tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-309876642024-03-13T12:08:18.929-07:00Vegas GirlOld Vegas, Local Vegas & Cool Places Around Las Vegas.TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.comBlogger299125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-69561997303717421712021-10-29T18:15:00.002-07:002021-10-29T18:24:04.317-07:00The Shrinking Lake Mead: A Photographic History<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As the popular saying goes, "A picture is worth 1,000 words."</span></h3><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjJfggKfyHx4swxSlSjSY-33fSOMlLT6DfnXNQIGTKRELurvNVbT7OeMkJkh6Uu5OaJu8AkM1fh8zwdyMAS5G4nTRs-QmyUMLWlgKn0Ej1BLNr6fRowlXbr-lT4F5MD7rq0r4cg/s6000/DSC_0219.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjJfggKfyHx4swxSlSjSY-33fSOMlLT6DfnXNQIGTKRELurvNVbT7OeMkJkh6Uu5OaJu8AkM1fh8zwdyMAS5G4nTRs-QmyUMLWlgKn0Ej1BLNr6fRowlXbr-lT4F5MD7rq0r4cg/w640-h426/DSC_0219.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>View of Lake Mead from the abandoned Echo Bay Resort<br />February 2021</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Like many Las Vegans, my reaction to the lowering water levels at Lake Mead has changed from a mere "Wow" to an alarmed "Holy sh*t, we may have to move."</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I've read dozens of articles about the woes facing the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/16/climate/colorado-river-water-cuts.html" target="_blank">Colorado River</a>, <a href="https://lasvegassun.com/news/2021/aug/16/western-states-face-first-federal-water-cuts/" target="_blank">Lake Mead</a>, and <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148861/lake-powell-reaches-new-low" target="_blank">Lake Powell</a>, but I think a look back at pictures of what Lake Mead looked like in prior years versus where we are today says more than anything I've read.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Here are some before and after shots of Lake Mead and Hoover Dam in the 80s, when the water flowed over the dam's spillways and turned into waterfalls, and in February of this year, 2021.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UHEmKh3p3wYUThy1sqaWZ5oyBzuICrdSmTWq0b60KHVmA-648p5zHkHWE5Qsq4O-bWqRFCXkQAXS0j62oXmDM5jyuqOUcSdFngPpxD4RzaXzzk5ob_53ydnRxGIGpQUmFpKcSg/s2048/Hoover+Dam+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1631" data-original-width="2048" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UHEmKh3p3wYUThy1sqaWZ5oyBzuICrdSmTWq0b60KHVmA-648p5zHkHWE5Qsq4O-bWqRFCXkQAXS0j62oXmDM5jyuqOUcSdFngPpxD4RzaXzzk5ob_53ydnRxGIGpQUmFpKcSg/w640-h510/Hoover+Dam+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Intake Towers, 1983</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4zA7tD6GdNMmRsb41rCbsMJ_JUXcZ3n9oVFG64biZqwQAOWfglZfWzqlKJ3Omcti6eSAEe3Sf63XiWakrNk1kdf9cHL5rZKPFgYkqllXME5jynx_WWNUBwlIyy__6aXYpQs5Lg/s6000/DSC_0081.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4zA7tD6GdNMmRsb41rCbsMJ_JUXcZ3n9oVFG64biZqwQAOWfglZfWzqlKJ3Omcti6eSAEe3Sf63XiWakrNk1kdf9cHL5rZKPFgYkqllXME5jynx_WWNUBwlIyy__6aXYpQs5Lg/w640-h426/DSC_0081.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Intake Towers, February 2021</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJozDLSb-2l-aw33A3PVsEWgJUEMQ6BIXMKBObSxJTPHp3Y-Q1LigQKn9fT1olNr4PD0SKD6eEUCXgNSE9V04a4VjwI51LgMl67viWGMMIbSSI3Nlf-hDiWhW2DXchYNWae4YbA/s2048/Hoover+Dam+5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1621" data-original-width="2048" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJozDLSb-2l-aw33A3PVsEWgJUEMQ6BIXMKBObSxJTPHp3Y-Q1LigQKn9fT1olNr4PD0SKD6eEUCXgNSE9V04a4VjwI51LgMl67viWGMMIbSSI3Nlf-hDiWhW2DXchYNWae4YbA/w640-h506/Hoover+Dam+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Hoover Dam Spillway (Nevada side), 1983</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2A0rUStEqM7oOn-XW9vnx6JYoaTnIjDSewcKFS9B88MlcSWivb5BEmXdVsxNhIpEDh99sKGAWorXriI2bEbjmN1-0c3IjKwneuQ48sWENkABFJycEyseIRVYtx8gkBNYm7Ca4QA/s6000/DSC_0080.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2A0rUStEqM7oOn-XW9vnx6JYoaTnIjDSewcKFS9B88MlcSWivb5BEmXdVsxNhIpEDh99sKGAWorXriI2bEbjmN1-0c3IjKwneuQ48sWENkABFJycEyseIRVYtx8gkBNYm7Ca4QA/w640-h426/DSC_0080.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Hoover Dam Spillway (Arizona side), February 2021</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nevada/abandoned-nevada-spot-nv/" target="_blank">Echo Bay</a> used to be the location of a popular hotel, restaurant, and marina. Back in 2011, the resort was closed but the marina was still open. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjYrSPdiiWlWCz9298CpXyi3BfyHEzduw9-yA3ZFGNzOr_u3eOVnDP1HwSM8CSVn5x1AVT9nmrQRpswvphkpeVW5ZJXkJYXTDonezyWp9OGqpP8JIf18pJoBZnEZAaMSiUd_4WA/s2048/Echo+Bay+Nov+2011.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjYrSPdiiWlWCz9298CpXyi3BfyHEzduw9-yA3ZFGNzOr_u3eOVnDP1HwSM8CSVn5x1AVT9nmrQRpswvphkpeVW5ZJXkJYXTDonezyWp9OGqpP8JIf18pJoBZnEZAaMSiUd_4WA/w640-h480/Echo+Bay+Nov+2011.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>View of Echo Bay from the marina's walkway/dock, November 2011</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsY-ezMFevk8getcNTzo5y8w49AmEEvgxtMqHqaDJSqeGKtPxnqi2V2SXikf6ubC6UefNMylmBy_CzzNfklpbaArNr1bvH7sSzZ9aUVrWwOUDLnX5WbAQXbmVMjehj7yzs8gjeQ/s6000/DSC_0205.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsY-ezMFevk8getcNTzo5y8w49AmEEvgxtMqHqaDJSqeGKtPxnqi2V2SXikf6ubC6UefNMylmBy_CzzNfklpbaArNr1bvH7sSzZ9aUVrWwOUDLnX5WbAQXbmVMjehj7yzs8gjeQ/w640-h426/DSC_0205.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Echo Bay, February 2021</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The resort <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lake/learn/news/marina-services-to-close-at-echo-bay-feb-1.htm" target="_blank">closed in 2010</a> in the wake of the Great Recession and never re-opened. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaxgx4AsopsvfNLnEbdvX2B9bUmntc84zO-3r_dK27S0HIFzIAwnNY6XA0mqrLHJD1Q1eTkDXJ5f7w5Av7XaYd198S3pmSxcMyLQy0lDgdE8DMprOL8UOHBklQwd1CfRIoRYjrw/s2048/DSCN8089.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaxgx4AsopsvfNLnEbdvX2B9bUmntc84zO-3r_dK27S0HIFzIAwnNY6XA0mqrLHJD1Q1eTkDXJ5f7w5Av7XaYd198S3pmSxcMyLQy0lDgdE8DMprOL8UOHBklQwd1CfRIoRYjrw/w640-h480/DSCN8089.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Shuttered Echo Bay Hotel, November 2011</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfy3cmPpNXsdHNW9-8DFdcEBiSYWBKLF98HWxXWYn_keUqbb2uaNqqJfbrw-9aWNJvbQfsZ7BzXP5_KvoNfjpoYabOYOb7OjYXHNnEbS2EnlTrrDpcnnN6U6Sn45YV1qUuDOfcw/s6000/DSC_0209.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfy3cmPpNXsdHNW9-8DFdcEBiSYWBKLF98HWxXWYn_keUqbb2uaNqqJfbrw-9aWNJvbQfsZ7BzXP5_KvoNfjpoYabOYOb7OjYXHNnEbS2EnlTrrDpcnnN6U6Sn45YV1qUuDOfcw/w640-h426/DSC_0209.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Echo Bay Hotel, February 2021</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I think these pictures say it all.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Everyone in this region should be concerned. If you're not, you haven't been paying attention.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">________________________</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>All photos by Terrisa Meeks</i></span></div>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-5973809030773437262021-10-12T16:29:00.000-07:002021-10-12T16:29:04.007-07:00 Las Vegas’ Wacky and Wonderful Museums<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Our city has some of the best eccentric and off-beat museums </span></h3><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6o2hDlDZf8A8tojyWsRFNEGRNjyxuXlx9_iA5oe2ykwup8ucgdn4UYGfNTunJax5T00ZPBzlzI8Zlqv0zr8CoNd5PJAItPXpvqiBc43FLH6_6tYS0T-GOBkyDC7uPz1dLA5O2Q/s2048/DSCN4852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6o2hDlDZf8A8tojyWsRFNEGRNjyxuXlx9_iA5oe2ykwup8ucgdn4UYGfNTunJax5T00ZPBzlzI8Zlqv0zr8CoNd5PJAItPXpvqiBc43FLH6_6tYS0T-GOBkyDC7uPz1dLA5O2Q/w640-h480/DSCN4852.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I do a lot of writing about Las Vegas, most of it over on the </span><a href="https://www.10best.com/destinations/nevada/las-vegas/" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">10Best Las Vegas</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> page, but most of it is about the obvious things people are looking for when they visit the city: hotels, restaurants, casinos. Recently I had the chance to write about our museums, which is one of my favorite topics. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I covered the <a href="https://www.10best.com/destinations/nevada/las-vegas/attractions/museums/" target="_blank">most popular museums</a>, which includes what I like to think of as the Big 3: <a href="https://www.neonmuseum.org/" target="_blank">The Neon Museum</a>, <a href="https://themobmuseum.org/" target="_blank">The Mob Museum</a>, and the <a href="https://nationalatomictestingmuseum.org/" target="_blank">National Atomic Testing Museum</a>. If you visit these three museums, you’ll get a pretty good look at the history of the city – and all three are home to unusual collections. While you should definitely visit them, there are also plenty of other historic sites, nature viewing areas, and museums you should check out, especially if you’re a local.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If you’re visiting the Atomic Testing Museum, you should also check out the <a href="https://www.unlv.edu/barrickmuseum/exhibitions#current" target="_blank">Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art</a>, which is on the grounds of UNLV. Admission is free and it showcases all kinds of art. Exhibits rotate regularly.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">If you’re checking out the Neon Museum or the Mob Museum, you’re in the right part of town for museum-going. The <a href="http://parks.nv.gov/parks/old-las-vegas-mormon-fort" target="_blank">Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort</a>, which is next to the <a href="https://www.lvnhm.org/" target="_blank">Las Vegas Natural History Museum</a>, is the site of the oldest non-native structure in the state of Nevada. As the name implies, the location was where early Mormon pioneers built a settlement in 1855. In addition to the restored buildings on the grounds, the visitor center also has exhibits and a wealth of information about early Las Vegas. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1MSUfXXe6a0pPH7O8AfhfJ-fFMOR6Cn-GMp1qCqCcpl9N6sMiwKeIr7Uh0LoGPZ3tzUh2qR2aXOM2JgB0yiU3urWOH-EWqtKhdu74IoBEE-Z4YqnLWUrpcPgeJtkkZmfbOmlRA/s2048/DSCN4866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1MSUfXXe6a0pPH7O8AfhfJ-fFMOR6Cn-GMp1qCqCcpl9N6sMiwKeIr7Uh0LoGPZ3tzUh2qR2aXOM2JgB0yiU3urWOH-EWqtKhdu74IoBEE-Z4YqnLWUrpcPgeJtkkZmfbOmlRA/w640-h480/DSCN4866.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Portions of this building date to 1855</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Not far from the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CulturalCorridor/" target="_blank">Cultural Corridor</a>, the <a href="https://www.springspreserve.org/" target="_blank">Springs Preserve</a> sits on the place that gave Las Vegas its name. It’s home to both the <a href="https://www.lasvegasnvmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Nevada State Museum</a> and the <a href="https://www.springspreserve.org/explore/origen.html" target="_blank">Origen Museum</a>, but the entire site is fun to explore and holds all kinds of history in its archaeological sites. There are hiking trails, outside play areas for kids, and a botanical garden.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">You can easily make an entire day out of museum-going and historical sight-seeing if you plan a trip to Hoover Dam with stops at the <a href="https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/parks___recreation/cultural_division/musuems/clark_county_museum.php" target="_blank">Clark County Museum</a>, the <a href="https://www.boulderrailroadmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Nevada State Railroad Museum</a>, and the <a href="https://www.bchdmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum</a> in the Boulder City Hotel. Alternatively, if you’d rather take in some nature in the eastern part of the valley, you could visit the <a href="https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/parks___recreation/wetlands_park/index.php" target="_blank">Clark County Wetlands</a> or the <a href="https://www.cityofhenderson.com/government/departments/parks-and-recreation/facilities/other-venues/bird-preserve" target="_blank">Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve</a>. Out in Boulder City, you could also swing by <a href="https://www.bcnv.org/facilities/facility/details/hemenwayvalleypark-10" target="_blank">Hemenway Park</a>, home to a herd of Bighorn Sheep.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMXij831ww2A5TfrLWC3sY4KH0cQNBSrsEIpwNLrCTTwcHcAQVRof2IoSadVp0lHKSglh18VmuefrM9Cwf9Om5wP6RO2FKF1-2tkGe6XrjVXimKV7YTWwj4ZRT6PqwNLd60l0Fg/s2048/DSCN3576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMXij831ww2A5TfrLWC3sY4KH0cQNBSrsEIpwNLrCTTwcHcAQVRof2IoSadVp0lHKSglh18VmuefrM9Cwf9Om5wP6RO2FKF1-2tkGe6XrjVXimKV7YTWwj4ZRT6PqwNLd60l0Fg/w640-h480/DSCN3576.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Clark County Museum's Ghost Town</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UhjO_VWdpzOCCDwotechh1u4xMadIOYD2TI7sr64rwt1QB-a6wgtQk9mxMxrNfVZ_Hyqj68hr0bxdj0ctdif6E7R-q4Jd3WvJT1VNi-sTjd5mERU895n9ZOTWR_zUg741lW5xw/s2048/DSCN3024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UhjO_VWdpzOCCDwotechh1u4xMadIOYD2TI7sr64rwt1QB-a6wgtQk9mxMxrNfVZ_Hyqj68hr0bxdj0ctdif6E7R-q4Jd3WvJT1VNi-sTjd5mERU895n9ZOTWR_zUg741lW5xw/w640-h480/DSCN3024.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Hemenway Park, Boulder City</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Of course, since we’re in Las Vegas, you could explore history of a whole different kind at the <a href="https://www.eroticmuseumvegas.com/" target="_blank">Erotic Heritage Museum</a> or the <a href="https://www.burlesquehall.com/visit/" target="_blank">Burlesque Hall of Fame Museum</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the <a href="http://pinballmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Pinball Hall of Fame</a>, also known as the Pinball Museum, which is home to the world’s largest pinball collection (according to their website). This is totally a hands-on experience – visitors can play all of the games. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There are even more museums than this – like the <a href="https://www.discoverykidslv.org/" target="_blank">DISCOVERY Children’s Museum</a> and museum-like experiences like the <a href="https://luxor.mgmresorts.com/en/entertainment/bodies-the-exhibition.html" target="_blank">Bodies Exhibit</a> and the <a href="https://luxor.mgmresorts.com/en/entertainment/titanic.html" target="_blank">Titanic Exhibit</a> – but I think I’ve made my point: if you think Las Vegas doesn’t have great museums, think again.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>What are some of your favorite Southern Nevada Museums?</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">______________</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>All photos by Terrisa Meeks</i></span></p><p><br /></p>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-20515473659679242302021-10-07T18:03:00.002-07:002021-10-08T16:01:21.942-07:00 Hearts Alive Village: Providing Critical Assistance for Animals and Their Humans<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The end of pandemic benefits has increased the need for assistance of all kinds, including help for pet owners to keep and care for their four-legged best friends.</span></span></h2><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGh_dlO15TWP9xiDz3KFXEPtP7Y6iv_y2pME9h-hKtSBg23HNS2_1Cy4JRgMxvQdaoDFen_xoRgv4wzj_dzFcEHM2JzGzKO7DHikpEQe5EOe0PLSci3xDXvX4AU_j8tUa7ZaFpA/s761/Hearts+Alive+Montage.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="757" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGh_dlO15TWP9xiDz3KFXEPtP7Y6iv_y2pME9h-hKtSBg23HNS2_1Cy4JRgMxvQdaoDFen_xoRgv4wzj_dzFcEHM2JzGzKO7DHikpEQe5EOe0PLSci3xDXvX4AU_j8tUa7ZaFpA/s320/Hearts+Alive+Montage.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hearts Alive helps all kinds of critters <br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo courtesy of Hearts Alive Village Las Vegas</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">About a month ago, the federal government ended the additional unemployment benefits provided during the earlier phases of the pandemic. In July, the eviction moratorium was ended. Many people are now left without sufficient income, and the unfortunate result is that many people will have difficulty feeding and caring for their pets. Heartbreakingly, some people will decide they have no choice but to surrender their pets to a shelter.</span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In Las Vegas, the <a href="https://heartsalivevillage.org/" target="_blank">Hearts Alive Village</a> is one of the rescues trying to help people keep their pets. This non-profit offers several resources for struggling pet owners, including a program to help veterans and their pets with training, financial aid for vet bills, boarding and other resources. They also offer a foster and adoption program, re-homing help, a pet pantry, low-cost vet clinics, and a retail location with new and gently used pet items like toys and beds. They recently announced the addition of a horse sanctuary this fall – an urgent need, considering the number of horse owners in Southern Nevada.</span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pfj8YLBa994QKa_SwT7YCXkFmypVi3W9AUJS-6WFO0esWi7Alf2FuBA4vG5-bub37ySRVL8Ge7t8CMKQA9SIy4ijx63q0itxjqhln6wdWyTFlnTKJFplMvmurmO8XN0exEgTig/s2048/IMG_4753.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pfj8YLBa994QKa_SwT7YCXkFmypVi3W9AUJS-6WFO0esWi7Alf2FuBA4vG5-bub37ySRVL8Ge7t8CMKQA9SIy4ijx63q0itxjqhln6wdWyTFlnTKJFplMvmurmO8XN0exEgTig/s320/IMG_4753.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hearts Alive is opening a horse sanctuary<br /></i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo courtesy of Hearts Alive Village Las Vegas</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Back in July, their location near Rainbow and Charleston was <a href="https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/local-animal-rescue-shares-shock-and-fear-after-burglary/" target="_blank">burglarized</a>. Although none of the animals were hurt, the group had to deal with the theft of money and equipment – never an easy thing to deal with, and at a non-profit, any loss is particularly difficult.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hearts Alive helps fill the need for animal assistance in Las Vegas. While the city’s official shelter, <a href="https://animalfoundation.com/" target="_blank">The Animal Foundation</a>, does its best to keep up with pet-related needs, it’s consistently dealing with an average of 30,000 animals coming in each year. It’s one of the highest volume single-site animal shelters in America. <a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/rj-magazine/a-new-leash-on-life-2380136/" target="_blank">According to the RJ</a>, Las Vegas has as many animals brought into its shelter as Los Angeles County, which has six shelters. That means groups like Hearts Alive are critical to providing resources for animals in Southern Nevada.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If you’ve been keeping up with the local news, you know that rent increases are driving people out of their homes, compounding the financial difficulties people are facing from the end of pandemic aid. The Nevada SPCA says that <a href="https://www.ktnv.com/13-investigates/pet-owners-facing-eviction-often-face-devastating-choice-between-housing-their-animals" target="_blank">moving</a> is one of the biggest reasons people surrender their pets. Many rentals don’t allow pets, or if they do, they require large deposits or higher rent. These cruel policies force too many people to choose between having a place to live or keeping their pet family members – and approximately 72% of renters have pets. Put that together with stats from December of 2020, when the <a href="https://www.aspca.org/about-us/press-releases/aspca-estimates-192-million-pets-living-households-risk-eviction-or" target="_blank">ASPCA estimated</a> that 19.2 million pets were living in homes that weren’t current on rent, and you have a recipe for a terrible situation. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m not ashamed to admit that I dearly love animals of all kinds. That’s why the current situation is so concerning to me. My pets have always been members of my family. I can’t imagine how people who are already going through catastrophic losses of homes and financial security must feel when faced with surrendering their best friends, or foregoing medical treatment for them, or being unable to feed them. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m urging everyone who can to make a donation to <a href="https://heartsalivevillage.org/" target="_blank">Hearts Alive</a> or another animal rescue. They’re doing all they can to help with a situation that will only grow, and they need our help.</span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVxzJmN7y6IuD8_MJB7TEudn9X9IUWmu85BunwmeJ4SLxDer2m9LnVGrMkPItr0PZqE-uM5f1QGZA1AcR_q67HRGYwKjbBjf1dN6qpqgy30USBL87cr9oAjMWawF6_pcHLhvu2Q/s768/Hearts+Alive+Kitty.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="768" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVxzJmN7y6IuD8_MJB7TEudn9X9IUWmu85BunwmeJ4SLxDer2m9LnVGrMkPItr0PZqE-uM5f1QGZA1AcR_q67HRGYwKjbBjf1dN6qpqgy30USBL87cr9oAjMWawF6_pcHLhvu2Q/s320/Hearts+Alive+Kitty.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>How can you resist this face?<br /></i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo courtesy of Hearts Alive Village Las Vegas</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-85671553568837879982021-10-07T17:47:00.001-07:002021-10-07T17:47:51.594-07:00 Stephanie Isaacson’s Murder Solved After 32 Years<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In July of this year, new DNA technology solved the Stephanie Isaacson cold case from 1989. While the killer has now been identified, no arrest could be made since the suspect committed suicide in 1995.</span></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Those of you following the case on this blog know I’ve been writing about it for over a decade. </span></span></h2><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-size: large;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMaMT0Got1X5Xrr0Bo07NdLRXvT8RPrHYT7WTdvb18H0qfw5GKj3zUJMtUFEJt_w2lZkM1J_-07Pa6_kOpSVxIIrxwKy8d-_JaJ3S0GcvLv5FyokkTRcbdcy8At-Gq7VcB8lKeQ/s727/Photo+of+Isaascson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="530" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMaMT0Got1X5Xrr0Bo07NdLRXvT8RPrHYT7WTdvb18H0qfw5GKj3zUJMtUFEJt_w2lZkM1J_-07Pa6_kOpSVxIIrxwKy8d-_JaJ3S0GcvLv5FyokkTRcbdcy8At-Gq7VcB8lKeQ/s320/Photo+of+Isaascson.jpg" width="233" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Stephanie Isaacson</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;">When the news broke that Stephanie’s case had been solved, media outlets everywhere covered it because of the technology used to identify her killer. Not only was the technology ground-breaking, the sample size of the DNA was the smallest ever used to identify a suspect. While all of that is good news, the fact that the suspect was no longer alive left many people feeling cheated out of true justice. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Since news outlets have covered Stephanie’s story extensively, let me offer links to a couple of the most thorough stories:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For a summary of the facts around the case, from the Washington Post: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/07/23/cold-case-vegas-stephanie-isaacson/" target="_blank">“A 14-year-old girl’s murder went unsolved for 32 years. A lab broke the case using just 15 human cells”</a></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For a deep dive into the case and how it affected the family, from the Review Journal: <a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/homicides/inside-the-metropolitan-police-departments-record-breaking-cold-case-2417810/" target="_blank">“Inside the Metropolitan Police Department’s record-breaking cold case”</a></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I wrote an essay over on <a href="https://medium.com/@thmeeks/the-murder-of-stephanie-isaacson-9680465162d7" target="_blank">Medium</a> about the years that I followed the case and how hard it’s been to get over being angry that no suspect will be brought to trial.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The <a href="https://dnasolves.com/articles/stephanie_isaacson_murder/?fbclid=IwAR37JeCSY2y4bDuMhtJHP_F4-fFmAOuLcyw-z7JlGFOkiSqWF9_VCYce-aU" target="_blank">technology used to solve the case</a> is ground-breaking, and I’m sure we’ll hear more about it it in the future. I just hope that future identifications can be made sooner rather than later so suspects can be apprehended and families can have some justice. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Many of the comments I’ve read center around the concept of closure in Stephanie’s case. Closure in this instance, <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/closure" target="_blank">according to Merriam-Webster</a>, is defined as “an often comforting or satisfying sense of finality.” Can true closure happen when no justice is served? </span></span></p><p><i style="font-family: arial;">My other posts on Stephanie were published in <a href="https://vegas-girl.blogspot.com/2007/12/next-generation.html" target="_blank">2007</a> and <a href="https://vegas-girl.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-unsolved-murder-of-stephanie.html" target="_blank">2016</a>.</i></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Thank you to all of the people who have kept Stephanie’s memory alive.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">______________</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Photo courtesy of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department</i></span></p>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-76873366348205901562021-10-05T14:24:00.000-07:002021-10-05T14:24:31.473-07:00Memories of the Mt. Charleston Lodge<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When I found out on
