Being my childrens' first time to Hoover Dam, they wouldn't really know the difference between the tours. On the tour we viewed a video about the construction of this Dam then took the elevator down 530 feet to first see one of the penstock pipes currently carrying 90,000 gallons of water per second. Then we walked to see a series of powerplant generators converting the energy in the water as it drains from Lake Mead further downstream the Colorado River. This is renewable energy providing thousands of megawatts of electrical power to multiple states.

After taking the elevator back up, my children had fun exploring the exhibits in the Visitors Center. Outside we took in the immensity of the facilities and took pictures of ourselves with the dam as we walked from the various viewpoints and outside the Center.

After we left the Center, I drove us to the Arizona side of the Dam to take pictures, including the top picture on this page.

Time Event Range Remaining 11:40 am Departed Hoover Dam 227 12:53 pm Arrived Kingman Supercharger 90 Range/Distance ratio: 1.8 Conditions: Fast, 106°F We felt like we knew Kingman, Arizona, by heart after visiting here so many times in the last two years. It was neat to see two Model 3s this far out on the trip, and it was the first time I've seen the Kingman Supercharger full. After we plugged in, we had a great lunch at the Calico's Restaurant. Cost to Charge: $0

Kingman still has the Locomotive Park just down the street, where a full-sized locomotive, tender, and caboose are on display for the public to explore. So we went to recreate the same picture again, although this time we were in a rush because of the 111°F heat!

Visiting Kingman's Locomotive Park two years ago in summer, six months ago in winter, and on this trip in summer.

Time Event Range Remaining 2:10 pm Departed Kingman Supercharger 232 2:24 pm Departed Railroad Park 230 4:34 pm Arrived Flagstaff Supercharger 42 Range/Distance ratio: 1.25 Conditions: Modest uphill, 111°F We took a much-needed bathroom break at the Marriott. This Supercharger was nearly empty except for one ICEd stall. It had quite a few more stalls than it did two years ago.

No, was their answer, the children wanted to check into the hotel next, so we left.

Cost to Charge: $0

Time Event Range Remaining 5:02 pm Departed Flagstaff 127 5:55 pm Arrived La Posada Hotel 67 Range/Distance ratio: 0.966 Conditions: Modest downhill, 100°F La Posada Hotel is a very unique site whose deep character can only be understood by actually visiting it. When I originally booked it, I didn't expect it to be so profound. Beautifully manicured grounds surround architecture designed by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter, which house not only the hotel rooms but halls full of provocative art worthy of any museum of modern art. We could've spent days here. Cost to Charge: $0

After we checked in, we had an exquisite dinner at the Turquoise Room, enjoyed the live music near the lobby, showered, then slept for the night. Meanwhile the car was outside charging. Not just the hotel, but even our room was filled with books and places to sit, clearly meant to invite guests to take a quiet day to oneself to discover something intellectual, abstract, and peaceful. This hotel is place to stop and contemplate life and the universe and weigh the values we hold. Built about a century ago, it attracted celebrities like John Wayne and Betty Grable, Presidents like Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, and scientists like Albert Einstein. Each room is associated with one of these famous figures. The kids and I enjoyed our visit to this special place.