Las Vegas During Earth Hour 2010

On Saturday night, my family and I drove down to the Venetian. We wanted to get a look at the Strip during Earth Hour, and we thought we'd do some wandering around while we were there. Wandering around any of the Strip hotels provides heaps of free entertainment--especially on Saturday night.

The first thing I noticed was that the "darkened" Strip was still very bright. You could see the hotels clearly, and several of them had their names illuminated. The overall effect was interesting: a subdued Las Vegas that looked very much like any other city full of big buildings. I was surprised to see how much light was present even with the hotels' big lights off.

At 9:30, when the Strip's exterior lights came on, it was a gradual change. "That was pretty anti-climactic," complained my husband and son. But when you compare the picture taken during Earth Hour to the one taken a few minutes after it ended (and notice the Flamingo isn't yet re-lit), you see a marked difference.

After I was done taking pictures, we left the roof of the Venetian's parking garage and wandered around the Grand Canal Shoppes. When my son paused in front of the gelato stand in St. Mark's square, we convinced him that a stop at the grocery store on the way home would net him more ice cream in the long run. We stopped in the Peter Lik gallery and marveled over the incredible photographs. As we wandered past the Grand Canal's expensive storefronts, my husband and I watched the drunks stagger by. (A word of advice: Pace yourselves, people--10:00 p.m. is far too early to be drunk in Las Vegas on a Saturday night.) The women out for the night were stuffed into dresses so short, tight, and tiny that they barely covered the essentials.

We decided to go across the street to watch the Mirage's volcano, but I hadn't considered the Spring Break crowd outside Tao. Throngs of people dressed to the nines were crowded from the bottom of the casino's escalator to the upstairs entryway outside Tao, then outside, where it looked like some kind of elaborate red-velevet-rope system was underway. We backtracked and found another way out to the Strip, but when we checked the time and realized it would be another half an hour before the volcano erupted, we decided to head for home (with an ice cream stop on the way) rather than hang around any longer.

As we were driving home, we got a good look at the fully lit Strip, all the hotels covered in lights. I thought the Strip looked fine without all her pizzazz, but Las Vegas minus her lights is like a showgirl without eyelashes and sequins.
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My pictures of the Strip

Las Vegas Goes Dark For Earth Hour

Before Earth Hour, the only time I remember the Strip going dark was after one of its beloved entertainers passed away. I remember when Sammy Davis, Jr., died in 1990. My husband and I drove to a dirt lot west of the Strip and watched the lights go out in honor of the departed Rat Packer.

This Saturday, March 27, between 8:30 and 9:30, the Strip will go dark to make a statement about climate change. Downtown and neighborhood hotels are also dimming their lights. Las Vegas is a city known for its lavish, over-the-top light displays, and this hour without neon signifies that we are concerned about climate change. With all the talk about solar energy in Southern Nevada, who knows--maybe one day all our neon will be powered with renewable energy.

What are you doing this Saturday evening? How about turning off your lights for an hour? And if you get a chance, go see the Strip. Las Vegas doesn't let people see her with her lights off very often.
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Photo courtesy of Sarah Nichols: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pocheco/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Rats in Las Vegas

Many new things have arrived in my hometown over the years. Mosquitoes. Traffic jams. Urban sprawl. Most recently, roof rats.

I was surprised to learn that roof rats have been here since 1990. I remember reading about the rodents' arrival in Spanish Trail, but I can't say I've given the creatures much thought since then. From the information on the Southern Nevada Health District's website, I should have been thinking about rat prevention long ago. My older neighborhood has everything a rat could want: water, yummy food, and plenty of mature landscaping in which to hide.

After my brother-in-law found two rats in our barbeque, we've been on high alert. My dogs go into rat hunting mode as soon as they hit the backyard. My husband and son look for evidence of rats every day. Until a few nights ago, I was unconcerned. Well, I was unconcerned after I had my husband construct a rat barrier on our dryer vent. Rats in the backyard are one thing. Rats in my home are another.

We were outside a few evenings ago, sitting at our patio table, playing Monopoly, when our dogs started barking and attacking one of the shrubs. If you have dogs, you know there's a difference between the bark that says, "Look, there's a person walking by the yard" and the bark announcing, "Holy Chihuahua, there's a rat in this bush!" Mr. Rat knew the difference. He burst from the shrub. He quickly made it to the top of the fence and scurried away from the dogs. "It's a rat! It's a rat!" I yelled. Mr. Rat paused briefly behind another shrub, hopefully to make a note not to hang out in the yard with the vicious dogs and excited humans, then he ran into our neighbor's backyard, the rat's long, thin tail visible as he dropped into the safety of an empty yard.

"We have to get rat traps," my husband informed me.

"Can't we just catch them and keep them as pets? Can we do catch and release?" I asked. I once caught a mouse in my desk at City Hall and kept her for three years before she passed away. I really don't like killing things. Besides, since I have a child, won't I just be buying a rodent at PetSmart sometime soon? Why pay for one when I can just capture one for free? I mean, heck, look at the rat in this picture. He's adorable.

"No." My husband was firm. "They're not native. They carry disease. We need to get rat traps."

So far, we haven't picked up any traps. I'm relying on the Dog Patrol to scare away marauding rats. But I have a sinking feeling that I'll hear snapping traps sometime soon.
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Picture courtesy of Jans Canon at flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43158397@N02/ / CC BY 2.0

Spring in Las Vegas

The plum tree is beginning to bloom, and I noticed the birds are back in a big way. Everything around here has the feel of spring to it. I finally got my hummingbird feeder back up, and I've had a few visitors.

