Trip to Nevada (Vegas, Valley of Fire, Zion, Grand Canyon, etc)
So I just got back from a family trip to Nevada. The parents got a time share for a week in Mesquite which is right near the border of Nevada.
See photo album here Or buy them here
We flew in to Vegas and spent a day with Eowyn. We walked half of the strip, saw a pirate show, went to a little china town and generally had fun with Eowyn and her baby sister Lyndsey. Sunday my parents showed up and we had lunch at the turning restaurant on top of the Stratosphere. There we saw thunder storms blow in and turn certain Vegas streets into rivers. We went to the aquarium at Mandalay Bay.
Monday we went to the Valley of Fire state park in Nevada which was AWESOME. The rocks almost looked like fire. There were holes and caves and they were reddish, and lizards and ground squirrels and cacti. There were also old native carvings called Pteroglyphs.
Tuesday we went to Zion National Park which has HUUUUGE sandstone cliffs rising straight up with the virgin river in the middle. We hiked up to the Emerald pools where we saw a naked french boy bathing right next to a "No Swimming" sign. We then drove through a forest and meadows full of deer to the Grand Canyon north Rim. We almost hit two porcupines on the way out.
Wednesday Tree got sick and we sat around and did nothing except swim a bit and collect tourist info and sleep. I got sick later in the day.
Thursday we went past Lake Mead and then to the Hoover Dam. I was still sick, but I managed. We stepped into lake Mead after and decided that it was gross. Chuck described it as a lukewarm lake of silt and there was a giant hairdryer called the desert blowing in your face.
Friday we went back to Utah to see Silver Reef Ghost Town and Bryce Canyon National Park. Chuck said after that that he did not want to see any more canyons for a while. On the way home we had dinner at the "Cowyboy Smokehouse" which claimed that John Wayne had eaten there.
Saturday we took it easy and we just did the Dinosaur Tracks museum in St George which has a huge collection of dinosaur feetprint in sandstone from an ancient lakeshore.
Sunday it was back to Vegas and we had lunch at a giant buffet and then we went to see the Venitian where we saw the indoor canals and the street performers. Then we went to the Secret Garden and saw baby tigers and dolphins playing.
As for gambling, Chuck won 5, Tree won 21, but I lost 50 and Mom lost 200!!! Luckily we all played the penny slots, so that's a net of $2.24 loss for the whole family. This is why you don't gamble, much if any. The house always wins overall.
The trip home went surprisingly well with out flights all arriving early and out luggage coming out almost first. It was spifforific. And ten Bryer almost wet himself with excitement when we got home. He'd apparently taken to pining at our empty parking spot and sleeping a lot while we were gone.
See photo album here Or buy them here
We flew in to Vegas and spent a day with Eowyn. We walked half of the strip, saw a pirate show, went to a little china town and generally had fun with Eowyn and her baby sister Lyndsey. Sunday my parents showed up and we had lunch at the turning restaurant on top of the Stratosphere. There we saw thunder storms blow in and turn certain Vegas streets into rivers. We went to the aquarium at Mandalay Bay.
Monday we went to the Valley of Fire state park in Nevada which was AWESOME. The rocks almost looked like fire. There were holes and caves and they were reddish, and lizards and ground squirrels and cacti. There were also old native carvings called Pteroglyphs.
Tuesday we went to Zion National Park which has HUUUUGE sandstone cliffs rising straight up with the virgin river in the middle. We hiked up to the Emerald pools where we saw a naked french boy bathing right next to a "No Swimming" sign. We then drove through a forest and meadows full of deer to the Grand Canyon north Rim. We almost hit two porcupines on the way out.
Wednesday Tree got sick and we sat around and did nothing except swim a bit and collect tourist info and sleep. I got sick later in the day.
Thursday we went past Lake Mead and then to the Hoover Dam. I was still sick, but I managed. We stepped into lake Mead after and decided that it was gross. Chuck described it as a lukewarm lake of silt and there was a giant hairdryer called the desert blowing in your face.
Friday we went back to Utah to see Silver Reef Ghost Town and Bryce Canyon National Park. Chuck said after that that he did not want to see any more canyons for a while. On the way home we had dinner at the "Cowyboy Smokehouse" which claimed that John Wayne had eaten there.
Saturday we took it easy and we just did the Dinosaur Tracks museum in St George which has a huge collection of dinosaur feetprint in sandstone from an ancient lakeshore.
Sunday it was back to Vegas and we had lunch at a giant buffet and then we went to see the Venitian where we saw the indoor canals and the street performers. Then we went to the Secret Garden and saw baby tigers and dolphins playing.
As for gambling, Chuck won 5, Tree won 21, but I lost 50 and Mom lost 200!!! Luckily we all played the penny slots, so that's a net of $2.24 loss for the whole family. This is why you don't gamble, much if any. The house always wins overall.
The trip home went surprisingly well with out flights all arriving early and out luggage coming out almost first. It was spifforific. And ten Bryer almost wet himself with excitement when we got home. He'd apparently taken to pining at our empty parking spot and sleeping a lot while we were gone.