Microsoft Remembers Nephews Jason & Joey Taking Me To Las Vegas

Another Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day that I actually do remember, though I think the month was August, not July.

A few months before I moved to Texas my two oldest nephews, Jason and Joey, flew me to Las Vegas for some fun in the sun for four days.

That photo at the top is from the buffet at the Stratosphere Tower and Casino. The day before we'd taken the rickety double-decker elevator to the top of the Stratosphere Tower. Upon reaching the top the elevator doors opened with our ears greeted with a screeching alarm.

Electric power had been cut to the tower. Nothing was moving. The elevator made it to the top on emergency backup power. Dozens were stranded on the stalled roller coaster on top of the tower.

The temperature was way over 100 degrees.

The temperature inside the tower quickly became quite warm. After an hour, or so, the natives started getting restless, demanding to know how long this was going to last. I loudly piped up with how about giving us something to drink to keep us cool. A call was made and permission was given to open the bar, with free soft drinks to the kids, free hard drinks to the non-kids.

If I remember right it was almost three hours we were stuck on that tower. When power returned we lined up for our turn to return to ground level. Upon reaching ground level we were greeted by the manager of the casino apologizing for the inconvenience. I asked him if he could comp us for three buffets because we were heading for dinner when we got stuck and are now real hungry.

So, the manager wrote some script, like a doctor's prescription. We found our way to the buffet, showed the script and got treated like we were special guests.

The buffet had the option to play Keno whilst eating. I had never played Keno. The nephews asked if they could play Keno. So, they filled out Keno cards, which I then had to play for them, since they were not old enough. The nephews won some at Keno and thought it to be great fun.

And so, the next morning, waking up at Excalibur, at the south end of the Vegas strip, the nephews wanted to return to the Stratosphere for the breakfast buffet. And Keno. And so, we did, which is photo documented in the photo at the top, Joey sitting next to me, which means Jason must have taken the photo.

On one of the Vegas mornings I read in the local newspaper that conditions were such that Death Valley might break its temperature record that day. I asked the nephews if they wanted to get real HOT in Death Valley. They answered in the affirmative.

I've driven Death Valley several times when it is the HOT time of the year. You don't sweat. The moisture evaporates before you have a chance to sweat. You have to constantly be drinking liquids. Previous times I have followed the signs suggesting not to use A/C, as such may overtask the engine. That and no A/C lets one enjoy the overheated experience. 

But, the nephews insisted the A/C stay on.

We got to Badwater, and walked out into the flats a couple hundred feet below sea level.

It was HOT. There is a thermometer at Badwater, advertising the temperature, as this is the location where the temperature record can be broken.

I believe the above photo was taken at Badwater, with the nephews contemplating if they really do want to walk out onto the dried salt flats. Eventually they did so, but I have no photos documenting this.

Another day we drove to Hoover Dam. This was before 9/11 and so you could easily walk across the dam, to Arizona, with no overbearing security.

After playing on the dam, we were a bit overheated, and somehow found our way to a park slightly north of the dam, with swimming access to Lake Mead.  That is Joey next to me, in Lake Mead, which, again, means Jason must have taken the picture.

I webpaged the Nephews taking me to Las Vegas as part of my Nephews in Danger series of webpages....

Why Is Dallas A City People Refuse To Visit Again?

This morning, via MSN (Microsoft News) I scrolled through an article titled Avoid These 10 Cities People Refuse to Visit Again.

One of the ten cities people refuse to visit again surprised me.

Dallas, Texas

The ten cities listed...

Cairo, Egypt

Marrakesh, Morocco

Miami, Florida

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Dallas, Texas

Dubai

Hollywood, California

Las Vegas, Nevada

San Francisco, California

New Orleans, Louisiana

Well, Dallas is in some good company of other cities people refuse to visit again. 

The explanatory blurb about Dallas...

Texans say that megachurches, strip malls, subdivisions, and little else populate Dallas. Another person claims the city combines every bad part of Texas and markets it as a city. 