A couple of weeks ago, we got surprise visitors. With the weather now warm enough to barbeque, my son and brother-in-law went outside one night to fire up the grill. They opened the lid and found two rats. (Cue the screaming and horror music.) I was glad they didn't have the gas turned on because they were ready to make flaming rats. Now we're keeping the grill cleaned up more diligently. Rats in Las Vegas! Who would have ever imagined.

But enough about that... I'd rather think about the beauty of a Las Vegas spring. It's so much nicer than flaming rodents.

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My photo of my neighborhood.

Hoover Dam & A Las Vegas Childhood

"We could be standing on dead bodies" might not normally be a bit of conversation you remember from your childhood. But if you grew up in Las Vegas when I did, it was a staple line for field trips to Hoover Dam. Popular myth said that some dam workers were entombed in the cement of the immense structure, and it made a great story for elementary kids to tell each other. It's not true, by the way. Men did die while building Boulder Dam (it became Hoover later), but they didn't leave the bodies in the concrete.

I was writing about Hoover Dam recently for NileGuide, and I couldn't help but remember what the tours were like before the new visitor center and a post-9/11 world. No fancy escalator, parking garage or ticket counter--you parked on top of the spillways and got your tickets from the glass booth on top of the dam, the now-empty one that faces the road. You stood in a line that snaked back along the sidewalk, and while people waited they leaned over the side of the wall and looked down the dam's 726 foot face. Beyond that, the Colorado River gurgled into Black Canyon. Admittance was something like $5. You went into the structure from one of the elevators in the middle of the dam, the ones screaming Art Deco, and as you dropped down at some astronomical rate, the tour guide explained just how fast you were moving. Poof, you were at the bottom. We got to walk past the generators, outside onto the bottom of the dam to look up, and we were guided through rough-hewn caves weeping Colorado River water. On one trip, we went into a room where we could stand on top of platforms under which river water flowed through pipes, the force of it strong enough that you could feel it under your feet.

The tours aren't the only thing that has changed at Hoover Dam. I remember when Lake Mead overflowed into the spillways and created twin waterfalls on the intake side of the dam, one on the Nevada side, one one the Arizona side. The mist could be seen as you approached, and standing on the side of the spillway for long left you drenched. Now, rocky beach leads up to the spillways.

One thing that never changes is the majesty of Hoover Dam. It's an architectural marvel, a piece of living history, and surprisingly beautiful.
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Picture courtesy of Richard Wasserman at http://tiny.cc/fALkI

The Old Las Vegas Convention Center

I've been going through a lot of Flickr pages recently, looking for pictures of Las Vegas. I came across a collection of old postcards by Nevada Tumbleweed, and this one really took me back. This is the Convention Center I grew up with, although with a few more buildings around it. As I understand it, yes, that is a horse racing track in back of it, where the Las Vegas Country Club now stands. I remember the International being built next to it, and eating dinner at the top of the Landmark when it still stood across the street. The steakhouse restaurant at the top of the Landmark rotated. I loved it. The Chateau Vegas, a red-velvet upholstered restaurant with a harpist, was on the south side of Desert Inn, long before it was all converted to an underpass next to the current Convention Center. The Alpine Village was across the street, although I never got a chance to eat there because my dad didn't like German food.

Some of my best memories are at the Helldorado rodeos at this space-ship-like Convention Center. My parents loved the rodeo, and we never missed a Helldorado. The place was always packed to the rooftops with rowdy fans, and we always sat close enough that when the broncos kicked up dirt, sometimes it landed on us.

But my favorite memory of the old Convention Center is watching the fireworks from the steps in front of a bar where my dad worked. It was a little place two floors up, on the other side of Paradise Road. The owner was an Irishman straight from the old country (I think his name was McGary), and I could come in the place as a long as I didn't sit at the bar or get too close to a slot machine. Whatever the occasion was that night, Mom and I went in late to visit Dad and watch the show. I remember the three of us sitting on the steps facing the Convention Center, watching the fireworks burst into colors over the top of the dome.
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Photo courtesy of Mark Holloway at http://tiny.cc/V7HxF

Red Rock Snow

Last week's wet weather brought a coating of snow to Red Rock Canyon. I didn't have time to drive through the loop, but I did drive up to the 13 Mile Campground, where I took these pictures. I told my son I thought it looked like God had sprinkled Red Rock with powdered sugar.

Driving In Las Vegas

I had a comment on my post about the rain from a future visitor who is worried about the wet conditions in Las Vegas. First of all, if you're planning a visit here, don't let the rain stop you. You'll still have a great time--heck, lots of visitors never even make it out of the casino to see what the weather is like. Our residents have problems with the wet roadways because we only get about four inches of rain a year. This much rainfall just doesn't happen that often. Most of the time, it's sunny and clear.

With that said, driving in Las Vegas does have its challenges, regardless of the weather. Here are a few suggestions for visitors who will be driving while in town:

First, minimize your time behind the wheel. It's too difficult to see the sights when you're navigating traffic, and we have a lot of sights to see. If you're staying on the Strip or Downtown, you can use the Monorail, bus service, or even take a taxi to get from place to place. When the weather is nice, which it usually is, I've always found it easier to walk down the Strip than to drive. I usually park the car at valet or in a parking garage, and then I'm free to roam inside and outside the casinos.

To see the sights away from the Strip, especially places outside of Las Vegas like Red Rock, Hoover Dam, or Lake Mead, you will need to drive unless you're signed up with a tour company. Get a good map and/or GPS. One of the most confusing things to most out-of-town drivers in Las Vegas is the baffling practice of giving one street several different names. Twain/Sands/Spring Mountain Road is a good example--three names, same street. That's where your map/GPS comes in handy. Just remember that the street name may change without you changing streets.

Second, practice defensive driving. Focus on your driving and stay alert for the actions of the other drivers. Las Vegas drivers tend to speed, tailgate, and run red lights. Don't try the "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" approach. Drive at the speed limit in the middle or right lane, let tailgaters pass you, and take a second look before continuing forward when you have a green light. If it's raining, use extra caution--ditto for rush hour. Practice common-sense, defensive driving, just as you would at home.

