CASA GRANDE

4/9/09---We left Henderson, Nevada and drove east on highway 93. There are so many things to see! Lake Mead comes into view and then traffic really slows down because of construction near Hoover Dam.




There are various photos of the new highway that is being built through the rugged terrain.






A most awesome sight are the huge cranes being used to support the structure that is being built across the Colorado River. The two sections look like monsters coming together high above the river. Eventually they will join and support the new highway.



















It is quite obvious from the transmission lines and enormous substations that generation of electricity is a major endeavor in this area. Looking down on the upstream side of the dam it is noticable that the water level is low. I am sure there is hope that the heavy snows in the mountains this year will restore the river to a more desireable depth.










As we traveled into Arizona, a lot of different growth could be seen sticking out of what appears to be nothing more than rock. The large saguaros cactus takes on many different shapes as it grows arms in various directions. Most of the cactus is quite old as the arms don't even start to develop until the plant is at least 65 years old and 20 feet tall. The cactus is composed of a thick fluted columnar stem about 18 to 24 inches in diameter. The skin is smooth and waxy with 2-inch spines clustered together. Along the road Carol checked out some other kinds of cactus and colorful plants. We stopped for lunch in a small town called Wickenburg, located in the Sonoran Desert.

We continued on through Phenoix enroute to Casa Grande, Arizona. That is where we stopped to see Carol's Uncle John kluver and Aunt Topsy. Their daughter Kim and grandson Leroy were also there. Hospitality was wonderful as they fed us well, and after a good visit we stayed the night.