Canyon Trekking

Canyon Trekking Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Today was our last day at the Grand Canyon and we saved the best for last (although Mom stayed at the rental house to rest). We did another hike down into the canyon, this time on the South Kaibab trail. It was another three miles down and three miles up. But this time there was no water, and only one bathroom at the halfway point.

The trail started out with a bunch of switchbacks, pretty much going straight down a cliff. And then we went down, down, down and out along a ridge into the middle of the canyon. We had to go around two different buttes along the way, and we also had to stop twice to let mules go up the trail. First the pack mules, carrying all the supplies, and then the people mules.

There’s no way to put into words how amazing the views were. By the time we got to our destination at Skeleton Point, we felt like we were in the middle of the canyon. And we were still very high up!

We had lunch out on Skeleton point and then started on our long, hot journey back to the top. There was barely any shade, but thankfully there were enough tall cliffs to provide us plenty of resting points.

The great thing about this hike was that we had great views on the way down and the way up, just in different directions. On the way down the views to the west were great, and on the way up the views to the east were great. It was almost like we had two different hikes!

On the way up we had a nice long break at Cedar Ridge, the halfway point, and had to shoo away a couple of squirrels that were begging for food. And later we saw a California Condor flying along the canyon walls. They’re really amazing birds. They’re actually the largest bird in North America with a nine-foot wing span. And they were one of the most endangered birds. The population got down to 22 birds. They were actually all captured and put into a breeding program, and now there are over 400 and they’re back nesting in the wild. Very cool.

By the time we finally made it back to the rim it had taken us 6.5 hours and all my water bottles were empty (two liters of water and one liter of gatorade).

We went back to the rental house, where Mom had had a very relaxing day. And for the first time the whole trip, it wasn’t very windy. So we actually sat out on the front porch and had a couple of beers before dinner. Which tonight was spaghetti with sausage.

We spent the rest of the night blogging and packing so that we could head back to Vegas the next morning.

Canyon Watching

Canyon Watching Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Today we had a very late start and Derek still wasn’t feeling that great, so we took it easy. We went to see the eastern part of the rim, but this time we didn’t do much walking.

First we took a shuttle bus out to Yaki Point (because no cars are allowed). And we found a nice spot to have our lunch. It was incredibly beautiful.

Then we drove out to the eastern-most part of the park at Desert View. There’s a tower there that has an amazing view of the surrounding area. And the view wasn’t just of the canyon! The canyon actually turns north at this spot, and so the views to the east were of desert. We could actually see the painted desert, the same one we’d seen near Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monument.

Then we drove back towards Grand Canyon Village (the central area of the park), stopping at all the viewpoints along the way. After doing so much walking and shuttle-bus riding, it felt weird to actually be stopping at places in a car, like a normal tourist. It wasn’t nearly as rewarding, though. It’s hard to truly appreciate and even remember a view if you only stop for a few minutes.

By the time we got back to the Grand Canyon Village it was time for supper. We’d planned to eat at the village and then stay to watch sunset. We ate at the Arizona Room, which was a steakhouse. Most of us got the filet minon, which was pretty good. Not spectacular.

But sunset was really cool. It’s neat watching how the setting sun lights up the canyon. And see the shadows get higher and higher on the canyon walls, until the sun sets and the canyon is bathed in darkness.

By the time we got back to the rental house it was pretty late, so we didn’t stay up very long.

Sedona Jeep Riding

Sedona Jeep Riding Sedona, AZ

Sedona, AZ

Today we took another day trip, to Sedona. But Derek stayed at the rental house because he wasn’t feeling well. We had to drive back to Flagstaff and then south a little bit to Sedona. The drive went down through Oak Creek Canyon, which was really cool with lots of exposed rock cliffs along one wall. It was also interesting because it was the same rock layers we’d been seeing in the Grand Canyon – Kaibab limestone on top, then Coconino yellow sandstone, and then Schnebly Hill red sandstone.It’s actually the bottom red sandstone that is exposed in Sedona and creates all of the red rock formations.