Third, watch out for road construction. Although the current economic slowdown has slowed road work, we still have plenty of torn-up streets. Pay attention to those big, flashing arrows warning you to move over a lane. If you wait until the last minute to change lanes, you may find yourself stuck there for a while. Many Las Vegas drivers will not let you over if you wait until the last minute to change lanes because they consider it to be the same thing as cutting places in line.

Most importantly, remember to enjoy your vacation. If driving in Las Vegas is too stressful for you, park the car and take another form of transportation. Remember, the goal of any vacation is to have a good time, not to have road rage.
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Photo courtesy of Marcin Jochimczyk at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/486345

For more information about what to do while you're visiting Las Vegas, please visit my NileGuide Las Vegas page.

Cheyenne West Animal Hospital

For over 20 years, I had the same vet. I wish I knew a people doctor I trusted as much as I did my old vet. When he moved his office across town, I made the drive because I couldn't imagine taking my pets to anyone else. This year, he retired, lucky man. While I like the vet who took over his office, it just wasn't the same. When my cat developed a case of feline acne, I started looking for a new vet, one closer to my house. A good friend recommended Cheyenne West Animal Hospital, so today I braved the rain to take my unhappy cat to see Dr. Hewitt.

Seeing a new vet is almost as stressful as seeing a new people doctor. My cat must feel the same way since he had an accident in his crate on the way there. And let me say that I'm really glad people don't have to have their temperature taken the same way. But the staff at Cheyenne West Animal Hospital have a good antidote to new-doctor stress: they're friendly, caring, and professional. My friend's recommendation was certainly justified. They were even kind enough to clean up kitty's crate accident for me.

So if you're looking for a place to take your four-legged friends, let me pass along the recommendation. Cheyenne West Animal Hospital is at Buffalo and Gowan, they're open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and on Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can click on the link to get to their website, or call them at 702-395-1800.
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My picture of today's patient, my cat Baby.

Las Vegas News This Week: Rain, Rain, Rain

Rain in the desert is a rarity. That's why it's the big news this week. If you're lucky enough to be at home, this week-long storm is probably a welcome break from the Las Vegas standards of sunny and clear. But if you have to drive anywhere, you might not appreciate the rain so much.

If you're from another part of the country, rain in Las Vegas probably looks pretty wimpy to you. That's why so many accidents happen during our infrequent rainfalls. Our rain is usually a steady, drizzly rain. For the most part, visibility remains pretty good. I've been in downpours in Texas and Wisconsin that made it impossible to see beyond the car's windshield. But that's where people get into trouble here--underestimating rain in the desert can get you into serious trouble. If you're headed out on the roadways while it's raining, be careful and remember:

1. Don't underestimate the driving hazards of Las Vegas rain. Yes, I know, you can see for blocks ahead. And yes, the water doesn't look that deep. Perhaps you're familiar with hydroplaning? You've seen those people in the big SUVs and pickups, speeding along like there's no rain. You can almost hear the scorn emanating from their vehicles: "Get out of my way, slow drivers! My gigantic vehicle with the big tires, four-wheel drive, and anti-lock brakes can drive through anything!" But it's not about what you can drive through. It's about stopping. This morning I saw a one-vehicle accident where an SUV had taken out a couple of utility boxes and landed on the sidewalk, in the rocks, facing the wrong way. Slow down, people.

2. Be a defensive driver. Even if you're driving safely, there's all those people who don't feel it's necessary to slow down. Put a little extra distance in between you and the person in front of you. You remember driver's ed, right? You did take driver's ed.... right?

3. The water doesn't have to be deep to be dangerous. Have you seen those billboards about the dangers of driving into flood waters? The reason we've got those billboards is because drivers consistently think they can make it through flooded roadways. Guess again. It's not the depth of the water, it's the speed at which it's moving. They don't call them "flash floods" for nothing. When in doubt, pick another route.

If you don't have to go out while it's raining, stay at home. It's much easier to enjoy the Las Vegas rain when you don't have to drive in it. Less than an hour ago, we had snow flurries at my house. And if you think Las Vegas drivers have issues with rain.... you can just imagine what they're like with snow!
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My pictures of the Sahara/Ft. Apache area today at about 2:15 p.m. Unfortunately, due to technical issues between Blogger, my computer, and my photo editing software, the quality of these pictures is a bit low.

The Review-Journal posted a great slide show of the rain and snow.

The Beauty of Red Rock

When the weather is beautiful, like it was for most of today, all I want to do is jump in the car and drive west on Charleston. But since I've been working too much lately to get out, I thought I'd post some pictures instead.

From top to bottom: Red Rock Overlook, Sandstone Quarry, and Calico Basin.

Las Vegas: A Tale of Two Cities

Las Vegas remains one of the world's top tourist destinations--and for good reasons. We've got plush hotels, critically acclaimed restaurants, miles of shopping malls, every kind of show imaginable, and hip nightclubs. You can see historically significant places, like Hoover Dam; ride roller coasters; or visit Vegas-only places like the Liberace Museum and the Atomic Testing Museum. For the visitor, Las Vegas holds an array of things to do and see that rivals any other city. I write about my hometown for NileGuide, and keeping up with all the things we have to see and do is enough to keep my at my computer late into the night.

Then there's the rest of the city, the Las Vegas beyond the Strip.

