Out of sheer curiosity and proximity to other things, today I drove to Las Vegas. AirBnB here is impossible and couchsurfing nonexistent even days in advance. Booked a last minute hotel at Circus Circus, and after getting jerked around by Expedia (after an hour on the phone it got fixed but…) I set out to walk the entire Vegas Strip. I don’t care for gambling, but the people watching value alone was worth it. Kinda sad I missed the Bellagio fountains to live the dream of being in an Oceans 11 ending but oh well. Ran/jogged for long sections to move around slow crowds and already find it amazing how a few days hiking in elevation has improved my conditioning. Amazing how easy it feels without 20-30lbs on your back!
Hotel was only $30 so can’t complain too much, but I suggest you never stay at Circus Circus. No hot water, insane parking and registration, and room overall is worse than the HoJo I was at in Flagstaff. On the bright side my car is safe due to bike cops on constant patrol.
Best part about this experience? I confirmed what I already knew: Vegas has no value to me at all. Give me peace and quiet of the woods for free and you can keep the damn slot machines and “escorts”. So many drunk stupid twenty-somethings bumbling around here I’m glad to be older. Cabbies CONSTANTLY soliciting to drive me free to the strip club it felt like I was the hooker. Hmm, I am laid off…Deuce Bigalow time?
Hopefully going to the Hoover Dam and possibly Lake Mead tomorrow. After that who knows. One thing is for sure – I can’t get out of here fast enough and probably never coming back.
::thumbs up:: keep the pictures and updates coming!