HOOVER DAM RIVER RAFTING

WE TRAVELED TO MANY NATIONAL PARKS ONE SUMMER WHEN OUR SON WAS ABOUT 12. WE STOPPED TO TOUR THE GIGANTIC HOOVER DAM. THIS TOUR TAKES SEVERAL HOURS AND YOU GO THROUGH A LOT OF CHAMBERS IN ORDER TO IN ORDER TO GET TO THE VARIOUS MECHANICAL ROOMS THAT OPEN OPERATE THE FLOW OF WATER.

WE TOOK A SHORT 4 HOUR RAFTING TRIP AFTER WALKING DOWN A 100 FOOT STAIR STEP TO THE COLORADO RIVER . THE GUIDE THAT SUMMER WAS PREVIOUSLY A WAITRESS. AND OUR BOAT GOT STUCK ON THE WAY BACK. I GUESS THE BATTERY DIED. LUCKILY THEY HAD WALKIE TALKIE PHONES AND SOMEONE CAM OUT TO FIX IT. WE BROUGHT A SNACK AND THEY HAD WATERMELON FOR US ALL AS IT WAS WAY OVER 100 DEGREES. IT WAS INTERESTING TO HEAR THE STORY ABOUT THE EXPLORER JOHN WESLEY POWELL. HE WAS THE SON OF A PREACHER, WHO WANTED HIM TO FOLLOW HIS FOOTSTEPS. BUT HE WENT TO COLLEGE AND STUDIED NATURAL HISTORY. HE WAS ONE OF EIGHT CHILDREN. IN THE LATE 1800'S HE MADE A HUGE RIVER TRIP OF OVER 600 MILES WITH ABOUT 6 MEN. HE MADE IT TO THE COLORADO RIVER AND THE GUIDE DESCRIBED THEY WERE BASICALLY OUT OF FOOD AND HAD TO HUNT AND GATHER WHAT WAS IN THE CANYON. IT MUST HAVE BEEN A PRETTY TOUGH LIFE BACK THEN AS THEY EXPLORED THE RIVERS!