Like many well-known tourist cities, the Las Vegas that exists outside of the Strip has some serious challenges. You've probably heard about the crime in Atlantic City or the poverty-stricken favelas in Rio. If you've been following the news, you know that Las Vegas is one of the nation's leaders in foreclosures, that our bankruptcy rate is skyrocketing, and that unemployment remains high. Nevada has used only a third of much-needed federal highway stimulus funds (money that could put thousands of unemployed construction workers back to work), HUD has decided we don't deserve any additional aid for foreclosures (without offering much of a reason why), and Nevada's governor is thinking about opting out of Medicaid (when more people than ever need assistance). It's enough to make you nostalgic for the Mob.

While I was reading all those depressing articles this week, I remembered the mutterings of years past, when some Las Vegas residents wondered if Nevada would be better off being split into two states: North Nevada and South Nevada. While that's as unlikely today as when the idea was first mentioned, if Southern Nevada could have its own leaders in charge of things, perhaps we'd have a different set of circumstances. Highway construction funds, for example, might actually be put to use here instead of in Carson City. I realize that drawing a line across the middle of Nevada to make two states out of one is pretty radical, but right now we need some radical solutions.
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Photo by Justin Per at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/315978

Las Vegas and the Holiday Season

Mercifully, the holidays are over. I’m sure that the Bellagio has all their decorations taken down and neatly stored away, giant nutcrackers and all, but at my house the tree is still up. It’s a reminder of just how hectic the holidays were.

Amidst the whirlwind of unexpectedly doubled hours at my part-time job, a trip to the ER with a family member, shopping, decorating, and coping with a terminally ill family pet, I also had some extra writing assignments. One of them was a request to submit a post to National Geographic Traveler’s blog, IntelligentTravel, which had posted a fill-in-the-blank questionnaire about all the holiday aspects of a city. Although I was disappointed that my post wasn’t featured, in hindsight I can certainly understand why. Several of the questions left me scratching my head for good answers. Las Vegas may have made the Travel Channel’s list of “The Most Christmasy Places in America,” but that didn’t make it any easier for me to fit my hometown into any kind of traditional Christmas setting.

The questions severely tested my creative abilities, so much so that I believe I overdid my answers, something like a bad liar who can’t shut up. I won’t torment you with the full versions of my responses, but here are a few of the questions that left me banging my head on my desk:

The best place to grab a cup of cocoa is ______.
I think I may have groaned when I first read that one. The only place I could think of was Starbucks, and I knew that was not the answer they were looking for. I’ve had some seriously alcohol-infused hot apple cider concoctions while out and about, but not any cocoa. The short version of my agonized-over answer: Mt. Charleston.

Strap on your skates at _____ and enjoy the view of _____.
What immediately came to mind was absolutely nothing. I heard Ferris Bueller’s name being called without any answer as I pondered this one. My answer: MonteLago Village.

No holiday meal in my city is complete without ______.
Again, the sounds of silence filled my brain. What on earth do Las Vegans enjoy as a staple after holiday meals? We don’t have any city-wide holiday meal traditions, at least none that I know about, and I was born and raised here. My answer: A stiff after-dinner drink.

Locals know to avoid the throngs _____ and find the real magic ______.
At this point, I was considering that stiff drink before dinner rather than after. We all avoid the throngs on the Strip, but to find real magic… does Lance Burton do a Christmas show? My answer involved avoiding the throngs at the malls, and on the Strip on New Year’s Eve, and finding the real magic at home with family and friends.

And that, I believe, is one of the things that stymied my responses. At my house, the holidays are about family. I’d say most of my friends who are also long-time residents celebrate the holidays in Las Vegas the same way: with family and friends, far from the Strip, with nary a thought about ice skating or places to stop for cocoa. Las Vegas may be one of the world’s most exciting cities, but for her residents, the holidays are pretty tame.
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My picture of the Bellagio Conservatory

Las Vegas Welcomes CES 2010

Attention all gadget and technology lovers! From January 7 through 10, the International Consumer Electronics Show will be at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The latest and greatest in every type of technology will be on display. Since it’s an industry-only event, the general public can’t get in to gawk at all the fabulous new stuff, but those who are lucky enough to score passes will be rewarded with exhibits featuring all the new technology they can stand (check the CES website for information on prices and the necessary credentials).

If you’re heading to Las Vegas for CES, check out my NileGuide CES guide for tips on what to do when you’re in town. When I wrote the guide in early December, some excellent hotels still had rooms available at CES rates: the Aria, the Hard Rock, and the Hilton. Those properties are now sold out, but amazingly enough, the Circus-Circus and Alexis Park are still showing rooms available on the CES website. On the CES Facebook Fan Page, I noticed several people looking to share rooms, and I imagine a search of Downtown properties or off-the-Strip hotels might turn up some rooms.

If you’re a CES-bound Las Vegas resident, you’ve got your room covered, but you’ll still want to check their online guide to identify your must-see exhibits since there are 2,700 to choose from. Don’t even think about trying to park at the Convention Center. Get a ride, or park remotely and use the Monorail or CES Shuttle. The last time I tried parking at CES, I wound up walking all the way from Maryland Parkway and Desert Inn. And did I mention you’ll want to wear really comfortable shoes?

I have to admit that I’m a little bit jealous of the technology writers who’ll be covering CES. I love gadgets and technology in all its forms, but my travel writing credentials just don’t cut it for a press pass. Maybe one day they’ll have a travel technology section—heck, I can dream, can’t I?

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Image courtesy of Dez Pain at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1153678

Las Vegas Tells 2009 Good-Bye

Some years you savor the memories of the previous twelve months, and some years you're just glad for the hope a new year brings. For Las Vegas, 2009 falls in the latter category.

The economy shocked everyone in Las Vegas with its record-breaking drop in 2009. I hesitated to write about my own experiences until I realized I was far, far from being the only one. My wish for 2010 is that I won’t feel compelled to speak out about any collective financial hardships. For all those who were steamrolled by the economic collapse in Southern Nevada, I raise my glass with you to toast the end of 2009. Let’s look forward to better times in the new year.