The other interesting thing about Oak Creek Canyon was that it was created by a fault and one side of it was much lower in total height. The lower side had the same rock layers, they had just been shifted down, so that only the Kaibab limestone and Coconino sandstone were exposed in the canyon. And, they had even been covered by a thick layer of basalt on top from a more recent lava flow. So the difference in elevation of the rock layers between the two sides of the canyon was really quite dramatic.

We made a few stops in Oak Creek Canyon, first at an overlook at the top of the canyon. Then later at Slide Rock State Park, after the road had gone down to the canyon bottom. This is an area where Oak Creek flows directly through some of the red sandstone rocks. It’s quite a popular swimming hole and there’s even a section that’s a natural water slide. We had brought our swimsuits with us, but it was still fairly early and not nearly warm enough for us to brave the cold water. We thought we might stop back later when it was warmer, but we ended up not having time.

Our last stop in Oak Creek Canyon was a view at a bridge. And then the canyon opened up and we started seeing the amazing hills and rock formations around Sedona. It’s weird, I know I’ve seen Sedona in pictures and TV shows, but somehow it was completely different than I expected. The rocks were really more orange than red, and overall it was much more wide open than I expected. Sedona and the surrounding area was relatively flat, with mountains and rock formations sprinkled here and there.

Our plan was to do a little hiking, but we needed a map of the area. So we stopped at a tourist information office. The guy there recommended an easy two mile loop trail (the Baldwin trail) that was at the base of Cathedral Rock, one of the more famous rock formations in the area. So we decided to do that. On the way there we drove through a residential area that was really cool. All of the houses had gravel yards, and most were landscaped really beautifully with lots of desert foliage.

The hiking trail turned out to be just okay. There were only views of Cathedral Rock for about 1/3 of the trail. Another 1/3 had views of faraway mountains, and the last 1/3 didn’t really have views at all. So I was a little disappointed.

To make up for this, we decided to go back to Sedona and do a pink jeep tour. But along the way we made a couple of stops. First at a scenic view, that had some amazing views of the rocks. Then we stopped at a church that was built into one of the rock formations. It also had some incredible views, along with some really colorful cactus and a view of an amazing mansion.

When we got back to Sedona, we went to the pink jeep place and managed to get on a tour right then. The guy at the desk recommended the Broken Arrow tour, which is one of the most rugged tours. It went on a jeep trail built specifically by the pink jeep company, and was seriously one of the funnest things I’ve ever done. It’s always good when I can’t stop smiling.

Most of the jeep trail was a normal dirt road, but a lot of it went directly up and over rocks. Mom was sitting next to the driver, where it was the least bumpy. Dad and I got the two back seats where it was most bumpy. And most fun! Sometimes the jeep swung us around so much that it felt like being on a roller coaster. Hence the smiling!

Our first destination was Submarine Rock, where we got out of the jeep to walk to the top and take some photos. It was stunning. Our second stop was at Chicken Point, where the views were equally amazing.

The second half of the tour was what our driver called the “fun loop”. And wow, it was indeed. We were now going down and so the jeep went a lot faster at times. And it went over some really cool rocks. At one point the driver stopped to show us a really cool formation called mushroom rock. We ended up driving over the rocks and over to it. I was starting to think we might actually go up to it and go around it, and then the driver sped up really fast, went up to the rock and started going around, before stopping really quickly. Very fun!

We also went up onto another rock to what I thought was just a scenic view. But then we started going down the rock at a 45 degree angle! It seemed very steep. And, of course, the driver stopped as we were going down. It felt like we were hanging off the edge of a cliff.

Later we had a similar experience going down the “Road of No Return”, which was basically a long, very steep road going down a bunch of rocks. The cool thing about being at the back of the jeep was that after we went down something, I could turn around and see just how steep it had been.

Our tour also ended up being a bit of a nature tour. Near the beginning we saw a rattlesnake on the jeep trail, and then it slithered into a nearby bush. And near the end of the tour we saw four mule deer.

