...my favorite part of the trip was renting a car and driving through the mountains...over to Lake Mead etc.
Did you get a chance to take the tour of Hoover Dam while you were there? Fascinating, although it was a bit creepy going down inside the dam, knowing all that concrete was towering above me. What a massive structure that is!
My grandparents used to vacation at Lake Mead and I treasure the memory-making times when I was able to go with them.