The drive to Palm Springs was long.  By the time we got here we were both pretty tired but once again the beauty and wonder of our surroundings brought our energy back.  Like the signs for "South of the Border" on the way to Florida, we encountered numerous signs for Peggy Sue's Diner.  We approached the exit about the time we were both ready to eat so we decided to try it.  It seemed to be in the middle of the desert but there was a line to get in.  We walked through the gift shop which was loaded with memorabilia.  When we were seated a statue of Elvis was directly behind me.  We refrained from taking his picture.  Our sandwiches were loaded with fat we don't let ourselves eat any more. But we ate it here! We tested ourselves on the trivia quiz left on each table.  Brought back lots of memories but we suffered from the fatty food!

As we drove into Palm Springs, the scenery was gorgeous but the windmills just overwhelmed us.  There were hundreds all lined up on the sides of the highways and up the mountain sides.  Floss could not stop taking pictures.  She kept saying that the whole area looked like aliens had come in and created it.  The mountains are dirt and rock and nothing like we know from the northeast.  Floss has a contagious love of learning and seeing new things.  You cannot help but get excited about each new experience when you share it with her.

Many years ago the aliens came with their giant bulldozers and moved gigantic mounds of earth around.

They then made homes for themselves in wind mills.

They are everywhere.  

Everywhere!

I mean everywhere!

Think we didn't mean it?

At night they blink their little red lights to let their buddies know where to come and get them!

Our RV home for these two nights is among many retired people who are here for long periods of time.  I believe we are one of the few who are here only for a couple nights.  The RV across from us has a deck built off of it with a manmade pond.  It is amazing.  The pool is filled with hot mineral water and is an obvious attraction for everyone.  When we arrived we had just missed happy hour in the community center and there were parties going on everywhere.  We hooked up (the RV) and settled in with our glasses of wine.

Night in the campsite

This morning we headed over to the pool at nine.  The water was 92 degrees and so wonderful.  I wore my hat to avoid a sunburn because even then the sun was hot.  There was not a cloud in the sky and it was bluer than I can describe.  It was perfect way to start our day.  Floss talked to a woman who has a home in the mountains but comes here for three months to escape the cold.  One couple came to visit and have stayed for four years.  Seems to be quite the place for those enjoying retirement.

After our showers we drove to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.  Many residents had told us not to miss it.  The climb to the base of the Tram was very steep.  Again, I worried about the way the engine of the RV was roaring but we made it.  The ride on the Tram was long and straight up about 6,000 feet.  I stayed back from the windows but Floss was quite comfortable in front taking pictures.  The floor of the Tram rotated so everyone could see the views from every angle.  It was pretty amazing.  At the top it was 40 degrees colder and we were not prepared.  We had worn short sleeves and flip flops - we didn't do our homework!  We solved most of the problem by buying sweatshirts.

On our way up

Pretty in Pink

The views on top were beautiful and there were lots of trails to walk.  Not having the right shoes deterred us from going too far but we were able to take in the sights.  There were many international visitors here.  It was fun to see the families enjoying the views.  There were also many retired people who were hiking the trails.

God's Rays

Looking down on Palm Springs

We went upstairs to the bar and had a glass of wine.  We met a delightful man from Minnesota who we talked to for quite awhile.  Floss went out on the balcony to take pictures but I couldn't stand the wind and cold.  It was amazing what a difference in temperature.  We headed down by four.

Coming down from the Tram was a trip I hope not to repeat.  I had to down shift the RV to slow it down and I could tell the brakes were getting soft.  I did not share my fears with Floss (for which she was very grateful!!) but when we pulled into the Visitor Center at the bottom there was lots of smoke and burning rubber.  Floss was surprised and I was relieved we made it.  As we do this blog, I can still smell the burning rubber.  More wine, please!

A person at the Palm Springs Visitor Center recommended a great Thai place for dinner.  It was called Thai Smile.  We had a fabulous dinner.  The downtown part of Palm Springs was hopping.  Everyone was eating outside, walking around and hitting the Casino.  It was fun to see so much activity and people enjoying their Saturday night.  The Marilyn Monroe Statue is worth sharing!