September 17 that the Mt. Charleston Lodge had burned down, I almost
cried. Judging from the reaction on social media, I was not alone. Two weeks later, it's still hard to think about the fact it's gone. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFzneYIvXEAdnu2sHxlyzB_EZylQDLN5KcxhRZ8jU6xQLKZw6nTKZSTSUYigzLPObJxwQvWINS2yVG_CXFNDujxvKJ5TPqLHaWY6-gsiuXdQ4OG7eh4az53KeVY_gU8YuXnOT8A/s6000/Entrance+to+the+Lodge+2019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFzneYIvXEAdnu2sHxlyzB_EZylQDLN5KcxhRZ8jU6xQLKZw6nTKZSTSUYigzLPObJxwQvWINS2yVG_CXFNDujxvKJ5TPqLHaWY6-gsiuXdQ4OG7eh4az53KeVY_gU8YuXnOT8A/w640-h426/Entrance+to+the+Lodge+2019.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Entrance to the Mt. Charleston Lodge, 2019</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></span></h2><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Some of my earliest memories are at the Mt. Charleston Lodge. I clearly remember looking at the snow outside of a window in the dining room, where my parents and I were having a meal. I was in grade school, maybe even kindergarten.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Over the years, I spent many a happy afternoon there enjoying a drink, a burger, and the view.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was even married there, with a ceremony on the outside patio and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/The-Dummkopfs-253962001444951/" target="_blank">Dummkopfs</a> playing inside (the band wasn’t our choice, but it was certainly memorable).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The owners have <a href="https://lasvegassun.com/news/2021/sep/20/finding-cause-of-mt-charleston-lodge-fire-may-take/" target="_blank">vowed to rebuild the Lodge</a> and I sincerely hope that happens. The Lodge we all knew actually replaced the first lodge, which <a href="https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/historic-mount-charleston-lodge-remembered-after-fire-destroys-local-landmark/" target="_blank">burned down in 1961</a>.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My hubby and I were last at the Lodge in 2019. I recently spent some time looking at those pictures. I, of course, had no way to know these would be my last pictures of the Lodge as we knew it. Here are several photos for those who would like to remember this piece of Southern Nevada history.</span></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAmtI6P25BgIFPYq2LOtiKG53WOef2Lo-XIjMSZX-e0Ic4bSl27fcaR5Jtz17M6rgMTpihjp-WZIgNwRr7ftK3cY2ENHbeJ4VQBLJWtS1MzDY-oi4hjq-q8zEVNhdqxTRvCAK4w/s6000/Patio+at+Mt.+Charleston+Lodge+2019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAmtI6P25BgIFPYq2LOtiKG53WOef2Lo-XIjMSZX-e0Ic4bSl27fcaR5Jtz17M6rgMTpihjp-WZIgNwRr7ftK3cY2ENHbeJ4VQBLJWtS1MzDY-oi4hjq-q8zEVNhdqxTRvCAK4w/w640-h426/Patio+at+Mt.+Charleston+Lodge+2019.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Patio area at the Lodge with the cabins in the background</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTd5O2a3eNguriEOuSiqivj2KPZ-UKdecjMKaK6wunm5YL_gVGXTNYO1DJUTql662mfbDwQi0QJeZavbcldXk3zdniYm9cOUSElQfWiK7MF3Qx7UyjlLlYd3-3nmUwKSFSHCoJw/s6000/Fireplace+at+Mt.+Chas+Lodge+2019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTd5O2a3eNguriEOuSiqivj2KPZ-UKdecjMKaK6wunm5YL_gVGXTNYO1DJUTql662mfbDwQi0QJeZavbcldXk3zdniYm9cOUSElQfWiK7MF3Qx7UyjlLlYd3-3nmUwKSFSHCoJw/w640-h426/Fireplace+at+Mt.+Chas+Lodge+2019.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>This fireplace warmed up generations of visitors</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QyuWIHOFvEzhjt_sT24a5xrkZOyVe76VOaHkeBkk23qE39JmKBIgX26c2QMZfMyrDC3fInuVMjeelp-yP5lQbziYceMTcka5feQ93Pa-C3WHWK-22c0uNNQGfRt0staCpPfT7g/s6000/Great+View+from+The+Lodge+2019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QyuWIHOFvEzhjt_sT24a5xrkZOyVe76VOaHkeBkk23qE39JmKBIgX26c2QMZfMyrDC3fInuVMjeelp-yP5lQbziYceMTcka5feQ93Pa-C3WHWK-22c0uNNQGfRt0staCpPfT7g/w640-h426/Great+View+from+The+Lodge+2019.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Who needs TV with a view like this? </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrh0cJLrgWn6qtntbby0gmi1oLugCqpfAh2WJxixkpalOeweFE9XCrgQ8oy7b1R11fsN3OHWyikNsdDxp1ecYpZajN__YmD3WwbQP4ZfZzGfzlL6JGgi98IOq5sRfO3Ks4OkxYg/s6000/Interior+of+the+Lodge+2019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrh0cJLrgWn6qtntbby0gmi1oLugCqpfAh2WJxixkpalOeweFE9XCrgQ8oy7b1R11fsN3OHWyikNsdDxp1ecYpZajN__YmD3WwbQP4ZfZzGfzlL6JGgi98IOq5sRfO3Ks4OkxYg/w640-h426/Interior+of+the+Lodge+2019.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>The cozy interior at the Mt. Charleston Lodge</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42OV7-D_pHLHVF5b1ix3-b2xY8g4QsfcwtMKPC9X2bCq0V4CP1UFWvsYn5sMJY2KeMnj-K8PQ9PumhRx0etxdkGxQbbAQye5F6NCYrsLtfgaIEdEpTPd-oUfrpQBSq9gCSx9nMQ/s6000/Mt.+Charleston+Lodge+Patio+Arch+2019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42OV7-D_pHLHVF5b1ix3-b2xY8g4QsfcwtMKPC9X2bCq0V4CP1UFWvsYn5sMJY2KeMnj-K8PQ9PumhRx0etxdkGxQbbAQye5F6NCYrsLtfgaIEdEpTPd-oUfrpQBSq9gCSx9nMQ/w640-h426/Mt.+Charleston+Lodge+Patio+Arch+2019.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Pretty sure this is the same archway we decorated for my wedding</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdA9S6Xfz_iNHffk_3D8b7ixEiCaUR31pJ2rdK-c68GZwRhJLZn7OqAjDX6epuZpvkfMTqHA40pJJPGBL4xI7ln-NdG17EkitcPCL03xCMSW9vbcB8kYfVGKK14NaQvfBZiJbrA/s6000/View+from+the+Mt.+Charleston+Lodge+Patio+2019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdA9S6Xfz_iNHffk_3D8b7ixEiCaUR31pJ2rdK-c68GZwRhJLZn7OqAjDX6epuZpvkfMTqHA40pJJPGBL4xI7ln-NdG17EkitcPCL03xCMSW9vbcB8kYfVGKK14NaQvfBZiJbrA/w640-h426/View+from+the+Mt.+Charleston+Lodge+Patio+2019.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>The incredible view from the patio. The snow-covered peak is Mt. Charleston.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>What are your memories of the Mt. Charleston Lodge?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>_________________________</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>All photos by Terrisa Meeks</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><br />TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-31983240574549927492021-01-29T19:17:00.000-08:002021-01-29T19:17:35.787-08:00Las Vegas Loves Snow<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This past Tuesday morning, the city woke up and discovered a thin layer of snow covering the western side of the valley. </span></h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZxq9qF98y9TUrmtLWlw73XqL-Hj0GILvfar6Xo-0D0q06k65zq014Q1B87ZBUYAl5SS1cvm9Qa6a-1hLHJArrPD0VaMwuRKU2E38YgZd_8iQx6vPwZXuR0mT4pGDENYBM-lieQ/s6000/Red+Rock+Overlook+Jan+26+2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Red Rock Canyon Overlook with Snow" border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZxq9qF98y9TUrmtLWlw73XqL-Hj0GILvfar6Xo-0D0q06k65zq014Q1B87ZBUYAl5SS1cvm9Qa6a-1hLHJArrPD0VaMwuRKU2E38YgZd_8iQx6vPwZXuR0mT4pGDENYBM-lieQ/w640-h426/Red+Rock+Overlook+Jan+26+2021.JPG" title="Red Rock Canyon Overlook" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>View From the Red Rock Canyon Overlook Trail On January 26</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">On the west side of Las Vegas near <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Red Rock Canyon</a>, we get snow flurries pretty much every year. The only question is whether or not it sticks in any quantity for any length of time. After a couple of decades, I have become inured to the charms of snow. When I woke up a little before 8 a.m. on Tuesday and saw my neighbors’ roofs covered in snow, my first thought was, “Thank God I don’t have to drive in that,” and then I got back in bed.<br /><br />The rest of the city lost its mind for the morning, with photos of snow-covered Las Vegas scenes flooding social media.<br /><br />By the time I decided to drive up to Red Rock, the snow in my neighborhood was pretty much gone, except for a few stubborn clumps.<br /><br />It was obvious as I headed toward the Red Rock Overlook that I wasn’t the only one who thought a visit to Red Rock was a good idea.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2l_9WFpOhXJayp3GupRFWfw9QqEGImLN180rBy1xkuCT2PUVhPNURJ3yY_zxh5WZac-_1g42Xa0_9Vbl3RDUrPRUo9AtkHtgxdEa8ArFXllGlqBgyesUwQO4RW9U69tukTEAPQ/s6000/Red+Rock+Canyon+Highway+159+Snow+Visitors+Jan+26+2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Highway 159 Red Rock Canyon Snow" border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2l_9WFpOhXJayp3GupRFWfw9QqEGImLN180rBy1xkuCT2PUVhPNURJ3yY_zxh5WZac-_1g42Xa0_9Vbl3RDUrPRUo9AtkHtgxdEa8ArFXllGlqBgyesUwQO4RW9U69tukTEAPQ/w640-h426/Red+Rock+Canyon+Highway+159+Snow+Visitors+Jan+26+2021.JPG" title="Cars Driving Highway 159 in Snow" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Highway 159 near the Red Rock Overlook, crowded with people seeking snow</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At various points along the sides of Highway 159, people were playing in a skimpy layer of snow covering the desert. I mean, there are still pointy things growing there. It just seemed odd. I saw one man throwing “snowballs” that looked to be about the size of meatballs. Small meatballs. Typically, when I think of snow play, I think of </span><a href="https://www.gomtcharleston.com/" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">Mt. Charleston</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, which has like a bazillion inches of snow to play on. (OK, slight exaggeration – but you get the idea. It’s a mountain, where snow belongs.)</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8EWXMvfzJqK4bG7ERbLkuF453qDinraY41_CGcI10s0wQbETpR7IVUmehtV4lyx6A-J98DBphlMmIWKuqY-YGcwAYPrJF9_c9Tav84QEsWylDEU6Y9YhMswseua9UGkH8szgkg/s6000/Snow+on+Joshua+Trees+Red+Rock+Overlook+Jan+26+2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Snow on Joshua Trees at Red Rock Overlook Las Vegas" border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8EWXMvfzJqK4bG7ERbLkuF453qDinraY41_CGcI10s0wQbETpR7IVUmehtV4lyx6A-J98DBphlMmIWKuqY-YGcwAYPrJF9_c9Tav84QEsWylDEU6Y9YhMswseua9UGkH8szgkg/w640-h426/Snow+on+Joshua+Trees+Red+Rock+Overlook+Jan+26+2021.JPG" title="Snow on Joshua Trees at Red Rock Overlook Las Vegas" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Snow on Joshua Trees</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">There was a line of cars coming out of Calico Basin. There was a line of cars to get in the Loop (which requires <a href="https://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/timed-entry-reservation-info/" target="_blank">reservations</a> these days, if you haven’t heard). The Overlook was crowded, but I was able to find a parking spot on my second pass around the parking lot.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzhInWAGzL79yHXLMklW8kvZOOAEMBJ6d0XbfqIF1hA0-q9YqVIn1_IDg897DOAZ6pUDW-UL9994_NF9g8w0VMtjiLMD3c7p3Q2BpYL85XVsoaVUqOQmIZ-IkqHfw0ANiqq1wmA/s6000/Sad+Snowman+at+Red+Rock+Overlook+Jan+26+2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Melting Snowman at Red Rock Overlook Snow Day Las Vegas" border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzhInWAGzL79yHXLMklW8kvZOOAEMBJ6d0XbfqIF1hA0-q9YqVIn1_IDg897DOAZ6pUDW-UL9994_NF9g8w0VMtjiLMD3c7p3Q2BpYL85XVsoaVUqOQmIZ-IkqHfw0ANiqq1wmA/w640-h426/Sad+Snowman+at+Red+Rock+Overlook+Jan+26+2021.JPG" title="Melting Snowman at Red Rock Overlook" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This was once a snowman. Trust me, I was there.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The atmosphere at the Overlook was festive. People were wandering about both on and off trail. One man was flying his drone. Photographers were there in abundance with their big cameras and tripods. Lots of dogs were out, delightedly exploring the mud and patchy snow.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVZa0FcBnmNndjYn1Jy5f8hUW0QIRFYGE-pAOaU0Akw4lFiJaFpz1NzQQAwI6VylHaHtoPiu8h49yJSVyuUroWJnBH1OZwmEfh6ixJFczS5F48_2LOs684BTVADTHlEslkPDvOg/s6000/Red+Rock+Overlook+Snow+Scene+of+People+Jan+26+2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Red Rock Overlook Las Vegas People in Snow" border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVZa0FcBnmNndjYn1Jy5f8hUW0QIRFYGE-pAOaU0Akw4lFiJaFpz1NzQQAwI6VylHaHtoPiu8h49yJSVyuUroWJnBH1OZwmEfh6ixJFczS5F48_2LOs684BTVADTHlEslkPDvOg/w640-h426/Red+Rock+Overlook+Snow+Scene+of+People+Jan+26+2021.JPG" title="People at Red Rock Overlook in Snow" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The photographers were out in full force, and with good reason - snowy Red Rock is beautiful</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The sun tried breaking through while I was on the Overlook trail, briefly shining on the top of Blue Diamond Hill (right on the area where <a href="https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/company-proposing-red-rock-development-files-for-bankruptcy-seeks-to-continue-pursuing-project" target="_blank">developers keep trying to build a massive housing project</a>).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBBoQD7pkkBl_EAnVs0dVVXnSfi_XOjswBXZivpyvVdz993MPpV8h0Q57G5NqzOXeiP-U9jFOh4LPczYiyRbMXr-9DniXVM_7k1QK7GMjJHeAiNKdc0juZ7GVlJ008bcFbgRI1Q/s6000/Blue+Diamond+Hill+with+Snow+Las+Vegas+Jan+26+2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Blue Diamond Hill Las Vegas Gypsum Mine" border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBBoQD7pkkBl_EAnVs0dVVXnSfi_XOjswBXZivpyvVdz993MPpV8h0Q57G5NqzOXeiP-U9jFOh4LPczYiyRbMXr-9DniXVM_7k1QK7GMjJHeAiNKdc0juZ7GVlJ008bcFbgRI1Q/w640-h426/Blue+Diamond+Hill+with+Snow+Las+Vegas+Jan+26+2021.JPG" title="Blue Diamond Hill Las Vegas" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Some people think this is a great place to put a housing development. A whole lot of us disagree.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Heading home, I passed the line of cars waiting to get into the Loop and noted (with only slight alarm) a photographer who decided to squat in the middle of the highway to get what I presume must have been a shot worthy of the risk. <br /><br />Back at home, the icy tidbits of snow left around the neighborhood were still hanging on. I took note and headed inside, glad again that I live in a place where snow is more of a novelty than a regular occurrence.<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Did you see the snow on
Tuesday? Judging from the weather forecast, we’ll have some additional mountain
snow over the weekend.<o:p></o:p></span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-family: arial;">All photos by Terrisa Meeks</span></em></p></div></div>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-74867293964271810502020-10-16T22:57:00.000-07:002020-10-16T22:57:10.564-07:00Hunting for Art in Las Vegas<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Looking for a socially distant activity that will get you out of the house? Take a car ride and go hunting for sculptures, murals, and graffiti.</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One of my favorite activities is to go hunting for street and public art, which has the added bonus of being something you can do largely from the safety (and air conditioning) of your car. It’s kinda like when I was a kid and we used to drive around to look at houses in fancy neighborhoods like Rancho Circle, only much more culturally enriching.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">If you’d like to take a drive and look for some art, here are some suggestions.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Fremont Street</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In Downtown Las Vegas, you see everything from gang tags to massive murals from the <a href="https://lifeisbeautiful.com/home/" target="_blank">Life is Beautiful Festival</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJ-1rOSVqUbnT6T5vmhObeDrmcwNqIejnnbmkw2ueCeVeYBtRCzi1vuMRy-dUgWi_N5ZTrjMOkQKVjCN5SrtRq-X2TA7SogxdbnkwEC8kcaWyDwLMqs17bEqIqaJwCykuuGSecw/s2048/Life+is+Beautiful+2013+Downton+Vegas+Mural.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJ-1rOSVqUbnT6T5vmhObeDrmcwNqIejnnbmkw2ueCeVeYBtRCzi1vuMRy-dUgWi_N5ZTrjMOkQKVjCN5SrtRq-X2TA7SogxdbnkwEC8kcaWyDwLMqs17bEqIqaJwCykuuGSecw/w640-h480/Life+is+Beautiful+2013+Downton+Vegas+Mural.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">This mural by D*Face was created for the first Life is Beautiful Festival in 2013 and is one of Downtown's most well-known murals</span></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Drive east down Fremont Street from Las Vegas Boulevard and you’ll find amazing murals on Fremont as well as along intersecting streets (roughly within the footprint of LIB). As you get past <a href="https://www.fergusonsdowntown.com/" target="_blank">Fergusons Downtown</a> at 11th Street, things start to taper off in the artwork department. You’ll recognize Fergusons Downton by the s-shaped semi truck sculpture in the courtyard, “<a href="http://mikerossart.net/bigrigjig/8m6ovlt6gwnnb90tj5mjxb9fl1vizf" target="_blank">Big Rig Jig</a>.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9iurRWJBcegtoed_O7b8LHr0F3nO-qqjnj3-MODYZygVuwx_Wo_-JsvLlxt-S7ydIYXQ258JclJaLpK0lt9uur-ERFkSUNiTa1UvdgzgyagkHfWoiut9dWqWnUQbevGsl5NkO6A/s2048/IMG_20170127_142601646_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1153" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9iurRWJBcegtoed_O7b8LHr0F3nO-qqjnj3-MODYZygVuwx_Wo_-JsvLlxt-S7ydIYXQ258JclJaLpK0lt9uur-ERFkSUNiTa1UvdgzgyagkHfWoiut9dWqWnUQbevGsl5NkO6A/w640-h360/IMG_20170127_142601646_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">"Big Rig Jig" in 2017, not long after it arrived in Las Vegas. The complex is much spiffier now.</span> <br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Main Street </span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Over on Main Street, you’ll find vintage shops and trendy new places along the recently renovated street (which is now one-way only – traffic flows north). On the streets intersecting Main are where you’ll find wonderful murals adorning the sides of the buildings. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ow2Gj3QavTmBlJqt5zzQNZC3IA4IPGDkafzk2xkRCqqTtYEv-azFnbP5-wIPivBs5sylEovCzdSY7FDINqVPZHMY7Lr6Ra6gfClUahGCq3hNuTLH1ugmPr_izvgJLvmEvWR8rQ/s6000/VGDSC_0879.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ow2Gj3QavTmBlJqt5zzQNZC3IA4IPGDkafzk2xkRCqqTtYEv-azFnbP5-wIPivBs5sylEovCzdSY7FDINqVPZHMY7Lr6Ra6gfClUahGCq3hNuTLH1ugmPr_izvgJLvmEvWR8rQ/w640-h426/VGDSC_0879.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZYTV6E15ETl5GZUXo2nUD99VAU1unxr4JdCDwNrEuqG9sGwCPFBrjE-HCQFlA6t2DIIIxjpThKeIRp-fHhoqpSyvZRF9WfpAL3ewmVRPcm9JLMjd0zGj_vPilmkzZV3fElcTJg/s6000/VGDSC_0868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZYTV6E15ETl5GZUXo2nUD99VAU1unxr4JdCDwNrEuqG9sGwCPFBrjE-HCQFlA6t2DIIIxjpThKeIRp-fHhoqpSyvZRF9WfpAL3ewmVRPcm9JLMjd0zGj_vPilmkzZV3fElcTJg/w640-h426/VGDSC_0868.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">About a block west of Main Street, you’ll find Graffiti Alley, which runs parallel to Main. It’s full of ever-changing artwork, tags, and messages (as are many alleys in this area). In general, the further away from Main Street you go, the artwork is more graffiti than murals. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGLRq2WYtcVPpVBB-YYreo2ipwHpzOSyNd57Epd2dt7HVeoJ9b1BGsY68HQ7QLhc7Ohdgz6i9AgpaIRHDhLgapKq35r96f8zXmL0lekorYetb9ZLAeVwniNUuZEwehBFaaCDFjA/s6000/DSC_0898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGLRq2WYtcVPpVBB-YYreo2ipwHpzOSyNd57Epd2dt7HVeoJ9b1BGsY68HQ7QLhc7Ohdgz6i9AgpaIRHDhLgapKq35r96f8zXmL0lekorYetb9ZLAeVwniNUuZEwehBFaaCDFjA/w640-h426/DSC_0898.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQNG_JdTd6VYJFGpXPqDUOivLPWsna2vCwr1xbRVGdCX8c-HaoNdgKCUydINM3dTgZ8OMfF99X3gVYRblBBapsASu1AJyOhBv60h9KR-5fnyRoEd_BL6rbQnxgGwdEOaz1-KL1w/s6000/DSC_0893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQNG_JdTd6VYJFGpXPqDUOivLPWsna2vCwr1xbRVGdCX8c-HaoNdgKCUydINM3dTgZ8OMfF99X3gVYRblBBapsASu1AJyOhBv60h9KR-5fnyRoEd_BL6rbQnxgGwdEOaz1-KL1w/w426-h640/DSC_0893.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I have to offer a warning: Fremont and Main Street are downtown, and you may encounter mentally distressed individuals, people under the influence, and those who could simply be called “colorful.” Be respectful and aware of your surroundings. I saw one Google review that said of Graffiti Alley, “Not what I expected and the area was pretty chock full of vagrants and homeless people,” but I honestly have never had any issues. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If exploring alleys in Downtown Las Vegas sounds too sketchy for you, don’t worry – we have plenty of other artwork around the valley.</span><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpo-uaPcS-AVLcbesf8ANYTDlCDAmD-V779yLZHageI-Mo7lvYKS4dlO0fP_PboQZC1LN_1o5B_QKGV5dFmsgUrZPArotVLN7uRPOA0amcgAeZSah-5pWM_bbbqR_m7ydltP4Og/s6000/DSC_0974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpo-uaPcS-AVLcbesf8ANYTDlCDAmD-V779yLZHageI-Mo7lvYKS4dlO0fP_PboQZC1LN_1o5B_QKGV5dFmsgUrZPArotVLN7uRPOA0amcgAeZSah-5pWM_bbbqR_m7ydltP4Og/w640-h426/DSC_0974.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Utility Box Art</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Did you know Las Vegas has <a href="https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/parks___recreation/services/public_art/projects/zap!