Sunday, Oct 9 - Driving to Hoover Dam

 We set off today on our first adventure of the Covid era.  Yesterday I took Miss Maddie down to the Cat House Hotel, and she sauntered right into her regular Junior Suite and settled down.   Great having a confident, fearless cat!  

The alarm went off at 4 AM and our Rose Cab picked us up at 4:45.  At that hour it only took 15 minutes to get us to the airport, and, as the long-term parking lot was full, I’m glad we chose a taxi!    We shared a latte and croissant and boarded our American flight to Phoenix.   Little over an hour later we landed, picked up our luggage and called Hilary.  She had driven up from her home in Green Valley, AZ, and spent the night at an airport hotel so as to be more alert then Bob and me!  

 We set off in her Subaru, driving north on US 17, through the endless slurbs of Phoenix, leaving it to continue NW on scenic AZ 74.  We drove through miles of beautiful Saguaro cacti, merging onto AZ 93, until we reached the quaint western town of Wickenberg.  We were looking for a “sincere” (non-chain) brunch spot as none of us had eaten much today.  In the tiny downtown we found Deb’s Horseshoe Cafe, a very noisy, amusing cafe with lots of unique stuff on the walls (cowboy chaps wearing a g-string!).
  We ordered from one of the harried waitresses and waiting, watching the crowd of bikers (“Bikers for Trump”!! T-shirts).  After we noticed that people, who had arrived after us were eating, we got worried.   Bob said, “Maybe they lost our order?” And just then our waitress arrived and very apologetically told us they had found our order on the floor!    Not to worry - our food shortly sped out and  was very good with hot  chilies in the fried potatoes!. 

Cowboy Chaps

  We continued on 93 (Joshua Tree Forest Parkway) for 100 miles, wondering why it was called that when we were suddenly surrounded by a dense forest of these weird-looking agaves, the largest of which are over 500 years old!   (Protected in CA, but not in AZ!).   Really lovely and interesting, and in some places mixed with the most northern Saguaro we have ever seen. 

 93 joins US 40 for a ways west and then leaves to continue NW to Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam.  Bob was really interested in seeing the inner

workings of the dam.  We got caught up in a traffic jam into the Inspection point where we were asked if we had any guns and then waved though.  The dam, built in 1931-35, has beautiful Art Deco decorations and a magnificent arch bridge.  We went to a few overlooks but felt pretty tired, decided to catch it tomorrow and drove into the town of Boulder.  

Joshua Tree

Lake Mead with large bath tub ring

 We expected the usual chain stores, but it turned out to be a very neat and tidy town of lush green garden and lawn - I guess they have first dibs on the lake water!  We checked into the Best Western, unpacked, organized gear and napped.   At five we walked over to Hil’s room where she had set up a bar where we could make gin ‘n’ tonics. and rum ‘n ‘ cokes.  Pretty good service!   

We walked across the street to the Southwest Diner where we sat outdoors and had a filling meal of cucumber salads with yogurt - surprisingly good! - and bowls of chili.  Back to our rooms to get a good night’s sleep!