Las Vegas was Great!

Well, for the few avid readers I have... Ah, I've got to be honest -- I have no avid readers. But, for those reading this blog today, my Las Vegas vacation was superb. We wrapped up with a nice mix of things to do around Las Vegas and some wonderful night life. We visited Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon, and did a couple shows.

We went out to Hoover Dam relatively early -- we got there about 10:30. This ended up much better than I expected. I thought the dam was still largely shut down for security. However, while we were there, you could drive across it and do an interior tour that is really worth while. Hoover Dam is a tribute to the age when they made it -- Art Deco design in the overall dam all the way to the Terazzo floors inspired by North American Indian designs. I loved seeing the power plants and walking through the tunnels was fun, too. If you go, a few pionters: go early so you can avoid traffic -- it was bad that afternoon; there is parking across the dam, not just at the visitor center; and the longer full tour is worth the wait and extra dollars.

The next day we went out to Red Rock Canyon which is just outside the West side of town. It was absolutely beautiful. I love the colors in Nevada (makes me want to do water color painting again). This 13 mile drive takes about an hour and you'll see a wide range of scenery. There are several great looking hikes, too. However, as it was 105F already when we got there at about 11:00, we pretty much stuck to the car. Not to mention I had broken my left pinky toe the day before on a door jam. It was definitely worth the drive and if we go out again, we'll definitely do some hiking, too.