A friend of mine suggested that I visit the Valley of Fire in Nevada. He said it was one of the most gorgeous places that he's seen, and assured me that I would enjoy a visit. Unfortunately, the place is over four hundred miles away, so I've been postponing getting there.
Since this weekend is Father's Day, I decided to give myself a little gift and visit the Valley of Fire and a few other places. I got up early (1am) and left by 2:30am, beginning a five our drive to Red Rock Canyon. I followed that with the Valley of Fire, then a long drive along the shores of Lake Mead, a visit to Hoover Dam, and finally a quick stop in the Mojave Preserve on the way home. I arrived back at home around 10pm, thoroughly happy and relaxed. It was a great day.
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My first stop was Red Rock canyon. This is a beautiful place, with red sandstone layered through the cliffs.
Next, I drove a circle around Las Vegas towards the Valley of Fire. Now, Red Rock is cool, but the Valley of Fire is incredible. Jim was right, this was an awesome place.
The Lake Mead National Conversation area is wonderful. It's kind of like driving in the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Very interesting mountains, cliffs and rock formations were all around. Well worth the drive.
I've never seen Hoover Dam, and it was worth the visit. One of the wonders of the modern world, Hoover Dam is huge and inspiring.
I finished up my day by driving home through the Mojave Preserve. I love the preserve almost as much as Joshua Tree. It has lots of different kinds of scenery and wildlife, and many areas to explore. This evening, I came down from the north, which I had not done before. It's worth the drive.
Here's my newest Poser creation.
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Unless otherwise noted, all photos and text is Copyright © Richard G Lowe, Jr.