Well. I have visited Dallas multiple times and have never had it cross my mind that I never wanted to visit again. I've always enjoyed visiting Dallas. Fair Park, Deep Ellum, Dealey Plaza, Farmers Market, White Rock Lake, and more, like Pioneer Plaza.

I've been to some of the other cities on this list of cities people refuse to visit again. Hollywood, Las Vegas and San Francisco.

I've been to all three multiple times, so I am not one of those visitors who refuse to visit again.

Well, I really don't think I'd bother visiting Hollywood again. There is not a lot to see in Hollywood. Grauman's Chinese Theater, or whatever it is currently called, and the Walk of Fame. That's about all I remember about Hollywood.

Las Vegas wears me out after about four days, but, I always seem to return. 

San Francisco is a fun town. Just riding the cable cars makes the town special. And San Francisco's Chinatown is the best Chinatown I have seen. Plus the famous iconic bridges, the waterfront, and more. I don't get why anyone would say they refuse to visit San Francisco again.

Wall Calendar Triggers Grand Canyon Of COVID Torments

 

That which you see here is on the wall of my computer room.

Which would make that which you see here a wall calendar.

It has now been over a year since I have travelled further than 40 miles from my abode. 

I have not even been to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metromess for over a year. 

And this National Park themed wall calendar regularly torments me with reminders of scenic places I have been. 

For March it is Grand Canyon National Park.

I first saw Grand Canyon when I was 19. I had been to Yellowstone, and seeing the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and thinking it quite impressive, I suggested heading south a few hundred miles to see the more famous Grand Canyon.

Before getting to Grand Canyon we visited Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon, vowing to return, soon, with proper hiking gear.

After Bryce and Zion it was on to Grand Canyon. The North Rim. This truly was one of the more overwhelming shockingly scenic things I had ever seen. I was already in scenic wonder overload due to Bryce and Zion.

Ironically, it was just a brief visit to several of the North Rim overlooks, and then on to Las Vegas, then Los Angeles and Disneyland, vowing to return, soon, to Bryce, Zion and Grand Canyon.

It was just a few years later, in, I think, 1979, that I drove the longest roadtrip I ever drove, visiting places like Colorado and New Mexico and Texas for the first time. Just a little bit of Texas, after caving at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. 

Eventually made it to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, and hiked the Bright Angel Trail all the way to the Colorado. Going down was easy, going back to the top was brutal, and did not make it there til an hour after dark.

I don't remember for sure what came after Grand Canyon, that time. Probably Vegas and then on to Los Angeles. I think this was the time I stayed in San Diego for a few days and went to both the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park, or whatever it was called. I recollect going to a Sir George's buffet in a suburb of San Diego and driving around in Tijuana for a few miles. 

I did not make it back to Zion National Park til 1992, also visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, before heading to Vegas. I never have managed to hike the Angel's Landing trail in Zion which I vowed to hike some day, after seeing a Ranger presentation in the Zion campground on that first visit to Zion.

I was back at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon the last day of 1993, staying overnight in Flagstaff. There was snow at the top of the canyon and the trails were ice covered at that elevation, so no hiking.

But, that same trip had me seeing this cool looking location on the San Juan River, north of Monument Valley. The San Juan Inn in Mexican Hat, Utah.

That following year I organized a group roadtrip, from which my Internet nickname came. As I made various reservations I would mail out itinerary info to my fellow roadtrippers, calling the mailing "Durango Dean's Wild West Adventure Tour" or something like that.

This trip began with four days of houseboating on Lake Powell, cruising all the way to Rainbow Bridge National Monument, then off the houseboat to the treacherous descent down the Moki Dugway, to the aforementioned town of Mexican Hat to stay at the San Juan Inn. Which had a wonderful restaurant, owned and operated by Navajo, where I learned I like Indian fry bread.