As fun as the tour itself was, the best part was our tour guide Mike. He was incredibly funny. And had some great puns. He pointed out a cypress tree, which generally come in two varieties. Some have bark that is straight, and others have bark that is twisted. The tree he pointed out was split and had two trunks, one with straight bark and one with curved bark. He called it the split personali-“tree”.

When we were at Submarine Rock, Mike showed us a fault that was going through the rock. And he told us how not all faults are named, only if they show enough movement. He said that this one didn’t have enough movement to have a name, so it was “nobody’s fault.”

Later Mike was telling us about how Arizona is going through a really bad 16-year draught. And it’s caused a lot of the trees in the area to die. He told us about when one of his passengers pointed to a dead tree, and asked what it was. So Mike told him it was a dead tree. Then the passenger asked if it would come back. Mike told us the guy must have had “nature deficit disorder”.

After the tour was over, we went to a nearby mexican restaurant named Elote (which means “corn” in spanish). It had been recommended by someone at Expedia, and it was indeed very good. The best part, though, was the “flight” of margaritas. It’s similar to beer samplers you can get at breweries. It came with three 4.5 ounce margaritas – Key Lime, Traditional, and El Roble – all arranged in this fancy tiered holder. Very cool. And the margaritas were excellent. The Key Lime was my favorite.

By the time we left it was after 7 pm and we headed back to the rental house. So we got back around 9 pm. For the first time the whole trip I actually had energy and didn’t feel like going to bed right away! But I didn’t stay up too late.

Canyon Gawking

Canyon Gawking Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Today we did a bunch more rim walking on the west end of the canyon. We had intended to walk the whole 7.1 mile trail, but it turns out we spend way too much time gawking at the canyon. We only made it 3.5 miles in about 5 hours. But thankfully, there’s a shuttle bus that runs the whole route, so we just took that to the rest of the major points.

I really don’t have much to say, except that today was incredible. The changing views of the canyon, going from point to point. It was amazing. Even though it was mostly cloudy and lighting conditions were challenging for pictures, I still couldn’t stop looking.

There’s really not much else for me to say except just look at the pictures. Oh, and there was one spot along the walk that I decided was my favorite view of the canyon. It was between Hopi Point and Mohavi point, at the middle of a small back bend between the two points. There was a rock ledge with a view straight down to the bottom, and the high canyon walls on either side made it feel like I was in the middle of a bowl. I could have sat there for an hour.

The other thing to note was that i wasn’t completely exhausted by the time we were done. I actually could have kept going. I guess my legs are getting used to all this activity!

Tonight we had chowder-wiches for supper. This is a dish that my mom and I discovered at the Three Crabs restaurant in Sequim, WA. It’s an open-faced fish filet sandwich, covered with clam chowder and sprinkled with cheddar cheese. Yum!

I worked on pictures for a while after dinner, and actually managed to stay awake until after 10 pm.

Volcano and Pueblo Viewing

Volcano and Pueblo Viewing Flagstaff, AZ

Flagstaff, AZ

Today we took a day trip to a couple of national monuments – Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki, which had a bunch of Native American pueblos. It was a nice change of scenery from the canyon.

To get there, we had to drive down to Flagstaff and then up to the parks. We saw a couple of cool mountains along the way, including the San Franciso mountains, which contain the highest peak in Arizona at 12,000 feet. It actually still had a little bit of snow at the top.

Sunset Crater Volcano is actually a cinder cone that was created during the most recent volcanic activity in the area, about 1,000 years ago. Sunset crater itself is 1,000 feet high, but the surrounding area is covered by cinders erupted from the crater, and also lava flows that erupted from the cinder cone’s base.

In other climates a 1,000 cinder cone would have already been subject to the forces of erosion that create soil, and ultimately allow re-vegetation. But because the climate in Arizona is so arid, this process has taken much longer and little re-vegetation has occurred.