What does 2010 hold for Las Vegas? Unfortunately, my crystal ball is in for repairs. I hope we’ll see a steady turn-around in the economy—more jobs, a rise in home values (hey, I’m an optimist), and a resurrection of our once-vibrant construction industry.

Tonight, Las Vegas does what she does best: put on a spectacular show. The Strip’s hotels will entertain the crowds with an awesome roof-top display of fireworks, and hundreds of thousands of revelers will celebrate in the street below. I believe New Year’s Eve on the Strip is evidence that while Las Vegas may be down, she’s not out.

Happy New Year, Las Vegas!
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Image courtesy of Billy Alexander at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1245823

From Las Vegas To Washington: We Need Jobs Now

My weekly hike has been suspended indefinitely since I’m once again hyper-focused on finding more work. Although I have one steady writing assignment, a weekly writing group that I facilitate, and a part-time retail job (all of which I’m incredibly grateful for right now), none of it can compensate for the near total lack of work for my hubby. It’s difficult to make up for a 75%+ drop in household income.

On December 3, Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce President Kara Kelley was the only Nevadan at President Obama’s White House Job Creation Forum. I guess Las Vegas’ status as the Detroit of the West simply isn’t enough to warrant more attention. Or maybe it’s more of the same attitude that we who live in Las Vegas are expendable, immoral, and unsustainable—despite the 37 million people who travel here each year.

In order to keep from bursting blood vessels or suffering from high blood pressure (especially since we had to give up our health insurance), I’ve had to stop thinking about the current unemployment quagmire that is sinking our city. I’ve instead chosen to focus on the fact that there are jobs out there. Maybe not as many jobs as we need, maybe not very many well-paying jobs, but jobs are out there. It’s like a treasure hunt, only you get to lose your home and live in your car if you can’t find that elusive Job With a Living Wage. In my case, I’m very lucky because I can look for jobs on two fronts: writing assignments and whatever is available in the brick and mortar category—writing is often in cyberspace and on the phone, while administrative jobs usually require you to put on make-up, look pretty, and appear in person at someone else’s office. I’m also working on finding a way to go without sleep, which will make working around the clock so much easier.

Of course, I’m not just applying for administrative and writing jobs. I’m applying for anything for which I’m qualified. That includes dog watching, taking inventory, and stocking grocery store shelves. I’ve discovered that being self-employed is a strike against me, that personality tests really do have right and wrong answers, that just getting a response from a job application is a major achievement, and that scammers and computer hackers are busily preying on job seekers these days.

So here’s my message to Washington and our leaders: We need jobs. Now. Not $8.00 an hour jobs; jobs that we can use to stay in our homes. Construction was one of Las Vegas’ major industries, and the housing and financial crisis blew a hole through it—a hole big enough that my husband could drive his idle Kenworth right through it. Unless something is done quickly, a second wave of foreclosures, loan delinquencies, and bankruptcies will sink even more people—people like my husband and me, who have managed to hang on for the past three years but who now are running out of resources. Do we really need more committees and forums to understand that? Here in Las Vegas, where the unemployment rate is 13%, how much more bickering do we need to have over highway projects and high-speed trains? Can we just form a committee devoted to bickering so the rest of our “leaders” can devote themselves to creating jobs?

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get back to looking for work.
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Picture information: My husband’s Kenworth, which worked for about 20 hours last month.

Las Vegas Hiking: Ice Box Canyon in Red Rock

I haven’t been out for a hike in a couple of weeks now, but the last time I went, we headed up to Ice Box Canyon in Red Rock. The weather was sunny and clear, but as soon as we left the sunshine behind us, the temperature dropped noticeably. The rocky trail led us into the narrow canyon and then dropped us into the wash, where we scrambled over the rocks and boulders until we reached the dry waterfall. In the desert, these areas are often dry until rain or snow fill the streams. For now, the only signs of water are dark stains on the rocks and cliffs. The only sour note of the day was the trash we saw—my hiking buddy Angie packed out two bags full of some careless hikers’ lunches, leaving us both to ponder, “What the…?”
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Photo information: My pictures of Ice Box Canyon

Hiking in Calico Basin

I got out for a hike last Monday, which made up for not getting out later in the week. My son and I hiked in Calico Basin, but instead of sticking to the boardwalk around the meadow, we took the trail marked for Cannibal Crag, a popular rock-climbing spot. A short distance from the trailhead, the trail takes you close to the rocks. The rocks aren’t as immediately vertical here as they are in other sections of Red Rock, making rock scrambling on the lower rocks much easier. We found one mammoth boulder with chalk and climbing tools embedded in it—it looked like a great place to train. We followed a seasonal stream bed, which I believe connects with Calico Spring, although we didn't spot any running water, just lots of greenery. Red Spring, Calico Spring, and Ash Spring are all in this area. We wound up in a boxy canyon that my son wanted to boulder up and over, but I nixed that idea. The elephant-like rock formation in my pictures was taken not far from that point.

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My pictures in Calico Basin: The climbing rock, greenery along the trail, the elephant rock. For more information about outdoor destinations around Las Vegas, visit my NileGuide page.

Red Rock Canyon: Pine Creek

If you like to hike, this is the time of year to explore the desert around Las Vegas. These are the days of temperatures in the 80s, and the little patches of greenery around our springs and creeks (invasive species, I’m sure) are turning pretty colors because it’s fall. Until it turns hot again next summer, you can pretty much count on lots of very nice 60-70 degree weather until spring warms things up. At this time of year, the hiking in Red Rock is fabulous.