After Mexican Hat it was on to Monument Valley and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, where I had booked us log cabins. This was in mid October of that year. During the night a blizzard blew in. By morning we were trapped, awaiting snow plows to clear the road. It was wonderful, one of my favorite experiences ever.

When we were able to leave it was on to Zion where we had rooms booked in the National Park lodge. We did a lot of hiking at Zion, but still no hike to Angel's Landing. After Zion it was on to Vegas for four days, then an overnight stay in cabins at Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley. That was also one special night. Best swimming pool ever.

I got a flat tire in Death Valley. That turned out to be added fun. After Death Valley it was time to head north, towards home, with a night in Mammoth Lakes, a quick detour into Yosemite, an overnight in Redding, and then home.

That was one fun roadtrip, slightly repeated five years later with a different cast of characters, though some were the same. Did not enjoy the houseboat so much that time. But the Moki Dugway and Mexican Hat were again fun. As was staying several days in Moab, mountain biking. After Moab part of the group headed back to Washington, whilst two vehicles, including mine, headed to Durango, then overnighting in the Imperial Hotel ( I think that was the name ) in Silverton. The high elevation was taxing. Enjoyed it immensely, particularly imbibing in the hotel's saloon. The next day the other vehicle, after heading north on the Million Dollar Highway, began its return to Washington, while I continued on through Colorado, eventually coming to the headwaters of the Rio Grande.

Overnighted that night in Taos. I want to go back to Taos. And would have by now if it were not for the COVID intervention which mucked up a Taos visit plan. After Taos it was south to Alamogordo, overnight. An event there at the National Space Museum turned highly entertaining. 

After Alamogordo is was on to White Sands National Monument, eventually overnighting in a scary border town called Douglas, across the border from Agua Preita in Mexico. Next day discovered Bisbee. Loved it. Then happened upon Tombstone when they were having their annual Hellorado Days Celebration. Weirdest parade I have ever seen. Loved it.

After Tombstone it was on to Yuma, a couple years before my mom and dad moved there. Had a mighty fine time crossing the border to Algadones, Mexico. And then it was time to head north, to Vegas, again, then Tonopah, then Reno, then back to Washington.

I miss taking a good long roadtrip. Some days I get feeling doing such things will never happen again.

I probably should take that wall calendar off the wall, what with its reminders of places seen and in need of being seen. So far, though only in March, I've been to the National Parks on the calendar. those being January was Grand Tetons National Park, February was Sequoia National Park.

Let me sneak a peak at April.

Yosemite National Park. 

I've only been to Yosemite three times. And have only overnighted there once, staying three days in a cabin at Camp Curry. Would love to do that again. Maybe not Camp Curry, but the National Park lodge instead. I forget its name, but it's a famous one, Ahwahnee, that's it...

Spencer Jack's Dad Asking What The Point Is In Las Vegas

When I woke up my phone this morning among the text messages were three from Spencer Jack's dad, my favorite nephew, Jason.

The three text messages included two photos, which Jason said had been sent to him by Spencer Jack's uncle, my favorite nephew, Joey.

Jason indicated he had no memory of when these photos were taken,  but guessed that the first one you see here was taken atop the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas.

Jason wondered if, due to my youthful appearance in this photo, that he and his brother had taken me to Vegas to celebrate my 21st birthday.

Well, on my 21st birthday, if I remember right, the arrival of nephews on the planet was a few years into the future.

I do not know how Jason managed to forget  that during August of 1998, months before I moved to Texas, Jason and Joey flew me to Las Vegas for four days, staying at Excalibur.

This trip to Vegas was documented via a webpage, years ago, titled, if memory serves, Nephews in Vegas.

That webpage documentation documented, in detail, the troubling incident which found us stranded for hours atop the Stratosphere Tower, waiting for electricity to be restored. It was well over 100 degrees, which soon had the Stratosphere Tower interior heating up to an uncomfortable level. Eventually cooling libations were provided. When we finally were able to get back to ground level we were greeted by the casino's manager who comped us a buffet dinner after I told him we were starving after the lengthy ordeal.