_neighborhood_art/index.php" target="_blank">an official program to promote art on utility boxes</a>? The program started in 2005 and has prettied up utility boxes throughout town. Personally, I’m a big fan of the lizard and snake over on Lone Mountain, but you can find these gems by Desert Breeze Park, along Maryland Parkway, and in several other locations. Check the program's website for a list of the neighborhoods featuring artful utility boxes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOE0Hl2-Yx5v0rHh2lRM_RsP6lnzaUIxZQF9iXdC2daWkzRWCRcLZAh3HECQbJhYVuxcAEDLRDCXA41INXv5_9wvLqzhgFnIP4bZhKL-JqxPg4EKYAfZvbCle8en7sbnCppNqiDw/s1600/IMG_20171215_134554328_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOE0Hl2-Yx5v0rHh2lRM_RsP6lnzaUIxZQF9iXdC2daWkzRWCRcLZAh3HECQbJhYVuxcAEDLRDCXA41INXv5_9wvLqzhgFnIP4bZhKL-JqxPg4EKYAfZvbCle8en7sbnCppNqiDw/w640-h480/IMG_20171215_134554328_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPtgxwuHgi1KVal9BuzlhkmmsiOJ79O3G8laeCgRwHsNihih8N9a9ZSO7E71zoQxYNn_vMQdERT2araRTU45cTmx5xRvQibyv9KKks34YrIWuj7eT-duLp3nOQ1PZwvmrRgPX1g/s1600/IMG_20171215_134532028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPtgxwuHgi1KVal9BuzlhkmmsiOJ79O3G8laeCgRwHsNihih8N9a9ZSO7E71zoQxYNn_vMQdERT2araRTU45cTmx5xRvQibyv9KKks34YrIWuj7eT-duLp3nOQ1PZwvmrRgPX1g/w640-h480/IMG_20171215_134532028.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Median Art</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">We’ve also got fancy medians that feature sculptures of Joshua Trees, coyotes, scorpions, and other desert flora and fauna. I’m not sure why our medians also feature saguaro cactus sculptures since they’re native to the Sonoran Desert, not the Mojave, but inclusivity, I guess? No cacti left behind?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In addition to the desert-themed beautification on medians all over town, Clark County took it a step further with their <a href="https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/parks___recreation/services/public_art/projects/centered.php" target="_blank">“Centered”</a> project. Ten artists were selected to create original sculptures, like the large metal heads on Eastern at the 215 and the octopus on Pecos-McLeod, south of Desert Inn. The project’s website lists all the artwork. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I’d also recommend Alta from Rampart to Valley View for home-grown, local murals. Every time I drive it, I see a few new pieces. I think it’s an up-and-comer for street art.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">You can find all kinds of art along the Strip, especially at Aria and CityCenter, but you have to get out of the car and proceed on foot to see anything. While that’s a little too much potential ‘rona exposure for me, if you’re masked up and low-risk, you’ll find plenty to enjoy, like Maya Lin’s sculpture of the Colorado River, which is over the front desk at Aria. Lin also designed the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC.</span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Have you been out hunting for art in Las Vegas? What are some of your favorite finds?</span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>All photos by Terrisa Meeks</i></span></p><p><br /></p>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-2330161575825654022020-10-09T18:52:00.000-07:002020-10-09T18:52:58.653-07:00The Las Vegas Farm: Eggs, Baked Goods & Rescued Critters<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">A visit to The Las Vegas Farm is a family-friendly, outdoor activity that benefits rescued animals and gives you the chance to buy fresh produce, eggs, and yummy baked goods.</span></span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuY9e6EfT8T8sBl-Jz9dO1D0zytN0MZpbw2CDNkIsbksyxSB30IabCbFp___sGwEkaFUYwSjOR5L0r5JnEuaHm6wN5jlreGvQllmijFpGWKMXbyPEDqkL58h01R3cOh3gFRY-1A/s6000/VG+The+Las+Vegas+Farm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuY9e6EfT8T8sBl-Jz9dO1D0zytN0MZpbw2CDNkIsbksyxSB30IabCbFp___sGwEkaFUYwSjOR5L0r5JnEuaHm6wN5jlreGvQllmijFpGWKMXbyPEDqkL58h01R3cOh3gFRY-1A/w640-h426/VG+The+Las+Vegas+Farm.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you’ve never been to <a href="https://thelasvegasfarm.com/" target="_blank">The Las Vegas Farm</a>, which is a stone’s throw from <a href="http://www.thegilcreaseorchard.org/" target="_blank">Gilcrease Orchard</a></span><span style="font-size: large;"> in northwest Las Vegas, then you’re missing out. Open only on weekends from 9 to 4, The Farm offers a farmers market (no charge to enter) and visitors can walk through the animal sanctuary ($8 for adults) to see and feed the animals.</span></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlU13rFWmxKKvUZk2rOmQaTBdDvyKHBxNRpABxeyS7wNnFLA8WIMvwkkR0woWqVtB_8MfN3fhNQ6KXnmFiovIWAz7DA0fS4_WEy-RiwnbD_6r9h2gS2QrDXav8EEcMelQ9D2exYA/s6000/VG+Happy+Cow+at+The+Las+Vegas+Farm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlU13rFWmxKKvUZk2rOmQaTBdDvyKHBxNRpABxeyS7wNnFLA8WIMvwkkR0woWqVtB_8MfN3fhNQ6KXnmFiovIWAz7DA0fS4_WEy-RiwnbD_6r9h2gS2QrDXav8EEcMelQ9D2exYA/w640-h426/VG+Happy+Cow+at+The+Las+Vegas+Farm.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The homemade dill pickles I bought there a couple of weekends ago were the best I’ve ever had, and my son was delighted with the apple pie and muffin he got. (I got <b><u>one </u></b>slice of the apple pie and can verify it was delicious. I got zero of the muffin, so I’ll have to take his word on that one.) We spent probably the better part of an hour visiting the cows, goats, horses, pigs, and other critters. Animals who don’t mind socializing with the humans are usually looking for those with food to offer, which visitors can buy for a nominal cost (I think it was $1 for a bag). </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6T8gbtTfEsdEctrCtIoQxSNSr_5WsH4LCslEgVf7nGW536mpExyPLKBoFz17HrdD4Jq_TKUTmXSwd1x8g06bDsp3NJ6GyEqXgGMd_kG6xHSABT7An4kelySgavAhi5VsPuNO8CA/s6000/VG+Purse+Inspector+Goat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6T8gbtTfEsdEctrCtIoQxSNSr_5WsH4LCslEgVf7nGW536mpExyPLKBoFz17HrdD4Jq_TKUTmXSwd1x8g06bDsp3NJ6GyEqXgGMd_kG6xHSABT7An4kelySgavAhi5VsPuNO8CA/w640-h426/VG+Purse+Inspector+Goat.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">They also currently have a large supply of pumpkins, suitable for all your Halloween needs. (Adorable kitties not included, FYI.)</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsYpbfTxgItpvpoM9vZ1SyyznYQGh6MBdlpDCOBFpCtyRve1ACHzzkPoBPmbz3BKjI5b4hNn9OtunbYg4JlFCiFpag8TrvJ2H7JFRg29WE14GjOiZyqbfuqyXP0i6WoqqCM1WsA/s5769/VG+Kitties+at+The+Farm+with+Pumpkins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3847" data-original-width="5769" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsYpbfTxgItpvpoM9vZ1SyyznYQGh6MBdlpDCOBFpCtyRve1ACHzzkPoBPmbz3BKjI5b4hNn9OtunbYg4JlFCiFpag8TrvJ2H7JFRg29WE14GjOiZyqbfuqyXP0i6WoqqCM1WsA/w640-h426/VG+Kitties+at+The+Farm+with+Pumpkins.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Beginning October 10 and running through the end of the month, The Farm will host their annual <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thelasvegasfarm/photos/a.10151195762288472/10157954028418472/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">Harvest Festival</a> ($8 for adults, $4 for kids), which is currently slated to include rides and a maze. I think the festival might result in some larger crowds, a consideration that may matter to some visitors. It’s a big event for this true mom-and-pop operation, and my fingers are crossed it will be successful for them. As with almost every business in Las Vegas, the ‘rona has hurt them. Part of their business came from hosting events, and we all know how that’s going.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIfVxRKUE8Kq0frJm3SfUSVuoIo_2-j4UCPeawsEnWJXGKZAs_tBqDP74GW7_N4N3vn-v0LSWeNWcZxA62qKbc6CdWlfWxWJ25MoM9Y0V1CwX9sdq7LX4jXuiXewNig5Lsxo-bw/s6000/VG+The+Farm+Horse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIfVxRKUE8Kq0frJm3SfUSVuoIo_2-j4UCPeawsEnWJXGKZAs_tBqDP74GW7_N4N3vn-v0LSWeNWcZxA62qKbc6CdWlfWxWJ25MoM9Y0V1CwX9sdq7LX4jXuiXewNig5Lsxo-bw/w640-h426/VG+The+Farm+Horse.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">All visitors are required to wear a mask and wash their hands upon entry. Everyone I saw was obeying social distancing. I know I’m far from the only person being extra careful since I have a high-risk person in my home, and I felt fine about being there. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvMgkd-wW640H1ld8e3_rc22Hpijr4cErMGC17srXd50fzPA80QyRhDSA1x5bNu2aUiR4BSYzqqu0QLE4gVzO1esc4BA7_uT3h0DPhbF0tz6m9HTMqXBCbmODxMjAYVsqjB6dgQ/s4916/VG+The+Farm+Piggy+and+Chickens++%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3396" data-original-width="4916" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvMgkd-wW640H1ld8e3_rc22Hpijr4cErMGC17srXd50fzPA80QyRhDSA1x5bNu2aUiR4BSYzqqu0QLE4gVzO1esc4BA7_uT3h0DPhbF0tz6m9HTMqXBCbmODxMjAYVsqjB6dgQ/w640-h442/VG+The+Farm+Piggy+and+Chickens++%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If you’re looking for outside things to do, I suggest putting The Farm on your list. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://barnbuddiesrescue.org/" target="_blank">Barn Buddies</a> is the non-profit group that manages the animal rescue, and they are always in need of <a href="https://barnbuddiesrescue.org/donate/" target="_blank">donations</a> and <a href="https://barnbuddiesrescue.org/volunteer/" target="_blank">volunteers</a>. Check their website for more information.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>All photos by Terrisa Meeks</i></span></p><p><br /></p>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-20066652765114581822020-09-25T20:19:00.000-07:002020-09-25T20:19:59.957-07:00 Fire in the Desert<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Dome Fire in the Mojave National Preserve destroyed about a quarter of one of the world’s largest Joshua Tree forests.</span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It’s a place I know well.</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5p-iJNXZStcylRrIJIlacIQKgHPhAWky2b-1tNuBdN3LAnXKb0x-e52Lzgk28rdG_bP_s54PpXd25L-qrt9djQ1tu9SszMVveTeSivoHj7hRzfNKBR49WzMXvUFLNdaIMxA7VA/s2048/MNP+VG+Mojave+Road.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5p-iJNXZStcylRrIJIlacIQKgHPhAWky2b-1tNuBdN3LAnXKb0x-e52Lzgk28rdG_bP_s54PpXd25L-qrt9djQ1tu9SszMVveTeSivoHj7hRzfNKBR49WzMXvUFLNdaIMxA7VA/w640-h480/MNP+VG+Mojave+Road.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />During a year when fire is tearing through so much of the western United States, destroying entire towns and killing people, the Dome Fire in the MNP last month probably didn’t spend much time on most people’s news radar.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">For those of us with a personal connection to this part of the Mojave, the news of the fire has been heartbreaking in a very specific way. Desert rats understand that the desert is not adapted to fire. We know that the invasive grass species that have permeated our deserts act like tinder, allowing fire to spread and grow into conflagrations that can permanently alter the landscape. Native plants are destroyed and invasive species can easily take over.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is such a large topic that I’ve spent the last month reading articles about fire in the desert, delving into <a href="file:///C:/Users/thmee/Downloads/20278-35689-1-PB%20(1).pdf" target="_blank">academic studies</a> and <a href="https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-09-06/mojave-desert-fire-destroys-the-heart-of-a-beloved-joshua-tree-forest" target="_blank">news articles</a>, including accounts of the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/moja/learn/management/upload/hackberry%20fire.pdf" target="_blank">Hackberry Fire of 2005</a>, which took out over 70,000 acres in the MNP. I’m mildly obsessed at this point, especially knowing that many non-desert dwellers consider the desert to be full of nothing but dirt and rocks, a terrible misconception that leads the uninformed to think of the desert as empty.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lsb6XnbcTjyYOeNIy6_2LS16gGuxRDvgUEzwmawHvrsfDMNNNnQmUsC_B_zUyLszR2V_0QhEMmmr_t6rxoCtvNnOA666sy5NIPG8w3ZhQ4aErZlwdjuTvbDy_fg9RKh95ud7Lg/s2048/MNP+Nov+2008+by+Terrisa+Meeks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mojave National Preserve" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lsb6XnbcTjyYOeNIy6_2LS16gGuxRDvgUEzwmawHvrsfDMNNNnQmUsC_B_zUyLszR2V_0QhEMmmr_t6rxoCtvNnOA666sy5NIPG8w3ZhQ4aErZlwdjuTvbDy_fg9RKh95ud7Lg/w640-h480/MNP+Nov+2008+by+Terrisa+Meeks.JPG" title="Mojave National Preserve ca 2008" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLa3P1wbM0TEdnwRvYVcYiZWnwoThHWG7IyZjTX72gTPd8HyMCJ0X5FaXe-G4Gh65_L9Z0FTz7z3O33S3USQORrhk3ecaLVNVUVRLUCfgwe5zOrIiOZLsfDg1UOw53zeqwA89DJQ/s2048/MNP+ca+2008+by+Terrisa+Meeks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mojave National Preserve" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLa3P1wbM0TEdnwRvYVcYiZWnwoThHWG7IyZjTX72gTPd8HyMCJ0X5FaXe-G4Gh65_L9Z0FTz7z3O33S3USQORrhk3ecaLVNVUVRLUCfgwe5zOrIiOZLsfDg1UOw53zeqwA89DJQ/w640-h480/MNP+ca+2008+by+Terrisa+Meeks.JPG" title="Mojave National Preserve Joshua Trees and Windmills" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5gi7RgPpGPNRL1R4egyhMKjOviB8KCQX-q1syExa0dKawQ1F0AJv5nLUQdBk66BmkQS3D3_PiD-t-Goq1vGgCNzCNEv3ORYmhkLPUU4AhgqUReFRYm0prAu73Se4Q_VvLxnUHw/s2048/MNP+ca+2006+by+Terrisa+Meeks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mojave National Preserve ca 2006" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5gi7RgPpGPNRL1R4egyhMKjOviB8KCQX-q1syExa0dKawQ1F0AJv5nLUQdBk66BmkQS3D3_PiD-t-Goq1vGgCNzCNEv3ORYmhkLPUU4AhgqUReFRYm0prAu73Se4Q_VvLxnUHw/w640-h480/MNP+ca+2006+by+Terrisa+Meeks.JPG" title="Joshua Trees in the Mojave National Preserve" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">One of the first articles I wrote as a travel writer was about the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/moja/index.htm" target="_blank">Mojave National Preserve</a>. I can still remember the excitement of leaving the pavement and turning onto a dirt road I hadn’t previously explored, Joshua trees everywhere, the wide-open desert stretching out in every direction. I15 was a far-off ribbon of movement in an otherwise vast wilderness. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In 2008, my family spent Thanksgiving vacation wandering around the Mojave, through the MNP, <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/afton-canyon" target="_blank">Afton Canyon</a>, and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm" target="_blank">Joshua Tree National Park</a>. Winter is the best time to visit the desert. In the MNP, we found an abandoned mine, windmills, old corrals, and miles of desert filled with Joshua trees, cacti, lava fields, sand dunes, and desert shrubs.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJszHrF3pRdHef9bKQm7fxhkpTtSo79HC21N4cIMpAl8siopMIIPJNkGIb0mIXa9er10tuwSrk_TgxR4tRnEvn3NEWV-xAq2XcpUGdTi4NOTZciDMku8iixxAY-OqmUBB71n90A/s2048/Mojave+National+Preserve+ca+2008+by+Terrisa+Meeks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mojave National Preserve" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJszHrF3pRdHef9bKQm7fxhkpTtSo79HC21N4cIMpAl8siopMIIPJNkGIb0mIXa9er10tuwSrk_TgxR4tRnEvn3NEWV-xAq2XcpUGdTi4NOTZciDMku8iixxAY-OqmUBB71n90A/w640-h480/Mojave+National+Preserve+ca+2008+by+Terrisa+Meeks.JPG" title="Historic Buildings in Mojave National Preserve" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg32_Do_AXEzrXWoYmgee43ghzE9_Qmt-jWTXcYgsa2eow7pbv4P-7ge9-dYHwzmhgUGIweRD9mF5kzSwBNCPVsxSnDxsD1ixGdyjcpMvYlkwXCRniDIPg5gpnYkCeR0Fsl0B-5HA/s2048/MNP+November+2008+by+Terrisa+Meeks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mojave National Preserve" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg32_Do_AXEzrXWoYmgee43ghzE9_Qmt-jWTXcYgsa2eow7pbv4P-7ge9-dYHwzmhgUGIweRD9mF5kzSwBNCPVsxSnDxsD1ixGdyjcpMvYlkwXCRniDIPg5gpnYkCeR0Fsl0B-5HA/w640-h480/MNP+November+2008+by+Terrisa+Meeks.JPG" title="Old Ranch Buildings in Mojave National Preserve" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Deserts are fragile, contrary to their dirt-and-rocks image, and are full of life. As one article I recently read pointed out, even the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/jotr/learn/nature/cryptocrusts.htm" target="_blank">soil is alive in the desert</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The desert is an easily misunderstood place. It’s harsh and dry and prone to extreme temperatures. Both the plants and the animals can be prickly and unfriendly. Fire may not seem like a big deal in such a place, but I’m here to tell you that’s simply not true. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: arial;">All photos by Terrisa Meeks</span></i></p><div><br /></div>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-73145436157112371562020-09-18T19:04:00.000-07:002020-09-18T19:04:42.473-07:00What You’ll Find at the Red Rock Canyon Campground<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If you’re thinking of doing some desert camping, Red Rock’s only campground is open from September through May.</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Head west on Charleston Boulevard and not far past the gun range and the “Red Rock Canyon” sign (and the ever-advancing edge of Summerlin), you’ll find Moenkopi Road on your left. Follow the road and you’ll wind up at the <a href="https://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/camping-at-red-rock-canyon/" target="_blank">Red Rock Canyon Campground</a>, the only developed campground in the area.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5k5MoLZIdPLEXHuO2Pdyogu6jB18jWCiZDhgjkT40kmpZCksp7yL81Gnwfi-A4TvMWR3VewJGhFQ9MwFHAF7h2oQz1EMb-rku2f7gwZNGukb3m0ebRt9DWjfhQ47UnHZNVgVnyg/s1600/VG+IMG_20200917_133956851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5k5MoLZIdPLEXHuO2Pdyogu6jB18jWCiZDhgjkT40kmpZCksp7yL81Gnwfi-A4TvMWR3VewJGhFQ9MwFHAF7h2oQz1EMb-rku2f7gwZNGukb3m0ebRt9DWjfhQ47UnHZNVgVnyg/w640-h480/VG+IMG_20200917_133956851.jpg" title="Tent Camping Area at Red Rock Canyon Campground" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Tent camping area at Red Rock Canyon Campground</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The campground covers a substantial area and includes group sites, individual sites, and RV spaces. As of the date of this post, COVID-19 restrictions limit the size of group campsites to 20 people and half the outhouses are closed. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMB90Eg9mj1d2ijhsFxAkWMJB6kW8mrbQWFbF0Il__DiVbn1Mtj-u31uRPd8Qyyahkm1ffRmXT24LlxSFmMHb6K-9l3yGGHZ8jpdZpz6G5W3NreDM85CWgS8ReGtm6F72thDZqOw/s1600/VG+IMG_20200917_134353505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMB90Eg9mj1d2ijhsFxAkWMJB6kW8mrbQWFbF0Il__DiVbn1Mtj-u31uRPd8Qyyahkm1ffRmXT24LlxSFmMHb6K-9l3yGGHZ8jpdZpz6G5W3NreDM85CWgS8ReGtm6F72thDZqOw/w640-h480/VG+IMG_20200917_134353505.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">RV camping area at Red Rock Canyon Campground</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The day the hubby and I drove out to scope out the campground it was about 95F, still a bit on the warm side for desert camping, at least for me. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">While many spaces have shade structures, there are no trees of any kind. Personally, I’d recommend waiting until it’s a bit cooler before you pitch a tent here. Due to the campground’s proximity to Las Vegas, I understand it tends to fill up quickly.</span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1lDG4Pbc0inOEEV0afG8ZyvPtf6AY1zMwu3TdZ0uK7HTCuJDcWXTo8TFfAZYyA4Mpyrgz4Kon0yBd9ReqPl4nsCWrxs5dZ8bkp9zVeOzxWXOB-FdNdzXhHSrSQ8A7pLg9e_Vxw/w640-h480/VG+IMG_20200917_134422541.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>The road from the RV area back to the tent camping sites</i></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you’re camping at Red Rock, I’d bet you’re planning to get out and do some hiking along the Scenic Loop, so be forewarned: starting in November this year, reservations will be required to reduce crowding (which has become quite pronounced in recent years). According to the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-offers-online-passes-timed-entry-reservations-red-rock-canyon-nca-recreationgov?fbclid=IwAR0JTQ6p2AVInxg0X6EvAa5jZjaTUA-v03U8PkFnaVfOL5t2pdg-bYTTyqA" target="_blank">press release from the BLM</a>, the reservation system for timed entry will be in effect through the end of May.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">While the Red Rock Campground is the only campground near <a href="https://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/" target="_blank">Red Rock Canyon NCA</a>, developed campgrounds are also located at <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lake/index.htm" target="_blank">Lake Mead National Recreation Area</a>, <a href="https://www.gomtcharleston.com/" target="_blank">Mt. Charleston</a>, and <a href="http://parks.nv.gov/parks/valley-of-fire" target="_blank">Valley of Fire State Park</a>. Be sure to check ahead to find out what restrictions may be in place.</span></span></p><p><i style="font-family: arial;"><br /></i></p><p><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Are you planning to go camping soon, or did you get out during the summer? Leave a comment about your favorite camping near Las Vegas. </span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>All photos by Terrisa Meeks</i></span></p>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-46649760412097826572020-08-14T19:10:00.001-07:002020-08-14T19:29:39.950-07:00Flashback Friday: San Diego Zoo & SeaWorld in 1974<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I went looking for old pictures of Las Vegas but instead
found photos from a family trip to San Diego, California, in 1974.</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Lately it’s been tough to decide what to write about since my
work is mostly focused on traveling, restaurants, and other things that involve
going out and being around people – which is problematic (to put it lightly) these
days. So I decided to dive into my treasure trove of family photos in search of
any pictures of old Vegas that I hadn’t already shared.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Naturally, I found zero photos of the Strip, or Downtown, or
really much of anything beyond family road trips, backyard gatherings, and
holidays. It may be hard to remember, but there was a time when people didn’t always
have a camera on them. If you did, you had a limited number of shots on your
roll of film. Also, knowing my parents, they wouldn’t have been caught dead
walking around taking pictures like a tourist.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">In August of 1974 my parents took me to San Diego for a vacation,
which was a serious upgrade from our normal summer road trip to Texas. As I
recall, my dad knew a guy who comped the room and most of our meals. (My dad always “knew
a guy,” in true Vegas fashion.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">We went to <a href="https://seaworld.com/san-diego/" target="_blank">SeaWorld</a>, which at that time was a fraction of its present-day
size. I think I remember my dad saying the arena for the “Shamu” show was
new, but I haven’t been able to confirm if that’s true or not. (This was, of
course, long before there was a public awareness about all the issues with orcas
in captivity.) Notice the grassy hills in the background and the complete lack
of development around the arena – so much so that a hang glider landed as part
