Keeping up with the Bragassas: We're driving to Las Vegas and taking some Dam pictures!

Last Friday (July 2), we drove from Flagstaff, AZ to Las Vegas, NV. It was only supposed to take us about 4 hours but of course that did not happen. Our trip started off in beautiful Flagstaff where it was about 75 degrees and gorgeous, and quickly turned into a desert scene where temperatures reached about 105. It was ridiculous! To make matters worse, we were stuck in Dam traffic...haha Hoover Dam traffic that is! The traffic getting to Hoover Dam, which is basically the only way to get to Vegas from Flagstaff, was awful. The government has set up a security checkpoint for anyone who wants to drive over/near the Dam which requires every car to come to a stop. Needless to say, it took us about 2 hours to go 5 miles, turning our 4 hour trip into about 6 and a 1/2. While we were sitting in traffic, the air conditioner in the car must have froze up because it started blowing out hot air. We decided to rough it for a little bit and give the AC a rest, so we completely turned it off and rolled down the windows so we could enjoy the lovely 105 degree heat. Now I know everyone says "It's a different kind of heat out there," and I agree...to a point. The humidity in the south is a force to be reckoned with, but 105 degrees is hot no matter what the humidity level is. We were sweating within 2 seconds of the window being rolled down and poor Vida must have felt like a polar bear in a sauna. Luckily, we were able to pull over in a rest area over looking the Dam before too long and we got out to give the car a break. At this particular rest stop, there were at least 5 other cars that had over heated because of a combination of the traffic and heat. While we were there, we also let Vida out and she drank a ton of water!! Poor thing! It was funny because when she got out of the car, the pavement was so hot that she would pick up her feet and alternate which one she was standing on because her paws were probably on fire! Finally, we made it over the Dam and took some Dam pictures. We didn't get to take the Dam tour (I know enough with the Dam jokes!!) because of the dog but it truly is a sight to be seen. Pictures just don't do it justice! Once we crossed the Dam, we made it to Las Vegas without any other traffic. It's so crazy that it's so backed up and then all of a sudden goes away! I really don't know where all those cars went. Brian had never been to Las Vegas before so he did not really know what to expect as we were driving over the mountains to get there. We literally were in the middle of a desert-like landscape when all of a sudden, we drove over the mountain and this huge city appears...we could seriously see all edges of the city from where we were and it really is huge and in the middle of nowhere! That night, we were staying in a hotel room on Nellis Air Force Base since they allowed dogs. We checked in and kinda just laid around for a little bit so that we didn't have to walk the Las Vegas strip in 105+ degree heat. Finally around 8, it cooled off to a whooping 96 degrees so we decided to go out and conquer the town!