Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas RV Resort

April 16-30, 2014

Arrived in Las Vegas and were immediately invited to dinner with my high school friend, Bev Campbell Manning, and her husband, Kevin, their daughter, Maren, and her husband Max.  What a welcoming way to begin our stay here.   You'll be hearing a lot of them as the blog continues!!

First sightseeing venture was to Hoover Dam.  Construction on the dam began in 1931 and the last concrete was poured in 1935, completed two years ahead of schedule and well under budget.  It is 726.4 feet high; 1,244 feet along the crest which is 45 feet wide.

It may have come in under budget, but the visiting public is still paying top dollar to visit.  Parking cost $10.00; entrance into the Visitor Center (which has been free at every stop we've ever made) is $10.00; and hope you brought your checkbook if you're at all interested in a tour.  And when you start seeing all the people and adding up the $...well it's pretty astounding!

It's also the most monitored stop we've ever made.  Every car is stopped at the entrance (I even had to lower my back window so they could see what was in the back) and you go through those awful airport scanners to get into the Visitor Center. 

Water backing up into Lake Mead.  Note the difference in color.  Lake Mead is suffering from this drought too.

The Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, opened in 2010, is the key component of the Hoover Dam Bypass project, which rerouted route 93 from its previous routing along the top of the Hoover Dam and removed several hairpin turns and blind curves from the route.  It is jointly named for Mike O'Callaghan, Governor of Nevada from 1971-1979, and Pat Tillman, a football player who left his football career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the Army and was later killed in Afghanistan by friendly fire. 

The bridge connects Nevada and Arizona.

On the way back, we stopped at Lake Mead.  It is difficult to see from the picture, but it was apparent  the waterline is very low.  Like every other body of water we've seen this trip!  Lake Mead is reported to be 122.15 feet below "full pool" which is an elevation of 1219.60. 

 Easter Sunday, and we were comfortably back with Bev and Kevin, Maren and Max...and their great friends, Mike and Cindy, and their son and his family, Matt, Michelle and little Zachary.  And the spread put on by Bev...what a delicious meal!!  What a comfort it is to be able to spend a special holiday with special people!!

But, we weren't finished with Bev and Kevin yet....

Near the Venetian Plaza

We spent a day on the Vegas Strip.....a lot going on here; more foreigners that US tourists....you can tell 'cause they don't speak English!! 





Again, the Venetian Plaza







The opulence of The Venetian

The "falls" were fabulous...

And, of course, what's Las Vegas without Siegfried and Roy!

Let's go to Valley of Fire....great find!!! You would think we would have seen enough red rock, but each stop has been unique in its own way. Valley of Fire is Nevada's oldest and largest state park. The park's sand formations date back to the days of the dinosaur, 150 million years ago.

Balancing Rock

REALLY Balancing Rock....you can see the spaces where there's nothing holding it up!

Arch Rock

Elephant Rock

Look at those layers of colors....just beautiful!!

The Beehives

Not all the rock formations were red....nonetheless, just as dramatic!

Zabriskie Point

Next destination stop.....Death Valley! Had not intended to stop here; but when we found we needed to leave the Beave at Cummins for a thorough cooling system check and fuel filter check that would once and for all put Ken's mind at rest; it would be a 6-8 hour day with no "home", so we decided to take that time and make the 130 mile (one way) trip!! Totally not disappointed and even glad we had this chance to enjoy another beautiful part of this country.

Surrounded by a maze of wildly eroded and vibrantly colored badlands, this was absolutely beautiful.

Unfortunately, Zabriskie Point is starting to show signs of wear.  Portions of the retaining wall are starting to collapse.  Concrete barriers have been installed and signs warn people to keep back, as a temporary measure.  The National Park Service is making plans to rebuild the wall and improve access which will insure this beautiful view will remain for future visitors to the site. 

We then headed to Furnace Creek Visitor's Center....we enjoyed our picnic lunch in the car under a shady tree, took Barney for a nice walk and I visited the Center to poke around and, of course, get my collector's pin (my collection is overrunning the motorhome!!).   Let's head out now to Scotty's Castle.....

Got to the  turn-off road and found the asphalt-pavers!!  We knew there was road construction going on; but after a 20-minute wait we decided the delays coming and going would keep us from visiting other places in the park.....you know I've been collecting pins for each stop on our tour; I had picked up a pin for Scotty's Castle at the Furnace Creek Visitor's Center, expecting it to be our next stop... that never happened.  I wasn't going to hang the pin, but decided it would be a great "test" question to all my blog viewers..."I have visited ALL of these places, but one....can you name it?"

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes rising nearly 100 feet from Mesquite Flat. We've heard moonlight on the dunes can be magical....too bad we won't be here then!!

Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America!!  It's a surreal landscape of salt flats. A temporary lake may form here after heavy rainstorms....just don't see that happening!!

So, we've been to the southernmost point of the U.S. in Key West and now we've been to the lowest point in Northern America....pretty cool!!!

On to "Artist's Palette Drive"....one of Ken's favorites....a scenic loop drive through multi-hued volcanic and sedimentary hills.  A beautiful, scenic 9-mile drive....

This was truly a memorable drive!!!











Last stop in Death Valley...Dante's View, the most breathtaking viewpoint in the park, more than 5,000 feet above the floor of Death Valley ("ear-popping" stuff).  (Ken sets the settings, but I take the picture....I think I do a pretty good job!)

I have to say, the incredible views of this country are remarkable, but what I have found so far on this trip is the incredible friendships we have made, and renewed are just as remarkable. Maybe even more so....this country belongs to all of us; our friendships, old and new, are ours....I have come to appreciate that as those, along with the children we have borne to follow us, are our greatest accomplishments and memories!!!

After a delicious lunch at The Coffee Cup with Bev and Kevin in Boulder City...Bev and I enjoyed the many, many antique shops and Ken and Kevin enjoy any vacant seat while the ladies roamed...

Another Mutt and Jeff in my life; but truly my twin!!!!

How about a trip to the Fremont Strip Experience and the "Big Balls".....you ain't seen nothing yet.  (To all my children...don't let the young eyes continue on this blog....)

Ken's photographic accomplishment....building reflected in a building!  He's so good!!

The Bon Jovi light show on this "roof" was amazing!

Last night enjoying the city....a show with Terry Fator....great show enjoyed with Bev and Kevin!  The show had it's great moments, and truly entertained.  Terry has a great talent...one you don't see every day...so glad we could watch this man perform!!!  (Missed you Susan and Bob!)

Wow...where has this time gone....we're now on our way to our destination of the five national parks in Utah....this is more than exciting....this is where we wanted to be.