of the show. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfV8l0iLhyphenhyphenGlDkm2ym1T11rUXHdwbJhJoIBeSNkhOHeF0LhQ2JSH9UJqZX5116rQRuC9sNrXmNYrUmeL1ev3VtY68kKma9GW3tuDx7j1l3QzHRiTEpjRkrtb6rPWITjnCjBjoweQ/s628/SD+SeaWorld+Orca+Show+1974.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="628" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfV8l0iLhyphenhyphenGlDkm2ym1T11rUXHdwbJhJoIBeSNkhOHeF0LhQ2JSH9UJqZX5116rQRuC9sNrXmNYrUmeL1ev3VtY68kKma9GW3tuDx7j1l3QzHRiTEpjRkrtb6rPWITjnCjBjoweQ/w400-h398/SD+SeaWorld+Orca+Show+1974.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fJTrd92k6mxNUPOJJH64wFr9RAuWbgRZLE_WP3YFTqqi7QAz-KX3H5amEVSnMsIYFBbvvIiWy_1xQxukwS-2dUmWbrahF5gQXKp6hzZ_mHPQW5MoTxh5maCN4gs3WlHaMG2FxQ/s627/SW+1974.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="626" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fJTrd92k6mxNUPOJJH64wFr9RAuWbgRZLE_WP3YFTqqi7QAz-KX3H5amEVSnMsIYFBbvvIiWy_1xQxukwS-2dUmWbrahF5gQXKp6hzZ_mHPQW5MoTxh5maCN4gs3WlHaMG2FxQ/w399-h400/SW+1974.jpg" width="399" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">We also went to the <a href="https://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/" target="_blank">San Diego Zoo</a> on our trip, and
in looking at the photos I was struck by the appearance
of the old exhibits, which look alarmingly cramped and bare. I found a photo of the polar bears
in their sad cement enclosure and immediately remembered photos I’d taken in
1997, at the zoo’s new polar bear exhibit. By that time, enclosures were being
transformed into more animal-friendly areas – a definite improvement. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhraw-ngl_UB7gdIA02AUlp43J3YNYvb3tjFUv991L-zHqpREjidmFwuNzq91gXsLkxkwM_6BFsJPubDpFfIp1Zn4BNmnyw2NgxvpSX8zHo7vJGOO8TMWL97SOIPK_NJZBi_9o6kA/s627/SD+Zoo+Polar+Bear+1974.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="627" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhraw-ngl_UB7gdIA02AUlp43J3YNYvb3tjFUv991L-zHqpREjidmFwuNzq91gXsLkxkwM_6BFsJPubDpFfIp1Zn4BNmnyw2NgxvpSX8zHo7vJGOO8TMWL97SOIPK_NJZBi_9o6kA/w400-h399/SD+Zoo+Polar+Bear+1974.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXapTVYfWl0F22jdSyaG2ZLBXTZNv13V8rOmt83SPflNmy6iHO7Ql-CItetpdaZcRuKK-yvyRog7bKNChp9tDgxaxAg-c1cWgRSMYFRNLDT3AqH38DiYqtTh_bEUwZCByJgJ2Lw/s1189/SD+1997+Zoo+Polar+Bear+Exhibit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="1189" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXapTVYfWl0F22jdSyaG2ZLBXTZNv13V8rOmt83SPflNmy6iHO7Ql-CItetpdaZcRuKK-yvyRog7bKNChp9tDgxaxAg-c1cWgRSMYFRNLDT3AqH38DiYqtTh_bEUwZCByJgJ2Lw/w640-h429/SD+1997+Zoo+Polar+Bear+Exhibit.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">One thing that hasn’t changed? The beach. One of my favorite
memories of that trip was walking on the beach for the first time. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlR3jeC_8kV7nPAqIljddN15HnTgqPca-DHWfVVX9f8q_DYSm6IQFmt68Q35cRfzKBq7TiwPt6Q3oSBbGotfv8uybzq0arD7HLOsf-9niEobwPxakPTUPJOMzG_prRmURy5qJIFg/s627/SD+Beach+74.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="627" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlR3jeC_8kV7nPAqIljddN15HnTgqPca-DHWfVVX9f8q_DYSm6IQFmt68Q35cRfzKBq7TiwPt6Q3oSBbGotfv8uybzq0arD7HLOsf-9niEobwPxakPTUPJOMzG_prRmURy5qJIFg/w400-h400/SD+Beach+74.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Well, I should qualify that statement: the view looking out
toward the ocean is the same. Looking the other direction is another story.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What are some of your
favorite family photo finds? Have you spent any time working on old photo
collections while you’ve been at home?</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">_________</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>All photos from the collection of Terrisa Meeks. All rights
reserved.</i></span></p>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-52913153959670022372020-03-21T19:10:00.000-07:002020-03-21T19:10:12.932-07:00Las Vegas in the Time of Coronavrius<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Normally the Las Vegas Strip would be full of visitors on a Saturday afternoon in March, but nothing about what's happened recently is normal.</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With things changing so rapidly, I wanted to get out to see what the deserted Strip looks like before we're all grounded even further. Under non-pandemic conditions, I would have parked somewhere and walked along the Strip for the best pictures, but today I shot everything from a vehicle. My son, who was my driver, was quite adamant about me staying in the car. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The drive there was sobering. We took Spring Mountain Road through Chinatown, which was largely deserted. We took a right on The Boulevard and were stunned at the sight of abandoned sidewalks and empty roads. "I've had bad dreams that looked like this," my son said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was eerie and weird and unsettling to see the Strip so deserted. The largest crowd we saw was at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, where about 20 people were gathered to take photos.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've always liked taking pictures of abandoned places. I just never expected the Strip would be one of those places, even temporarily.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you, too, were wondering what a deserted Las Vegas Strip looks like, here are some photos for you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliAAON4-JPghpbmrQRgUVbY3yvG1zrZAQHrlmR-R7rEWNBmj3vMC8nd9K19PWzOoRG2UfFKF7v66eWhHqdcRQTVoEhLnlvdiZDKpsxd0S7Ewf7lu2JeeB1kRtnIypopsJsKNe3A/s1600/Fashion+Show+Mall%252C+Las+Vegas%252C+Coronavirus+Shutdown+-+By+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliAAON4-JPghpbmrQRgUVbY3yvG1zrZAQHrlmR-R7rEWNBmj3vMC8nd9K19PWzOoRG2UfFKF7v66eWhHqdcRQTVoEhLnlvdiZDKpsxd0S7Ewf7lu2JeeB1kRtnIypopsJsKNe3A/s640/Fashion+Show+Mall%252C+Las+Vegas%252C+Coronavirus+Shutdown+-+By+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Fashion Show Mall</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRwc44F4H4M4oFRt3qYckbPC5qxe3Lhc6PsfAOIUecKzGK2cDsEsM8EG9SMw9gdRIyLFjgqV9A7b76uSE7VWZxtwHl1F7GOyTm08QvdStb_s1pfIcyh5aYbvb1esIjrzYekRKvQ/s1600/Fashion+Show+Mall+and+Westbound+Spring+Mountain+Road%252C+Covid-19+in+Las+Vegas+-+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1147" data-original-width="1600" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRwc44F4H4M4oFRt3qYckbPC5qxe3Lhc6PsfAOIUecKzGK2cDsEsM8EG9SMw9gdRIyLFjgqV9A7b76uSE7VWZxtwHl1F7GOyTm08QvdStb_s1pfIcyh5aYbvb1esIjrzYekRKvQ/s640/Fashion+Show+Mall+and+Westbound+Spring+Mountain+Road%252C+Covid-19+in+Las+Vegas+-+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Looking west, up Spring Mountain Road from The Strip</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbstt5TqJ2sL6KxoSOrpEB2MnxwVh7K6lKsL_kPWuJ3YEBsqmRM7oB3BqoiD7jy5sQV1qNNi8JWhWq_-Mvg6BpngRF4Tz2gPo2JiO6aXgVaQDgSm4B1n5fvMwQbe2SYgIXXr4Xw/s1600/Z-Caesars+Palace%252C+Las+Vegas%252C+Coronavirus+2020+closing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbstt5TqJ2sL6KxoSOrpEB2MnxwVh7K6lKsL_kPWuJ3YEBsqmRM7oB3BqoiD7jy5sQV1qNNi8JWhWq_-Mvg6BpngRF4Tz2gPo2JiO6aXgVaQDgSm4B1n5fvMwQbe2SYgIXXr4Xw/s640/Z-Caesars+Palace%252C+Las+Vegas%252C+Coronavirus+2020+closing.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>One of the entrances to Caesars Palace, blocked off due to the coronavirus shutdown</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHelbrxbCEyIPXtLE-WT8ntT1_yKxCrqDtExVKxIoxO0u_bMbtonXfXZdOLJlkterkXMCx4voM4Aa-mKcbKKe8gg9ssjjSUE6eDpIZOsyxA6jelF8bao9BaXZwNGFToOt46CD9fw/s1600/No+Water+in+the+Caesars+Fountains%252C+Coronavirus+2020+Las+Vegas+-+By+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHelbrxbCEyIPXtLE-WT8ntT1_yKxCrqDtExVKxIoxO0u_bMbtonXfXZdOLJlkterkXMCx4voM4Aa-mKcbKKe8gg9ssjjSUE6eDpIZOsyxA6jelF8bao9BaXZwNGFToOt46CD9fw/s640/No+Water+in+the+Caesars+Fountains%252C+Coronavirus+2020+Las+Vegas+-+By+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Caesars Palace Fountains are dry</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mzI9AicmjBvGnTBCFP_d2cpEVHnstPTnbwrkH7JeTrzeF5yP-e92rAsnZ6BFZ5iPySu8PSqOiqZc7RTCSJe7eKneBuodIc-CTN5BPofLxKRqcFUWNljdTThQSIK94rKxMYOBlA/s1600/Z+-City+Center%252C+Las+Vegas%252C+Coronavirus+Covid-19+Shutdown+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mzI9AicmjBvGnTBCFP_d2cpEVHnstPTnbwrkH7JeTrzeF5yP-e92rAsnZ6BFZ5iPySu8PSqOiqZc7RTCSJe7eKneBuodIc-CTN5BPofLxKRqcFUWNljdTThQSIK94rKxMYOBlA/s640/Z+-City+Center%252C+Las+Vegas%252C+Coronavirus+Covid-19+Shutdown+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>CityCenter</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIYwCuTNhEn7O6GW76RafchLhkm1c8CLwbeWrwUncZkM51GK06TeoG_GzDWOVecgJRcDjUZ5taRZYYiTT40DjKxk8VCI2CW-Obcc0yLSYIe0shZj5VR9gVDvp2-Zetw7imJjwww/s1600/Park+MGM%252C+Coronavirus+Shutdown+2020%252C+Las+Vegas%252C+NV+-+By+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIYwCuTNhEn7O6GW76RafchLhkm1c8CLwbeWrwUncZkM51GK06TeoG_GzDWOVecgJRcDjUZ5taRZYYiTT40DjKxk8VCI2CW-Obcc0yLSYIe0shZj5VR9gVDvp2-Zetw7imJjwww/s640/Park+MGM%252C+Coronavirus+Shutdown+2020%252C+Las+Vegas%252C+NV+-+By+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Park MGM</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLPSqgTanJUXez1dddJSVWItyJdw8CSUCvDElEjrpTatt3gpxwy219LPYzTjucin4xpPT3nYIXARPAUIhN035BMPtkUpbfLuqdVLaxW0wcwF51sAy8re70zACWt6OvacJJa4JrQ/s1600/Luxor%252C+Coronavirus+Shutdown+Las+Vegas+2020+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="1600" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLPSqgTanJUXez1dddJSVWItyJdw8CSUCvDElEjrpTatt3gpxwy219LPYzTjucin4xpPT3nYIXARPAUIhN035BMPtkUpbfLuqdVLaxW0wcwF51sAy8re70zACWt6OvacJJa4JrQ/s640/Luxor%252C+Coronavirus+Shutdown+Las+Vegas+2020+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>In addition to a lack of people, you'll also find road construction in front of the Luxor and on the northern end of the Strip</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLDrOPLR9i5ku6Kw955wfMWO6eInXlHu5-GrIivsKokqe_PKlrVGic4RMIlG-fX75Wth0P96AL-5unAzCVySKqidiptkjruQVuIy69fBLBURGu7yZGqB-ZccetJQCfIAeC21XuQ/s1600/Z-+Cosmo+and+City+Center%252C+Las+Vegas%252C+NV+Coronavirus+Shutdown+-+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLDrOPLR9i5ku6Kw955wfMWO6eInXlHu5-GrIivsKokqe_PKlrVGic4RMIlG-fX75Wth0P96AL-5unAzCVySKqidiptkjruQVuIy69fBLBURGu7yZGqB-ZccetJQCfIAeC21XuQ/s640/Z-+Cosmo+and+City+Center%252C+Las+Vegas%252C+NV+Coronavirus+Shutdown+-+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Northbound on Las Vegas Boulevard at Harmon</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpT3la7e7fY2Sn1yzlbMZOIw16uggc99Vy0nieaGc4ijyI_Us9P1_JVhePTzR77lnEcWuF18xHRwIqUqHYrymSV_5GikPOIG3TQhIn-Z6TkrK0UkfW1vfxXJ3kkWXJKaSVxudpdw/s1600/Las+Vegas+Boulevard+Looking+North+-+Coronapocalypse+2020+By+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpT3la7e7fY2Sn1yzlbMZOIw16uggc99Vy0nieaGc4ijyI_Us9P1_JVhePTzR77lnEcWuF18xHRwIqUqHYrymSV_5GikPOIG3TQhIn-Z6TkrK0UkfW1vfxXJ3kkWXJKaSVxudpdw/s640/Las+Vegas+Boulevard+Looking+North+-+Coronapocalypse+2020+By+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A most unusual sight: a bicyclist not about to be run over while riding on the Strip</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>All photos by Terrisa Meeks</i></span>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-29297409398112463192020-02-19T22:26:00.000-08:002020-02-20T12:11:21.445-08:00A Trip to the Eureka Sand Dunes<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In late December right before Christmas, I got to see the Eureka Sand Dunes, which are the tallest in California and among the tallest in North America.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even if you haven’t been in Las Vegas recently, it’s probably not surprising to learn we don’t get much of a night sky, considering the Strip is the ancestral home of neon and one of the brightest damn places on the planet. I wanted to get as far away as I could get from all those lights so I could see the Milky Way. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm" target="_blank">Death Valley National Park</a> seemed the logical place to go, considering how close it is and the fact it has <a href="https://www.darksky.org/our-work/conservation/idsp/parks/deathvalley/" target="_blank">Dark Sky Park Designation</a>, which means its night skies are dark enough to see an astonishing array of stars and, of course, the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=milky+way+photos&tbm=isch&chips=q:milky+way+photos,g_1:high+resolution:oOqfPjZTEjc%3D&rlz=1C1GGGE_enUS400&hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwj9-pDOlt_nAhVtADQIHSyqDfkQ4lYoAHoECAEQFQ&biw=1688&bih=804" target="_blank">Milky Way</a>.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My initial idea was to drive to Death Valley with my son and hubby, stay until dark, see the night sky, and drive back home. Even if we had to drive back in the wee hours, who cared? We were on a winter break. No one had to be back at work until after Christmas. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the short winter days to get the maximum amount of night sky for my efforts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At some point while I was pouring over maps, it occurred to me that this was a chance to drive to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/eureka-dunes.htm" target="_blank">Eureka Sand Dunes</a>. These remote dunes had been on my wish list for years. Unlike the other nearby dunes in our region, like <a href="http://vegas-girl.blogspot.com/2014/11/vegas-girl-photo-friday-desert.html" target="_blank">Kelso</a>, Mesquite, Dumont, or Amargosa (those last two being ATV-friendly), the Eureka Dunes are relatively remote. The dunes are in the northern portion of Death Valley, in an area added to the park in 1994. Thanks to my son’s recent acquisition of a 4x4, we finally had two four-wheel drive vehicles for an expedition to the dunes, which had always been our preference for this outing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The other immensely appealing aspect of this trip was the chance to get outside the range of cell phone service, to a place where GPS is unreliable and other humans are scarce. My research indicated the Eureka Sand Dunes were the place for all these things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At his point, the hubby and son decided it would be a good idea to camp at the dunes. They pointed out how long it would take us to get there, given our proposed itinerary of Vegas – Beatty – Rhyolite – Titus Canyon – Eureka Dunes. We estimated eight hours travel time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was not a fan of the camping idea. My experiences with camping for a single day are that it’s a lot of work for one miserable, sleepless night. Also, we hadn’t camped in over ten years. They insisted it would be a good idea to stop for the night after a full day of driving over rough dirt roads, an idea I reluctantly agreed had some merit. Eventually, I decided if I had to give up sleep for a night to see the Eureka Sand Dunes and a spectacular night sky, it would be worth it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Saturday, December 21, 0430 </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We wanted to make camp two hours before sunset, which we calculated to be roughly 1430 (2:30 p.m. for those of you who don’t do military time). The math on that worked out to a rendezvous time of 0430 to load the trucks for an 0600 departure on Saturday, December 21.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We’d gone back and forth on which day to leave because of the pesky cloud cover that had rudely arrived in the entire region. The weather reports indicated this sky-obscuring situation would only grow worse as the week of Christmas wore on. It was anybody’s guess as to whether or not we’d get to see the night sky, the inspiration for our adventure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On Friday night we pulled together our ancient camping supplies and tried to sleep (mostly unsuccessfully) before our very early wake-up time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Everyone was up early and we were on the road before our estimated departure time. By the time the sun was fully up, the buildings of Las Vegas were long behind us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My son was driving his New Old Stock (it’s a thing, look it up), a Suzuki he’s been working on for months. This was its big road test. The hubby’s truck bed was filled with giant plastic storage tubs filled with our dated but still (surprisingly) functional gear, secured with tie-down straps so it kind of looked like we were moving. In back of the Suzuki, a tarp secured our six one-gallon water jugs, along with an assortment of tools deemed essential for this trip. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As we sped toward the tiny town of <a href="https://www.beattynv.info/" target="_blank">Beatty</a> (pronounced BAY-dee, by the way, not BEE-tee, my non-native friends), I kept checking the forecast. It stubbornly remained cloudy. We all agreed that even if we didn’t get to see the Milky Way, seeing the dunes would be worth the trip. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have a bit of mild obsession with the dune fields in the Mojave, a desert that doesn’t prominently feature dunes. Finding them takes some work. And the Eureka Dunes are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_sand" target="_blank">booming dunes</a> like the Kelso Dunes, a rare phenomenon occurring in only about 30 dunes world-wide. When enough of the sand moves, they “boom,” and a noise and vibration fills the air. You can feel it as well as hear it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Eureka Dunes stand about 680 feet (207 meters), putting them in the ranks of the tallest dunes in North America. Honors for the tallest dunes go to The Great Sand Dunes in southern Colorado, which rise over 750 feet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rhyolite and the Goldwell Open Air Museum</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We fueled up in Beatty before heading to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/historyculture/rhyolite-ghost-town.htm" target="_blank">Rhyolite</a> and the <a href="http://goldwellmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Goldwell Open Air Museum</a>, our first stops before we hit <a href="https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/titus-canyon.htm" target="_blank">Titus Canyon Road</a>, the 25-mile, one-way dirt road that would take us into Death Valley. After that, we would head to the Eureka Sand Dunes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rhyolite and the Goldwell Open Air Museum are only 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Beatty, and we rolled in while the morning was still young. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A collection of art might be unconventional and unexpected in the middle of the desert, but it fits perfectly right outside Rhyolite, one of the best-known ghost towns in the region. It’s well worth the time to stop and walk the grounds, which are filled with thought-provoking and whimsical works of art... like a giant bedazzled cement sofa. Or a ghost getting ready to ride a bicycle, or a group of ghosts re-staging The Last Supper, or a giant naked cinder block lady. It’s all quite photo-worthy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfrNFpCGFJ-4cBHELwPMgduVC81pkCtTiQm2Cdq3WaEQnqU0DPSfs_aIV6yjILyMvOY0u3drzYgNlPKO39jGngFygLjcEhQY4mhReFZRgTXF4HokRlWqtXSjWA0MBsMck1CiPLg/s1600/Ghost+Rider+by+Albert+Szukalski+-+Goldwell+Open+Air+Museum+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfrNFpCGFJ-4cBHELwPMgduVC81pkCtTiQm2Cdq3WaEQnqU0DPSfs_aIV6yjILyMvOY0u3drzYgNlPKO39jGngFygLjcEhQY4mhReFZRgTXF4HokRlWqtXSjWA0MBsMck1CiPLg/s640/Ghost+Rider+by+Albert+Szukalski+-+Goldwell+Open+Air+Museum+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yikjMLMNBVhE2biWtLP_CTSRZUzA2YRb7Jv4_ZC8CpXdP8ifU3yYC0QAvxOgHnYOUgMCd0AXyerWu4uZ-e02v9DeEJ4Kt2YsD34QzZOOGk4Ifz-wTyk9w0vSfJzB2oZeFZCngg/s1600/Puppets+by+Speeltheater+Holland+Studio+at+Goldwell+Open+Air+Museum.+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yikjMLMNBVhE2biWtLP_CTSRZUzA2YRb7Jv4_ZC8CpXdP8ifU3yYC0QAvxOgHnYOUgMCd0AXyerWu4uZ-e02v9DeEJ4Kt2YsD34QzZOOGk4Ifz-wTyk9w0vSfJzB2oZeFZCngg/s640/Puppets+by+Speeltheater+Holland+Studio+at+Goldwell+Open+Air+Museum.+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqeaVIuW5TNRIbhyphenhyphenwUxIY2u2jMuPvVXd-EYGOIADdvvUwpRxS28UDFlV2WBfat_-uKtdSVlFqBFQ0AH662tno9k7mhkkXaadT0P9IiG9SC_iwz3oPya9r086sUj00wADD4hrvvA/s1600/Sit+Here%2521+by+Sofie+Siegmann+-+Goldwell+Open+Air+Museum%252C+Nevada+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqeaVIuW5TNRIbhyphenhyphenwUxIY2u2jMuPvVXd-EYGOIADdvvUwpRxS28UDFlV2WBfat_-uKtdSVlFqBFQ0AH662tno9k7mhkkXaadT0P9IiG9SC_iwz3oPya9r086sUj00wADD4hrvvA/s640/Sit+Here%2521+by+Sofie+Siegmann+-+Goldwell+Open+Air+Museum%252C+Nevada+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rhyolite is a short distance down the road from Goldwell. Its slowly disintegrating buildings are visible from the museum grounds. I’ve written a lot about Rhyolite, a ghost town I’ve been exploring since long before protective fencing went up around many of its crumbling ruins. It’s a place I never get tired of visiting because I always find something new. You can drive through the town site, but I recommend getting out on foot to truly get a sense of this former boom town.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8oPFHf2JWk0Kh-DBUUEDKTRIrG4R4Kx2a_hFaaoHOCqTr0lW0vKqkYafJ_syuGhyphenhyphenb3DKVOVN1MhS9d3Cp4UmvqBbbvOfvLDrLy7iN7nL89s71hYpWsaYJTVvTFBOPNGiM90bow/s1600/Rhyolite+Ghost+Town+Abandonded+Building+Interior+-+Photo+By+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8oPFHf2JWk0Kh-DBUUEDKTRIrG4R4Kx2a_hFaaoHOCqTr0lW0vKqkYafJ_syuGhyphenhyphenb3DKVOVN1MhS9d3Cp4UmvqBbbvOfvLDrLy7iN7nL89s71hYpWsaYJTVvTFBOPNGiM90bow/s640/Rhyolite+Ghost+Town+Abandonded+Building+Interior+-+Photo+By+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWghPJEBQYotb6TT15gYCILzUodp0yYyFrIHPe11lWuwfdFGSWoQTJsSy2rxJxYK9C05ZGs2ompvgdXQY7tlPzgDWBjbtwQ46K1nClVyP0diBL-SLo9uCmXl2HJEOq-6JBoPASQ/s1600/Rhyolite%252C+Nevada+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWghPJEBQYotb6TT15gYCILzUodp0yYyFrIHPe11lWuwfdFGSWoQTJsSy2rxJxYK9C05ZGs2ompvgdXQY7tlPzgDWBjbtwQ46K1nClVyP0diBL-SLo9uCmXl2HJEOq-6JBoPASQ/s640/Rhyolite%252C+Nevada+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After wandering around the museum and Rhyolite, we headed to Titus Canyon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Titus Canyon and Leadfield</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The turn off to Titus Canyon Road comes up quickly after you leave Rhyolite. On the day we drove the road, it had recently re-opened after being closed due to storm damage, and was closed again about a week after our visit due to more storm damage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKN4ezJ0suX-By-KozrYQNAFK5uSs3g9wra3gWUH-tcjajLqRJzmaJCSbOaf-J45WoNExkZoeYeD1zgUra8b0vW_365yUdgdDI4I2FpqnapvBHDr-0y3wC7fggi2ibEhkvnB_rg/s1600/Road+to+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKN4ezJ0suX-By-KozrYQNAFK5uSs3g9wra3gWUH-tcjajLqRJzmaJCSbOaf-J45WoNExkZoeYeD1zgUra8b0vW_365yUdgdDI4I2FpqnapvBHDr-0y3wC7fggi2ibEhkvnB_rg/s640/Road+to+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you intend to venture off into any dirt roads or remote areas of Death Valley, one of the things you need to do is check the park’s website for news about warnings and road closures. Storms in these parts can wash out roads, turn them into impassable mud, or cover them with ice and snow, or some combination of all of the above. Nature has the upper hand here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Titus Canyon is in the Grapevine Mountains, and getting there involves driving through Titanothere Canyon. The landscape is full of otherworldly layers of colors and jagged, rocky mountains. Eventually the road reaches Red Pass at 5,250 feet, the high point between Titanothere and Titus Canyons, then descends to the bottom of the canyon where you’ll find the ghost town of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadfield,_California" target="_blank">Leadfield</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRa02qrV_tFYmZ5f2L_cR6QVSqEQD8jOzarIiTOYuTnZ1EHjmaY-JjbqnxdpRbfsZI5ftBKfUNYWGcpXJdvQi2Yd6NtJQU8-JTYNChyG1HG19R_eUuhzyWq4RPVcyXwOP_1-MdTQ/s1600/Titus+Canyon+Road%252C+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRa02qrV_tFYmZ5f2L_cR6QVSqEQD8jOzarIiTOYuTnZ1EHjmaY-JjbqnxdpRbfsZI5ftBKfUNYWGcpXJdvQi2Yd6NtJQU8-JTYNChyG1HG19R_eUuhzyWq4RPVcyXwOP_1-MdTQ/s640/Titus+Canyon+Road%252C+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKU2BUmOtg5Jy5bK6iixZm-drkhCO55OlvR7pMK3rE4Np29zAOtki_lUztshkOPOHJU_m1SkawZjHG5oeuJapZn4l83Lx8Z_V9Eoc2waYZNkNx_xyydaxQ7_1s6gCAAtAe8k7Nw/s1600/Leadfield+Ghost+Town%252C+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKU2BUmOtg5Jy5bK6iixZm-drkhCO55OlvR7pMK3rE4Np29zAOtki_lUztshkOPOHJU_m1SkawZjHG5oeuJapZn4l83Lx8Z_V9Eoc2waYZNkNx_xyydaxQ7_1s6gCAAtAe8k7Nw/s640/Leadfield+Ghost+Town%252C+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This road is a fun and popular drive. Four-wheel drive is nice to have, but we’ve done it with a two-wheel drive Jeep. I rode with my son on this stretch of road, which climbs and curves its way up and over Red Pass. We bounced all over the road, skittering sideways a little here and there as we went around the sharp corners. It’s one of those roads that’s so much fun you want to go back and do it again as soon as you’re done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On this road we also discovered that our gallon water jugs were faring badly in the back of the Suzuki, now known as the Little Zook, although everyone was happy to find that the stuff leaking out of the back of Zook was water and not some essential car fluid. We patched up what we could and made a mental note about not bringing those again, in what was the first of many discoveries we mentally filed for future reference. