun City.

It's a quick trip up highway 60 to Wickenburg where I pick up US 93 toward Boulder City and Hoover (Boulder) Dam.

This is a beautiful morning ride.  The air is failry cool and the wind isn't a real factor in Arizona - it will become a serious factor after I get out of the canyons around the dam later going in to Nevada, however.  There isn't much weather to speak of and I'm in full relaxation mode - but paying attention to my gas gauge more closely today.

I head for Boulder Dam not realizing all the changes that have been made in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.  I pass through a checkpoint near Chloride, Arizona where they're making sure no large trucks, busses, RV's etc. pass beyond that point.  Nearer the dam they're building a bypass around the dam right now, but it's a few years from being done.  The traffic along US 93 has increased an amazing amount since the last time I came through here, and the foot traffic and such along the top of the dam doesn't help.  It takes me 90 minutes to go the two miles up and over the canyon wall and down across the top of the dam.  Going up the hill on the Arizona side, for the first time since I've owned this bike, I get a temperature warning light.  Luckily, the light came on just as I topped the hill, so I shut the engine down and simply coast the rest of the way down to the dam - I'm in traffic that's moving slower than a walking pace anyway, so I could be sitting on the bike, walking it, pushing it, it really doesn't matter.  By the time I get TO the dam, any and all idea of stopping for the tour is thrown completely out the window as I crank up my engine again and hit the throttle HARD coming out the Nevada side of the pass.  I'll wait until they get the bypass done before I visit here again.

I roll in to the Boulder Station Hotel and Casino at about 5:30 in the afternoon, just in time to get myself cleaned up and make a Friday night out of blowing my Vegas Gambling Fund at the roulette tables.

The next day, as thunderstorms are rolling across the valley, I trick my misbehaving camera in to one more picture out my hotel room window.



The remainder of the week in Vegas is spent at a Broadcaster's convention and all the attendant crap that goes with that - believe me, it's work.  So I'm really looking forward to the following Friday when it's time to blow town.


GO to the next day of the trip

A few links