Two weeks ago, I went up to Pine Creek with a friend and my son. My friend had never been to Red Rock, despite living in Las Vegas for ten years, and I was happy to show her around. We hiked into the North Fork of Pine Creek, also known as Fern Canyon, the canyon the right side of the pointy mountain, Mescalito, in these pictures. I dropped down into the canyon too soon, before we got to the pools at the base of the cliffs, but we still had fun scrambling over the rocks and watching the rock climbers ascend the sandstone.

Pine Creek offers several hikes—you can do the Fire Ecology Trail, hike to the old Wilson Homestead, or hike up either fork of Pine Creek. There’s even a trail to the peak of Mescalito, but from the trail description I read, it’s quite a test of both physical fitness and trail-finding skills.
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My pictures at Pine Creek.

Hiking in Red Rock Canyon

With the temperature cooling off here in Las Vegas, it's the perfect time to do some hiking in Red Rock. This afternoon I headed out to Sandstone Quarry with my son and mom-in-law. Since it was only about 80, we didn't have to scurry into the shade every time we stopped. I remembered a cave I'd found a couple of years ago, and a little diligent searching paid off--although I did get some heebie-jeebies being under the slabs of sandstone that had fallen and created the small cave.

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My pictures from today's hike.

Living Under Las Vegas

Underneath the lavish casinos of Las Vegas, people are living in the city's flood channels. This shocking revelation first came to light two years ago in local author Matt O’Brien’s book, Beneath the Neon, and I’ve noticed a recent surge in stories on this topic. Las Vegas may be an amazing place for a vacation, but for the people who live here, social services are slim to non-existent (and as my dad would have said, “And Slim just left town.”) That lack of alternatives can lead people to desperate solutions. I can’t think of a more desperate solution to a housing problem than to be driven underground into a flood channel, but in the heat of summer, I imagine it’s certainly preferable to trying to brave the heat—until a flash flood hits. Now that Las Vegas’ unemployment rate is over 13%, I can’t help but wonder if more people will be driven underground, quite literally. If you've seen the recent stories and want to know more, read O’Brien’s book.

Boulder City's Art in the Park & The Las Vegas Festival Season

It's that time of year again--the temperatures are steadily inching below 100, Halloween (also known as Nevada Day around here) is approaching, and it's festival season in Las Vegas! While the economy has cooled things off a bit--Summerlin's sidewalk chalk art festival has been cancelled this year, for instance--this is still the season for festivals of all kinds. Now is the time of year to check the RJ's Neon every week. Last weekend, the Super Run Car Show took over Henderson's downtown. This weekend, October 3, visit the granddaddy of all Southern Nevadan art festivals, Boulder City's Art in the Park. Admission is free; park on the outskirts of town and pay the small charge to take a shuttle to Bicentennial Park. Next weekend, the Age of Chivalry Renaissance Festival takes over Sunset Park. Costumes are welcome. And First Friday, which operates year-round, is celebrating its seventh anniversary this Friday, October 2.

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My picture of Art in the Park from a couple of years ago.

Dinosaurs in Las Vegas

No, I'm not talking about bad lounge shows or aging Mafia bosses. The real thing—a collection of incredibly rare fossils—is on display at the Venetian through the end of this week. The amazing array of fossils will be auctioned off on Saturday, October 3. The T-Rex, nicknamed “Samson,” is one of only three specimens ever found in such a complete state. The exhibit is housed in the space formerly occupied by the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum. Admission is free.

Read the RJ’s article here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/dinosaur-invasion-59603207.html

Photo information: My pictures of the exhibit. Top to bottom, clockwise: "Samson," the T-Rex; fish fossil (according to the placard, the largest ever found); wooly mammoth; triceratops.

Big Dune at Amargosa

When my hubby first asked me if I wanted to go with him to Big Dune in Amargosa, I hesitated. He loves to zoom over the dunes on a quad, and I'm just not the zooming type. He batted his baby blues and told me that his sister, Sandy, and our brother-in-law, Randy, would be coming (thus giving me someone to hang out with) and that they'd be bringing a Mule. "You can drive the Mule," he cajoled. We really don't have a good history on the whole dune thing. When he talked me into going to the Dumont Dunes with him, I spent the entire day sitting around camp, bored out of my mind, with nothing to do but watch other people zip around on their noisy little machines. I went twice, and both times it was the same dull experience. I agreed to give him yet another chance, so last weekend we spent Saturday in Amargosa.

When we got to Big Dune, I got the basic Mule driving instructions from the men. A Mule is kind of like an off-road golf cart with a tiny little pick-up styled bed. It doesn't go that fast (especially when I'm driving), and it's meant for flatter areas of the dunes (again, especially when I'm driving). Sandy and I were on the same page as far as the Mule went. "Do you want to drive?" I asked her after I'd taken it for a spin around camp. "Nope," she said. We became the refreshment vehicle and camera crew, which suited us just fine. It also made my dune experience actually enjoyable... I guess the third time was a charm, as they say. Here's a video clip of what the zoomier-types were doing as Sandy and I were puttering along.

Amargosa's Big Dune ATV/OHV area is about 90 minutes outside of Las Vegas. On non-holiday weekends, it's not very crowded. It's involved in a bit of a controversy right now since a field of solar panels has been proposed nearby, close to Amargosa Valley.

Las Vegas Rain

Ah, what a rare treat in Las Vegas -- rain! Today we even had hail. In Peccole Ranch, the walking paths double as flood channels. Here are a couple of pictures I just took of the "Peccole River"; within the hour (barring more rain), this temporary stream will be gone.

Are You Planning a Trip to Las Vegas?

If you’re looking for a silver lining to the Great Recession, look no further than the fantastic travel deals sprouting up everywhere in Las Vegas. When Las Vegas decided to increase its luxury quotient, the city took some heat for the corresponding rise in room rates and restaurant tabs. Now a savvy traveler can stay in first-class hotels and enjoy fine dining and shows for very reasonable rates.

