Completed in 1936, the Hoover Dam holds back 112-miles of the Colorado River, creating Lake Mead – America’s largest reservoir. While it has long been surpassed as the world’s tallest dam, it remains an engineering marvel of its time. An entire city – Boulder City – was built to complete its construction. Super-sized fridges had to be designed to cool the massive concrete blocks which otherwise would have required over a century to harden! Marvel at the death-defying tales of Native American “high scalers” who worked on the vertiginous canyon walls. Most important of all, enjoy the scenery, this ride is magnificent! Have lunch at the Visitors Center with plenty of time to explore the sights and exhibits. Afterward, you can choose whether to shuttle or pedal back to the Hilton Lake Las Vegas.

Hop in the van for a brief shuttle to Valley of Fire Highway into Nevada’s oldest and biggest state park. Ride a road that is one of those gorgeous surprises parked in the middle of nowhere. Glowing red-gold Aztec sandstone is highlighted with 3,000-year-old Anasazi petroglyphs, ancient trees, beaver tail and cholla cacti. Roadtrippers says, “…it will have you reaching for the camera at every turn.” Springtime is ablaze with desert marigold, indigo bush, and desert mallow. Watch for desert bighorn sheep!  Spend another night at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas.

Transfer to Death Valley National Park this morning. Pedal from the ghost town of Rhyolite on the park’s eastern edge up to Daylight Pass. The view from the summit (4,317 feet) captures Death Valley in microcosm: sun-blanched, desolate and vast. Cruise a 26-mile downhill for your first look at the valley up close. Spend the next 3 nights at the Ranch at Death Valley. Enjoy the pool! 

Hike Golden Canyon this morning, a 3-mile stroll along a path lined with massive boulders and pastel-hued dunes. Finish at Zabriskie Point, one of Death Valley’s most famous viewpoints. The maze of crazily eroded, painted badlands makes a great photo spot. Snap a few, then ride to Badwater Basin for lunch at the lowest point on the continent: 282 feet below sea level! Before you head back to the Ranch for a drink and a splash in the pool, visit Artist’s Palette. Here, oxidation in the metals contained in the rock paints the hills in an amazing rainbow of hues. Dinner is on your own tonight. 

The Ubehebe (“yoo-bee-hee-bee”) Crater is a 600-foot-deep crater that was created when hot magma met the groundwater in this region, creating a giant bubble of steam and gas that exploded from the earth. Shuttle to the crater in the morning for a 1.5-mile hike around the rim. Then hop on your trusty velocipede for a mostly downhill pedal to Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. Should these dunes appear somehow familiar, perhaps they are. You may recognize them as the dunes of planet Tatooine in the original Star Wars movie. Lunch is on your own today.