The nearby San Francisco mountains are actually the remnants of an old Stratovolcano, similar to Mount St. Helens or Mt. Fuji in Japan. The whole area is at the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau, an area of land the size of Ohio that has been uplifted as one piece. But at the southern boundary there has been quite a bit of volcanic activity. Sunset Crater is just the most recent activity.

We started our visit to Sunset Crater by climbing a short trail to the top of nearby Lenox Crater. It actually had enough trees re-established that the views were only good at the top to one side. But it seemed weird how the trees were growing straight out of the black cinders.

When we finished we did a bit of climbing over lava at the Bonito Lava Flow, just across the road.It was very fun. I don’t think any vacation is complete without a little rock climbing!

Our next stop was the Lava Flow Trail, where we first had our lunch in the parking lot. Then we walked the trail, which did a loop through more lava flows at the base of Sunset Crater. It was very cool and we saw a couple of neat lava features. One was a spatter cone. This is where lava was fountaining up from the ground. It left behind circular ridges at the edges. The other neat feature was the squeeze up. This is where the surface of a lava flow had cooled, with lava still flowing underneath. But then a greater volume of lava started flowing, putting upward pressure on the cooled surface. And it caused the surface to break apart and crack open.

Our last stop at Sunset Crater was the Cinder Hills overlook, with a view of the cinder-covered hills to the east of the crater. Some of the hills had quite a bit of trees, but others were still very barren.

On the way up to Wupatki NM, there were a couple of overlooks with views of the Painted Desert. This is a very large desert that is to the east of the parks. It was very pretty with mostly white rocks, but some bands of pink rocks. But it was very far away, so it was hard to take good pictures.

Our first stop at Wupatki, was the Wukoki Pueblo. The pueblo itself was fairly simple, with just three rooms. But the setting was amazing. It was built on top of a red sandstone rock, with views out to the painted desert. We got to walk all through the pueblo, and around the base.

Our next stop was the Wupatki Pueblo, which was amazingly huge. The main building had over 100 rooms, although unfortunately the sun was in a very bad spot to get a good picture of it. But everything else was in good light. There was a smaller building, a circular pit that is thought to have been a community meeting area, an oblong pit that was a ball court, and a very cool geologic feature called a blowhole. It’s where there’s a very narrow opening in the ground to an underground cavern. The air inside the cavern is very cool, and changes in the air temperature and pressure above ground cause air to blow into or out of the cavern. At night, the air outside is cooler and denser, and therefore flows down into the cavern. During the day, the air outside is warmer and lighter, and therefore cool air blows out of the cavern. Thankfully the cool air was blowing out when we were there, because it was very warm. The car had said 88 degrees when we got there!

We next made a quick stop at the Doney Mountain overlook, which had a great view out towards Wukoki Pueblo and the Painted Desert. And then our last stop was the Citadel Pueblo. This one was built on the top of a small butte. It was a short walk to the top, and the views of the surrounding area were amazing. Not much of the pueblo was left, except the supporting walls and the floor.

By the time we left it was getting pretty late, so we decided to stop in Flagstaff on our way home for dinner. Derek had discovered the Flagstaff Brewing Company, which was right on the drive home. So we had to stop there, of course! I tried an Amber and an ESB, both of which were too hoppy for my tastes. But we all had hamburgers to eat, and they were amazing.

We didn’t get home until almost 9 pm, and I was pretty tuckered out again. So I think I was in bed within a half hour.

Canyon Hiking

Canyon Hiking Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Today we decided to hike the Bright Angel trail. It’s the most popular trail in the park and it’s a very different kind of hike than I’m used to. It goes down into the canyon and then you come back up. I’m very used to hiking mountains where you go up first, and then down.

The Bright Angel trail actually goes all the way to the canyon bottom and then back up to the North Rim. But we weren’t going nearly that far. There were a couple of rest houses along the way, with toilets and water, at 1.5 miles and 3 miles. Mom only went to the 1.5 mile house, but the rest of us went to the 3 mile house.

Going down into the canyon was somehow a much more gratifying experience than just walking along the rim. I don’t think the canyon became real to me until we started going down, and seeing the perspective change. I started to feel like a part of the canyon, rather than an observer.

