Leaving Las Vegas

 After spending a few days in the city it was wonderful to enter Zion National Park and enjoy the beauty of God's creation. We pulled into the park, found our site (which once again was a pull-through, oh yeah) and set up camp right next to the Virgin River.  After getting things ready we decided to spend the rest of our daylight hours exploring and going on a hike.  We found the perfect hike for us, to Weeping Rock.  It was a beautiful trail that led us right along a stream, up the hill, and then through some amazing autumn colored trees.   Below you will see some of the sights from the hike.  Enjoy!!!

 Daddy and his girl heading up to the Wheeping Rock.  The rock formation below is called Watchmans Tower, this was the view across from our site.

 Water+Rocks=Hours of fun

Hoover Dam- To flood or not to flood

One of the most famous landmarks in Nevada is the Hoover Dam.  They started building the dam in 1931 and finished in 1936 two years ahead of schedule.  What fun it was to visit the dam after reading and studying about it in our geography lessons.  Besides just going to the top of the dam and walking across it from Nevada to Arizona we were able to go inside and visit the power plant.  The tour started with an elevator ride down 500 feet. We then walked down the same dark corridors that the workers back in the 30's built.  This took us to an area where we were able to see the tunnels that were built to divert the water from the Colorado River around the area where they intended to build the dam.  After that off to the power plant, then back up to the museum.  All the pictures below were taken by our Hula Girl.  She is quite the photographer.  

Generators on the NV side.  

All of us thought this was a great picture and blog worthy!!  A few facts about the dam:  hourly wages for working at the dam were $.50 to $1.50.  If you really wanted to make some money you could get $4.00 an hour for being a high scaler.  These were the men who would put dynamite into the wall, blast it, then smooth it down.  NO THANKS. 

For those of you not from the great state of Nevada or familiar with the area,  Hoover Dam is in southern Nevada.

View looking at the dam from the visitor center.   A few more facts about the dam:  Height 726.4 ft, Crest length 1244 ft, Crest width, 45 ft, Base width 660 ft.   

Are We There Yet???

 Day Four: Hawthorne to Las Vegas.  Miles to destination 327. Hours on the road 7 and a half.  How many times kids asked, "are we there yet?"  33

Tonopah, NV - one of the old mining towns along the way

US 95 - the long and straight road to Las Vegas

Trying to keep these three busy and entertained.

Let's Hit the Road

Our journey begins in Carson City, Nevada and this first leg of the trip takes us south on US 95, 133 miles to Hawthorne, Nevada.  This is only a two to three hour drive but since we have never driven a motor home before or embarked on a drive longer than 45 minutes (Hickam to Bellows or to any place on Oahu for that matter) in the last few years we thought we should start small.  The plan is to stay one night at Whiskey Creek (a fine RV establishment) and then head south to Las Vegas.  All plans are subject to change!  When we get to Whiskey Creek we are welcomed by a very friendly and informative man who tells us there are going to extremely high winds starting at 0400 (4:00 am for you non military folks) and that if we want to stay another night he has room.  Once again as novice RV'ers we decide to stay one more night.  He assigns us our site and when we says the word pull-through we heard angels start to sing!  Well not really but that is a word that we are coming to LOVE.  The boys help dad outside while little Hula Girl and I start to prepare stuff on the inside.  A plan is formulated for dinner; spaghetti, veggies and special bread! With very few mishaps on the cooking front we sit down and start eating our dinner all the while listening to the wind howl outside.  End of day one!!  

Day Two - Hawthorne, Nevada- on the agenda for the day, explore the area.   We wake up and find that the wind has shown up and in full force.  The kids are mesmorized by the tumble weeds, coolers, bags and the occasional trash cans that fly by.  It has been a long time since I have heard and felt wind blow this hard.  When the wind dies down just a bit we decide to head outside for a little exercise.  So I try to remember as many of my "Corner of Torture" workouts as possible and then pull out some of my former PE training and in the end I have three tired kids.  Success!!!  We then decide to take a drive around the town.  First stop, main street where all the things happen right?  Well maybe not, but we do see the library, a few dollar stores and the El Capitain (casino).  After that we head to the golf course on the army base and then look around the base (which is really not much of a base any more).  Back in its day it was probably a very nice place to live.  End of day two!!

                             

Packing Up and Moving Out

Howdy Partners!!  

For the last few days we have been stocking up the motor home with needed supplies, gleaning much needed information from Mom K and Dad K, and hoping we remember all they have told us.  Mom K has been the organizer of the operation, packing pencils, books, food, dishes, clothes, blankets, towels and any other needed supply into our new, don't miss this number,  32 foot long home.  Dad K has been teaching us how our new home runs, what all the switches mean, how to hook and unhook everything:  from the car to electricity, to water and such.  After 5 days of intense motor home training, we feel that we are ready to embark on our journey. 

So saddle up cowboys and get ready to ride with us on our little tour of the west!  That's right, gold mines, ghost towns, tumble weeds, Red Rocks, Arches, snow, the Biggest Little City in the World, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, Rocky Mountains, hiking and wind (lots of wind).   

The Journey Begins

Sunset at Hickam beach- a sight that never gets old!

         Let the Journey      Begin

Everyone knows how the saying goes, "All good things come to an end".  About a week ago we would have said, "AMEN" to this statement. At the time we were hauling 10 checked bags, five back packs, three kids, two adults and one car seat into the airport terminal to leave beautiful Hawaii.  Hawaii, a place that we have called home for the last 6 years, a place that we came to as a young family of four and left as an older  and, of course wiser, family of five! :)  The destination, well now that is, a tricky one!  We don't really know!  The plan:  travel around the US in a motor home, visit as many states as we can, and enjoy making memories along the way.  The first leg of the journey is behind us, the motor home is getting packed (which deserves its own post), and the route is getting planned.  So if you want to hear more about our adventure...stay tuned.  To be continued.....