I knew Las Vegas had some great deals, but I didn’t realize how great until I researched hotels and attractions for a couple of guides I posted on NileGuide.com. The advertised rates I saw made me wish I was booking a room on the Strip. The last time I stayed at the Mandalay Bay for a stay-cation, I was aghast at the room rates—but that was a few years ago.

If you’re researching a trip to any destination, I suggest visiting NileGuide. Their site combines multiple travel-related searches. Users can simultaneously check several travel sites for flights and rental cars (Expedia, Orbitz, etc.), and then research (and book) hotels, attractions, and shows using reviews gleaned from individuals, local experts, and sources like Frommers. NileGuide users can then create a customized itinerary that breaks down a trip day-by-day, stop by stop. Most of us who love to travel also like to read the reviews of hotels and attractions, and one of the things I like about NileGuide is that it carries reviews from professional travel writers/reviewers along with comments from regular folks.

Since I believe that I’m pretty well-informed about what to do in and around Las Vegas, I had a great time writing a couple of guides. If you’re thinking of taking a trip to Las Vegas, click over to NileGuide and see my recommendations on where to stay and what to do while you’re in town. One guide is a weekend escape without the kids, and one explores the outside adventures around the city.
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Photo information: My pictures of the “Sirens of TI” show at the Treasure Island.

The 40th Anniversay of the Classic Movie, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Okay, I admit it--I have a special fondness for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the classic movie starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. It's the first movie I remember seeing at the theater, and I was hooked from the opening credits until the final scene.

When I started exploring back roads and ghost towns around Las Vegas, I was delighted to find that part of the movie was shot near Las Vegas, in and around Zion National Park. Some of the scenes of Etta's home were filmed in the ghost town of Grafton, Utah. I became determined to find Grafton, and although I had to dig through maps and even get a little lost while searching for it, it was worth the effort. (I also found that Butch, Sundance, and Etta weren't the only actual historical characters mentioned in the movie. I was researching Caliente, Nevada, for an article and discovered that E.H. Harriman, who is mentioned frequently in the movie as the outraged railroad magnate, was involved in a railroad dispute in Caliente in the late 1800s.)

Here are some of my pictures, taken on a visit to Grafton a couple of years ago. Grafton is just outside Springdale and Zion, about a two-hour drive from Las Vegas. The turn-off is not well-marked, and private individuals own much of the land in and around the ghost town. You'll see working farms and cattle wandering around if you visit. ~Photo information, from top to bottom: The Grafton Schoolhouse, which is being restored-- watch the movie and you'll see it in the background behind Etta's house; the privately owned home that is allegedly the place where the scenes of Butch (Paul Newman) and Etta (Katharine Ross) riding a bicycle were filmed; and two other buildings around Grafton--in sepia, in honor of the movie.~

The Las Vegas Mob Museum: An Offer You Can’t Refuse

Since I grew up in Las Vegas, I learned about the Mob at an early age. After my parents went to see The Godfather, they had an intense discussion back at home about the real people they thought Mario Puzo had based the characters on. My parents came to Las Vegas in the 1950s, and since my dad was a bartender, he knew a large assortment of shady characters.

I remember the day he proudly told me one of his cop friends had informed him that he was listed as a “known associate of organized crime figures.” He was beaming like he had just won a prize. Dad knew movie stars, famous singers, and a lot of cops, but he liked his mobster buddies the best. He was one of the first people I heard say that the town was better when the Mob ran things, long before that sentiment became a Las Vegas cliché. If Dad were still alive, you can bet that he would have loved the idea of The Mob Museum. He’d probably have been planning to be the first person in line when they open. (Currently scheduled for 2011.)

Recent newspaper articles have pointed out that here in Las Vegas, we’re rather proud of our Mob heritage. Our mayor played himself in the movie Casino. We have a street named after Bugsy Siegel. Although our mobsters arrived here from back East, you aren’t likely to see a Mob museum in Chicago or New York because they’re not so crazy about embracing their organized crime histories. Not so in Las Vegas, a place pleased to be known as the city founded by the Mob. (Technically that’s not true, but we’ve also got a reputation for playing with the facts just a little bit.)

I plan on visiting the Mob Museum when it opens. I think the redaction in the museum’s name is funny, probably owing to the years I spent working for Metro. I was never able to find any information on Dad being a “known associate,” but I did find his record for bookmaking in Los Angeles. He told me L.A. was a “wide open” town, not run by one specific family, unlike Kansas City, Detroit, or Tucson. His best friend in L.A. was a lieutenant with the LAPD, but according to Dad, they had an agreement that he would keep his business out of Uncle Willy’s precinct.

When Dad went to work as the bar manager at the Aladdin in the 1970s, I was too young to know that it was a clue about his connections. Not until after he passed away did I discover the Aladdin’s ties to the Mob. I just knew that I liked hanging out with the girls in harem costumes that he frequently assigned to baby-sit me while he went about his business. One of Dad’s friend owned a villa behind the Aladdin. The villas, as they were known, were a string of bungalows east of the hotel, and we got to visit his buddy’s villa and use the pool. And Dad mysteriously wound up driving a brand new Lincoln Mark V, right up until the day when the FBI showed up at our house to talk to him about his villa-owning pal, who also owned the Lincoln. After his friend wound up in a federal prison somewhere, the Lincoln disappeared.

In the late 1970s, Dad worked at a local bar allegedly run by a Chicago mobster. I remember my parents talking about one of the owner’s brothers having to disappear for a while, but I never got the details on whether it was because of law enforcement or a run-in with other mobsters. In the mid-1980s, after Dad no longer worked there, I was working at Metro when a couple of my friends and I stopped in that bar one night. One of my friends was an undercover cop. I made sure to say hello to the bar’s owner. “I’m Walt’s daughter,” I said, and he immediately recognized me. He stopped to chat for a minute and comp our drinks, and after he walked away, my cop friend looked at me incredulously. “You know him?” he asked. I explained that he was one of my Dad’s friends, and we left it at that.