The other photo which Joey sent Jason which Jason then sent me is that which you see below, which had Jason asking me if I remembered to what Joey and I are pointing.

Again, I am shocked Jason does not remember these type important details.

On the second day of our four days in Las Vegas we learned that on that day there was a chance that Death Valley would break its temperature record at the lowest location in the Western Hemisphere. A location in Death Valley called Badwater, a couple hundred feet below sea level.

The nephews were onboard with driving to extreme heat. We loaded up with plenty of liquid and headed west.

In Pahrump we stopped to get gas. Hovering overhead a billboard advertised Pahrump's Bordello Museum. The nephews thought going to the Pahrump Bordello Museum would be a good Nephews in Danger experience, but I nixed that idea, and so we continued west to begin the long descent into the Valley of Death.

Badwater was HOT, but several degrees short of the record. We continued on, eventually getting to that which Jason asked what Joey and I were pointing at.

It was Zabriskie Point to which we pointed.

The memory of being in Vegas with my two oldest nephews seems recent, but so much has happened, and changed since then. In 1998 I still had a house in Mount Vernon, Bill Clinton was president, 9/11 was just a date which occurred every year. Donald Trump was a sleazy philanderer.

And, apparently, I looked to be only 21....

This Memorial Day Spencer Jack At The Eiffel Tower Has Me Remembering Las Vegas

When I woke up my computer on this morning of the 2014 edition of Memorial Day I saw incoming email from my favorite nephew, Jason, with the subject line being "Spencer Jack Visiting Eiffel Tower on Memorial Day Weekend."

I opened the email to find the picture you see here of Spencer Jack with what appears to be the Eiffel Tower behind him.

I am guessing this is not the Eiffel Tower which towers over Paris, France, but is, instead, the scaled down version of the Eiffel Tower which towers over the Paris Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It seems like only yesterday that Spencer Jack's dad and my favorite nephew, Joey, took  me to Las Vegas for four days the summer before I moved to Texas. If I recollect correctly it was whilst driving back to Las Vegas from heat seeking in Death Valley that I told my nephews I was moving to Texas.

And now, in what seems like just a few years later, Spencer Jack is bringing his dad and his favorite girl friend, Brittney to Las Vegas to Paris and the Eiffel Tower.

I wonder if Spencer Jack is taking his dad and Brittney to the top of the Stratosphere Tower. Spencer Jack's dad, Joey and I had ourselves quite a HOT adventure at the top of the Stratosphere Tower, some of which you can read via the above link referencing four days in Las Vegas.

I am also wondering if I will be getting pictures emailed to me of Spencer Jack riding the tallest Ferris wheel type device in the world, that being the recently opened for rolling Las Vegas High Roller.

I recollect that soon after the Seattle Great Wheel opened Spencer Jack emailed me pictures of himself, his dad and Brittney on the Great Wheel.

Does Spencer Jack tag along for the casino game playing? I recollect Spencer Jack's uncle Joey was only 15 when Joey and Jason took me to Las Vegas. Joey and I worked around him not being 21 by having Joey direct me as to what to do whilst playing Video Poker.

I also recollect Keno cards being funneled through me when the nephews discovered they could play Keno whilst we enjoyed the Stratosphere buffet for free as one of the compensations we received due to our HOT adventure at the top of the Stratosphere Tower.

Jason had himself a big Keno win, which caused way too much Keno to be played, including returning to the Stratosphere the next morning so the nephews could play Keno during the breakfast buffet.

I had never played Keno until my nephews corrupted me.

I suspect Spencer Jack is likely enjoying playing Keno, with his number choices being funneled through his dad. This type corruption is passed down, generation to generation.....

UPDATE: Additional incoming photos have confirmed it is the Las Vegas version of the Eiffel Tower which Spencer Jack is visiting over Memorial Day Weekend.