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At Leadfield we stopped and explored the area, which has a few buildings, piles of mining tailings, and boarded-up mines. Throughout Death Valley – in fact, throughout Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Colorado – you’ll find plenty of abandoned mines (it’s actually a problem). If you ever find an old mine that’s still open, resist the urge to explore. They’re <a href="https://geology.com/articles/abandoned-mines.shtml" target="_blank">incredibly dangerous</a>, being prone to cave-in and often have passages that open up unexpectedly beneath you. Mines are not worth the risk to explore. Go find a nice cave instead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After leaving Leadfield, the road runs through a dry wash and, unsurprisingly, this area is prone to flash flooding. It looked like some serious water had been through not long before, judging from the deep channels, twisted plants, piles of gravel and unexpectedly placed debris in the sandy, rocky canyon floor. The cliffs around the road tower thousands of feet above you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The last mile and half before you enter Death Valley is the most spectacular part of Titus Canyon because the cliff walls constrict to less than 20 feet across in some places. This slot canyon has no place to pull over. The twisty, turny road gives you no idea where you’re going until the very end, when you emerge dramatically into Death Valley to a panoramic view of the valley floor and surrounding mountain ranges. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdwEcc_c4DvTAw-q4A00PvM764E5Zq-mspXZfqzbe-cQ6740LI0iq_1kA9wCQX0RWk558AEY8wRLZtwz7HXodQioKLC4KoHGu1lOCpXlNLwMQhzM6XTYO5qguoJNjNCGbTGa6Gg/s1600/Titus+Canyon+Narrows+Opening+to+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdwEcc_c4DvTAw-q4A00PvM764E5Zq-mspXZfqzbe-cQ6740LI0iq_1kA9wCQX0RWk558AEY8wRLZtwz7HXodQioKLC4KoHGu1lOCpXlNLwMQhzM6XTYO5qguoJNjNCGbTGa6Gg/s640/Titus+Canyon+Narrows+Opening+to+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next stop: Eureka Sand Dunes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Eureka Sand Dunes </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We drove north once we hit Scotty’s Castle Road. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/historyculture/scottys-castle.htm" target="_blank">Scotty’s Castle</a> itself and the road through Grapevine Canyon Road have been closed since massive floods damaged the area in 2015. Currently the NPS predicts the castle will re-open sometime in 2020, and I noticed the park’s website now has a <a href="https://www.dvnha.org/programs-events/death-valley-institute-field-school-events/scotty-s-castle-flood-recovery-tours-walking-tour" target="_blank">link to a walking tour of the grounds</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our route took us to Big Pine Road, a wash-boarded dirt road that stretched to the horizon, disappearing from our sight before we could ascertain its route up and over the Last Chance Mountains. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaHYdSurZt1SMdQ0qGm3YFi0Bn8W4Re2qpCytM8pW9gBamIPAh0Nd7DKic5yV5vCXUVOXtCEPKfiMAix1uv0Q-7ySZ4DlmTlC2ZK6fDci7uAPR-dNQcpp6qawWRMFCvLngffj2g/s1600/VG+-+Big+Pine+Road%252C+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaHYdSurZt1SMdQ0qGm3YFi0Bn8W4Re2qpCytM8pW9gBamIPAh0Nd7DKic5yV5vCXUVOXtCEPKfiMAix1uv0Q-7ySZ4DlmTlC2ZK6fDci7uAPR-dNQcpp6qawWRMFCvLngffj2g/s640/VG+-+Big+Pine+Road%252C+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Off we started up road, which was teeth-chatteringly wash-boarded, featuring sections where water had carved dry stream beds across the road on its way to the valley on our left. Although we initially went with the theory that going faster on a wash board reduces the roughness of the road (an idea proven by Mythbusters, FYI), we soon found the downside: those rocky little ditches come up really quickly with that technique. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Crankshaft Crossing, with an appropriately ornamented sign, marked a fork in the road. We went left and climbed a winding road that took us over the mountains through Hanging Rock Canyon. We passed an abandoned mine and even hit a patch of paved road before finding South Eureka Valley Road. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQjbForxVlanyHlFeO3c74oQ-J3R2OrvAior1eEXumQEq1KeWqVJ-IS8agk-dx5j56aYoUh7DJUi-fuqdEbhlJ4-Rc5c_sWwVmswVJNvs3XcJZzj9w-P5nOSekTnPHSlQzyeiPg/s1600/VG+-+Crankshaft+Crossing+in+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQjbForxVlanyHlFeO3c74oQ-J3R2OrvAior1eEXumQEq1KeWqVJ-IS8agk-dx5j56aYoUh7DJUi-fuqdEbhlJ4-Rc5c_sWwVmswVJNvs3XcJZzj9w-P5nOSekTnPHSlQzyeiPg/s640/VG+-+Crankshaft+Crossing+in+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The road to the dunes was just as wash-boarded as Big Pine Road, unsurprising given that Death Valley is known for its notoriously bumpy, rocky dirt roads. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the distance, the sand dunes rose suddenly from the floor of a valley ringed with mountains, some snow-tipped. As we rounded the road toward the campground, we noticed something deeply distressing. People. Lots of people, by our measure. None of the cozy little spots with a picnic bench and metal fire ring were open, with the exception of one or two a few feet away from people who had already set up camp. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had not driven eight hours to have strangers camping twenty feet away from me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We had already decided that if the campground was full, we would find a spot off the road, so we continued on (away, I might add, from the outhouse, the only latrine in the area). Before our disgruntled exit from the campground area, we took a few moments to commiserate amongst ourselves about how very not-deserted this campground was, which was in sharp contrast to all the reports we’d read and watched. Apparently, we weren’t the only ones who had decided to squeeze in some camping during Christmas holiday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We drove past the campground and noticed there were cleared areas on either side of the road obviously intended for camping, but an open area was all you got. We took one of these spots, which was out of sight of the campground. Two vehicles drove past and took spots some distance off, toward the point where the road curved around the dunes and turned from “high clearance suggested” to 4WD required. I was aghast that I could still see other people, although my hubby and son kept insisting our closest neighbor was at least a quarter mile away. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wilderness markers all around reminded us to tread lightly. Recent rains had left a damp desert floor, evident in the cracked clay all around us. Our entire view to the south was of the magnificent Eureka Dunes. I took pictures while the tents went up, and then it was time to fix dinner and wait for the sun to go down and the stars to come out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2I1j4tvWLkafMEKZuAFsjko7SbdeoaGlWjzyl5uqi4s3h5WZPTeAl1ESbOKeG_7Aj2Fj4xxxCFKfcxceAoD84Zyk7GWmXSht-u2mbn54Dfcd1ZlniWnyhPfoyEDFt3roIDCx0mg/s1600/Eureka+Sand+Dunes%252C+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1600" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2I1j4tvWLkafMEKZuAFsjko7SbdeoaGlWjzyl5uqi4s3h5WZPTeAl1ESbOKeG_7Aj2Fj4xxxCFKfcxceAoD84Zyk7GWmXSht-u2mbn54Dfcd1ZlniWnyhPfoyEDFt3roIDCx0mg/s640/Eureka+Sand+Dunes%252C+Death+Valley+-+Photo+by+Terrisa+Meeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Right after sunset, a sliver of sky remained open above us although low-lying clouds obscured the majority of our view. We all watched this stretch of partially clear sky as it got darker and more stars appeared. A tiny section of the Milky Way peeked through, and even with the clouds, we could see more stars in that slice than in the whole night sky back in Vegas. On a clear night, I’m sure the night sky is utterly amazing here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And then the clouds covered up the stars and we marveled at the darkness. We could still see the horizon, with the clouds giving off enough reflection for us to be able to make out the dunes. We all wondered if the light reflection was from Las Vegas and concluded it was possible. My son and I walked into the desert with our head lamps and contemplated climbing the dunes, but were worried we wouldn’t be able to navigate our way back to camp in the darkness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Eventually, we ran out of things to do and climbed into our sleeping bags to try to go to sleep. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The cold had become bone-chilling at that point, far beyond what I had expected. I had a hat on and a blanket over my head, plus a sleeping bag and a couple of blankets over the rest of me, and any portion of skin that hit the air immediately felt like it was frozen. It didn’t take long to realize my original projection on the overnight temperature had been wildly wrong. I’d had a tough time finding a good weather prediction for the dunes. Most predictions for the park were for the southern regions like Furnace Creek, and they indicated about 38F for the overnight low. I had guessed we would be around freezing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At about 0130, my hubby began trying to fill up his air mattress, unsuccessfully, in no small part because of the cold. He kept complaining about his air mattress deflating and not being able to feel his legs, a complaint that might otherwise worry a person except for the fact he has nerve damage and so consequently that isn’t an unusual condition for him. In this case, however, we could see our breath in the air, a situation that clearly wasn’t helping things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our son, to whom we had given all of our old (but good) backpacking gear, was sleeping away when we woke him with the mattress-filling-in-progress, which involved a lot of cursing (on the hubby’s part) and hysterical laughter (me). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We had the cheap tent and the worst gear, mostly because we can no longer fit into our two-person backpacking tent, and that’s before you consider the inflatable mattresses we now need to approximate anything close to sleep. And we don’t even want to talk about fitting into our old mummy bags. The phrase “ten pounds in a five pound sack” comes to mind. I was in mine, but it fit me so tightly I felt like a synthetic fabric sausage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fortunately, my hubby had insisted we bring essentially every blanket in the house, due to some traumatic incident he suffered as a young man which involved unexpected, unwanted spooning with another dude on a camping trip because of uncommonly cold weather. I wouldn’t go so far as to say all those blankets saved our lives, but I was sure glad we had them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As it so happened, we had picked the winter solstice for our adventure, which meant we got to enjoy the intense cold for the longest night of the year. Had we been able to see the night sky, it would have been a jackpot for night sky viewing time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sunday, December 22, 0630</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I got about two hours of sleep before the sun started to rise. Truthfully, I was so glad that the long night was over that I didn’t care about the sleeplessness. I was just looking forward to breaking camp and warming up inside the truck. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After the sun had risen behind a bank of low clouds, we waited a little bit before uncurling out of the nests we’d made. I wrapped myself in as many layers of clothing as I could get on and proceeded to the truck to check the temperature. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was 28F. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The water we’d left out in a shallow rubber sink was frozen. Our pillows had become crunchy during the night. The inside of our tents had tiny ice crystals from our breath.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We were a combination of amused, horrified, and proud. We made some coffee and set about breaking camp as quickly as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I may have said something along the lines of, “I told you so.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My son and I had originally planned to climb the dunes before we left, but we took that off the table since we were not properly outfitted for the cold. Instead, we explored the base of the dunes and the campground, which emptied out fairly early in the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our original plans for our trip back had included another dirt road near Stovepipe Wells, which was on the way home. We all agreed to skip that road, especially since after we left the dunes we had almost 50 miles of dirt before reaching a paved road. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When we reached the pavement, it felt silky smooth. We immediately gained a whole new appreciation for asphalt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As we sped south through the valley to the cut-off to Beatty, the sky was a brilliant blue, a shade I’ve never seen outside of Death Valley. We soaked up the afternoon sun, enjoying the golden winter light and the dramatic desert around us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Zook had sustained a bit of damage: a broken sway bar mount and a busted heater core, but nothing that would keep us from making it back to town. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then, just like that, we were back on US95 headed back home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was right: it had definitely been worth a sleepless night. And then some. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All photos by Terrisa Meeks</span></i></div>
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TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-28294751365631600132019-12-13T18:36:00.000-08:002019-12-13T18:36:55.962-08:00Hiking in Las Vegas: Kraft Mountain Loop<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last year was a great hiking year for me, and one of
the best hikes I did was the Kraft Mountain Loop in Calico Basin.</span> </h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This year I've spent more time at my desk than on the trail, sad to say. I'd almost forgotten about this trail until I found these pictures when I was cleaning out my phone's storage. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As it turned out, my hiking partner and I did the trail
going up the wash as opposed to going down it. This is the more
difficult way to go, as I discovered when a woman stopped us at Pink Goblin
Pass and asked me how I’d gotten up the wash. Honestly, at a couple of points,
I didn’t think I was going to make it, so I highly recommend hiking the trail
in the recommended direction, which is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">down</i>
the wash—starting at the Sandstone Road Trailhead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here are some pics I shot that day. It was just a little
overcast, perfect for keeping cool while hiking. If you stick to the trail as
intended it’s a 3.25 mile loop, although we probably hiked closer to four miles
since we parked near the intersection of Calico Basin Road and Charleston/
Highway 159.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">______</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>All pictures by Terrisa Meeks</i></span></div>
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<br />TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-34282899339127032302019-11-17T16:52:00.000-08:002019-11-17T17:23:43.618-08:00The Plane Crash on Mount Charleston<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sixty-four years ago today, a plane crashed at Mt.
Charleston. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you were outside in today’s beautiful sunshine, it’s
hard to picture the snow storm that was raging around Mt. Charleston on this date decades ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On November 17, 1955, a C-54 military cargo plane traveling
from Burbank to Area 51 went off course, hit that terrible storm, and
ultimately crashed into Mt. Charleston about a half a mile from the peak. All
14 men aboard were killed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">No one, not even the families of the deceased, knew the
details of the flight or why the men were on the plane until after the details
were declassified in 1998 – although if one persistent man hadn’t been
tenaciously pursuing information about the crash, those details still might
have been lost, ignored as insignificant and forgotten again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For decades the remnants of the plane littered the area
around the trail to the peak of Mt. Charleston. One of the most distinctive
pieces left was a propeller, twisted and gnarled. I saw it when my hubby and I
made the peak in 1996, and we, like everyone else, simply knew a plane had
crashed there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today the propeller is part of a memorial to the men of USAF
Flight 9068, which is next to the <a href="https://coldwarmonument.org/" target="_blank">Silent Heroes of the Cold War memorial</a> for those who served during those years. According the <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3841196.pdf">Forest
Service’s fact sheet</a>, it’s the only national memorial to the Cold War era
of its kind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpU1haMVa1mOvLnRVN5y2_fSJp4tGQs-iM_p4V6sKBmuih-oN1rb087UvkasmQYx7hd52oFGkXkq4W7o2J5KTJ0tt2NhP8itJWqmVl0Au0UZJab4khM5GEW7Br38PowxHMXjkimw/s1600/USAF+9068+Memorial+Mt.+Charleston.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpU1haMVa1mOvLnRVN5y2_fSJp4tGQs-iM_p4V6sKBmuih-oN1rb087UvkasmQYx7hd52oFGkXkq4W7o2J5KTJ0tt2NhP8itJWqmVl0Au0UZJab4khM5GEW7Br38PowxHMXjkimw/s640/USAF+9068+Memorial+Mt.+Charleston.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmjQUQnX0XBt0IChMmREw11ddr8JJjn-xgDjuLB-3jANCNXUu-N6Onc-VVw0XxKHKVVKGq4R9zsfIcWtA3aWsWau2fTxvUPkkGk9nMTiK1fFAdEQ2WA62YVw7Zz5WwnTaxrARQQ/s1600/Silent+Heroes+of+the+Cold+War+Memorial+Mt.+Charleston+Nevada.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmjQUQnX0XBt0IChMmREw11ddr8JJjn-xgDjuLB-3jANCNXUu-N6Onc-VVw0XxKHKVVKGq4R9zsfIcWtA3aWsWau2fTxvUPkkGk9nMTiK1fFAdEQ2WA62YVw7Zz5WwnTaxrARQQ/s640/Silent+Heroes+of+the+Cold+War+Memorial+Mt.+Charleston+Nevada.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not until I visited the memorial with my husband, who is
himself a Cold War veteran, did I learn the whole story of the crash. I picked
up a copy of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Heroes-Cold-War-Mysterious/dp/1932173609" target="_blank">“Silent Heroes of the Cold War Declassified”</a> by Kyril D. Plaskon
in the gift shop and learned the true story behind the flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The book starts out with a thorough background of the Nevada
Test Site, where the infamous Area 51 is located, and its role in atomic
testing as well as the development of the U2 spy plane. The flight from Burbank
to Area 51 was a regular flight taking people who were working on the U2 back
and forth on a daily basis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On the day USAF Flight 9068 took off from Burbank, the
flight was a little late taking off because the pilot waited to see if one of the regular passengers would show up (he had overslept, which was a lucky thing for him). At a little after 7 a.m., the very secret flight departed for Area 51. The flight took a route through the mountains and according to the book, near Goodsprings
it went radio silent, flying without contact with the flight tower as it made
its way toward the Test Site.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, a storm was approaching and they were blown
off course to the east. The pilot was flying by sight, but the storm clouds
made that difficult. The disoriented crew soon realized they were in trouble. In
the book, Plaskon describes the crew “...dodging peaks just above the trees and
snow covered mountain range when their normal flight path should have taken
them over flat desert.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At 8:19 a.m., the plane slammed into the side of Mount
Charleston, killing everyone aboard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plaskon’s book describes the harrowing recovery mission
undertaken, which ultimately involved the Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, which was
the Search and Rescue of its day. A team that included Sheriff Butch Leypoldt
led 17 horses to the crash site to bring the bodies back down, a gruesome chore
carried out in the midst of terrible storm conditions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The entire incident might have gone unremembered had it not
been for Steve Ririe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ririe had seen the crash site and became interested in
knowing more about it... then the crash site seems to have become interested in
him, so to speak. The book recounts Ririe’s slightly paranormal experiences,
all of which led him – some might say compelled him – to pursue the story of
the crash. The story he uncovered is the reason there’s a memorial now to
commemorate the men who lost their lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Cold War had no battles to feature on the nightly news.
