Arizona, Grand Canyon State (21 pics + text) Bashny.Net

From the diary of lipkovskiy: State of Arizona (Arizona), which Nahda in the south-west of America, joined the United States in 1912 and became a staff of 48m. His nickname "Grand Canyon State", he received thanks to the canyon of the Colorado River, the current Grand Canyon (Grand Canyon). There are many hypotheses about the original names, which are based on the description of the elements of the terrain in different languages: arida zona (dry area), aritz ona (nice oak), alĭ sonak (small stream).

Grand Canyon, Arizona












The air temperature in the state ranging from 4 to 24 degrees (Celsius) in winter and 32 to 48 degrees in the summer. The air is very dry. The capital of Arizona - Phoenix (Phoenix).

My journey in the Grand Canyon State began in Las Vegas (NV). That's what I'll continue.



30 miles from Las Vegas, in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border of Nevada and Arizona is the Hoover Dam, named after the 31rd US President Herbert Clark Hoover. Herbert Hoover made a considerable contribution to the construction of the dam, built for 5 years and 2 years ahead of the construction plan.



Dam construction period April 20, 1931 - March 1, 1936. During the construction of the dam 112 construction workers died from accidents.
The dam has a height of 221 meters and a width of 4 379, 2 meters and shares a two time zones. Every day, over the dam on dvupolosnoy road passing about 16, 000 people.



(Hoover Dam Bypass) Hoover Dam Bypass - is another project at the dam, involves the construction of the bridge (in the photo you can see the start of construction). The bridge will be named "Memorial Bridge named Mike O'Callaghan and Pat Tillman" and will connect the Nevada and Arizona. Project completion is scheduled for September 2010.



Interesting fact that the dam and bridge featured in the movie "Transformers" in the most direct way. Who watched probably know. Every year this place is visited from 8 to 10 million people (not including transits through the dam).



Power station on the dam began work in 1936. Now it provides energy to the city neighboring states. There were a lot of disputes concerning the power plant architecture, not everyone liked the design. And I like it here!



By the way, interesting guys went from Nevada to Arizona.



We go further. As I said earlier, Arizona is known for its desert climate - hot summers and mild winters. But in the north of the state, where the forest begins, much cooler. We are the south, everything is fine :). Here I first saw the desert devils who walk across the plain, saw the mountains at sunset and trees Joshua (Joshua Tree, not to be confused with the eponymous album U2). You see a picture about the desert below, and about Joshua Tree later.



Thus, the scientific name of Joshua Tree - Yucca Brevifolia, which belongs to the family Yucca. Later, a group of Mormons who had come over the desert Modzhave, gave the plant the name of Joshua Tree, as it reminded them of the biblical Joshua, heaving arms to the sky. Rather dubious resemblance, but oh well. These plants grow very slowly. The first 10 years they have added about 8 cm each year, and then even less - about 4 cm.



Here Joshua Tree forest form (Joshua Tree Forest). In the photo he is rare - here it starts. Behind me, a few Chinese are waiting for the bus - they arrived by car and want to change seats, as the road on the bad. In this I am convinced later, when I go through the forest trees to obscure the Grand Canyon about 40 miles on the road killed.



The road leads to the part of the canyon, which is owned by Indians and located on Indian reserves. Skinned Indians in full, guys. Need to leave cars in the parking lot and move to the door. Go?



In order to get to the canyon, take a bus (plus the same amount to the price of the ticket). Can not walk. There are two options - a helicopter and an airplane. About the aircraft is not sure, but the helicopter flies like here, and from Las Vegas. In helicopters have a clear window in the floor, and some even sit on the bottom of the canyon.



And here is the plane.



Generally, it is one of the 310 Indian reservations in the United States. It belongs to the Hualapai Indians. They also belong to another attraction - Grand Canyon Skayuok (Grand Canyon Skywalk) - semicircular bridge with a glass bottom. Subject terrible fear not only children. Yes and no joke, 1,200 meters above the abyss. Stand and look down through the glass floor. Here I can not please the photos - Indians selected equipment - at Skayuoke impossible to photograph anyone but specially trained people with govnozeralkami who take photo for 30 bucks. Well, instead of another plane.



Pleased guard. Flew immediately and asked to move away from the edge of the canyon began to tell horror stories about snakes and falling people. But after a minute later showed the canyon and its attractions - silhouette of an eagle's head Indian girl.



Photos of the canyon you can see above. But I, after all, a couple of duplicates here for the integrity of the story, so to speak. Here.



And here.



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