Dam that Herbert Hoover! He filled the Colorado River with concrete and, in turn, powered the entire city of Los Angeles, and much of Southern California… Ok, so maybe he’s alright (Californians, you can applaud now). The Hoover Dam was built in the 1930′s and, becuase it’s a big architectural structure, I am more-or-less fascinated with it. Yes, it’s mostly just a big hunk of cement (enough to build a two-lane highway from San Francisco to New York, by the way) but it’s really quite amazing. The Hoover Dam stradles Arizona and Nevada and is really only famous because it’s big… and because once-upon-a-time, when he was famous, Tom Cruise jumped off of it for a stunt.
I learned that if you throw a handful of water off the river-side of the dam (as opposed to the lake-side) that the water will actually float upwards. I’m assuming this has something to do with the air current that comes sweeping up the concrete wall, but it was awesome! Seriously, I stood there and threw handfuls of water for almost 10 minutes. Yes, I am easily entertained. If you look closely here you can see the beads of water, and you’ll just have to believe me when I say they floated up. 
And here we are, halfway in Nevada and halfway in Arizona. Two different time zones, 726 feet above the Colorado River, about 25 above Lake Mead. All very wierd, but still cool… if you define “cool” in the nerdy, academia-based world that I do. 
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Love ALL of these trip pictures. You guys are adorable!
Comment by alyndabear 2007 September 20 @ 11:51 pmOMG, AS would love this.
He also loves dorkity dork dork dork engineering facts. Sigh.
Comment by L Sass 2007 September 21 @ 7:59 amdam!
Comment by JenKneeBee 2007 September 21 @ 9:56 amWow…that looks amazing. In a “that’s right, I’m kinda scared of heights” way
You guys look quite happy, there in the midst of all that concrete!
Comment by Trish Ryan 2007 September 21 @ 11:46 amCooooool. I wanna see!
Comment by Andrea Jolene 2007 September 23 @ 4:38 pmHe has poofy hair. But I am sure he is very nice.
Comment by Miss Erika 2007 September 24 @ 5:13 pm