Remembering When

Once upon a time, many, many, years ago we rode across Hoover dam , which we called Boulder Dam, and marveled at what we saw. The picture on your right was taken by the renowned photographer, Ansel Adams after it was built. The new picture came out of an e mail I received this morning, showing the building of the new highway across the dam which is now in progress.

I did a little research on the computer this morning and found that the dam is in Black Canyon along the Colorado River and that is Lake Mead which was created by the dam and named after Elwood Mead who oversaw the construction when it began in 1931 to its completion in 1936. I'd forgotten all the history so enjoyed the read this morning. I hope I'm not boring you . . . ha . . . ha . . . ha.

It is now a Historical Landmark (1985) and both the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Department of the Interior keep up its operation. Hoover was interested in creating the dam when he was the Secretary of Commerce in 1931 and started the ball rolling and when he became President and it was completed in 1936. It borders Nevada and Arizona.

Some other particulars: L 1244ft. (379m); H 726.4ft. (221m).

Son John and I rode along the road by Lake Mead on our way back home from Las Vegas but did not cross over the road to the dam. As we rode along the scenery was amazing, pure Nevada, and I wrote this story poem which I called "Shadows of Nevada"

"The river runs deep and wide/ blue of color, as the sun subsides/ surrounding mountains jutting high/ playas lost within hills of gravel/ a tarmac ribbon of road to travel/ silt and stones of ruby red/ green hues from the yucca beds/ a plane flies over, high in the sky/ casting its shadow on the foothill rise/ undulating as it moves along/ all too soon it is gone./ the shadows darken changing shapes/ of the mountains and the river great/ the colors fade to black and gold/ day is changing into night/ white foam ripples at rivers' edge/ a cresting moon upon a ledge/ passing the river as the road winds west/ dreams of shadows when we take our rest."

Pictures aren't they wonderful? One look and you can go back in time or see the same place in a new picture and see that progress never stops, doesn't it make you wonder what the next view will be like? I hope you have a chance to ride out one day and cross over the roads of Hoover Dam.