It was $30 each which comes out to $210 for our family. No discounts for the kids either.Most of the crew would not have been very interested in the tour, and those that were did not feel good about leaving the other parent with all the little kids for so long in the parking lot.
Still it is quite impressive to see the sheer size of this structure, to read about the those who died during the construction process and to analyze the various facts on the size and tonage of the most famous (not the biggest though) dam in America.
It is ...
-- 726.4 feet high
-- 1,244 feet across at the top
-- 660 feet thick at the base
-- 45 feet thick at the top
It ...
-- weighs 6.6 millions ton ...
-- can store up 2 years 'average' flow from the Colorado River ...
-- total storage capacity can be measured in 30,500,000 acre feet ...
-- 726.4 feet high
-- 1,244 feet across at the top
-- 660 feet thick at the base
-- 45 feet thick at the top
It ...-- weighs 6.6 millions ton ...
-- can store up 2 years 'average' flow from the Colorado River ...
-- total storage capacity can be measured in 30,500,000 acre feet ...
-- NO ONE IS BURIED IN THE DAM...
-- about 16,000 men and women worked on the project...
-- about 3,500 people were employed at any specific time.
-- Officially ... There were 96 'industrial' fatalities. during the construction of Hoover Dam. This figure does not include deaths by other means including heat, heart problems and curiously, pneumonia.
-- about 16,000 men and women worked on the project...
-- about 3,500 people were employed at any specific time.
-- Officially ... There were 96 'industrial' fatalities. during the construction of Hoover Dam. This figure does not include deaths by other means including heat, heart problems and curiously, pneumonia.
We also got to see the newly opened bridge over Hoover Dam. Actually we drove Howard across it! It is a pretty site as it towers above the dam connecting Arizona and Nevada. It also has some interesting facts that might amaze you:
• The highest and longest arched concrete bridge in the Western Hemisphere.
• The second-highest bridge of any kind in the United States and 14th in the world.
• The world's tallest concrete columns of their kind.
But what sets the bridge apart most of all is the setting.
It is perched 890 feet above the turquoise Colorado River, wedged between rock cliffs that form Black Canyon, with commanding views of Hoover Dam and Lake Mead.
Out of all the foods that I serve to my children, the one thing that every single person in our family enjoys eating is pizza. So, last night, when our family decided to meet another family that is currently living on the road and my husband suggested a pizza parlor we all agree
Now, I had never heard of this place, but my husband told me that they had a big pipe organ that they played while you ate. I had visions of an old pizza place I used to go to when I was a kid called Shakey’s Pizza. They used to play a player piano as you dined. My fond childhood memories did not prepare me for what awaited my eyes. First of all, this place was two stories tall. Second, the entire dining room was covered with musical instruments. They were mounted on the walls, ceilings, and even balcony railings. As I stood looking around the room, I wondered where the organ was. There were pipes running all over the place, but the actual organ itself was not in evidence. Then, we sat down and I looked through the window at the front of the room.
Finally, after waiting about 10 minutes, I saw a little man walk through a door near the organ room and I got the boys ready to listen to some fun music. Suddenly, I saw the padded boxes in the window begin to quiver and shake. They were the bellows pumping air into the massive organ. The lights began to dim and the opening bars of “Oh Canada” began to play as a Canadian flag was dropped from the ceiling. A gorgeous organ rose up out of the center of the stage. Then the song switched to our National Anthem, the American flag was flown and the lights blazed forth as we all stood with our hands over our hearts and spot lights l
As the rest of the evening continued, I just sat amazed. Most of the time, it sounded like we were listening to an entire band. If the organ played a march, the drums mounted on the walls started playing along. There were bells, cymbals and even xylophones that came to life and started to play. From time to time, there were also other little surprises along with the music, for instance, the enormous disco ball hanging in the center of the room lit up and began to spin, and they blew bubbles from the ceiling during the song from Little Mermaid. My little boys favorite was when the stage curtain came up and little cat puppets were dancing along to the song that was being played.
Now, I do have to admit that the idea of meeting a new family and getting to know each other over pizza was a little bit hampered by the fact that none of us could hear each other, but it was definitely an experience that we all enjoyed. However, we remedied our inability to speak by going into the parking lot and talking inside Howard our RV for a little while. So, if you are ever in Phoenix, you have got to check this place out, but don’t plan on doing much talking while you are there. Just sit back, eat, and enjoy the music.