It was, however, a pivotal time in world history when the entire world was
holding its breath in the hopes of averting a disaster, a time of secrets and
spies that still holds mysteries like Flight 9068.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The U2 spy plane was considered vital to our country’s
efforts to prevail in the quiet fight that was happening, and the men who died
that morning on Mt. Charleston were instrumental in its development.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next time you’re at Mt. Charleston, take a moment to
stop at the memorial. Ponder the propeller, preserved as it was found at a
little over 11,000 feet. We almost didn’t get to hear the whole story of that
flight and the men aboard it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They deserve remembering.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5Guok8Xk0ZCJyvFvK8ULXECFvL09O8Xd9TcvqM8mYRtfRuDhtjIa8N9BIYOGxvkgFgznev5sOZySUvcj1KG7fQY26bf2s5eSmBRD7rkVJ-fRC1wNpdlsU2xj81C_SbaO8dewIQ/s1600/DSC_0203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5Guok8Xk0ZCJyvFvK8ULXECFvL09O8Xd9TcvqM8mYRtfRuDhtjIa8N9BIYOGxvkgFgznev5sOZySUvcj1KG7fQY26bf2s5eSmBRD7rkVJ-fRC1wNpdlsU2xj81C_SbaO8dewIQ/s640/DSC_0203.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> ____________</span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>All photos by Terrisa Meeks</i></span></o:p></div>
<br />TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-70567533094213272292019-08-04T17:40:00.000-07:002019-08-04T19:32:29.276-07:00Vegas Voices: Brian Rouff’s Vegasy Ghost Story, “The House Always Wins”<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When you live in a famous city, you get used to reading
about your hometown. But very few Vegas-based books have a truly local setting. In “The
House Always Wins,” author Brian Rouff takes us to a part of town that doesn’t
make it to the Travel Channel, with characters that will ring a bell or two for
any long-time resident.</span></h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufZoKYEVJlTKmLlGP06OQvpgrIkH0k1H2R2m24Y3SJRrd-VsMA_zBM4s3ZSYCFQoqWIUPIm1lwcV7J6KohdfMIc2twMuTtWiQkQ_uEmaXWo9A4svnzO2ctig_xXdEOL6YhdaZiA/s1600/St.+Louis+and+Atlantic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufZoKYEVJlTKmLlGP06OQvpgrIkH0k1H2R2m24Y3SJRrd-VsMA_zBM4s3ZSYCFQoqWIUPIm1lwcV7J6KohdfMIc2twMuTtWiQkQ_uEmaXWo9A4svnzO2ctig_xXdEOL6YhdaZiA/s640/St.+Louis+and+Atlantic.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>East St. Louis Avenue at Atlantic, looking west towards the Stratosphere</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you know anything about Las Vegas, you’ve heard of our
most famous street: Las Vegas Boulevard, a.k.a. The Strip, a.k.a. The
Boulevard. It’s sparkly and fancy and attracts the attention of over 40 million
visitors a year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unless you’re truly a local resident, however, you probably
have not heard of East St. Louis Boulevard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Brian-Rouff/e/B07BR869WW/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1542320186&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Brian Rouff’s</a> newest novel, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1944877061/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0" target="_blank">“The House Always Wins,”</a> opens
with a whirlwind romance that begins in Michigan and winds up in Las Vegas. Our
heroine, Anna, quickly succumbs to the charms of Aaron, a touring Vegas
musician, and in short order, Anna and Aaron are married with a baby on the way.
Finding a house quickly becomes a priority.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihHy2b0GYyHfzKhon0LmlCaaCmgxZ0ru4tEYTTSbA-z_91vrpZflugIJpKHYUzLVrraCc-ekTZdfwhF1Xr079iyF9JpP2hRv2XXe4X96TxyvDKLJ9Dg4UeevXeX-GIOUfrGWrzg/s1600/St.+Louis+Home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihHy2b0GYyHfzKhon0LmlCaaCmgxZ0ru4tEYTTSbA-z_91vrpZflugIJpKHYUzLVrraCc-ekTZdfwhF1Xr079iyF9JpP2hRv2XXe4X96TxyvDKLJ9Dg4UeevXeX-GIOUfrGWrzg/s640/St.+Louis+Home.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Homes along East St. Louis Avenue</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rouff describes the bulk of houses in Las Vegas with complete
accuracy: “Outside, some variation of an earth tone, a red-tile roof, and a
mottled textured coating they call ‘stucco.’ All accented with a patch of ‘desert
landscaping,’ meaning rocks, cactus and other bushes that require less than a
thimble of water to survive.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then Anna wanders into what’s now known as the <a href="https://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/jun/25/where-the-past-resides-we-tour-southern-nevada-nei/" target="_blank">Beverly Green Historic District</a>, and is captivated by a two-story brick house that stands out
from the cookie cutters she's seen. I thought it sounded a lot like the house the Sahara's orchestra leader <a href="http://vegas-girl.blogspot.com/search/label/Old%20Vegas" target="_blank">Jack Eglash</a> once lived in (which was
actually further east in the Mayfair District), and in fact Rouff and his family
bought and remodeled Eglash’s former home in the 2000s. Today, that distinctive
home is gone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Beverly Green, Mayfair and all of the aging/vintage neighborhood in this area hold a mix of homes that range from fully restored to vacant lots that once held homes, with everything in between. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt85FAnY4HnEKblk2psbsodf5z47iEQMnm27_xOCw8CfonmQU3J6iu8ydziVLjPkeQeUs4Wk8sr5j81sW0myapqiq9HEv4kg7fHkVtQcyZkt0RZ_ksVkuyFm7fp8NE_GOjRItXvw/s1600/St.+Louis+-+Abandonded+Building.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt85FAnY4HnEKblk2psbsodf5z47iEQMnm27_xOCw8CfonmQU3J6iu8ydziVLjPkeQeUs4Wk8sr5j81sW0myapqiq9HEv4kg7fHkVtQcyZkt0RZ_ksVkuyFm7fp8NE_GOjRItXvw/s640/St.+Louis+-+Abandonded+Building.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This abandoned building on St. Louis was once a home that was converted to a dental office</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anna and Aaron take on the
fixer-upper and Anna finds that it comes with a ghost named Meyer Levin, who has
a lot in common </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_Dalitz" target="_blank">Moe Dalitz</a>.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKsFoGagWFvq6jWpN11b4i5Vyw6x7YEy8DibHP7OBxcK3jNVU-O8pXX9wUPVg0gZW4PzhN69J64DkdhT6MgDiHJNShnnxIgMN0CV6n809Lao3zEhqniNokQeUQCTIizeSOHH36Q/s1600/St.+Louis+and+16th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKsFoGagWFvq6jWpN11b4i5Vyw6x7YEy8DibHP7OBxcK3jNVU-O8pXX9wUPVg0gZW4PzhN69J64DkdhT6MgDiHJNShnnxIgMN0CV6n809Lao3zEhqniNokQeUQCTIizeSOHH36Q/s640/St.+Louis+and+16th.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><i>Looking west up East St. Louis from about 16th Street</i><br />
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dalitz isn’t the only
local who makes an appearance, so to speak. One of my favorite nods to local
lore is the character of Ed Scott, a muck-racking reporter who’s ready to help
Anna fight a casino owner (imagine <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Stupak" target="_blank">Bob Stupak</a> crossed with Steve Wynn) to save
her property from becoming a parking lot. Just like local reporter <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Day" target="_blank">Ned Day</a>, a
man who covered the mob, Scott expires while swimming on vacation in Hawaii. (In real life, Day died of a heart attack while swimming--some would add "allegedly"--while the character of Scott drowns.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Neither the ghost of Meyer Levin nor Anna are willing to let the
house get turned into a parking lot, but if you want to find out exactly what
happens, you’ll have to pick up the book.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMV6YlJKomgZG6UbR0skvYtwXu63Iwn2z33QCHMVuWLEWLfBYGNlAZC2fP5rFSGjetSoppjWgqGfDfXLmDkB04hh5zba98EfuTH5UpelwDtlc_SCeMxJd8pP2lQ82hFp2pqmKPMA/s1600/St.+Louis+and+Maryland+Parkway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMV6YlJKomgZG6UbR0skvYtwXu63Iwn2z33QCHMVuWLEWLfBYGNlAZC2fP5rFSGjetSoppjWgqGfDfXLmDkB04hh5zba98EfuTH5UpelwDtlc_SCeMxJd8pP2lQ82hFp2pqmKPMA/s640/St.+Louis+and+Maryland+Parkway.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking west up East St. Louis from John C. Fremont Junior High, my old junior high</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The locations described throughout the book are very
familiar to me, since I grew up in the area, just a few streets from East St.
Louis Avenue. It’s a real pleasure to read a story set in my old ‘hood, and
anyone who knows Las Vegas will enjoy the attention to detail throughout the
story.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTujFcl_rWQJRNd6_-070RY7S9_rRNNBFtpU2_dhwfW5WNLfxLE-z0heOLXXb3aRpO_kYCvT2yaFClSNvVFpNZoq99VUaVp7y8peKkbOtsSPi89uSsQ-9iWrK0bsXKkXg6fDO1Mg/s1600/St.+Louis+LV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTujFcl_rWQJRNd6_-070RY7S9_rRNNBFtpU2_dhwfW5WNLfxLE-z0heOLXXb3aRpO_kYCvT2yaFClSNvVFpNZoq99VUaVp7y8peKkbOtsSPi89uSsQ-9iWrK0bsXKkXg6fDO1Mg/s640/St.+Louis+LV.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Beautifully maintained/restored home along East St. Louis</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rouff is also the author of two other Vegas-based novels, “Dice
Angel” and “Money Shot” (both of which are also quite good). I’ve seen a few comparisons
drawn between Rouff and Carl Hiaasen, although personally I was reminded of Janet Evanovich’s
style. In addition to being a great writer, I have to tell you he’s also one
heck of a nice guy, being kind enough to come speak to my former writing group
back in the day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you’re looking for a Vegas book that goes beyond the Strip,
pick up “The House Always Wins” and see a side of the city you don’t know
about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">*</span></div>
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<i>I took the photos for this
post along East St. Louis Avenue traveling from St. Louis and
Atlantic west to just east of Las Vegas Boulevard, where the actual street
address of the house in the book, 339 E. St. Louis, would be, according to Google... if there were any homes there:</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzACyPWymSXeB6hZaVV4jtBIa6hsObp_Vt_Biy-8Y4AsTbPucUeGFEqpw8GAGeQqEwexe6aViNBegALIyhZIDVhCFgJ5Rrfscaw7AVQ45hU8dEESPLj8j-LvtLIwbYRbS23k0Xng/s1600/St.+Louis+and+Paradise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzACyPWymSXeB6hZaVV4jtBIa6hsObp_Vt_Biy-8Y4AsTbPucUeGFEqpw8GAGeQqEwexe6aViNBegALIyhZIDVhCFgJ5Rrfscaw7AVQ45hU8dEESPLj8j-LvtLIwbYRbS23k0Xng/s400/St.+Louis+and+Paradise.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Look for a future series of
photos from me taken mostly in this area and the Mayfair District, where I
grew up.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-54857847715853925582018-05-18T18:11:00.001-07:002018-05-18T18:11:22.258-07:00The Cottonwood Station Eatery & Other Vegas Restaurants<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today’s update to Vegas Girl’s restaurant listing includes a
new cafe in Blue Diamond, plus other restaurants in the western part of the Las
Vegas valley.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pj3vYk5tyUvpJNIpf0ImuGF6fLxrrXqlrQ_w8Ngll31Jz0BTc1mAWsdIivErUZJWEqOzBYVEo3SdkOcG23iQ_nDOrryYkkb2eAniVMBsRuokzFQiUkjaIPGPWS0VFkx26GZ6tg/s1600/Cottonwood+Station+Blue+Diamond+NV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1199" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pj3vYk5tyUvpJNIpf0ImuGF6fLxrrXqlrQ_w8Ngll31Jz0BTc1mAWsdIivErUZJWEqOzBYVEo3SdkOcG23iQ_nDOrryYkkb2eAniVMBsRuokzFQiUkjaIPGPWS0VFkx26GZ6tg/s640/Cottonwood+Station+Blue+Diamond+NV.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I almost hate to write about <a href="http://www.cottonwoodstationeatery.com/" target="_blank">Cottonwood Station Eatery</a> in
Blue Diamond, not because anything was amiss, but because I don’t want this
rural gem ruined by too many visitors. Chances are I’m too late to save
this charming cafe from the ravages of popularity, however, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">especially since the waitress told me Mothers’
Day was crazy for the little restaurant. (I bet they’ll be overflowing
when <a href="https://supersummertheatre.org/" target="_blank">Super Summer Theater</a> gets going for the season at nearby <a href="http://parks.nv.gov/parks/spring-mountain-ranch" target="_blank">Spring Mountain Ranch</a>.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My son and I drove out to Cottonwood Station on a weekday morning, when only a
handful of people were there. The interior design is a nice mix of eccentric
elements and a clean, modern style. I loved the finished particle board tables.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YM7PsbweXrOMwJxEWMBRCEyVmCEDb0QtjStRjyyoy8j9VZILL8Dxv-hcRHx0v3_h5tDw_8-dxWAPFlDaa9cfjv8Sm-DkwOqKUs2e2zlKSOuWkuxjHVVXH6VUkzvNgaXDkXugpQ/s1600/Cottonwood+Station+Exterior+Rear+Entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YM7PsbweXrOMwJxEWMBRCEyVmCEDb0QtjStRjyyoy8j9VZILL8Dxv-hcRHx0v3_h5tDw_8-dxWAPFlDaa9cfjv8Sm-DkwOqKUs2e2zlKSOuWkuxjHVVXH6VUkzvNgaXDkXugpQ/s640/Cottonwood+Station+Exterior+Rear+Entrance.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41cwCMTVlNCNCvpuG2aUVrH6OmRg_zn-HDYn9Q_-zN5BqYCNsnanaq9VCcHRB_4Lgm3kM98hlaL9MmSwjZ1-lmXRkLR9AAkOGIqatzaCgF4-PPXbVJ2eSEetAmFihBbIsCO0wZw/s1600/Cottonwood+Station+Bar+and+Ordering+Station.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41cwCMTVlNCNCvpuG2aUVrH6OmRg_zn-HDYn9Q_-zN5BqYCNsnanaq9VCcHRB_4Lgm3kM98hlaL9MmSwjZ1-lmXRkLR9AAkOGIqatzaCgF4-PPXbVJ2eSEetAmFihBbIsCO0wZw/s640/Cottonwood+Station+Bar+and+Ordering+Station.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgZDzESkYOhyL64M8Kz6TxQjK7ov24NcRfsGLaQhuEWKHIYdeDq5tZ72i_sNnD7jDiLo1ys2gdhbo8ZxxZQqDiGQs1zBPqry_zZahxgB0AWUIydywQLNlB9qF3fmZfKkF39RWgw/s1600/Cottonwood+Station+Interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgZDzESkYOhyL64M8Kz6TxQjK7ov24NcRfsGLaQhuEWKHIYdeDq5tZ72i_sNnD7jDiLo1ys2gdhbo8ZxxZQqDiGQs1zBPqry_zZahxgB0AWUIydywQLNlB9qF3fmZfKkF39RWgw/s640/Cottonwood+Station+Interior.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6Y4cuii3mGOhhM9B2xWlZhqKSf1J1XC2Gy8xdo0OZIO-4l40eVm210IDusSTOuvBGRdcgMtQxKoLgvDxWlCThTXWb2NY_OYFL8rody6lv3IaAlp68O2eUaz1UGsBMXgaycCQYQ/s1600/Cottonwood+Station+Firepit+Art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6Y4cuii3mGOhhM9B2xWlZhqKSf1J1XC2Gy8xdo0OZIO-4l40eVm210IDusSTOuvBGRdcgMtQxKoLgvDxWlCThTXWb2NY_OYFL8rody6lv3IaAlp68O2eUaz1UGsBMXgaycCQYQ/s640/Cottonwood+Station+Firepit+Art.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had a breakfast sandwich, my son had a sausage roll, and
we both had coffee. For dessert we split a coffee cake muffin, which I had no
chance to photograph before we devoured it. I also had no opportunity to take a
picture of my son’s food before he ate it. Everything was quite tasty.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNT5iqeYEUqn56SZ3OM1mXtCSteVUZoaIbzJAME3tFQhOxLYGupZun2N7wSVECQaqcD_rsuCPIeJdfSSPaIZZizXqvH6i3EBT8chcr4Qcw38uzn6oYLcvhtwFxTKrQ0t0pL41_w/s1600/Cottonwood+Station+Breakfast+Sammy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNT5iqeYEUqn56SZ3OM1mXtCSteVUZoaIbzJAME3tFQhOxLYGupZun2N7wSVECQaqcD_rsuCPIeJdfSSPaIZZizXqvH6i3EBT8chcr4Qcw38uzn6oYLcvhtwFxTKrQ0t0pL41_w/s640/Cottonwood+Station+Breakfast+Sammy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I loved everything about Cottonwood Station. The drive through
Red Rock to the cafe was beautiful. The food and coffee were yummy, the service
was friendly and efficient, and I was able to stroll around Blue Diamond
snapping pictures, something that generally arouses suspicion... unless there’s
a fancy new cafe in town attracting city people like myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtBrzXsNYb-9BvS5Sb9J6uGGDdleBdt8zMQbMGRZnqYR_-PX_5Ru1rhyg6SR6ztl7jv1oNvESfb7_2Ovi_wJL_mAUJlyirVe7GzMnT4Y6nECHE43sCBeP_Vpcw1z7O1G9GLq-ng/s1600/Blue+Diamond+Mural.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtBrzXsNYb-9BvS5Sb9J6uGGDdleBdt8zMQbMGRZnqYR_-PX_5Ru1rhyg6SR6ztl7jv1oNvESfb7_2Ovi_wJL_mAUJlyirVe7GzMnT4Y6nECHE43sCBeP_Vpcw1z7O1G9GLq-ng/s640/Blue+Diamond+Mural.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsNIavfpad6x32TmlUSINeVrXLi_ttY32btNWayP_n5nolE-rkMwvXYFCiN0DmyIHros-hGt3wupDNEWb6lCb7kXAmvCGCmzd8kvvN1_iEDuhyphenhyphenA3md_z5JdLnCisHJw3atJIf8g/s1600/Blue+Diamond+NV+Mining+Equipment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsNIavfpad6x32TmlUSINeVrXLi_ttY32btNWayP_n5nolE-rkMwvXYFCiN0DmyIHros-hGt3wupDNEWb6lCb7kXAmvCGCmzd8kvvN1_iEDuhyphenhyphenA3md_z5JdLnCisHJw3atJIf8g/s640/Blue+Diamond+NV+Mining+Equipment.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Blue Diamond is home to less than 300 people and its
small-town ambiance is as genuine as it gets. Unfortunately, the <a href="https://businesspress.vegas/real-estate/blue-diamond-hill-residential-project-has-long-legal-history/" target="_blank">threat of development on top of Blue Diamond Hill</a> continues to loom as a possibility. The
two-lane lifestyle may be on a count-down here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I suggest you visit the Cottonwood Station
now, before all the other people find out about it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">#</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>The Cottonwood Station is just one of four additions to the
<a href="http://vegas-girl.blogspot.com/p/food.html" target="_blank">Vegas Girl’s Restaurant List</a> in my latest update. I also recommend <a href="https://saludmexicanbistro.com/" target="_blank">Salud</a>, <a href="http://buldogis.com/" target="_blank">Buldogis</a>, <a href="http://themartinilv.com/" target="_blank">The Martini</a> and <a href="http://khouryslv.com/" target="_blank">Khoury’s Mediterranean</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Feel free to leave suggestions for restaurants I should
check out in the comments!</i></span></div>
<br />TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-28353803261214455612018-03-27T15:44:00.000-07:002018-03-27T15:44:03.612-07:00Don’t Be a Bunny Dumper<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In February, about 50 dead rabbits were discovered on the
grounds of a mental health facility where bunny dumping has been going on for
years. Local rescue groups are still working to move any remaining rabbits off the grounds and are in need of animal carriers, water bottles, and
donations.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With Easter coming up this weekend, it seems like the right
time to talk about our rabbit problems.</span></h3>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1va1dQEQVvJNUPYfb3PDFbBgZwmo25pl7DL_ml40BAZ1IQCMuiIfQslL1RAug55U3IS5m-ErPBnUdN2DHEhHmxXD3omvHYQ3LmSSv_sdRixm4oC7f5W_9P9ciN8vBdcq5YGnGg/s1600/Bunnies+at+Tule+Springs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1598" data-original-width="1517" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1va1dQEQVvJNUPYfb3PDFbBgZwmo25pl7DL_ml40BAZ1IQCMuiIfQslL1RAug55U3IS5m-ErPBnUdN2DHEhHmxXD3omvHYQ3LmSSv_sdRixm4oC7f5W_9P9ciN8vBdcq5YGnGg/s320/Bunnies+at+Tule+Springs.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bunnies on the grounds of a local park</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bunny dumping has been a problem in Las Vegas for a long
time. I’m not talking about the wild rabbits you see when you’re out hiking.
