Las Vegas

September 13, 2007

Left the park at 7:30am so that we would be traveling during the coolest part of the day. Yesterday it went to 110 degrees!! Will get to Las Vegas today and spend four nights. We want to go to Hoover Dam.

We are about 60 miles outside Las Vegas and have been climbing steadily for about 20 miles. The RV sounds like it is protesting and my heart is in my throat. Doug knows we have a problem, but he wants to fix it when we get home. I hope he is right that it should be OK until then!!! We made it to the top, climbed over 4,000 feet and are now on the down hill side!! Temperature is about 100 degrees! The desert is really awesome!!

September 15 & 16, 2007

Got in to town early afternoon yesterday and after setting up went over to the casino to look around. That was about all the energy we had.

On the 15the we went to Hoover dam and took a boat ride on Lake Meade. It was very relaxing and beautiful. The reservoir, we were told, is about 56 feet below the normal level. I was surprised that there have been only two times in history that water actually went over the dam. The dam was designed to have water go around it with enough force to create electricity and to control the flow of water so it will not flood the lower valleys in CA. The statistics on building the dam are just amazing.

Since the boat ride took so long, we went back to Hoover dam on the 16th. This time we did the tour of the dam and the museum. They are building a new bridge to by pass the dam. I would love to come back to ride it, it will give a much better view of the dam than you can get now. We did not see a figure on just how high it is, but it is really awesome.

We went to a section of town that is walking distance from here called Freemont Experience after dark to see the lights. It was amazing with lights, video and music all coming from the roof of the covered sidewalk. Doug did not bring his video camera, so we need to go back again so he can film it for Nicholas!

Still have not done the ‘Strip’ at night yet!!!

September 17, 2007

Bought a bus pass and took off for the ‘Strip’. I feel like a little kid on her first trip to NYC! One building just out does the next. When they talk about a hotel or casino, it is not just one building, most of them take up two or more city blocks!!! The New York New York is built like the skyline of NY including the Brooklyn Bridge! In the lobby of MGM there is a huge glass jungle area with two lions in it. It has water, the jungle and even a glass bridge where you can take up close pics of the lions.

The Luxor is built of glass in the shape of a pyramid. When you walk in it is like being in Egypt. Could not see them all today, so will be back tomorrow to try and cover more. Doug says I have to move faster!! I want to see every bit of it, but he says “a casino is a casino”. They are, but each one has something special and I want to see it!!! I have to find a good place for him to sit and talk with someone so I can keep moving!!!! He has been really good about it, but he does get tired. I will try not to be so hard on him tomorrow!!

We finally got to see the strip at night and it was great. I can not even imagine the electric usage in one night!