It was also really neat to see the rock layers change as we went down. The top of the South Rim is the Kaibab formation, a white limestone. And just below the rim, there was a sheer vertical cliff of it. Thankfully, there was a way down at the back of a small side canyon. That’s why the trail is located where it is.

Below the base of the limestone cliff, the rock changed to a very red sandstone. And shortly after that we reached the 1.5 mile house. We had a short break and had a small snack before saying goodbye Mom.

The rest of us continued on down through the layers of red. Shortly after the 1.5 mile house, there was a very cool view. There was one butte that had been very prominent in our view the entire time. When we had started down, the butte was very much lower than the rim. But as we hiked down, the butte got higher and higher. And shortly after the 1.5 mile house, the butte was at the same exact height as the rim. Then as we continued down, the butte became higher than the North Rim.

After many red switchbacks, we finally arrived at the 3 mile house. It was very hot by this time, and we wanted to find some place shady to sit. But it was also about noon, so there was not much shade. The rest house was very shady, but it was full of people and very noisy. So we went around a corner and found a nicely-positioned log underneath a tree, with a great view of the valley and rim in the distance.

We stayed a long time, enjoying the nice shade and the quiet. None of us really wanted to start back up, because we knew it would likely be pretty gruelling in the heat. But eventually we got up and started on our way.

The hike up was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be. I’d only been hiking once the entire winter, so I wasn’t sure how my legs would feel. But we went slow and my legs felt fine. It was very hot, though, so we did take a lot of breaks wherever there was shade. Which wasn’t often. Or whenever a picture was necessary. The afternoon sunlight just lit up the canyon perfectly.

When we got to the 1.5 mile house, we were shocked when it had only taken us an hour to get there. On the way down, it had taken about an hour to get to each house. The last 1.5 miles to the top took longer, however, because it was a bit steeper and our legs were getting tired. But we finally made it after 1.5 hours. We had started at 9:30 am and gotten back at 2:45 pm.

We had a rest at the top and then went to watch the Grand Canyon Railroad train leave the park, before leaving the park ourselves.

We stopped for gas and a few groceries, and by the time we got back to the rental house it was time for supper. Tonight we had bratwurst and kasespaetzle, which is a German dish that my mom learned how to make after having it in Germany. The spaetzle is a German-style noodle and “kase” is the German word for cheese. So it’s basically the German version of macaroni & cheese. Except it’s made with swiss cheese and some onions. Very tasty!

I was incredibly exhausted again after our long hike, so I just looked at pictures before going to bed at 9 pm again.

Rim Walking

Rim Walking Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Today we were off to see the Grand Canyon! We got a late start and didn’t get there until 11 am.
We first went to the visitor center to park and then walked out to Mather Point.

To see the Grand Canyon in person is quite surreal. Everyone has seen pictures, but in real life it is hard to comprehend that what you’re seeing is real. The colors were very different than what I expected. The pictures always make it look very brown/red. But in reality the rock layers were either light, dark, or red. And it was hard to comprehend just how massive the canyon is – 4 miles deep and 10 miles across.

We decided to walk along the rim for a ways, stopping to take lots of pictures. Eventually we found a nice spot to have lunch. We all agreed that it was probably the best lunch spot ever, because of the amazing views!

We eventually made it out to Yavapai Point, which had great views of the canyon in both directions. From there we took a shuttle back to the visitor center, and then another shuttle out to Grand Canyon Village. We started another walk along the rim at the El Tovar hotel, where we happened to catch a Native American dance show. It was very cool. They were in the middle of a dance when we got there, and then they did the Eagle Dance and the Hoop Dance. The Hoop Dance was really amazing. The guy started with one hoop and then kept adding another hoop, making more and more intricate formations. It was incredible how quickly he changed from formation to formation.

When the dance show ended we continued walking along the rim, past Bright Angel Lodge and Lookout Point. Then we passed the Bright Angel trailhead. It’s the most popular trail in the park, going down into the canyon. And we would be hiking it later.