What is that man looking at?

So, any guesses on who wrote the captions??  We are both tired and ready for a good night's sleep!

Lake Meade

Just as you can't take a lousy picture in the Grand Canyon, Lake Mead is equally extraordinary. The blog has suffered with the lack of internet and our fascination with the natural beauty. We have incredible beauty in the East but it is not HUGE! It is impossible to do this justice. Here's a try.

The above is an attempt to share the grandeur of  Lake Mead.  Nothing can.  Even when you see it in person you feel like you are looking at a postcard!

I am getting ahead of the story.  As we were driving from Arizona to Nevada these were our views from the car.

We found our way to the Hoover Dam.  After seeing parts of the documentary on the building of the bridge above the Hoover Dam we were excited to walk across.  Cathy's fear of heights made her a little apprehensive but as usual she conquered her fears.  The bridge is named for Pat Tillman of the state of Nevada and Mike O'Callaghan, former governor of the state of Arizona.  The bridge joins the two states.  It is so high up and so beautiful. Cath made it to the other side and back.  I made her touch the wall in AZ before we returned to NV.

We drove down from the bridge and across the Hoover Dam.  Again an exercise in the understanding of gigantic! The Colorado River is on the average 300 feet wide and about 50 feet deep.  This dam harnesses that might.  What we truly did not comprehend until seeing it was the amount of hydroelectric energy it produces.  Electrical towers were everywhere and at every angle.

We found our campsite in the Lake Mead National Recreational Area around 6.  I had bought a senior pass when we went into the Grand Canyon.  What a deal! $10 and I can get into any National Park, Forest or Area for the rest of the year for free.  The down side?  They did not think Cathy was old enough so they asked for her ID.

Describing the beauty or the scale of Lake Mead is impossible.  The light, the sky, the lake, the reflection, the stars, the moon! Sitting outside with a glass of wine was a absolute delight.  Coffee in the morning was just as delightful!

The next day we took a paddle boat ride out onto the Lake and down to the Hoover Dam.  It was another way of looking at it. It was an informative trip.  The narration along the way helped us to understand the geological forces at work in the area for trillions of years.  We found ourselves saying who are we to fool with the earth gods/nature?  It is so much bigger than us. 

After a night of laundry and showers (yes, there are still chores, kids!) we awoke the next day to visit UNLV's OLLI program.  An impressive young man, Rich, ran the program.  This program is totally run by a Board of Directors which contain OLLI members.  Rich serves as the liaison with UNLV.  Being the youngest OLLI Director we met that he spends a lot of time convincing "the elders" of the rules and regulations of the university that must be followed.  All the instructors in this program are OLLI members and are paid only with free membership for the semester they teach.  As a result they have a significant pool of money.  The university also provides significant in-kind services.  Rich reports to the VP for Continuing Studies which oversees other outreach programs.

As we left Lake Mead we explored a little of Route 66.  Cathy and I had been on the route in New Mexico a number of years ago and decided to see what it looked like in Nevada.  We found a cute little diner and had lunch. 

We then visited downtown Las Vegas.  The new iPad had been giving us some problems and on our third visit to a Genius Bar in the Apple Store in the Forum at Caesar's Palace they gave me a replacement. We explored the overpriced designer stores of LV, had some dinner, watched the statues come to life, and bolted.  The overload of noise, lights, and people (the NASCAR races were this weekend and there was not a room to be had!) after the wonder experience of nature was a little too much for us.

By the time we left it was 8 PM.  No rooms in Vegas and little anywhere around the town.  We ended up in Primm, NV at a Flying J Truck stop.  We parked next to the truckers, locked all our doors, and fell asleep pretty easily.  We were exhausted!  We were up by 6:45 and moving due to revving trucks. A Starbucks was right next to the Flying J so our day started out just fine!