A gust of wind turned the chimes around in the back yard, and we arose to strong winds blowing debris into the swimming pool. Andre’s cousin’s wife was up to make us coffee and tea while Andre and his cousin went to pick up some typical German baked goods. When they returned we didn’t play the polite guests, but sunk our teeth into fresh pretzel rolls with egg, sausage and other delightful toppings. Andre’s favorite were a wafer topped with marsh mellow and covered in chocolate. Nothing but health food in this German household 
After we packed up and loaded our bikes, we set off towards Lake Mead along the tourist trail to see the Hoover Dam. Just a brief stint on the highway, we turned off onto a winding road, perfect black top to drive down to the Dam.
After paying a steep $7.00 parking charge, we trudged along the edge of the dam with the hundreds of other tourists to see one of the wonders of the modern world. Despite the heat and the crowds, the Dam was amazing. Peeking over the edge, with the sight of the bridge over head and the river far below, the graceful lines of the Dam, sloping down to the river.
We really liked the retro details of the bridge, the graceful bronze statues, the details on the walkway and supporting buildings. Would so much care and detail be used today?
After we drove over, we continued on the scenic Lake Mead road and through the park. Today the temperatures rose past 104 degrees Fahrenheit, this made us stop more, to hydrate and sooth our fried minds. Hot weather does funny things to you, and today we really felt the effects. Heading to the lookout we briefly stopped to check out the view then headed back to the main drag before heading east toward Utah.
The winds picked up, and as we crossed the aired desert we leaned the bikes over into the breeze as we passed B-trains – transporting their loads along the route.
The sun began to set as we rode into Virgin canyon and were treated with a fiery rock light show as we finished up in Saint George for the night. We’ve arrived in Utah!
Stay tuned for additional updates as we make our way to Miller Motorsports Park for Cycle World’s ‘Road Trip!’