We ended our rim walk at a place where they were having a wedding.Then we walked back to Bright Angel Lodge to hop on the shuttle bus. There was a closer stop, but it had a really long line of people waiting to get on. Plus, there was a gift shop at Bright Angel. I got a pair of sunglasses. I’d brought a pair with me, of course. But it was an old prescription that wasn’t accurate any more and I could see better without them. But it was really bright without sunglasses, even with a hat, so I needed a replacement.

When we made it over to the shuttle bus stop, there was already one there and we managed to get seats. It was a good thing, because the bus ended up being completely full after the end stop. And it was a long 30 minutes to get back to the visitor center. The bus had to stop at every little lodge, parking area, and campground, even though no one was getting off.

We were very happy to finally get back to the car. It was about 5 pm by that point, so we headed back to the rental house.

We decided to have pizza casserole for dinner. It’s something my mom has only been making for the last couple of years and I’d never had it before. It’s a mixture of pizza sauce, macaroni noodles, sausage, mini-pepperonis, parmesean cheese, and topped with a layer of mozzarella cheese. It was very yummy!

I spent the rest of the evening looking at the pictures I’d taken today. But I was so wiped out from all the walking and standing that I had no energy to blog. I was in bed by 9 pm and soon asleep.

Road Tripping

Road Tripping Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Today we got up at 7:15 am so that we could pack and be at the Airport by 8:45 am to pick up Derek, and then head for the Grand Canyon. I was surprised when we walked outside for the first time and it was already very warm. And very sunny. It felt great!

We ended up getting to the airport pretty early, so we parked in short term parking and went into baggage claim to meet Derek. He soon arrived and we were on our way!

Before leaving Vegas we headed up the strip to see the pawn shop that’s on the show “Pawn Stars.” But when we got there it was closed for an hour, probably because they filming. So we decided to go over to the Stratosphere, which was really close by, and go up to the top. The views of Vegas and the surrounding mountains were spectacular, just like I remembered.

We also got tickets to go on the rides. There are three, and I’ve ridden them all before. But one I don’t like (it shoots you over the edge in a car). Derek and I rode the other two, starting with Insanity. You get strapped into seats, moved out over the edge of the tower, and then spun in a circle, facing down 921 feet to the base of the Stratosphere! It was fun.

Mom and dad joined us for the Big Shot ride. It shoots you up the needle at the top of the tower, then drops you down real fast and bounces you up and down several times. It’s the only thrill ride that’s actually scared me in a long time, probably since I was a little kid. So adrenaline rush was satisfied!

We made our way back to the pawn shop, and it was now open. There wasn’t even a line. So we went inside and looked around for a little bit. I’d been before, so it wasn’t too exciting for me.

Our next stop, however, was very exciting for me. On our way out of town we stopped for lunch at In-N-Out burger! They have really, really good hamburgers full of cheesy, greasy goodness. But they are only in the southwest, so I don’t have many opportunities to go there. I swear every time I eat there, the burgers taste better and better. It was everyone else’s first time at In-N-Out, and they were duly impressed.

Then we headed off for the long drive to the Grand Canyon.It was about 1 pm. We had rented a house about 30 miles south of the rim, and it was supposed to be a 3 hour 30 minute drive. But we made a few stops so it took a while.

We took a highway southeast out of Vegas that went by Hoover dam. We went over the new bridge right next to the dam, the one that they had been building the last time we were there (in 2009). But it was quite unimpressive, the side barriers were so high that we couldn’t see much.

We also stopped a little later at another scenic overlook with a view of the Colorado river in the distance. I actually got out my camera for the first time, only to discover that there was no memory card in it. Thankfully I remembered that my brother usually brings two and I was able to borrow one.