The bunnies I’m talking about were once someone’s pet, right up until the point
when their person decided to abandon them. These bunnies aren't able to fend for themselves. For some time now, volunteers have been feeding and caring for rabbits at dump sites throughout Las Vegas and doing their best to adopt them out when possible (a rigorous screening process is involved).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Volunteers with <a href="http://bunniesmatter.org/" target="_blank">Bunnies Matter</a> were shocked to discover the dead
rabbits at the mental health facility last month. Poisoning initially was the suspected
cause of death, but autopsies revealed it was brunt force trauma, enough to
break ribs. Someone was unspeakably cruel to these bunnies, who were accustomed
to humans. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Two days before the dead rabbits were found on February 18,
the mental health facility passed around notices that the <a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/dead-rabbits-prompt-outrage-questions-from-las-vegas-activists/" target="_blank">Nevada Department of Health had declared the bunnies a health hazard</a>. (During the autopsies, the
<a href="https://rabbit.org/lasvegascrisis/" target="_blank">bunnies tested negative for tularemia</a>, one of the serious diseases the rabbits
were alleged to have. Prior to this point, there were no concerns voiced about
the rabbits carrying disease.) Further,
the notice said people were barred from feeding the rabbits and that the state
planned to relocate them. No one from Bunnies Matter had been told anything
about these new developments. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Interestingly, the facility itself had originally released
rabbits on the grounds, thinking it would be soothing for the residents. They neglected
to spay or neuter the rabbits, and so they wound up with a rabbit problem, exacerbated
by bunny dumpers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After the dead rabbits were found, bunny rescuers sprang
into action, working diligently to move the remaining rabbits off the grounds. (At
its peak population, this dumpsite had about 1,000 rabbits.) When I spoke to
Stacey Taylor of Bunnies Matter a couple of weeks ago, her group was still
working hard to get all of the rabbits moved from the area. She said that baby
bunnies who had been in burrows waiting for their moms had started to come out,
likely looking for food since Mom had not come back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With Easter right around the corner, there are unfortunately
a lot of bunnies who will wind up homeless after they become too big or too
much of a bother. That’s when a bunch of them will wind up being dumped
somewhere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you think a rabbit will make a fun Easter gift for the
kids, please rethink. <a href="http://myhouserabbit.com/rabbit-care/care-pet-rabbit/" target="_blank">Bunnies requite a lot of attention and care</a>. They like to
chew on things. They get bored easily. If you’re thinking of getting a bunny, I
urge you to do some research on what’s involved with caring for them. Better
yet, I strongly urge you to reconsider and simply buy a stuffed animal instead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even better, visit some real bunnies at one of the <a href="http://bunniesmatter.org/adoptions-page/" target="_blank">adoption events Bunnies Matters hosts</a>, and then make a donation. They're at the PetSmart on West Charleston every Saturday. Drop off a carrier and
a water bottle. Click over to the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/1G0ATKRUCEIWN" target="_blank">Bunnies Matter Amazon Wish List</a>, and send
them something. Don't give bunnies as gifts this Easter--give the bunnies the gifts instead!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgER5UzCr12KXUd4Nio2mWtIjrtWZGuZ6tGEtwXK5DkbzeDltMoV2odWgFE3jfLG9s8DLVCq0g0L_qB7dEWcTY4L-7IE40fGQZNdaAJ-9KUcSDlWvpO1rz1ZN9wyTIjgVtJ8v1Mnw/s1600/Bunnies+Tule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgER5UzCr12KXUd4Nio2mWtIjrtWZGuZ6tGEtwXK5DkbzeDltMoV2odWgFE3jfLG9s8DLVCq0g0L_qB7dEWcTY4L-7IE40fGQZNdaAJ-9KUcSDlWvpO1rz1ZN9wyTIjgVtJ8v1Mnw/s400/Bunnies+Tule.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/peta-offers-5k-reward-in-las-vegas-rabbit-deaths/" target="_blank">PETA is offering a$5,000 reward</a> for the identification of the people responsible for the 50
rabbit deaths. The Nevada Capitol Police, a state agency, is also investigating
the bunny killing.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have you seen the
dumped bunnies around Las Vegas? If you're not in Las Vegas, do you have a bunny dumping problem in your city? Unfortunately, many places do.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">______</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All pictures by Terrisa Meeks</span></i></div>
<br />TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-71607741884699167822018-02-16T19:46:00.000-08:002018-02-16T19:52:39.339-08:00Flashback Friday: Vegas to St. Louis for the 2017 Eclipse<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last year, on August 21, 2017, North America got to see a total solar
eclipse.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My son made his first solo trip from Las Vegas to St. Louis to be in the path of totality for this rare celestial
occurrence. </span></h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja19Ttzru1YBqD6KAvK4X3qyKwbJfNRbdPlKrwPk7UKGRf4ftsNKrRgz3NjceGHJE4EUnCElEsii7XPGnXV6HUPaFDeO-QkbE7m5Vw2vMwoexSSJcXUae_ZrijQVnPOCRUIon2bA/s1600/36672960876_b3f9da7024_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja19Ttzru1YBqD6KAvK4X3qyKwbJfNRbdPlKrwPk7UKGRf4ftsNKrRgz3NjceGHJE4EUnCElEsii7XPGnXV6HUPaFDeO-QkbE7m5Vw2vMwoexSSJcXUae_ZrijQVnPOCRUIon2bA/s320/36672960876_b3f9da7024_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/rogerleephoto/36672960876/in/photolist-XSEvAU-Ya7yNx-98dWbP-dtBfWJ-c2K7jY-9uMrNr-nbqQAp-XWAcTn-7vNMbe-59uew8-bb9cs6-c2yGhs-XJrjCF-6GVQfU-pMCKch-XpGZgC-97WzCX-E8cHrH-XPKzuG-c2BQe7-heVxfE-c3BR8u-c2yFDs-EvHL5N-VPwPp7-WGTdcf-ee6PqM-jCcL4f-hgvrxd-YxieGU-c2BNAQ-pMH5pg-XG7YLA-WHb9r5-9vvUth-ESaXib-bzckGe-59yspL-XXa4oR-6HdB3H-c2BPdo-Ew5ms4-dtnbeY-heBPwy-c2CQwG-7vVkQ1-97Gehi-6H51j2-c3AsfU-7vP3Az" target="_blank">Roger Lee</a></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last summer my son announced he wanted to find a place to
see the solar eclipse in full totality. Since last year’s eclipse was the first
one in 38 years and another won’t occur in North America until
</span><a href="https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2024Apr08Tgoogle.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">2024</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, I agreed this was a great idea. Here in Las Vegas, you could only see the
eclipse with special glasses, but there was a swath across the middle of the
country where the eclipse would briefly turn day into night. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I thought about what
a fun trip it would be for the two of us, but August turned out to be a rotten
time for me to travel. Instead, I helped him plan his first trip alone. I mean,
it was time. He’s over 18, and the world awaits. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After checking on air fare to several cities in the path of
full totality, we settled on St. Louis, Missouri. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next, we had to deal with a few age-related issues. Although
he’s over 18, he’s under 21.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For transportation, we quickly settled on a combination of
public transportation and Uber. Car rental was out of the question because he
doesn’t drive, and even if he did you need to be at least 21 to rent a car. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">His first hotel choice was a place that required guests to
be over 21 (no exceptions, he was told by a very unhelpful hotel manager), but
we found a much better deal on Airbnb -- $100 less per night. I also liked the
Airbnb because I thought it was better for him to have a homier place to stay
since he was new to the city and traveling alone. Plus, he could get some insight
from the hosts about St. Louis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I asked him to write about his first trip, and here’s what
he had to say.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #073763;">My</span> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">flight left at 0045
and arrived at 0830, with an hour layover in Minneapolis. The first leg of the
flight was miserable. For the first 30 minutes, I couldn’t figure out how to
recline my chair, and I was afraid to move around too much and accidentally
bump into anyone. After a while I was able to figure out how to get that extra
two degrees I so desperately needed. However, reclining the back of the seat
moved the seat bottom forward, making the situation worse. Essentially it felt
like holding the iron chair position for three hours and forty-five minutes.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">He was not impressed
with the Minneapolis airport.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Low drop ceilings, unnaturally humid, whole place smelled
strongly of eggs, not in a good way. Rubbery, unseasoned, microwaved eggs. The
men's bathroom had not been cleaned in 81 days according to the counter next to
the door.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next, onward to St.
Louis.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My flight into St. Louis wasn't much better. They had a guy
with just a crescent wrench and a pair of pliers fixing something on the plane
right before takeoff, and the intercoms only emitted static. Very comforting
when you're supposed to be flying 10,000 feet up and right before you take off
they have to send in someone who looks more equipped to fix toilets, not
airplanes. However, I lived with only minimal spinal cord injuries.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Upon arrival in St.
Louis, he walked for what felt like a very long distance before finding the
MetroLink train he needed. After successfully boarding his first public
transportation of any kind (in any city), he was underway.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As the train ran along right beside the freeway, I was
feeling pretty good. Then we got to our fist stop. A toothless woman, who was
either old or had a drug problem (I would guess the latter), covered in what
looked like a lot of surgery scars sat down across from me. She immediately
began talking loudly on a cell phone about how stressed she was because she was
trying to sell a bottle to Sarah, but Sarah didn’t show up. Or something like
that. During her conversation, she stood up and sat down repeatedly. After a
few rounds of musical chairs, she settled into what I would call an ambush
crouch. I was very happy to get off the train and find myself in a nice
university campus with bike cops and “no smoking outside” signs.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2Ge3OSZIEs6LQgWclOir0M_l2AeA4mTf3wNex60lzRy6e-fSYZxC1VF3dzvzoKCh4__pUgiOs5lgURMe-HEADfcfFe7YPg3qLlJo_myeq1qYt07Dt2eA4Ur7xqSYfhJBmMyO9A/s1600/DSCN1623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2Ge3OSZIEs6LQgWclOir0M_l2AeA4mTf3wNex60lzRy6e-fSYZxC1VF3dzvzoKCh4__pUgiOs5lgURMe-HEADfcfFe7YPg3qLlJo_myeq1qYt07Dt2eA4Ur7xqSYfhJBmMyO9A/s400/DSCN1623.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">His Airbnb was in a
historic home, circa 1895, and he was excited to see it. The hosts had agreed
to let him drop his bags off before check-in time so he could go see the
eclipse without his backpack. </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I walked to my Airbnb to drop off my bags, but I couldn't
get into the door for the floor with the storage closet. (Turns out it was
actually a push door with a very strong return spring, not a pull door with a
sh*tty handle like I thought. Apparently fire code regulations about which way
doors open weren't around in 1895). I had to get going, so I just took my bag
with me and called an Uber so I could go get some food before heading out to
see the eclipse.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">He had lunch at a
place called <a href="http://cafeventana.com/" target="_blank">Cafe Ventana</a>, one of the restaurants recommended in his Airbnb’s
house manual. Then it was off to <a href="https://www.stlouisco.com/parksandrecreation/parkpages/jeffersonbarracks" target="_blank">Jefferson Barracks Park</a> for the eclipse viewing
party. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a long walk from the Uber drop-off point, I got to the
music and food trucks and found a hillside to sit on for a while. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3JM__FgmrsWNpz1hd21rRi6UySaUg9VFzOxlMwPQNoxFBECqMlC7nZJoFDkemQ3j5-MGBlgCFgUGdsWJDlZd_mqJg8Ni-odHqgLSYcl6WoUO0trvpZODCaZEQ_r8to8v8wRgcA/s1600/%2523walk+up+to+the+eclipse+viewing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3JM__FgmrsWNpz1hd21rRi6UySaUg9VFzOxlMwPQNoxFBECqMlC7nZJoFDkemQ3j5-MGBlgCFgUGdsWJDlZd_mqJg8Ni-odHqgLSYcl6WoUO0trvpZODCaZEQ_r8to8v8wRgcA/s400/%2523walk+up+to+the+eclipse+viewing.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwpenkJiN-ms-oBmzkTNQ0i_ISWMRCIWIb_HrUl9SEeZ3NJlPuecxjueyqF8uwwMUWScQpbxaxlplHWbbjzN18i6cScocYuemkygidfq4CUrXF9fJAqw1pYFG7Vn2UQuu8TGzTXA/s1600/%2523DSCN1633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwpenkJiN-ms-oBmzkTNQ0i_ISWMRCIWIb_HrUl9SEeZ3NJlPuecxjueyqF8uwwMUWScQpbxaxlplHWbbjzN18i6cScocYuemkygidfq4CUrXF9fJAqw1pYFG7Vn2UQuu8TGzTXA/s400/%2523DSCN1633.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I eventually
found a spot right next to the stage, where two photographer dudes <i>(<a href="https://www.facebook.com/PMT-Photography-394441814003902/" target="_blank">PMT Photography</a>) </i>from Boston
were taking pictures of the sun. I asked one man about his camera and we talked
for a minute before I went back to the tree I had staked out. I relaxed until
the eclipse was at about 75% then I moved out into the clearing next to the
photographer. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A random group of people gathered--a dude with a lot of tattoos,
a guy and his girlfriend, me, and the photographers. We all watched the eclipse
together.</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here’s Cameron’s video of the eclipse.</span></i></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hLO8Z9SgaPA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hLO8Z9SgaPA?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I headed back to Cafe Ventana for a cup of coffee and to
contemplate what I was going to do next. I sat down in one of their giant,
wonderfully comfortable leather chairs and looked down to discover I had no
watch on my wrist. Immediately, I opened the Uber app and got a hold of the
driver, who turned right back around and brought me my watch. That driver was
one of the nicest people I’ve met.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After some deliberation, I decided to go to <a href="http://pi-pizza.com/" target="_blank">Pi Pizzaria</a>. It
was the best pizza I’ve had in my life. I looked out the front windows while I
was eating, and I saw a sedan drive past with a dude sitting on the front
passenger quarter panel, smoking a cigarette and pointing forwards. I wish I
could have gotten a picture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My room wasn’t quite ready yet, so I dropped off my
left-over pizza at the Airbnb’s fridge and walked over to the <a href="http://cathedralstl.org/" target="_blank">Cathedral Basilica</a>. I wandered around their mosaic museum for a while, then went back upstairs
to take pictures of the mosaics on the ceiling, but mass started so I had to
leave. Lucikly, my room was ready by the time I got back. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0hI6-i3kXkEoQ9sBbMSnhc19358EVqIkHW_usn9ynJpvhIkr8MipsdBCzp-ure0BiqMm28fHyJoM0y3LTkzEUF6E006sBMXMhKgB9m_2aqxYvQVOw_i0N2NMZes-zz7HCmpKNw/s1600/%2523DSCN1674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0hI6-i3kXkEoQ9sBbMSnhc19358EVqIkHW_usn9ynJpvhIkr8MipsdBCzp-ure0BiqMm28fHyJoM0y3LTkzEUF6E006sBMXMhKgB9m_2aqxYvQVOw_i0N2NMZes-zz7HCmpKNw/s400/%2523DSCN1674.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My modest room had a Murphy bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. It
felt like I was in a Mark Twain novel.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Back at the Airbnb, he
took a shower and watched some YouTube before falling hard asleep. I woke him
up when I called at 8 p.m., and he was too groggy to chat for long.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">His plans for the next
day included renting a bike to explore <a href="https://www.forestparkforever.org/" target="_blank">Forest Park</a> and spending some time at
the <a href="http://www.gatewayarch.com/" target="_blank">St. Louis Arch</a> before catching an afternoon flight back home. But, as
happens when you travel, his plans changed.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I woke up at 0630 the next day to heavy rain. I was a little
worried it might affect my flight back home, but the weather cleared up. It did
screw up my bike rental plans, though. So, Plan B. I went to see the Arch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At the ticket trailer outside the Arch, they told me the
only tickets available were for 1700. I'd be long gone by then. Still cautiously optimistic, I went into the
Arch’s underground visitor center/gift shop. A greeter asked me if I was there
for a ride to the top. I explained that I couldn’t get a ticket, and he said
since I was early, I might be able to still get on since I’d shown up right
after they opened. So I talked to the ticket lady inside, who called the boss,
who apparently said “no.” Plan C was to go to the Arch’s museum, but it was under
construction. So I bought a horrendously overpriced umbrella in the gift shop and walked outside
to see that the rain had stopped for the most part. For a moment I thought
about throwing the umbrella in the Mississippi River, but decided against it
since it was still raining a little bit.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next, he returned to
the comfy chairs at Cafe Ventana and came up with Plan D: visit the <a href="http://mohistory.org/museum" target="_blank">Missouri History Museum</a> in Forest Park.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I took about 500 pictures there, so about 200 in focus. I hung out there as late as I could, and I still didn’t get to see everything in as much detail as I would have liked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When it was time to leave, I walked around Forest Park for
about fifteen minutes before attempting to call Uber. That’s when my phone
decided to have no service, even after a restart. Luckily, public WiFi is
everywhere now, so I was still able to get an Uber to the airport. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">When</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> the hubby and I picked him up later that day, he was
tired and happy to be home. Returning home after an adventure is one of the
best parts of a trip. You’re tired but full of things to share. When you travel
solo, you also feel a sense of victory at having successfully made it there and
back. It’s one of my favorite feelings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Did you get to see the eclipse in 2017? Have you ever been
to St. Louis?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Photos in St. Louis and video clip by Cameron</i></span></div>
TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-62582466433800303162018-02-07T15:57:00.000-08:002018-02-07T16:04:55.336-08:00Work Out Like a Mermaid<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Trying to keep your New Year’s fitness resolution? AquaMermaid
classes put you in a mermaid tail and are a fun way to
get a killer workout.</span></h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-kmpgqYAweB000NSfTZzyj6DAyOY6CXyoNJgsfYoK3Vj01S1B_sYBGYVg0Xn5EhEqrDZNlzZC2bOEPS-eRJ4bZsNkOAX6eJpEQnMxtF5Ma9es_WVQ-wD6l3xlWqmTTt3Ae_Ilg/s1600/VG+DSC_0181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-kmpgqYAweB000NSfTZzyj6DAyOY6CXyoNJgsfYoK3Vj01S1B_sYBGYVg0Xn5EhEqrDZNlzZC2bOEPS-eRJ4bZsNkOAX6eJpEQnMxtF5Ma9es_WVQ-wD6l3xlWqmTTt3Ae_Ilg/s640/VG+DSC_0181.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anna Yatsko, </span>AquaMermaid Instructor and former Silverton Aquarium Mermaid, making mermaiding look easy</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you’re diligently trying to stick to a fitness plan for
2018, let me give you a suggestion for any flabby middle parts you’re working
on: take <a href="https://aquamermaid.com/collections/las-vegas" target="_blank">AquaMermaid</a> classes. Yes, you get to wear a tail </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(a.k.a stylish monofin)</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">, not only to stay
true to being a mermaid, but also because that tail is the key to really
working your core. Between the tail holding your legs together and the
resistance of the water, your abdominal muscles are in for a wake-up call.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I got to see the AquaMermaids in
action back in October, when their Las Vegas operation came online at the <a href="https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/portal/faces/wcnav_externalId/pf-municipal-pool?_afrLoop=432498156676761&_afrWindowMode=0&_afrWindowId=null#%40%3F_afrWindowId%3Dnull%26_afrLoop%3D432498156676761%26_afrWindowMode%3D0%26_adf.ctrl-state%3D13bp0o23ss_4" target="_blank">Municipal Pool on Bonanza</a> in Downtown Las Vegas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had recruited a volunteer mermaid
to come with me as my appointed Person in a Swimsuit, but she cancelled at the
last minute. I briefly contemplated putting on the tail myself and getting in
the water, then I remembered that I never appear in a swimsuit in public. (Also,
it’s very difficult to take pictures while swimming and my Nikon isn’t
waterproof. Any excuse will do to keep me out of the water, honestly.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Although I have a strict
no-swimwear policy, I’ll admit that when I met everyone at AquaMermaid, I wished
I’d brought a suit. Their merpeople come in all shapes and sizes, and everyone was
welcoming. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5VLcVlAiRvzBdLQr3Lu5trXE0ZbaZVWGd3l5rQ2zLMPJwdewZREKwDUmWls1UZJ7ERH2eJ5EPnd1mt2WbHbCFVrZwYJIgVpCBiSKhNpQ9mXT0RBLFHrskYpjaR-3SukAMbOQTg/s1600/VG+DSC_0167.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5VLcVlAiRvzBdLQr3Lu5trXE0ZbaZVWGd3l5rQ2zLMPJwdewZREKwDUmWls1UZJ7ERH2eJ5EPnd1mt2WbHbCFVrZwYJIgVpCBiSKhNpQ9mXT0RBLFHrskYpjaR-3SukAMbOQTg/s640/VG+DSC_0167.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A local vlogger, Jacob Orth of the
YouTube channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/JacobslifeinVegas" target="_blank">Jacob’s Life in Las Vegas</a>, was also at the class I attended.
