Moapa Valley

Yesterday, we, with Hank and Colette, were off to the Hansen cousins' reunion in Henderson, Nevada. We left a day early so we could take the cut off just after Mesquite and travel through the Moapa Valley. We stopped at the Lost City Museum in Overton where ancient Native Americans once had a community. In the 19th century, Mormons, under the direction of Brigham Young, tried unsuccessfully to establish a settlement there. Their homes and building are now all beneath Lake Mead, although the most recent history of Overton is also still primarily LDS.

From Overton we traveled south to the spectacular Valley of Fire. I had no idea Nevada had such dramatic geological formations. They feel like they belong in Utah (they almost are in Utah I suppose). It was a great surprise and well worth the extra trip. The photos, as you know, simply don't do justice to the real thing.

Colette, Hank, and Kris at the Lost City Museum, an adobe

structure built by the CCC boys during the FDR years

Hank exploring a kiva

Valley of Fire

Ditto

Ditto

Ditto

The White Domes

 This is where I biffed it and smashed my knee because my 

sunglasses are bifocals and I missed a step 

... ice packs and Ibuprofen did the trick

We are off to church, thence to Hoover Dam, and then later this afternoon the actual reunion will begin. There will likely be more to report, but that's all for now.

OXO

D.