Our next stop/detour was Route 66. There are very few sections of the highway that are still intact. And there was one section out of Kingman that we decided to take. There was an interstate and Route 66 would be longer and slower, but we thought it would be pretty neat. And it was. It was very scenic, going up through some mountains and then out over some vast plains. It was very barren. We stopped in the town of Seligman, and visited Angel & Velma’s Gift Shop. 85-year-old Angel was the man responsible for saving this section of Route 66, and he was actually sitting inside the door when we arrived. We were also joined by a large group of German bikers.

We got back on the interstate at Seligman and went through a bunch more barren country until we got to Williams. Here we stopped for groceries at a Safeway. It took about an hour since we were buying food to cook most of the dinners during our trip. But we managed to stuff everything in our car.

It was another 30 minute driver north to our rental house, the Grand Canyon Escape. It’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere, at milepost 209.9. There was a dirt road off the highway, which we missed the first time, and a fenced gate that we had to go through. There are horses and cattle that range the same land.

The house was amazing. It has a front and back porch, a large living/dining/kitchen area, three bedrooms, and two baths. I actually got to have my own room for once!

It was about 7 pm by this point and we were starved, so we had the quickest meal we could – taco salad. It’s one of my favorite meals from when I was a kid – it’s just crushed up Doritos, taco meet, shredded cheese, lettuce,and a little salsa on top.

I spent the rest of the evening blogging, and thankfully found my camera’s memory card in my Netbook. But I was so tired that I was in bed before 10 pm.

Back in the Saddle

Back in the Saddle Las Vegas, NV

Las Vegas, NV

So I am off on another trip again, and it feels weird to be leaving again so soon. It’s been exactly one month since I got back from my Europe trip. But this trip has been planned for a while and the Europe trip was a last minute thing. So I guess it was just meant to be.

It was actually very weird today, for the first time ever i was leaving on vacation directly after work. Thankfully I had plenty to keep me busy at work and got everything done that I needed to, without feeling too rushed.

I’m glad I left plenty early from work, though, it took me an hour to get to the airport. And then lines were a little bit long at the Alaska baggage check counters, and very long at security. Probably because Memorial Day weekend is approaching.

But I was still there in plenty of time, and once through security I first went to Wendy’s to get some dinner. For some reason the only time I eat at Wendy’s is in airports. Probably because I don’t eat fast food anymore. It was really good.

By the time I wandered over to the gate I didn’t have long to wait until boarding. It was nice, they let people board early that weren’t using the overhead bins. So I got to walk right onto the plane, without having to wait forever in the jetway.

Once on board I was highly surprised to find I was actually on a new plane. As in, brand new. It even had new car smell. That’s the first time that’s ever happened. Usually all the planes I’m on are obviously pretty old.

My flight to Las Vegas was very uneventful. It was only 2.5 hours and I watched a Sons of Anarchy ep on my Netbook to pass the time.

It was actually very cool landing in Vegas at night. The surrounding area was completely barren and dark, and then all of a sudden there’s this really huge city with clear lines of demarcation at its boundaries.Plus, I had a good view of the strip before we turned around to land.

When I exited the plane I was surprised to find I was at the same exact gate I had arrived at and departed from on my trip to Vegas last December. I had also flown Alaska Airlines then, so they must have a designated gate for Seattle flights or something.

It was a quick walk to baggage claim, where our bags were already arriving. And then it was a quick walk outside to the passenger pick up area. My parents had already been in Vegas for a few days, so they were already there to pick me up. And then we were on the way to the Excalibur!

It was very weird driving up to the Excalibur, considering it has only been five months since I’d last visited. It felt like I’d just left.But it was pretty cool to know exactly where I was and where to go.

It was about 10 pm by the time we got to the hotel and my parents had a $20 drink voucher to use up. So we went down to the lobby bar for some drinks. And for me to satisfy my video poker addiction. Which I didn’t realize was an addiction until this night. I played off an on, while talking to my parents, for almost two hours. It was very hard to stop, especially because I was losing money. But I finally got a 4 of a kind and got my winnings up to a respectable $11.50 (although down from the $20 I had put in the machine). So I made myself stop, even though I didn’t want to.

After that, it was off to bed.