Above Spencer Jack is soaking wet after getting out of the Mandalay Bay pool, before getting in the Mandalay Bay Lazy River with his favorite girlfriend, Brittney.

I don't know what to make of the next picture.

I assume Spencer Jack is the photographer. The Luxor is next door to Mandalay Bay. Why are Jason and Brittney visiting the Chapel at Luxor? With Spencer Jack? Is this the second weekend in a row with one of my relatives getting married in an unusual location?

I Am Looking Through Prison Cell Bars At Rosie The Rat Dog Home From Alaska While Prince Harry Gets Naked Playing Billiards In Las Vegas

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell on this 4th Wednesday of August you can clearly see the sky is, once again, clear of clouds at my location on the planet.

A doctor appointment this morning in Euless has wreaked havoc on my regular repetitive schedule.

I did not go swimming this morning. An impediment is causing me to postpone my daily endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation until, maybe, later this afternoon.

Changing the subject from my woes to something else.

Reading Rosie the Rat Dog's Alaska! blog last night I was a bit confused. I thought Rosie and her Entourage were in far north British Columbia, making a slow return to the United State and their homeport in Kent, Washington. But, the blogging made it sound as if they were no longer in Canada, and that they were already home plotting their next trip.

This morning I learned that I was correct in my interpretation of the blogging. Rosie is safe and sound at home.

Changing the subject from Rosie the Rat Dog to Crown Jewels.

I was a little surprised, last night, to find myself looking at a photo of Prince Harry in a Vegas casino hotel room, wearing no clothes, and covering the Crown Jewels with his hands. Another photo was taken of Prince Harry's other naked side, with a big red star strategically placed.

Being a prince looks like a fun job, to me. I've never played strip billiards. I have been naked in a Vegas hotel room, a time or two, so I guess I have that in common with Prince Harry, except no photos showed up of me on TMZ, that I know of.

How much does it cost to stay in the Wynn Hotel's VIP Suite where Prince Harry lost all his clothes playing strip billiards? Does Prince Harry get an allowance from his Grandma, the Queen? Or his only income what he makes as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Air Force?

It seems like Prince Harry would make for a fun King of England. All that stands in his way is his grandma, dad and big brother. And maybe DNA testing showing that his dad is not actually his dad.

Spencer Jack & My Favorite Ex-Sister-In-Law Have Me Feeling Like Rip Van Winkle Hiking Up The Mount Baker Volcano

In the picture you are looking at my Super Nephew, Spencer Jack, and his grandma, she being my favorite ex-sister-in-law, Cindy.

I call Spencer Jack my Super Nephew because I can never remember if the right relation term is grand nephew or great nephew, but since Spencer Jack is a super duper nephew, Super Nephew seems to work for me.

Lately it seems not a day goes by when I don't get reminded of the speed by which time seems to be passing me by.

I often think I have some sort of Rip Van Winkle complex. Like I took a long nap and 20 years disappeared.

In the picture, judging by the evidence of other pictures, which I found on Facebook, via Spencer Jack's dad, I think Spencer and his Grandma are hiking to Mount Baker, via the Schrieber's Meadow route.

Here is where the Rip Van Winkle thing kicks in. I think the last time I hiked to Mount Baker, via Schrieber's Meadow, was with Spencer Jack's uncle, my nephew, Joey.

If I remember right Joey was 13 when we hiked up Mount Baker. Spencer Jack is currently 5 years, 4 months, 4 weeks and 2 days old. I got that precise age from Spencer Jack's infrequently updated blog.

In less than 8 years Spencer Jack will be the same age his Uncle Joey was when Joey and I did some mountain climbing up a volcano.

Back when Spencer Jack's grandma was still my sister-in-law, I never would have imagined there would come a day when she would turn into a mountain hiker.

