Route 66 and Radiator Springs

A short distance from our campsite, along the largest uninterrupted section of original Route 66, we paused in Seligman where every store in town is making the most of kids' fascination with Radiator Springs of 'Cars' fame.

That, along with the 1950s cars the nostalgic locals cruise down the street in, gives the town a very fun vibe.

It mattered little that the beat up old racing car looked nothing like Lightning McQueen; that's still what the kids yelled when they saw eyes painted on its windshield.

Then a car only loosely resembling the movie's Hudson Hornet cruised by and Dash screamed "Doc!"

We stopped for a shake and burger at Delgadillo's Snow Cap, a surviving relic, before continuing on to the Hoover Dam.

Since we last visited, a massive bridge has been built over the Colorado River and the Interstate now bypasses the dam completely. Traffic congestion is no longer an issue and anybody who wants to see the dam now gets views not previously possible because the new bridge, an impressive structure itself, sits parallel with it.

Our campsite for the night was a $10 a night State Park on Lake Mead called Las Vegas Bay.