Our gambling in Vegas consisted of risking our health walking through the smoke filled casino that blocked our path to everywhere. Our first day was spent figuring out what time it was and wondering why we were in Las Vegas. The time here is deceiving. The sun comes up in the morning but due to some official law here, the sun sets around 4:30 p.m. to let people know it is time to gamble. Not that anyone here needs an excuse.
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| Sue's Bellagio Fountain Picture |
We bought some water at CVS because we found that the two small complimentary bottles that came as a special guest bonus from the hotel, didn't last. In fact, if you poured a glass, took a sip, set the glass down and looked away, your glass would be empty. Evaporation here is incredible. Staying hydrated is a major task. Unlike Miami where you can take in a pint of water just by taking a deep breath of our moisture laden air, a quick breath here and you feel like you just ate chalk. The chalk taste is a gentle reminder that this is, after all, a desert. The fountains and other water extravagances run counter intuitive to that fact.
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| Bellagio Tree |
To put things back in perspective we used our second day to make a trek to Red Rock Canyon. This BLM (Bureau of Land Management) park is 17 miles from The Strip. The drive was pleasant and the air was certainly cleaner. A nice diversion. We were so tired when we returned we ate at the Brand steak restaurant in the hotel. Mistake. It was the only restaurant that didn't have a menu near the entrance to check their offerings. We had already eaten at other hotel venues and they were all decent. Our choices were either a 40 ounce porterhouse to split between two people for $100 or individual 8 oz. filets for $48 a piece. We chose the smaller offering and were served two "rare" steaks that were much tougher than our dull serrated knives could handle. Add a single glass of wine and a single side and you are looking at a $170 tab. Recommendation, stick with the Pub at the Monte Carlo.
We checked out of our "casino with rooms" and headed for Death Valley. After entering the park we encountered two Wyle E. Coyotes out for a stroll. They stuck around and posed for pictures. When I got out of the car they came within ten feet. They may have been looking for handouts as I hadn't seen any "meep meep" roadrunners.
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| Wyle E. Coyote |
Eventually we got to our room at the Furnace Creek Ranch. The rooms were nice, especially by National Park standards. Indoor plumbing and high speed wi-fi. Our room overlooks the 9 hole golf course billed as the lowest course in the western hemisphere.
We were up the next morning at the crack of 10:00 a.m. We ventured south and visited Zabriski Point, the 20 Mule Team trail and went up to Dante's View. Since two of these locations required a little hiking, uphill, this completed our day. My knees are now 69 years, two months and eight days old. They are in need of an oil change.
Zabriskie point is billed as a sunrise location but, with the winter sun's low angle, images get some shadow casting throughout the day. We got to see Zabriskie Point before it closes for construction on December 1st. It will remain closed through spring of next year.
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| Zabriskie Point |
Dante's View was a massive overlook to the salt flats and Panamint Mountain Range. Certainly, Death Valley NP has changed my view of what Death Valley was supposed to be. My knowledge of DV was, heretofore based on the 50's TV show, Death Valley Days starring the Old Ranger. If you remember this show, you are old. It was on for over twenty years and had several "Old Rangers", including Dale Robertson and Ronald Reagan.
What I expected was lots of dirt. Ugly dirt. The kind of dirt that comes through in a black and white western. What I got was beautiful dirt. A kaleidoscope of dirt mounded, sculpted stretched, cracked and shoved into a beautiful landscape.
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| Dante's View |
We watched the sunset at Dante's View and headed back to our hotel for dinner. We turned into the parking lot and saw that there was a motorcycle convention in the driveway, all awaiting their turn at eating in the limited space restaurant and pub. Dinner will now be beef jerky, apples, red wine and York Peppermint Patties. Tomorrow is another day.
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