Day 8 Oasis RV Resort Las Vegas, Nevada

We took the Jeep to 4 Wheel Parts this morning. We got a ride back to the campground and now we wait. Hopefully the Jeep will be ready with her makeover tomorrow!

We did ride bikes around a little bit and we had lunch in the resort cafe.

The remainder of the day was very unblogworthy!! We were lazy and even a little bored. No pictures either!

Day 7 Oasis RV Resort Las Vegas, Nevada

We wanted to go back to Red Rock Canyon and go hiking and take the Jeep off-road.

I am really glad that we went back. The view from the hiking trail is incredible. You get an entirely different perspective of the rock formations. The rock is very intricate and beautiful. The layers of sediment that formed this sandstone is easy to walk on except when it is wet. Apparently it gets slippery but also very brittle and therefore dangerous. We stood in awe, watching the climbers. They looked like ants or spiders scrambling up the rock-faces.

The yucca plants are just beginning to bloom.

We took the Jeep on a trail.

Always looking for the perfect picnic spot.

There were a couple of challenging sections…always get out and look instead of getting into a jam!

It looked passable…so on we went.

Part of what makes this so thrilling is that you never know what lays ahead on the trail. Wildlife encounters, obstacles, stunning vistas…or a brand new, very expensive Range Rover with temporary tags…stuck and with 2 flat front tires…in the middle of the trail…

Tim walked ahead on the trail, looking to see if he could find the driver. We will never know what really happened here but when I peered through the window it looked like someone had tried to start it or move it without a key…lots of wires sticking out and a screwdriver on the seat. We had no cell phone service but we were going to report the car at the ranger station. On our way out we passed some guys in a big pickup with tires in the back. They were going to get their car!

Beautiful day!

Day 6 Oasis RV Resort Las Vegas, Nevada

Tim was looking at his iPad and found a road, Kyle Canyon Road, north of Las Vegas, that looped into the mountains.  We decided to take that drive this morning.  As we approached, we could see the snow-covered mountains in the distance. 

As we got closer, we gained elevation.  Las Vegas sits at about 2,240 feet.  It was warm and sunny there…in the 70’s.  As we climbed to 3,000, 4,000, 5,000, 6,000, 7,000 feet, the air became steadily crisper and colder.  At about 7,000 feet, we started to see patches of snow. 

At about 7,500 feet we started to see blankets of snow covering all the north faces of the mountain.  

Playing in the snow…off-road!

The outside temperature got down to 41 degrees at 8,437 feet!

As we descended the mountain, we agreed that we had seen the perfect amount of winter.  Pretty snow, leaving to go back to the desert, goodbye!

We got back to the RV around noon.  Tim watched the NASCAR race and I went to the Las Vegas South Premium Outlets.  Everyone was happy!

We summoned an UBER and went downtown for dinner.

The Bellagio fountains as dusk.

The Cosmopolitan.

Vegas nightlife.

Day 5 Oasis RV Resort Las Vegas, Nevada

We took a lunch and drove to the Cactus Wren Park.  Here we took several bike trails, riding for a couple of hours.  Initially our route took us along the highway, but we did ride through some nice residential and shopping areas as well.

And always the mountains…

These really little guys were out playing Saturday soccer…it won’t be much longer before Oliver and Austin are playing!!! Time passes so quickly!

We spent the afternoon quietly.  We did some cleaning and some laundry and did some reading and relaxing.

Day 4 Oasis RV Resort Las Vegas, Nevada

We spent most of today walking along the Las Vegas Strip. There are two free parking lots in town. Planet Hollywood and Treasure Island both allow you to park for free. We chose to park at Planet Hollywood. They make you walk a long way through their indoor shopping area before you make it to the street. The inside of the mall was very opulent. At one end, the ceiling was painted to look like the sky at dusk, giving you the illusion the you were actually not inside at all.

We passed a store filled with sport memorabilia. This is Shaq’s size 22 basketball shoe!

Outside, walking along the street, you are assaulted with sights and sounds and smells…an over-stimulation of the senses…but jaw dropping! We started with the Bellagio.

The decadence, the luxury, the beauty of this place.

The ceiling in the lobby is covered with more than 2,000 hand blown Chihuly flower blossoms. It is gorgeous!

Another Chihuly arrangement.

We didn’t gamble, but I was getting ready to take a picture of the casino.

