Summer '09 - Arizona

Driving into Sonoran Desert.

It is one of the largest and hottest deserts in North America, with an area of 311,000 sq kilometres.

Red Indian artifacts.

The long and open road towards Nevada.

The Sonoran Desert includes 60 mammal species, 350 bird species, 20 amphibian species, 100+ reptile species, 30 native fish species, over 1000 native bee species, and more than 2000 native plant species.

The Sonoran Desert area southwest of Tucson and near the Mexican border is vital habitat for the only population of Jaguars living within the United States.

This 1983 high-water mark or "bathtub ring" is visible in this photo (and most postcards) that show the shoreline of Lake Mead. The bathtub ring is white because of the deposition of minerals on previously submerged surfaces.

Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States. The water held in Lake Mead is released to communities in Southern California and Nevada, via aqueducts.

Winged Figure of the Republic.

Hoover Dam is named after Herbert Hoover, who played an instrumental role in its construction, first as the Secretary of Commerce and then later as the President of the United States.

Many movies were shot here including Transformers and James Bond.

The Colorado River Bridge is the central portion of the Hoover Dam Bypass Project. Construction on the nearly 2,000 foot long bridge began in late January 2005 and the completion of the entire Hoover Dam Bypass Project is expected in June 2010.

View of Lake Mead.