Returning to Arizona & Nevada
May 17 we were invited to present our 20 years around the world travel at the largest overlander 4×4 show in the world in Flagstaff Arizona.
Last year we spent too much time in Las Vegas and R & R at Lake Havasu hence we never visited the Grand Canyon. Before our overlander days we did visit the Grand Canyon on 3 occasions but with a lot more time on our hands this time we like to explore the north and southside of the Grand Canyon over 7 days and not just the tourist areas.
The minute we crossed from New Mexico into Arizona the road improved. Despite having travelled part of this journey crossing in and out of Arizona and Utah at least 6 times over the last 30 years and the last time just 6 months ago, it never fails to impress. Northeast Arizona is known for its rugged landscape, is arid, largely free of greenery, and characterized by hills, mesas, buttes, cliffs, and canyons. The Grand Canyon and Canyon de Chelly has been inhabited by native Americans (Indians) since at least the construction of what are now the ruins at Monument Valley, Navajo National Monument, and the Canyon de Chelly National Monument.
Our plan to explore the Northern part of the Grand Canyon did not eventuate as the road and park were closed till May 15.
Nevada is the driest state in America. Lake Mead, with more than 1200 kilometres of shoreline is America’s first and largest national recreation area with plenty of space for bush camping along some of the beaches, coves or cliffs surrounding the lake. This great area covers 1.5 million acres of mountains, canyons, valleys and two vast lakes.
Lake Mead is a reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado. Lake Mead is in both Arizona and Nevada, just 40 kilometres East of Las Vegas. It is the largest reservoir in the US in terms of water capacity.
The lake provides water to the states of Arizona, California, Nevada and even some to Mexico, providing sustenance to 20 million people and large areas of farmland. Very concerning is that the lake remained below full capacity since 1983 owing to increased water demand and drought. On May 31, 2022, Lake Mead held just 26% of full capacity.
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