This lady with her three little dogs was walking through. She allowed one of the little dogs to poop on the carpet inside the Bellagio!!! I was flabbergasted!! She whipped out a little orange poop bag and proceeded to pick up most of the dog poo…a young guy walking by made her go back and get the rest. A casino guard came to assist…

The conservatory and botanical garden was my favorite part of the day. The theme for the Spring 2019 exhibit is Japanese Spring. You could smell the cherry blossoms.

We walked down the Boulevard, taking in the sights.

They are still building…

We stopped for lunch at the Sugar Factory.

By the time we walked back past Caesar’s Palace, the fountains were all spouting pink water!

The Strip from the pedestrian bridge at Planet Hollywood.

We aren’t city people, but this is a special city. It was fun to spend the day here.

Tim and I have both noticed that the planes appear to be suspended in the air for a long time as they take off and before they land. I’m not sure if it’s because we can see so far, or if it might be due to the elevation, or maybe even the clear, dry air.

We spent a lazy afternoon and then grilled some bison burgers.

Day 3 Oasis RV Resort Las Vegas, Nevada

The furnace was making a really bad clunking noise.  Tim had gone up on the roof and taken the cover off, but he couldn’t figure out what was wrong.  We called a mobile RV repair guy and he could get here between 1-3. 

We decided to take a bike ride this morning and be back in time for the repairman.  We drove to Acacia Park in Henderson.  First, we took the 215 Beltway Trail.  The scenery was not much.  As the name suggests, the bike trail follows the highway!

After a couple of miles, we turned around and from the same park we were able to access the Union Pacific Rail Trail.  It was a great day for a ride.  On the way away from town it was a slow, gradual, uphill climb, but we had the help of a tailwind. 

We stopped and got sandwiches from Capriotti’s.

On the way back to the car it was downhill with a mild headwind. 

The RV repairman got to us shortly after 1pm.  The squirrel cage had cracked and needed to be replaced.  This is apparently a common problem.  The guy knew exactly what to look for based on our reported symptoms.  He had the new part in his van!  Thankfully an easy fix!

I rode my bike in the campground for awhile and then took my book to the pool.  Another little bit of heaven!

After dinner we took a ride on Las Vegas Boulevard or “The Strip.”  We took the roof off halfway through our ride so we could enjoy the view above!

Opening Day!! Go O’s!!!

Day 2 Oasis RV Resort Las Vegas, Nevada

First thing this morning we made the decision to stay in Las Vegas through April 5th.  This will give Tim a break from driving for a little while.  We will also be in town next week for the service on the Jeep.  I headed to the office to extend our stay.

We packed a picnic lunch and drove to the Hoover Dam. 

Usually we tend to avoid touristy places.  They are usually overpriced and crowded.  This was both, but it was also well worth it! After working in the construction industry for more than 40 years, Tim could really appreciate the magnitude and complexity of this project.

The first viewing area is at the O’Callaghan-Tillman Memorial Bridge.  This bridge spans the Black Canyon from Nevada to Arizona, over the Colorado River, parallel to the dam.  The road used to pass directly over the dam but the traffic was awful.  Millions of people visit the area every year and sometimes the wait to cross the bridge would exceed 2 hours.  The bridge was completed in 2010.  It is a wonderful tribute to 2 heroes.

Tim has long admired and respected Pat Tillman.  This man could have had a lucrative NFL career but he elected to serve his country in the US Army.  He was killed in 2004, while fighting in Afghanistan.

Mike O’Callaghan was an acclaimed war hero and a well-respected Nevada governor.   

There is a moving inscription on the Nevada side of the bridge.  It reads:

“May all who cross the canyon on this memorial bridge travel their life journeys with the strength and inspiration fund in the high ideals and heroic deeds of these brave humble men.”[

We drove to the Hoover Dam Visitor Center.  The dam was constructed in 5 years and was completed in 1935.  The dam tamed the Colorado River.  Before the dam, in the spring the river was full and raging and by the end of the summer it ran as a mere trickle.  The people trying to survive along the river’s course underwent cycles of flooding and drought.  At the lower end of the river, there was an accumulation of rich, silty soil.  It was fertile ground for farming but the unpredictability of the weather and the severe summers, made growing things nearly impossible.  The dam reallocated the water of the river.  Lake Meade is a 110-mile reservoir.  It can hold a 2-year supply of water.  The water from the river flows through the hydroelectric dam and supplies electric power to most of the southwestern United States.
It is impressive that this one project can generate that kind of power and hold that amount of water at the same time. It is truly and engineering marvel and the single most effective and influential man-made improvement in the part of the United States.