Unlike me, he was brave enough to put on the tail and get in the water. As it
turned out, the biggest tail they had was bright pink, but Jacob was such a
good sport that he appeared not to mind at all. Watching him get lessons really
illustrated what a workout this is: he’s a very fit individual, and he was
definitely working hard. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsePTBwXTOpA9r6MZaKP9xOol7oJ59a-J3Wc9qzZtlrugSL5AqiftHS18R6iGN_abE5XrX9v-asOzApXcRFefk13pRdijZsuVj3a9UI1HSoqGtqXsWpPds-K1SOzPuku7FvHXpQ/s1600/VG+DSC_0183+Crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsePTBwXTOpA9r6MZaKP9xOol7oJ59a-J3Wc9qzZtlrugSL5AqiftHS18R6iGN_abE5XrX9v-asOzApXcRFefk13pRdijZsuVj3a9UI1HSoqGtqXsWpPds-K1SOzPuku7FvHXpQ/s640/VG+DSC_0183+Crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jacob Orth getting instructions from AquaMermaid founder Marielle Chartier Henault</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In an <a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/life/health/become-a-mermaid-work-out-at-mermaid-school-in-las-vegas-photos/" target="_blank">interview with the RJ</a>, AquaMermaid’s
founder, Marielle Chartier Henault, said that there’s a swim test before people
can participate. Based on what I saw, that’s a good idea. The fun factor could
easily convince you to overlook the physical demands of the class. While it
becomes immediately obvious that mermaiding works your core, it’s worth noting
that this activity will work your entire body plus provides what looked like butt-kicking
cardio workout (or should I say tail kicking?).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZVhLbQP8ROXtQZZb19s1lAObKg616f9eueZJUr-9b62BlDnYoccwF6e8z1YEWH3nyfsC4R-CExFJsCYQ-PQ1V3kcHrk3dMvafyMD8IkSkULmZ-IKdJZgxQaPphm3GrKj7gAVrQ/s1600/VG+DSC_0175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZVhLbQP8ROXtQZZb19s1lAObKg616f9eueZJUr-9b62BlDnYoccwF6e8z1YEWH3nyfsC4R-CExFJsCYQ-PQ1V3kcHrk3dMvafyMD8IkSkULmZ-IKdJZgxQaPphm3GrKj7gAVrQ/s640/VG+DSC_0175.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>AquaMermaids in action</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSip8tFEl1WgSaC0tPQjrQXh5_JDMGFp9pNDfN6A6meol0maIyp5zhlUULic1vGjQenWkf6nKrbprcgtfUDovWRJL2c1ejevK6cUAVGcZuAQAHzkLTf5DcDYLGdf0MpdCN2IDcw/s1600/VG+DSC_0192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSip8tFEl1WgSaC0tPQjrQXh5_JDMGFp9pNDfN6A6meol0maIyp5zhlUULic1vGjQenWkf6nKrbprcgtfUDovWRJL2c1ejevK6cUAVGcZuAQAHzkLTf5DcDYLGdf0MpdCN2IDcw/s640/VG+DSC_0192.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anna Yatsko, </span>AquaMermaid Instructor</span></i><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Classes for kids and adults currently are offered on
Saturdays, and you can sign up online. Single classes are listed on the website,
but ask about monthly subscriptions if you’d like to make putting on the tail a
regular thing. They also do parties for kids and adults.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Would you like to try swimming like a mermaid?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>All pictures by Terrisa Meeks. </i></span></div>
TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-35412107875019417942017-12-15T16:12:00.001-08:002017-12-15T16:12:52.786-08:00The Flight of the EB-66C<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On September 26, 2017, the first RC model of a Vietnam Era EB-66C
made its maiden flight on the dry lake bed in Eldorado Valley, Nevada. The model’s
flight was the culmination of nearly two years of work by a volunteer team of
13 people, a labor of love created in tribute to the veterans who flew the
actual planes in wartime.</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGPZ62wEXrhnXCvMWolKrf076YSnNVtPUjOBRDO8EWVNgYRDfllEobXU0ecLI4j96e-ykFCzSLzf1NfukkLUrUvTTTHHqbkJ1ozazwUmx_-W6ZEuN2IEBF42HyxkMX45SXM4Adg/s1600/EB-66C+Maiden+Flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGPZ62wEXrhnXCvMWolKrf076YSnNVtPUjOBRDO8EWVNgYRDfllEobXU0ecLI4j96e-ykFCzSLzf1NfukkLUrUvTTTHHqbkJ1ozazwUmx_-W6ZEuN2IEBF42HyxkMX45SXM4Adg/s640/EB-66C+Maiden+Flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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size. Second, it's incredibly detailed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On launch day, I walked up to the model as Tony Accurso, John Morgan, and their team were busily working on last-minute preparations. This 1/8 scale model has a wing span close to ten feet and a
body length of nine and half feet--it's big. Every part of the model is astonishingly
detailed, especially the cockpit. The team had only photographs to go on and used
them to make a 3D printing of the cockpit, which was then hand painted. It even
includes tiny maps of Southeast Asia. Tony and John led the team
who built the model, and they describe themselves as “a little obsessive.” </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9eJCGbg5hq3R9Vr34snDkGNjuuoV8O-L6u9demMDMYllgSWXaNC1N8TSwy9_wNeX5cZlnbLy_CiZv1KLb-YZYSp3Zv93G7VCnFXDqBOaNU_lxUdFPx8XhA00j3HTcjFa1PJ9law/s1600/EB-66C+Model+Cockpit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9eJCGbg5hq3R9Vr34snDkGNjuuoV8O-L6u9demMDMYllgSWXaNC1N8TSwy9_wNeX5cZlnbLy_CiZv1KLb-YZYSp3Zv93G7VCnFXDqBOaNU_lxUdFPx8XhA00j3HTcjFa1PJ9law/s640/EB-66C+Model+Cockpit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With the launch imminent, it was an all-hands-on-deck
moment. While the team worked on the final adjustments, USAF pilot and retired
Lt. Colonel Robert Stamm looked on. He flew reconnaissance missions in the
EB-66C in Vietnam, and he and his wife were both there to see the model take
flight. He commented on how accurate the model was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When the model was ready, the team positioned it for takeoff
on the lake bed. “Everybody step back,” Tony told the assembled group. “I don’t
want to be distracted by the cameras clicking.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1laYDR2phM8E2je__I322WeSW8L8h2SH8KDm5nLI2eK46KfGNfrzkU3yzlbEUsLBNkAMpu2VQs4MvWxnJ8p94Q_xqIvmNy4tlYhjKyjUq52rcqrl0_TEl9tZqjs0HrbU6uxNqA/s1600/EB-66C+Preparing+For+Takeoff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1laYDR2phM8E2je__I322WeSW8L8h2SH8KDm5nLI2eK46KfGNfrzkU3yzlbEUsLBNkAMpu2VQs4MvWxnJ8p94Q_xqIvmNy4tlYhjKyjUq52rcqrl0_TEl9tZqjs0HrbU6uxNqA/s640/EB-66C+Preparing+For+Takeoff.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">All of us dutifully retreated, and the EB-66C taxied along before
lifting itself into the air. The desert mountains in the background had just
started catching light, and the solar array in the distance almost looked like
a lake.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhABJy7xaWUxKNa8C8i4NhbsjszZJx9_hxMEapll_p7kJxkDZySqvKWE2dRrQ9WiE3rwpNukVo2xEBEZP4tsXoG9XcE6GSxqczgeHU7gsH7lFkok5KNmyXIoRbmA12mVS7QdQ_1Fg/s1600/EB-66C+Flying+By+-+Eldorado+Dry+Lake+Bed+-+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhABJy7xaWUxKNa8C8i4NhbsjszZJx9_hxMEapll_p7kJxkDZySqvKWE2dRrQ9WiE3rwpNukVo2xEBEZP4tsXoG9XcE6GSxqczgeHU7gsH7lFkok5KNmyXIoRbmA12mVS7QdQ_1Fg/s640/EB-66C+Flying+By+-+Eldorado+Dry+Lake+Bed+-+crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAAAX7pM9wlrgI8M1FH_aEeka6FCGJWVfM4GyfVDhatlmGvjwiRbb2sh2LnJyYz0XSxEX8EAFM-79WV7br1RW1RndYXQ7MDd38pKbGj1aISxJ4eYdVKX7PgsletZEanRAmVrQhkw/s1600/EB-66C+In+Flight+-+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAAAX7pM9wlrgI8M1FH_aEeka6FCGJWVfM4GyfVDhatlmGvjwiRbb2sh2LnJyYz0XSxEX8EAFM-79WV7br1RW1RndYXQ7MDd38pKbGj1aISxJ4eYdVKX7PgsletZEanRAmVrQhkw/s640/EB-66C+In+Flight+-+crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tony became fascinated with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_B-66_Destroyer" target="_blank">EB-66C</a> when he saw the 1988
movie “</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094712/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bat*21</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">,” which was based on actual events. In the movie, the main character (Lt. Colonel Iceal "Gene"
Hambleton, played by Gene Hackman) is the sole survivor when his plane is shot
down in North Vietnamese territory. A massive operation takes place to rescue
him. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was a film (and an airplane) that stuck with Tony as a young airman--and remained with him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Years later, retired vets Tony and John discovered there were
no RC models of the EB-66C. An 18-month project was born, and it was completed
entirely with donated time and funds. The team decided not to accept corporate
funding because it wasn’t in tune with the mission they’d given themselves: to
honor the men who had flown the plane. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The entire model plane world followed the build, but they
weren’t the only ones interested in the storied airplane. Tony contacted the B-66
Association and found Vietnam vets like Lt. Colonel Stamm. I heard about the flight from </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">friends of mine, Diane Ciz and her husband, retired Major George Ciz, who flew 144 missions as an EWO (Electronic Warfare Officer). </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUTZ3g7arcLhbddZIphoqHckyah1Ejrj4VVbQ3g-juseHMEdpkIfB_XD2GZSYai86JajyiNkIpPBeDbrGWcGwjyluPgo_JVbqasOo8-ALOWY_1pT-Trzm1JyHv6cER0HHD7nr5A/s1600/Ret.+Lt.+Colonel+Robert+Stamm+next+to+EB-66C+Model+092617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUTZ3g7arcLhbddZIphoqHckyah1Ejrj4VVbQ3g-juseHMEdpkIfB_XD2GZSYai86JajyiNkIpPBeDbrGWcGwjyluPgo_JVbqasOo8-ALOWY_1pT-Trzm1JyHv6cER0HHD7nr5A/s640/Ret.+Lt.+Colonel+Robert+Stamm+next+to+EB-66C+Model+092617.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Retired Lt. Colonel Robert Stamm in background. He was an EB-66C pilot during Vietnam.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“You lost a wheel,” someone said right after the takeoff,
but Tony was too busy steering the plane through the sky to say anything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tony said he had to remember to fly the model just like the
real plane, with a long, shallow climb. The real EB-66C was not a powerhouse of
speed, and neither was the model. It was, however, an incredible sight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The plane slowly circled around us twice, then bounced down in
a touch and go, soared back up into the sky, and made one more loop before
setting back down roughly, skidding a little before coming to a stop. After the
dust settled, the team walked out to retrieve the plane, which was sitting
slightly askew because of its missing wheel, but that was the only damage. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtn9TOSX8sz9vxGfEEGEKnPHgXYKPPhr6CNMJXuH0wyu3M16GGh66ALqV2IxFFFxj4ZIOjsXufnTw4vJhhuXKOHGdRy7EX0l0C9FyKdMFvbrE8Db9q5yrYtrLAnDvCJkogOvKosg/s1600/EB-66C+Flight+Eldorado+Valley+-+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtn9TOSX8sz9vxGfEEGEKnPHgXYKPPhr6CNMJXuH0wyu3M16GGh66ALqV2IxFFFxj4ZIOjsXufnTw4vJhhuXKOHGdRy7EX0l0C9FyKdMFvbrE8Db9q5yrYtrLAnDvCJkogOvKosg/s640/EB-66C+Flight+Eldorado+Valley+-+crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxbL1v9L4bUBZ4XjIqMGCSdLSDXpzp9yz8J6SoUiol-qwqP2LBu0XpVnHVXVrEyd1_K0DTP9uxue7D_CMUAC_zS9pW2fe-YgEX47F45PfbcW7-yGAZyjbO4LYxvyadfRRkqllUg/s1600/EB-66C+Landed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxbL1v9L4bUBZ4XjIqMGCSdLSDXpzp9yz8J6SoUiol-qwqP2LBu0XpVnHVXVrEyd1_K0DTP9uxue7D_CMUAC_zS9pW2fe-YgEX47F45PfbcW7-yGAZyjbO4LYxvyadfRRkqllUg/s640/EB-66C+Landed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The flight was a success and truly met its mission to be a tribute to those who served on the EB-66C. </span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can see the entire video of the flight here:</span></div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Rdhthtw3jsI/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rdhthtw3jsI?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">_________</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Special thanks to Tony Accurso for allowing me to be there
for the flight and to George and Diane Ciz for letting me know about the EB-66C
model project.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Kudos to the team who put the EB-66C together: </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Tony Accurso, Evelyn Accurso, John Morgan, Brenda Morgan, Kirby Morgan, Wade Joos, Birger de la Pena, Scott Ramirez, James Klassen, Chris Wolfe, Chad Veich, Gary Gioia, and Karen Gioia. </i></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i> </i></span></o:p><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"> </i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>All pictures by Terrisa Meeks. I'll be posting more pictures from the flight on <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/43025149@N02/" target="_blank">my Flickr page</a> soon.</i></span></div>
TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-28445200824829534062017-10-27T13:36:00.000-07:002017-10-27T13:36:04.066-07:00The Newest Game in Las Vegas: O.J. Sightings<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’m surprised someone hasn’t created an app yet to track
sightings of O.J. Simpson, who was recently released from prison and is now
living near the Red Rock Country Club.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Allegedly, <a href="http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/latest-simpson-still-plans-live-florida/87m04IgKcnchonSWkPak1K/" target="_blank">O.J. Simpson wants to move to Florida</a>, but while
he’s trying to get that figured out, he’s taken up residence in Summerlin.
While I commend O.J. on his taste in neighborhoods, I have to say it was bizarre
to see him strolling around the Tivoli Village Farmers Market last Saturday. I
totally forgot to buy half the things I needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityRL0K7GqS7yX3hCBzyl44lVMVTOpVyyvLEX_C5UndWCxeaJGGZwqU9y3A5qY3vHlFtaVR3Ys3v4tMCH090oggPO7uvRdTi-eaAFzjMmJFaXpB7IdgZF39YcXYaUr4QJspcfKsg/s1600/OJ+at+Tivoli+Taking+Pics+Oct+21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="523" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityRL0K7GqS7yX3hCBzyl44lVMVTOpVyyvLEX_C5UndWCxeaJGGZwqU9y3A5qY3vHlFtaVR3Ys3v4tMCH090oggPO7uvRdTi-eaAFzjMmJFaXpB7IdgZF39YcXYaUr4QJspcfKsg/s400/OJ+at+Tivoli+Taking+Pics+Oct+21.jpg" width="318" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He’s just as gracious as you’ve heard. When I first saw him,
I spotted him because of the small group of people standing around him taking
pictures. I recognized O.J. immediately. While I could’ve easily walked right up
to him and asked for a photo, I didn’t... because: a) I was raised not to
bother celebrities in public, regardless of how infamous they might be; and b)
it just felt wrong. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Instead, I snapped a pic from a distance--but he had seen
me and smiled and waved for my picture. And yes, I smiled and waved back. He’s
charming, even from a distance and even if you know all about his history.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxB_8xuBDVmAguOkF6d0wvC7VTZlB210PWNQwqcDqtMAtiMCvCiRSQgLIjD0-2efFP4JtcdOWa_UfQlYPnIK0-ooBTKHOYsYhTG3rjFzSFPDu7GO49QQCnK_UzZGZOHaqX8S73w/s1600/OJ+Simpson+at+Tivoli+Village+Oct+21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="1600" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxB_8xuBDVmAguOkF6d0wvC7VTZlB210PWNQwqcDqtMAtiMCvCiRSQgLIjD0-2efFP4JtcdOWa_UfQlYPnIK0-ooBTKHOYsYhTG3rjFzSFPDu7GO49QQCnK_UzZGZOHaqX8S73w/s400/OJ+Simpson+at+Tivoli+Village+Oct+21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, the new game in town seems to be who can spot O.J.
while he’s out and about. If I had spent nine years in a prison in Northern
Nevada, I would be outside every chance I got, no matter how many people took
pictures of me. Apparently O.J. feels the same way because social media and
local news have had a <a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/sports-columns/ron-kantowski/o-j-simpson-is-out-and-about-in-las-vegas/" target="_blank">steady stream of O.J. Sightings</a>. Apparently he likes
<a href="http://grapestreetdowntownsummerlin.com/" target="_blank">Grape Street </a>up in DTS and <a href="http://www.wahoos.com/nevada/" target="_blank">Wahoo’s </a>over at Boca Park. Considering how many
great restaurants Summerlin has, I imagine he’ll find plenty of places to try.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’ve heard from at least one person who plans to go out this
weekend in pursuit of an O.J. Sighting. I don’t think he'll have to
look too hard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Summerlin and Brentwood could be cousins, ambiance-wise, which makes me
wonder if that’s part of the reason O.J. seems to feels so comfortable here. We even have a Rockingham Drive. (Random Factoid: Simpson’s L.A. home on
Rockingham Avenue--the house we all saw on TV--was <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-07-30/news/9807300184_1_nicole-simpson-and-goldman-bundy-drive-condominium-ronald-goldman" target="_blank">demolished in 1998</a>.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While it’s incorrect that the Las Vegas jury or judge had
any “payback” in mind with the robbery verdict, O.J.’s incarceration for robbery was related to the murders, if you think about it. While he was acquitted of the criminal charges, he was
found liable in a civil lawsuit and was ordered to turn over assets to go toward the $33.5 million the Brown and Goldman families were awarded. O.J. and his
pals hid his assets to avoid turning them over. He claimed the items he was “recovering”
here in Vegas were stolen from him, which is obviously debatable considering his scheme to hide property. Pursuing legal actions to get the items back would have subjected them to the dreaded turnover order. Had he not been trying to
avoid the order, he probably wouldn’t have had a reason to rob anyone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And if he would have taken <a href="http://www.kolotv.com/content/news/OJ-Simpson-turned-down-a-plea-bargain-deal-in-Las-Vegas-robbery-380418051.html" target="_blank">the plea deal he was offered</a> for
the robbery, he would have been sentenced to about 30 months. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He could have been out working on his golf game a whole lot
sooner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">###</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p> </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Would you take a picture with O.J? Leave your answer in the
comments.</span></i></div>
TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-67599312109930489152017-10-19T19:22:00.003-07:002017-10-19T19:22:59.431-07:00Restaurants List Updated<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've updated my list of local Las Vegas restaurants with ten new entries, including <a href="https://www.andresbistroandbar.com/" target="_blank">Andre's Bistro</a> and <a href="http://www.marchebacchus.com/" target="_blank">Marche Bacchus</a>. Check out <a href="http://vegas-girl.blogspot.com/p/food.html" target="_blank">my list of restaurants</a> to see all of my current favorites.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWGKNDBox2WGM4wFr9VS1-C9URHz-isaHPhkbdWB0TaZytOT5rDnUrSO1hd6pOY0LjsBg1-SLCO5v0fL2xtwu-zx-7ZuUAuesgdXeROJIRVtcWpObMNVCbAb_OIp7JDLqutPySQ/s1600/Marche+Bacchus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWGKNDBox2WGM4wFr9VS1-C9URHz-isaHPhkbdWB0TaZytOT5rDnUrSO1hd6pOY0LjsBg1-SLCO5v0fL2xtwu-zx-7ZuUAuesgdXeROJIRVtcWpObMNVCbAb_OIp7JDLqutPySQ/s400/Marche+Bacchus.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Marche Bacchus at Desert Shores</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
__________<br />
<i>What are your favorite local Las Vegas restaurants? Leave your suggestion in the comments!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Photo by Terrisa Meeks</i>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-13667655895897383222017-10-13T22:10:00.000-07:002017-10-13T22:10:35.180-07:00Photo Friday in Las Vegas: Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was downtown today and stopped at the <a href="http://www.keepmemoryalive.org/about_us/facility/frank_gehry">Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health</a> to take photos of its signature twisty Frank Gehry design, including inside its incredible event center.</span><br />
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<i>All photos by Terrisa Meeks</i>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30987664.post-67479388411896429522017-10-11T13:54:00.000-07:002017-10-11T13:54:09.199-07:00Las Vegas Farmers Markets<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Visit a farmers market and you’ll never want to buy
tasteless grocery store produce again (I’m looking at you, tomatoes). </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I believe the old truism, “Food is medicine,” and as a
result I’ve been spending more time at farmers markets lately. Eating more fruits and veggies is a good idea
no matter where you buy them, but if you want produce at the peak of its taste
and nutritional value, farmers markets are the way to go.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWIvAP__wptzxjEgOnrrR48A177xhTR5Wv6z8SGB7kHMgNpmL2p4LkxTf47M_ID_1ZfQKyr6BAC7UBKtFuPgX2g2Dg_BBpwSamqcMrw7iqVh0_J9HhAIIj8infpEsICBWmhctNw/s1600/Tivoli+Farmers+Market.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWIvAP__wptzxjEgOnrrR48A177xhTR5Wv6z8SGB7kHMgNpmL2p4LkxTf47M_ID_1ZfQKyr6BAC7UBKtFuPgX2g2Dg_BBpwSamqcMrw7iqVh0_J9HhAIIj8infpEsICBWmhctNw/s400/Tivoli+Farmers+Market.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tivoli Village Farmers Market</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can find farmers markets throughout the week at a
variety of places in the Las Vegas valley. While most of the produce comes from
California, you’ll find locally produced honey, eggs, herbs, and micro-greens. These
markets are small in comparison to what you’ll find in greener areas, so if you're looking for something on the scale of a farmers market in California or Oregon, dial down your expectations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since
we’re in the desert, much of the food at our farmers markets comes from further
away than the locavore’s gold standard of being produced within 100 miles--but
the 400 miles between Vegas and Fresno is far less than the miles most produce travels
before hitting the grocery store shelves. It’s also been allowed to ripen
before being picked, which is why it all tastes so good.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh950iMC-yM8nlGE7NYEEv5CIwK-NKerXfY7PdCy3DcWpyWUCSkopVWIjV1OzHZBy5CeDVr3WYuYhkq_PblG1lvCETOuic3XPKFFPsmoRkYxpgpHMRSKDSpcL1ITkUzYJBpbYXTSg/s1600/Grapes+at+Tivoli+Farmers+Market.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh950iMC-yM8nlGE7NYEEv5CIwK-NKerXfY7PdCy3DcWpyWUCSkopVWIjV1OzHZBy5CeDVr3WYuYhkq_PblG1lvCETOuic3XPKFFPsmoRkYxpgpHMRSKDSpcL1ITkUzYJBpbYXTSg/s400/Grapes+at+Tivoli+Farmers+Market.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Summertime’s bounty of fruits has just passed us, but we’ll
soon see apples and citrus (as my favorite fruit vendor told me a couple of
weeks ago). Can’t wait. My family is so excited to find out what fresh apples
taste like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another way to get fresh produce is to pick it yourself at <a href="http://www.thegilcreaseorchard.org/">Gilcrease Orchard</a>, or sign up for
a <a href="https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C2GGGE_enUS400&source=hp&q=nevada+csa&oq=nevada+csa&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0j0i22i10i30k1l3j0i22i30k1l5.364.2635.0.2923.13.11.1.0.0.0.136.1087.5j5.10.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..2.11.1099.0..0i131k1j0i131i46k1j46i131k1.0.EGC07yljFlc">CSA</a>,
which is a subscription-type service from a community farm. You can pick up
local eggs and honey on weekends at <a href="http://thelasvegasfarm.com/">The
Farm</a>, which is also an animal rescue, and you can check with the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VegasRoots/">Vegas Roots Community Garden</a> to
see what they have for sale.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have to warn you: if you start shopping at farmers markets
and local farms/gardens, be prepared to work it into your weekly schedule.
Grocery store produce will start tasting like cardboard in comparison. Trust
me. I tried to make pico de gallo with grocery store tomatoes, and it just made
me sad. They were tasteless, watery, sorry excuses for tomatoes. Once your
taste buds get used to fruits and veggies with actual flavor, there’s no going
back. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">* * *</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here’s my current list of Las Vegas farmers markets. Keep in
mind that hours and locations may change, and weather is a factor for most
markets. Some markets may also close for winter and/or winter holidays. If you have corrections or additions, please leave them in the comments:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.tivolivillagelv.com/events/tivoli-farmers-market/?event_rdate=20171007090000,19710506010000">Tivoli
Village Farmers & Makers Market</a>, Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.downtownsummerlin.com/events/lasvegasfarmersmarket.html">Las
Vegas Farmers Market at Downtown Summerlin</a>,
Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LasVegasFarmersMarket3/">Las
Vegas Farmers Market at Floyd Lamb Park</a>, 1st and 3rd Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 2
p.m.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.fresh52.com/news/inspirada-market">fresh52
at Solista Park in Henderson</a>, 2nd and 4th Saturday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.fresh52.com/">fresh52 at Sansone Park
Place</a> (9480 S. Eastern), Sundays, 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.ontheranchmarket.com/home.html">On The
Ranch Farmers Market at Craig Ranch Park</a>, Sundays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://lvfarmersmarkets.wixsite.com/lvfm/bruce-trent-park">Las Vegas
Farmers Market at Bruce Trent Park</a>, Wednesdays, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://lvfarmersmarkets.wixsite.com/lvfm/gardens-park">Las Vegas Farmers
Market at Gardens Park</a>, Thursdays, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.hendersonfarmersmarketnv.com/">Henderson
Farmers Market on Water Street</a>, Thursdays, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/connorsfarmersmarketTD/">The
District Farmers Market</a> - open seasonally on Thursdays, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/IntuitiveForagerFarmersMarkets/">Downtown 3rd Intuitive
Forager Farmers Market</a> - Old Bus Station at 300 N. Casino Center, Fridays,
9 a.m. - 2 p.m. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.hendersonfarmersmarketnv.com/">Henderson
Farmers Market on Green Valley Parkway</a>, Fridays, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do
you shop at any of the Las Vegas farmers markets?</span></i>TH Meekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10686820920035214589noreply@blogger.com0