Dam Security

Maybe I shouldn't be proud. Maybe I should be concerned. I am in fact proud. Our family went to Hoover Dam along with my parents and my sister & her family.  Keith knew that this was a government facility so the stupidity factor would be really high..  He also knew that he needed to leave his preferred weapon of choice safely hidden in the luggage. The rest of our party didn't want to part with their weapons of choice.  We got down a few flights of stairs and Keith pointed out that various pocket knives would also not be allowed.  He asked every one in the group if they had any and and he volunteered to return said knives to the car. Just to keep the record clear, he specifically asked Corrine 3 times if she had her pocket knife on her.  She assured him that she understood the stupidity of government facilities and had left her weapon in her luggage. Keith left and took the other knives back to the car.  The rest of us ventured down another flight of stairs to proceed to dump everything we own into bins and be subjected to all kinds of scrutiny and invasions of personal space. At this point in time, my mom decided that her weapon of choice (its not a pocket knife) had probably better go back to the car.  Can I just say a major security check point with a 2 year old, 5 year old and 7 year old and two pre-teens can be rather stressful entertaining. Here is a picture of something to break up my crazy story. Its about the only good thing/view from the day.

My sister set off the alarms with her bracelets.  The security guard was convinced it was HER though. He was rather insistent. After stripping and dumping pockets of all the kids, we thought we were home free until Corrine started setting off all kinds of alarms. She sent her purse through the x-ray machine and the security guard asked her if she had a leatherman knife in her purse.  She assured him she did not. They had her start dumping out her bag and running it through again. This isn't any kind of purse.  Do you remember that bag Marry Poppins had?  The one where Mary pulled out a lamp and a large mirror?  Corrines purse is the same type of bag. After 3... THREE times running it though, we got down to the actual leatherman tool.  Yep.  At the same time Keith was finally going through security, Corrine got flagged for having a leatherman in her purse.  I wish I had been quick enough to get a picture of her face. It was pure HORROR.  She wasn't afraid of the security guard.  She was afraid to show Keith! It was hilarious (to those of us that hadn't walked back to the car 2 times already) The security guard was even more scared. He picked it up like it was a large poisonous snake and handed it to her to take back to the car.... again. My mom had finally returned and had set off alarms of her own.  They finally pulled her out and wanded her several times.  They couldn't figure out why she was setting off the alarms.  She had forgot that she had knee replacement surgery.  Oops. After the family got through security, we found out that the place we were at charged $17 a head to take a tour of the dam that would require a 30 minute wait.  Uh, no thanks. Have you seen the 2 year old?!  So, after all of that, we promptly walked out. So, if you are ever wondering, my family FAILS security check points in grand dam fashion.(this isn't the grand canyon after all.. we should have gone there) We are also cheap.

The Hoover Dam was ok, and some of the scenery was beautiful but I could go my entire life and never go back. I'll bet I survive.

 

The kids had fun so that was worth most of the hassle.