Las Vegas

We got into San Francisco late last night and still need to write the investigation.  You can check the photos while you are waiting.  Don't worry-- we didn't go into any of the casinos or other notorious Vegas places =) Just drove around to see all the lights, gaudy architecture and appreciate the incredible tackiness of it all!  Plus we had a delicious meal at Planet Hollywood.

UPDATE:

During our trip, we got to drive through the famous Sin City, Las Vegas. While driving through, we saw some pretty interesting things. Some of which were encouragements for us to go to Sin City when we become 21. One interesting thing we saw was a hotel that had a roller coaster going through it. Another one that I found interesting is that Hooters has a hotel too! We counted more than a dozen wedding chapels and lost count of the casinos. There were many things to see in Vegas but we only had a limited time. 

Hoover Dam

Today we visited the Hoover Dam.  We stood on an overlook to see its outside and took an elevator to see the inside of the Dam.  The dam controls water flow and produces power

The dam has an interesting history. Before the dam could be built, the Colorado River needed to be moved.  Two diversion tunnels were built and the Colorado River flowed around the dam site.    People began building the dam in 1933 when the first concrete was poured.   President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the dam in 1935.  The dam was finished 26 months earlier than scheduled!!  When the dam was done, the water filled up behind it.  This water was Lake Mead.    Cars can drive over the dam.  96 people officially died building the dam. Frank Crowne is the person who engineered Hoover Dam. Hoover Dam was named after by U.S. president Herbert Hoover.  The dam is important for stopping floods and giving water to California.  The dam makes electricity for California and Arizona.  

Noon Photo Day 4: Thursday, June 30, 2011

Day 4: Thursday, June 30, 2011

Weather:  Sunny, a little cooler
Temperature:

Destination: Hoover Dam
Highlight: Turbines and pipes and LOTS of WATER
Scenery:  Oasis in the Desert

Mileage:  odometer start:   end:
= miles driving
+ miles flying
+ steps walking


Breakfast: Buffet at the hotel (with an automatic pancake machine!!!)
Lunch:  At the Hoover Dam  
Dinner: Planet Hollywood

Revile: (time to get up!): 7:00 am
Curfew: (GO to BED!!!) 11:00 pm

Noon Photo Day 3: Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Sorry you can't see the cool Hoodoos behind us.  Check out our other pictures for images of the interesting rock formations we saw at Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park

Zion National Park

We went to Zion National Park. It is really so beautiful.  There were many interesting plants and rocks. We saw few animals:  beaver, squirrel, lizard, and crane. They came close to us. Of course, we don’t touch them because they can bite us. We went to a waterfall called “weeping rock” and it is beautiful and wet. Some students touch ledge because there had algae, and it feel smooth and silky. That was a special habitat. We went the Temple of Sinawava. We walked in the river and it feel cold. We had fun to play in the river. Some students throw rocks trying to skip stones.  We hiked and were amazed at the scenery!

Bryce Canyon

            Today we are at Bryce Canyon in Utah. Bryce Canyon is full of bright color and has interesting rocks.  The Hoodoos are geologic formations.  Some people believe Hoodoos have a feeling spirit.  We hiked about 2 miles on a ledge and looked at the scenery.  Bryce Canyon is different on the left and right sides of the trail because left is forest and ground and right is orange and tan colored rocks.  There are around 400 the different kinds of plants.  One kind of plant is a Bristlecone Pine that can be 1,600 years old!! Another tree is called a Ponderosa Pine-- it smells like caramel! We didn’t see many animals, but there are mountain lions, fox, deer, and condors there.

Day 3: Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Weather:  sunny, warm, a little bit hot
Temperature: 66º

Destination: Bryce Canyon & Zion National Park
Highlight:  Interesting Rock formations
Scenery:  grass, trees, rocks

Mileage:  odometer start:  18130 end: forgot to check!
               = _________ miles driving
               + 7387 steps walking


Breakfast: Ruby's Inn Buffet
Lunch:    Subway
Dinner:  Golden Corral

Revile: (time to get up!):  7:30
Curfew: (GO to BED!!!) 10:30

Grand Canyon

Today we took a train ride to get to the Grand Canyon. While on the train we learned something cool about the California Condor. The wing span can be 9 feet long! We are hoping we will see one at the Canyon.  We arrived at the Grand Canyon and walked around seeing all the beautiful sites. We learned that the canyon is 4000 feet deep. It has many different colored rocks. We saw an area called the bright angel. The canyon is home to some animals: elk, lizards, squirrels, bobcats and coyotes. We did not see the condor! We walked 11714 steps at the canyon. It was hot and windy today when we were walking. After the canyon walk some of us went down to see the Indian paintings on a wall. That was so cool!  When we were done went on the bus. We thought the whole day was great!

