Willow Beach Marina and Campground

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We arrived 45 minutes away from Las Vegas in Willow Beach, Arizona with a welcoming party of these bighorn sheep. It was going to be a hot week with temperatures hovering around 100 degrees. We set up our RV and headed out to Las Vegas right away. Michael wanted to set up for the show and if they needed anything Marc could pack it before he got on his flight.

We went to get a loading pass but no one answered so we went ahead to see if we could get in anyway. Eventually, we were able to get all the show stuff inside, but since the kids weren't allowed to be there I took them to Wendy's and then to Sunset Park. It was neat to see lots of ducks and waterfowl at this park. The kids played on the playground after dinner and then we went to pick up Michael. He was able to set up most of the show!


At our hot and arid campsite, there were wild rabbits that liked to eat the grasses and drink from the sprinkler system. They were fun to watch and the kids threw some carrots and cabbage pieces to them. Asher saw 5 at one time right outside our RV. On the last day, I found that our camp host had a water bowl out for them and the birds (including a silly flock of quail that we saw several times).


On Wednesday, after Michael did some work and the kids and I did school, we headed out to see Hoover Dam. We parked across the dam on the Arizona side where we got free parking but had to walk across the dam in the heat.


We paid for the self-guided-due-to-Covid tour. We saw a video, slide show, displays and an observation tower that really made building this dam really impressive. I could not have been paid enough to have been a high scaler on the dam, but my mom's friend's dad was one. It can hold 9.2 trillion gallons of water in Lake Mead. Though right now it is 140+ feet below its 2000 foot level. In the picture below there is a bridge that goes to Asher's face and when lake Mead is full the water goes right under that bridge.


I asked the kids to draw the Hoover Dam in their Sketchbooks. Here are Asher, Caleb and Jordan's drawings.




Caleb stationed himself outside to sketch. I could only stand being outside on the overhang for half a minute. Asher took this picture below, he wanted me to see the truck all the way down there. I could not get this close to the edge without feeling like I would pass out. I have one major problem with this trip and it is my fear of heights. I am clearly alone in this between the five of us.


Before we left to go back to Las Vegas and pick up Marc from the airport, we had some ice cream to cool off. Marc's flight was delayed and so I dropped off Michael at the convention center and headed to the mall to get a bike tube at Dick's for Asher's bike, let the kids ride the escalators and have dinner at delicious Chipotle, Johnny Rockets and Sbarro Pizza for the kids. We picked up Marc and drove down the lit up Vegas strip.


The next day, Michael drove in for Day 1 of the show. They sold charts on the 1st day! Spending the day at the campsite, Asher and I went on a morning walk before school. Asher and I went on tall rocky ridges to get to the Colorado River. We saw lots of anhingas by the marina. They were taking advantage of the fish that had just gotten trucked in and dumped into the river (I am assuming from the fish hatchery down the road). On the way back, Asher took the high road (he loves going to the top of mountains, hills and rocks, just like Michael) while I took the low trail this time. That night we watched Artemis Fowl while we ate pizza.
 

On Friday, we dropped off Michael and Marc at the show and headed for the library. The kids loved it so much they would not stop reading to go eat our lunch in the car. Thankfully, the library has an after school program and had snacks for the kids for free. Caleb and Jordan discovered what raw broccoli tastes like and they hate it. We headed for the bank, Michael's and Dollar Tree before meeting Michael and Marc at the mall for dinner. After that, we went to see a Las Vegas family friendly show, Shin Lim. We were wowed by his card tricks even though I heard Michael say now and then that he knew how some things were done. While Marc went to pick up Alaina from the airport, we went to see the Bellagio Fountain.


On Saturday, we took advantage of Marc and Alaina's pool and hotel room. We also went and checked out the Bellagio Fountain during the day and that was neat to see the water shoot up 460 ft. Next, we rode the monorail just for fun with no destination. Alaina so lovingly took the kids to the top floor of her hotel, Bally's, to check out the view. Thanks Alaina! 




We picked up Marc and Michael from the show. They sold eleven charts! Congratulations on your first successful show in the west! We celebrated in the best way we knew how in Las Vegas. We went to the Circus Circus Hotel. I laughed when I heard this because the only sketchy review that I got from Alaina's run that morning was of... Circus Circus. The clowns were a bit creepy and the parking lot was confusing. However, everyone enjoyed the all you could eat buffet. I should have only eaten the delicious ribs. Jordan was super happy about getting Krispy Kreme donuts to celebrate the show and her awesome Dad! Michael, Marc and Stephen, good job!

Enjoy this Vegas poem that Caleb came up with on his own with no prompts of any kind...

Location: Willow Beach Marina, 25804 N Willow Beach, Willow Beach, AZ 86445, USA

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