Joey, if you are reading this, in about 8 years it is your uncle duty to take Spencer Jack hiking up Sauk Mountain during an icy snowstorm. And in about 10 years it is your uncle duty to take Spencer Jack to Las Vegas to get stuck for hours on top of the Stratosphere Tower, in addition to passing for 21 at the Hard Rock Casino and getting overheated in Death Valley.

Did Rick Perry Embarrass Himself At Last Night's Entertaining Las Vegas Western Republican Presidential Debate?

The early morning sky of the 3rd Wednesday of October is glowing clear and blue, which you can clearly see looking skyward through the bars of my patio prison cell.

I watched the Republican Presidential Debate last night, which overstimulated me and made me want to go to Las Vegas.

I don't think I've been in Las Vegas since 2005.

I've never watched a Presidential Debate with so much amusing bickering as I heard last night.

I don't know if my opinion is shared by anyone else, but to me, it appears Rick Perry is in way way way over his head. He seemed, to me, to make a big fool of himself. He even got the audience booing at him with his stupid harping about Mitt Romney supposedly being an illegal alien enabler.

Ron Paul makes a lot of sense a lot of the time. And then sometimes he says something fruitcakey. I can not think of a specific right now.Maybe one was the Wall Street occupiers should be occupying the Federal Reserve instead.

I don't know how many people watched last night's Vegas debate. If millions upon millions were viewing I suspect Newt Gingrich will be taking a jump in the polls, while Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann continue to plunge.

On a totally non-political note. Last night we got down into the 40s for the first time in a long time at my location on the planet, as you can see via my computer generated weather graphic.

My going swimming rule, that I adopted during our last swimming season, is that swimming is doable if the 24 hour temperature average is 50 degrees or above.

I am fairly certain the temperature has averaged 50 degrees, or above, during the previous 24 hour time period. So, I am going swimming now. I will let you know later how that worked out.

Getting HOT On The Windy Tandy Hills While Elsie Hotpepper Floats In Las Vegas

When I exited my vehicle on top of Mount Tandy today around noon I was pleased to be hit with a nice strong gust of cooling wind.

However, the wind was being real fickle. By the time I got to the location in the picture, that being Lost Sunglasses Ridge, I was not having myself my usual HOT time.

I cut the hiking slightly short and made a quick trip to the Town Talk cooler.

There was no new flooding in the Tandy Hills today.

I think I may be overdoing the swimming in the morning. It is easy to do.

Speaking of swimming. I'd not heard from Elsie Hotpepper for a couple days. And then my phone rang whilst I was in line at Town Talk. It was Elsie. She claimed to be calling from Las Vegas, from Mandalay Bay. Specifically from the Mandalay Bay's adult pool's lazy river.

I have been to Mandalay Bay. I do not remember a lazy river in the adult pool section. I do remember seeing the most toplessness to hit my eyes since I'd been at Vancouver's infamous Wreck Nude Beach, years before.

I told Elsie Hotpepper I'd need photo proof of her floating in the Mandalay Bay lazy river. So far that proof has not arrived.

A Late Hike On Fort Worth's Tandy Hills Thinking About My Move To Las Vegas Thanks To Betty Jo Bouvier

I was late on the Tandy Hills today, which you can sort of guess by looking at the picture, in which we are looking west as the sun starts to set on the stunning skyline of the downtown of the most Envied City in the Nation, Fort Worth, Texas.

I just got the rudest message from Betty Jo Bouvier, telling me I should move out of this lizard and snake infested location and relocate to Arizona.

How can Betty Jo not know that there are a lot of snakes in Arizona? And lizards?. And scorpions?

The desert location I would like to move to is Las Vegas. That'd be a nice central location. A few hours drive to visit my mom and dad and sister and nephews. And brother. In Arizona. A few hours drive to go to Disneyland. An easy drive north to Washington.

Along with all sorts of other places I like that I'd like to live close to.

Like the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park & Bryce Canyon. In Vegas it's around 30 miles to Lake Mead, which is like a less cool, but still incredible, version of Lake Powell.

