Only a short drive from Las Vegas lies the Lake Mead National Park & recreation area.
I've been making trips out to the lake ever since I can remember, riding in my dad's old van that reminded me of the Mystery Machine. (If she doesn't get that reference she's too young for you, bro)
It's a beautiful area, really. A man made water reservoir fed by the Colorado river and dammed by the marvel of engineering that is the Hoover Dam. If you bypass Lake Mead you can head down to the river, which is where Willow Beach comes in. This beautiful beach and boating area is tucked away a short distance from the state line.
On a bit of a whim, our pal Louie invited us to join him on an expedition.
We happily agreed!
When we stopped for supplies, Antho found these inflatable light sabers!
The force is strong with this one.
It was a bright and sunny early summer evening when we arrived so there was still a good bit of daylight.
The gift shop was already closed for the day, so we were unable to rent canoes or kayaks or anything, but we found plenty of enjoyment to be had without such things.
Lead the way, boys! Louie's friend Mason also joined us for our adventure, though he came in his own vehicle as he had to leave early.
The boys scoping out the guest dock.
Brr! The water was surprisingly chilly!
The water in the Colorado river can be up to 20 degrees (F) colder than Lake Mead!
I suppose that makes perfect sense since the river has fresh water flow while the lake is sitting there, allowing the absorbed heat to remain rather than dissipating.
Ah, that explains the temperature difference!
Rendezvous at the cars before heading on a hike!
We came into this little valley area and found a large tree standing alone.
The tree itself had a lot of character, but we noticed something...
Hidden among the branches were turkey vultures!
Then this happened… ^^;
Silly boy!
We explored the area a bit longer but it was rapidly growing dark.
We spent much of the evening on the public dock, star-gazing and enjoying each other's company.
More posts about our adventure coming soon!
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