I showered & decided to go visit Hoover Dam which is about 20 miles up the road at Boulder City, I arrived at about 11:30 and there was a massive queue to get to the parking structure, I eventually arrived at the door but the place was packed, I really wasn't in the mood to stand around & queue so I got back into the car & headed in the direction of The Valley of Fire.

On checking the map I saw that about 20 miles past the Valley of Fire there was a museum called "The Lost City Museum" .. no brainer.. that instantly became destination number one.

The Lost City Museum has been here in one form or another since the 1920's when some explorer chappie whose name I forget (I wasn't taking notes) discovered loads of "Pueblos" ..which for the non-Mexican amongst us are primitive Adobe houses, some dug into the ground & covered, others free standing, and started to excavate them. They have a small building with the results of their archeology inside, & outside are a couple of "Pueblos" reconstructed on the foundations of the real thing. I enjoyed the museum, but it can be thoroughly explored in 30 mins ($2 entrance fee, no complaints) I was the only customer while I was there.
 

Lost City Museum

Pueblo

From here The Valley of Fire was a short drive and I arrived at about 2:00, what an awesome place.. it was very deserted, I saw maybe 10 cars the whole time I was inside the boundary, I took my time & visited every one of the 16 "points of interest" I managed to miss the visitor centre as it had closed by the time I got there, but that didn't matter, I was having fun taking pretentious art shots with my camera.
 

See the indian paintings?

Not like Enfield.

The sun was hot this afternoon, I had the top down on the car and took my time as I trolled from one place to another, everything here is red, there are crazy formations, primitive drawings on the stones from 2000 years ago, oh, and some were even signed "nicole 2000" it's nice to see the Indians still active..

I was here until sunset, the long shadows adding to the atmosphere, what a cool place, highly recommended.
 

More cave paintings

Like being on Mars..

I checked the map and discovered I could get back to Vegas by driving along the edge of Lake Mead, which took me back to Boulder City, then a short 20 mile hop back into Vegas, this was a fantastic drive, 100 miles of twisty turny deserted roads, I kept the top on the car down & arrived back in Vegas at about 8pm with hair styled after a Shredded wheat that had been electrocuted, but I was happy.

Dinner, a shower & a movie complete today.. oh, and 2 trip reports.. bloody homework.

I've decided to switch around the rest of my trip, I was going to do Sat/Sun in Vegas, Mon/Tues in LA & Weds in Vegas again prior to flying out on Thursday, but I've decided Vegas is no fun on your own so I'm going to go to LA tomorrow to see Pip and the Tiger Lillies, then I'll hang around LA on Tuesday all day maybe do Magic Mountain or some-such, then I'm going back to Furnace Creek for 2 days luxuriating in the heat & the pool, I'm working as soon as I get back & want a couple of days doing absolutely nothing.. we've driven 3200 miles so far this trip, & LA will add another 700.. enough excuses, I'm going to Furnace Creek & I'm happy.

Right, all up to date.. lets see what room service can bring me...

G'nite!

To Day 9 The drive to LA