Yeah, I'm convinced. I must initiate a move to Las Vegas as soon as possible. It will be tough leaving the Most Envied City in the Nation. But I am convinced I can adjust.

The Last Sunday Of July In Texas Thinking About Las Vegas & Crazy People

In the picture you are out on my patio looking at the last Sunday dawn of July 2010. The days of July 2010 seem to have disappeared very quickly. And now there are only 7 left.

We are almost downright chilly this morning. Only 76 degrees out there.

The water in the pool was noticeably cooler yesterday. Which was a good thing. It had been bordering on being too warm and losing its refreshing quality.

I hear no cicadas making their mating noise this morning. I don't know why they have to make so much noise going about that particular business. What if humans behaved similarly? It would be very unseemly.

Yesterday I saw fresh evidence of the mental illness of a nutcase I am so well rid of. I'm embarrassed I ever tolerated this particular individual. But, I guess I'm glad I have a tolerant nature. Up to a point. What is befuddling is that, apparently, there are others who do not see the obvious absurdity of this particular idiot's pathological lying. Even though, in the past, these particular others have made obvious, via joking about it, their awareness of this particularly peculiar idiot's peculiarly particular warps. Very perplexing. Yet, somehow, somewhat amusing.

Okay, enough with being cryptic.

I learned yesterday that rooms are costing over $500 a night at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. At Luxor, where I only paid $69 a night when I was last there, rooms now go for over $150. The last time I stayed at Excalibur, with my oldest nephews, I paid $49 a night. Excalibur is currently $129.

Buffets used to be a cheap loss leader to keep you in the casino losing money gambling. No more. No $5.99 lunch buffets. More like $16.99 at the cheapest.

The price rise in Las Vegas seems far ahead of what would be accounted for by the nominal inflation we've experienced the past 10 years.

Perplexing. But even though it's perplexing, I am in the mood for a Vegas trip. And the Rio buffet. I don't care if it's now over 20 bucks.

Viva Durango Vegas Adios Durango Texas

If all goes according to plan I should be seeing the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada sign sometime on Monday.

That's right. I'm finally leaving Texas. The moving van is supposed to be here sometime this morning. Loading today, exiting tomorrow, heading west via I-20.

First stop will be in Wink, to pick up a Queen. Leaving Wink Saturday morning.

Then on to Phoenix to see my parental units. Leaving Phoenix Monday morning. Las Vegas about 6 hours later.

I have an apartment waiting for me. I rented it via a website. It's got a nice pool. Due to the past couple days being so HOT, this first day of April had my Texas pool water finally warm enough that I swam for over a half hour this morning. Maybe I will get one more Texas swim in, Friday morning.

Saturday, April 24, the Queen of Wink and I have an appointment at the Elvis Wedding Chapel. From Texas, Elsie Hotpepper and my former fiance, Miss Puerto Rico, plan to attend. My therapist, Dr. L.C., will not be in Vegas due to disapproving of these moves. What a sourpuss.

I'm assuming my mom and dad will be in Vegas on the 24th. This should please the Wild Woman of Woolley, formerly known as Miss CVB, now known as Betty Jo Bouvier. Most people insist I not use their real names on my blog, but the former Miss CVB, yesterday, told me she does not care to be known as Miss CVB and prefers I use her real name. I tell you, you just never know. So that makes only Elsie Hotpepper and Betty Jo who's real names I use. I don't know if Betty Jo Bouvier is going to be in Vegas on the 24th.

I got a call a couple days ago from that former friend of mine from Tacoma who traumatized me the last time I suffered through a month in that fair town. Lulu (not her real name) apologized, quite profusely, for her bad behavior while I was in Tacoma and since. She also told me she has lost over 500 pounds and can once more board a plane. So, Lulu will also be in Vegas on the 24th. That should be interesting.

Well, I've got a lot of work to get done today, including going on my last hike on the Tandy Hills, before leaving Texas.

