Vegas on Two Wheels: The Hoover Dam

Riding in and around Las Vegas always shifts me into high gear. There are so many places to explore both man-made and natural. I Love coming across certain gems that meld nature into man-made wonders together. The one that I so happen to be talking about is one our country’s icons! I’m talking about the Hoover Dam, and it’s this week’s Vegas on Two Wheels!

The ride there is fun and fast for the most part; just watch out for traffic it can get pretty busy. Hop on the 215 eastbound from the central Las Vegas and exit for the Boulder City highway! This portion of the ride is all highway. 60-80 mph is common in this part of the ride and is a lot of fun if you’re used to bobbing and weaving out of traffic. If you’re not, then stick to the slow lane and follow traffic. Better safe than sorry in my opinion.

As you enter Boulder City (the first city the highway comes into contact with), be prepared to SLOW DOWN. The speed limit drops from the 50-60mph range to 25-35 mph in the blink of an eye and the Boulder City police love catching any riders and drivers not paying fast enough attention to the drop in posted speeds.

Going through this little town is a snack for the eyes, so the slower speed is warranted. It’s quaint, plenty of mom and pop shops from one side of the street to the other. Many are selling Native American art and have them displayed on the side of the road. In all honesty, I have not stopped at any of these little shops and restaurants, so I couldn’t tell if what was good or not. I tend to use Boulder City as a riding checkpoint; only stopping here for gas since I always seem to be on a mission to head somewhere else. If you have the time, though, I say take 30 min to an hour to explore this little morsel nestled just on the edge of Lake Mead. OR, wait until I take the time to do an article on this town! It deserves the attention for sure!

Continue following the signs to keep you on the Boulder City Highway and you will soon take a left that brings you to a breathtaking view of Lake Mead. This view is–forgive the pun–a tall drink of water for the eyes and it made it rather difficult to keep my eyes on the road. I would have taken a dozen pictures of this view, but the highway does not leave room to pull off and take pictures, and with the major traffic I was in, all moving at 40-50 mph, I was not going to risk a possible wipeout.

There is a turn off right after the Lake Mead Casino called The Nevada Highway, take this exit and follow the signs for the Hoover Dam! This particular stretch of the Nevada Highway is a whole lot of fun! The speed limit is 35 mph but for good reason. The road to the dam is chuck full of switchbacks! Dipping my Harley from side to side for a couple of miles nonstop had my heart rate up and my blood pumping! I found myself grinning ear to ear laughing, hooting and hollering over the rumble of my 103 V-twin; challenging the road to give me something more to conquer.

As soon as it starts, it ends, though, and I found myself in a short straight away in stop-and-go traffic…..security checkpoint. What? Did you think they were just going to let you drive over the dam, one of the most popular man-made wonders of the world? PSHHHH come on now hahaha.

It’s quick, though; they profile to be quite honest. If you seem nervous or something doesn’t feel right, they pull you off to the side, ask you questions and search the vehicle. If you don’t set off their red flags, they wave you through.

From here on out, the pace is SLOW GO! 15-20mph …that’s it. But again, it’s slow for a reason. We have only had a snack and a glass of water for the eyes. As soon as you turn the final bend, a feast awaits for the soul! There, nestled between the high rocky cliffs of the Colorado River, the Hoover Dam sits holding back a lake and the northern Colorado River. Its tall, partial U-shape curve reminds of a man forever bracing a door with his back and using his feet for leverage holding back a force that only nature possesses.

You now have two options. You can park and dismount; the tourist thing and check out the inner workings of the beast OR you can continue powering low gear of the spine. Honestly, if you have time…do both hahaha. I chose to ride the spine! I had to triple task during this, though. Holding speed, watching for people crossing the street and taking pictures at the same time. It was well worth it, though.

To my left and right was the cold power of the river. One side that drops 50-70 ft into the water, the other was a long concrete curve that plummeted over 500 ft to the river that exited the dam. Ahead of me was Arizona and the time change, behind me was Nevada with the dam linking the two states together like a vital artery pumping life into the southwest.

The dam looks like a modern fortress but climbing the cliffs around the dam were reminders of the past. Original pulley systems and cable lines that help construct this man-made wonder. Wooden ladders are hugging the cliffs used by the men stringing the cables needed to pull up heavy equipment at each phase of the dams’ construction. All meticulously preserved over the years as a proud reminder of what the American people are capable of accomplishing. At the time of construction, this project was seen by many as an impossible feat. Safe to say we proved them wrong….waaaaayyyy wrong.

I thought about this making my passes along the backbone of the dam. All of a sudden, my adrenaline started to course through my veins, my being filled with pride. I am a part of this incredible country. I was born from men and woman who constantly challenged the impossible and won. I am part of a people who know how to sweat, who bleed, and know how to fight and never give up for a better life not only for themselves but, for the whole. That is where we come from that is what we are. We are Americans; I am an American, and I am proud as hell to be one. Especially one on two wheels.

[Images: Greg Bennett]

Greg Bennett

Greg Bennett is the morning meteorologist on KTNV’s Good Morning Las Vegas newscast. He is an avid Harley rider but also is a huge classic car fan and loves to work on both. In his free time, you can catch Greg riding his bike around town, working out at the gym, hanging out with his Pit Bull (DewPoint), or getting his hands dirty by volunteering across the city of Las Vegas.