There are 2 tremendous spillways, one on either side of the dam.  The spillways are meant to reroute water, should the reservoir ever overflow.  The last time the spillway was necessary was in 1983. 

The spillway on the Arizona side.

The spillway on the Nevada side.  The picture doesn’t do this justice.  The spillway is so deep and intense, that looking at it made me woozy…

The Winged Figures of the Republic.

---

 [

Mileage:  60,069 Oasis RV Resort Las Vegas, Nevada

We started the day by heading to the laundromat.  We met a couple from Florida.  They have been fulltime RVing for the past 12 years.  We told them we planned to go to Red Rock Canyon and Hoover Dam and they told us not to take the RV on the scenic loop or across the dam.  They recommended a campground in Las Vegas.  We called and made a reservation for the next couple of nights.  While we were washing clothes, the Jeep dealer called.  We finished the laundry and went to pick up our Jeep.

We headed south to Vegas.  The Oasis RV Resort is the swankiest RV resort we have ever stayed at. 

After resting we drove to Red Rock Canyon.  There were lots of cars and people there today.  I realized how spoiled we have been, driving through canyons without passing any other people! 

There are more than 2,000 climbing routes in the park.  We watched people suspended from ropes belaying down the mountainside.  We also saw people clambering up the sandstone rockfaces.  We took lots of pictures…see if you can spot the itty-bitty climbers.

There were a couple of people painting.

This was a pretty drive.

We couldn’t resist the opportunity to go off-road for a little while. 

More scenery.

Did you know that the Raiders are moving to Vegas? They are working on the stadium. They even their logo on the on-site concrete plant .

Once we were back at the RV, Tim looked online and found a 4 Wheel Parts store nearby.  He wanted to go and look.  He has been wanting bigger tires and wheels, and a few other things, for weeks.  Tim met Carl and they talked Jeep parts.

The parts are ordered and our installation is scheduled for next Tuesday.  We haven’t decided yet how we will spend the week, but we are going to Hoover Dam tomorrow!

Day 2 Walmart Pahrump, Nevada

We were at the Jeep dealer well before 8 am. We walked back and stopped at Starbucks for a coffee treat.

We replenished supplies, and washed the screens and windows. We went for a bike ride. Tim found this ice cream shop. Since I hadn’t had breakfast, I wanted food. I had a hot dog and Tim had a large vanilla cone.

We spent the day waiting. At 1 pm we got an update call. They were still working on the Jeep. The axle was hard to get off because there was a lot of grit and corrosion in there…not sure how that might have happened?!? At 4:30 we got another call. The Jeep was probably not going to be ready today after all. At 5:45 we got the call telling us it would be finished sometime tomorrow morning.

As I was making dinner, Tim was riding his bike in the Walmart parking lot. He saw a guy walking through the lot with a bike tire in his hand. The man was a man of lesser means. The nearest gas station is at least a mile away. Tim offered to help fix the tire, using our air compressor. The bike was this man’s only ride.

We are spending the night at Walmart again.

We heard from a good friend today. It is humbling to us when we learn that someone is reading our blog. You don’t know how much that means to us!

Mileage: 60,028 Walmart Pahrump, Nevada

It was chilly last night but we were pretty cozy in our little Jeep. The stars were tremendous. The wind picked up for awhile during the night but quickly died down again. The 3/4 moon cast bright light and long shadows on everything.

I was up early and took a walk in the wash.

We drank some cold brew coffee and packed up our stuff. We set out back across the long expanse of gravel washboard road…bumping along! We made another stop at The Racetrack.

We saw these tiny kangaroo rat prints as we walked back to the Jeep.

We were happy to get to pavement!

Once we got back to the RV, we cleaned up the camping stuff and took showers. We headed to Pahrump. We have an appointment tomorrow at the Jeep dealer. We are staying at the Walmart across the street.

We took our bikes and went for a ride late this afternoon. We ended up at Ohjah Japanese Steakhouse where we ordered sushi.

Now the blog is caught up and it is time for sleeping! Still planning for our next adventure…stayed tuned!