This may be my last posting to my Durango Texas blog. My new blog will be Durango Vegas. Viva Durango Vegas. Adio Durango Texas.

Moab, Arches, Stehekin, Maui, Las Vegas, Bears & Fiery Furnace Hikes With Nephews & Slow Modems

I think I mentioned I spent a few hours in the past couple days re-doing a lot of my biggest website. I updated old stuff to make it look slightly less ancient.

But, I did not realize, til thinking about it this morning, that some of those old webpages are well over 10 years old. No wonder they looked so dated.

Another thing with the old webpages is they were made back way before anyone had heard of the concept known as broadband, back when you thought you were being superfast when you upgraded from a 14.4 BPS modem to a 28.8, and then the unthinkably fast speed of 56.6. Was it .6? I dunno. It's been a long time.

So, back then websites could take a long time to load. If you made websites you kept graphics to a minimum. If you used photos you sucked as much resolution out of them as possible, while still managing a semi decent image.

That first picture you see above is not too bad. That was a scanned image, re-scanned during the era of broadband. That is Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park. I've done that hike twice. If you are ever in the Moab zone, do not skip Arches and do not skip hiking the Fiery Furnace, even though it will cost you a few dollars and it's a group, ranger-led hike. It's fun.

The worst pictures are those I used for one of the funnest things I've ever done, that being taking the Lady of the Lake on Lake Chelan to Stehekin in North Cascades National Park. I have never seen so many bears. Not even in Yellowstone, when bears were still allowed there. I think I still have the original photos of the Stehekin trip, though that is well over a decade ago. I could find them and re-scan them. But I am drawing a blank as to where the photos are.

Actually, now that I am looking at them, the absolute worst are the pictures from Maui with my nephews, Chris and Jeremy. They now live in Phoenix. Recently my sister was thrilled to have both boys moving back home again. Temporarily. I do not have the originals of the Maui photos, so I am stuck with these badly damaged images. Damn the early days of the Internet and what it made us do.

I have the originals of photos taken in Las Vegas when my nephews, Jason and Joey, took me there soon before I moved to Texas. I re-scanned one of them recently when I wrote a blog about Death Valley. The nephews and I went out to Death Valley on a HOT August day that had the potential to break the temperature record. But it did not. We got plenty HOT though.

It seems so recent that the nephews took me to Vegas. Joey was 15 then, Jason 18. Joey is now 26, which I guess makes Jason 29, married, divorced and with the cutest kid I've ever seen, my great-nephew, Spencer Jack, who has a blog, but it is viewable by invite only, so I won't bother making a link to it. That is Joey on the right, with his big brother, standing in the Excalibur pool, with the skyline of New York New York behind him.

Great Depression 2.0, Nephew Joey, Wal-Mart & Spaghetti

One of my favorite Facebookers put spaghetti on my mind this morning. So, a bit after noon I headed to my nearby Wal-Mart Supercenter to get spaghetti fixin's.

Judging by the post-church throngs in Wal-Mart, today, it sure is hard to believe we are in the throes of the Great Depression 2.0.

In the Great Depression 1.0 there were food lines. In the Great Depression 2.0 there are grocery store lines.

I did not buy milk today. Nothing at Wal-Mart vexed me today.

Nephew Joey called a couple minutes ago to tell me he is heading south on June 20. South to Phoenix, not Texas. I'll see if I can get myself to Phoenix in June. By then it'll be real hot. But I should be used to it, being in Texas. But, Joey? Coming in from the frigid northwest?

Then again, the summer before I moved to Texas Joey and his big brother Jason took their favorite uncle to Las Vegas. Our second day there the paper had the news that the conditions were such that Death Valley might break its temperature record.

The nephews were game to go, so we headed to Death Valley. It did not break the record, but at the lowest spot in our hemisphere, Badwater, almost 300 feet below sea level, it was 124. So, I think Joey will do fine in a Phoenix summer.

So, that's my fine day today. That and the spaghetti was real good.