Noon photo:: Day 2: Monday, June 28, 2011

Grand Canyon Railway

Today we traveled on the Grand Canyon Rail Road. When we got into the train, the man give a lecture for 10 minutes. The man told us the story about the history in Williams town in 1800’s. The people during that time they travel by stagecoach pulled by horses to the Grand Canyon. Their ride was about 8 hours then after that they invented a steam train on September 17, 1901. The train ride was 3 hour it was much better for the people who can travel to the Grand Canyon.

         The ride was fun.  We saw lots of cows, random trees, plants, and few houses out the window.  A man played the violin and we all danced in the aisle of the train. The man let Kayla M. play the violin for short time. She did a wonderful job playing the violin. Miss Julie Ann Mountain taught us how to dance the waltz.   While the man played the song called “The Tennessee Waltz” on the violin, we danced!!! Then some groups of students went walking though the cars for get the snacks. It was awkward feeling when we walked between the cars because it was wobbling. Too many people were in our way when we walked through the isles. It took us 5 minutes to finally get to the snack bar.  Students ordered one snack and one drink.  We then walked the 8 cars back to our seat--  it was a long way to go and there was a strange sliding door between each car and if a person didn’t hold the door they would be slammed against the wall.  Soon we saw the grand canyon from our windows and when we arrived we were ready to get out for more adventure!

Day 2: Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Date: June 28,2011

Weather: Sunny, humid, and wind

Temperature: 108º

Destination:        Grand Canyon, Arizona

Highlight:               Rocks, mountains and geologic formations

Scenery:               Desert

Mileage:  ???? miles driving

       +  0     miles flying

+11,653 steps walking

Breakfast: Grand Canyon Hotel Restaurant

Lunch: snack

Dinner: Subway/ Burger King

Revile: (time to get up!) 7:00am

Curfew: (GO to BED!!!)  10:30pm

Shoot-out

A marshall named John B. Goodmore got into a gun battle with bandits from the Cataract Creek Gang near the Grand Canyon Railroad Depot this morning.  The bandits woke up hungry and wanted their mother to cook.  The problem was their mother was in jail.  Since they couldn’t cook, the bandits came up with a plan to steal horses and take money from innocent bystanders so they could buy food.  Marshall Goodmore put a stop to their crimes by shooting the bandits of the Cataract Creek Gang dead. 

    

  

Noon Photo:: Day 1: Monday, June 27, 2011

WE LOVE AIR CONDITIONED VANS!!!!

It was 116º outside-- a RECORD Heat Wave!!!

Day 1: Monday, June 27, 2011

Weather:  hot, dry and windy
Temperature: 115º (in Phoenix, Arizona!)

Destination: Williams, Arizona (Grand Canyon)
Highlight: The highlight of the day was walking along the streets of Williams, Arizona and seeing the location of old Route 66.
Scenery: Desert  

Miles Driving:
WPSD to Pittsburgh International Airport - 27 miles,
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport to the Grand Canyon Resort in Williams, Arizona - 163 miles.

Miles Flying:
Pittsburgh International Airport to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport - 1,829 miles.

Steps Walking:

Breakfast: Muffins, Fruit
Lunch:    Fast Food at Jack in the Box Restaurant
Dinner:  Buffet dinner at Grand Canyon Railway Hotel Restaurant (Pasta, Mexican Food, Salad Bar)

Revielle: 4:30 wake up
Curfew: 10:30 in Rooms; 11:00 Lights out

Packing and Flight

Day O, June 26, 2011
The Class of 2012 students were still staying in Pittsburgh and the weather was warm. It was 79 degrees. We ate dinner and it was sandwiches. We checked the packing list to make sure that we had what we needed to bring on our west wild trip and to check the weight. The weight limit was 50 lbs. All of our bags were under of 50 lbs-- We did good job!!! We went the bed on 10:30pm.

Day 1, June 27, 2011
We woke up at 4:30am to take showers, change clothes, and clean up rooms. We ate breakfast of blueberry, banana, or chocolate chip muffins, apples and bananas. The bus picked us up to drop off us at the Pittsburgh airport and the odometer showed we drive 27 miles (started at 345, ended at 372). We left school about 6:15am. We arrived at the Pittsburgh airport about 7am. We walked around the Pittsburgh airport till 8:30am. At 8:45am we enter the gate and we left Pittsburgh about 9:35am and arrive Phoenix, AZ 4 ½ hours later at 2:05pm Eastern Time, but In the Western time zone we traveled from 5:45am to 11:05am. The Airport mileage was 1,800. We taste the water here in the West; it tasted different than water of east. We notice many different trees, plants, and cactus. It was so fun. It fascinated us. We at lunch at Jack in the Box.

Introduction

Follow our blog as the class of 2012 travels west!!!
Click on the top to see our different team tasks; click on the right to see our posts for the day.