My dad wasn’t circumspect about his “friends,” but my mom kept all her secrets to herself. Maybe that FBI visit did it. I was working on a story a couple of years ago, and I was trying to remember some of the famous mobsters Dad had known. Since Dad had passed away, I asked Mom. “Why don’t you just leave that part out,” she said.

“Mom, those people are dead,” I said.

“I know. I still don’t think you need to mention it,” she insisted. Mom was still alive when the idea for the Mob Museum surfaced, but I don’t remember her giving me an opinion about it. I’m pretty sure that if she were still around, she’d want to be in the front of the line on opening day just as much as Dad.

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Photo information: My parents at Hoover Dam, circa 1959

A Tragedy in Death Valley

I cried this morning when I read the RJ’s front page story about Alicia Sanchez and her 6-year-old son, Carlos. According to the article, Alicia and Carlos were stranded in a remote section of Death Valley National Park on Saturday, August 1, after she took a wrong turn and her vehicle got stuck in a hole. On Wednesday, her little boy died. Alicia was rescued in time to save her own life, but according to the article, “she was just barely hanging on.” Speaking as a mother, I imagine that she probably didn’t care at that point if she came home or not. The mental images in my mind of what this poor woman and her little boy went through broke my heart.

The desert is a brutal place in summer. Death Valley got its name because of the deaths of pioneers (members of the ill-fated 49ers) attempting to traverse it—in December. It’s one of the hottest places on earth, and its wilderness is vast and lightly traveled, especially at this time of year. This tragic incident proves that it can still claim a life, and Carlos is the third person to die in Death Valley this year.

Alicia had food and water with her, knew to stay with her vehicle, and even hiked to a higher point in an attempt to get cell phone service. All those actions are just what you should do. Prior to getting stuck, she had changed a flat tire on her Jeep, so I have to think she is a capable woman—heck, she’s a nurse. Had it not been 119 degrees, I think she and her son would have survived their ordeal.

I’ve lived in the desert my entire life. I’ve explored plenty of dirt roads, several of them with just my 11-year-old son in my Jeep with me. I’ve been to Death Valley in summer. I wondered if I would have turned down that rugged, little-used dirt path that Alicia mistakenly took, the one that stranded her and took her son’s life. Authorities are wondering why she took that turn. They aren’t sure if she was following her GPS, if the GPS’ information was incorrect, or if she was simply adventurous. When she recovers, I’m sure they’ll have plenty of questions for her.

The desert is a beautiful, but harsh, environment. I encourage people to explore the Mojave, but I also tell them not to venture out in the middle of summer. Let’s remember that the 49ers were traveling in winter, and they still lost enough of their party to give the park its name. People underestimate what heat can do. Sensible, outdoors-smart people who would never dream of venturing into sub-zero weather often don’t think twice about driving off into a blisteringly hot desert. It’s easy to understand why. If you have plenty of water, a functioning vehicle with air conditioning and four wheel drive, a reasonable amount of survival knowledge, and the skies are clear, what’s to worry about? Plenty, as this case illustrates.

I like a dirt road just as much as the next person, but when you are traveling with no one other than a child, extra caution is warranted. Actually, I never go on any dirt roads in Death Valley without another adult. The last time we drove Titus Canyon Road, we had a two-vehicle party. Death Valley’s expanses are too remote to tackle alone. The park covers 3.3 million acres. It’s bigger than Yellowstone. Your chances of running into a park ranger or another person are very slim in the less-traveled parts of the park, like the Owl Hole Springs Road Alicia was exploring. Park rangers and other explorers are too few to count on, and cell phone reception is iffy throughout the park and non-existent in canyons. If she’d had another adult, would that have made a difference in this case? Possibly, but I doubt it. Had another adult been with her, she might have gotten the Jeep unstuck, or one adult might have hiked out (at night) to get help. Since she was approximately 30 miles from a paved road, however, that would have been a risky tactic.

I’ve read that one mistake in the wilderness often leads to another mistake, and another, compounding the situation until tragedy strikes. Venturing deeply into the desert in 120 degree heat without another adult is certainly not the best idea, if not a mistake. Continuing on after using your spare tire is definitely a mistake. If you’ve used your spare, turn around and go back unless you’re carrying another spare. Let’s just say she hadn’t gotten stuck in the road. What if she’d gotten another flat tire?

Let’s talk about GPS systems. Personally, I’d rather have a detail map any day. I took a good look at the detail map of Owl Hole Springs Road and felt sick to my stomach. I felt positive that if Alicia had been looking at the same map I was holding, she never would have taken that wrong turn. The sharp right turn is easy to spot on a map. On a GPS, I don’t know what information you get. If you want to explore off the beaten path, I encourage you to buy a good detail map, maybe two. You can pick up one at any bookstore. Four-wheel-driving experts also advise scouting ahead on foot when roads look questionable.

The desert is unforgiving. If you are new to the desert, I encourage you to research desert survival, perhaps even take a desert survival class. Obviously, water is number one on the list of essentials. Shade is also a necessity in the desert’s heat, and learning to build a suitable shade structure, conserve your energy, and signal for help can save your life. Always tell someone exactly where you are going and when you will be back, and make sure that person will notify authorities if you don’t return. Had Alicia's relatives not alerted authorities, she would have perished also. Unfortunately, because she left conflicting information about where she was camping and exploring, rescue efforts were hampered.

My heart aches for this brave mother and her little boy. To say she has my deepest sympathies is a huge understatement. "There but for the grace of God go I" definitely flashed through my mind. The Mojave is an awe-inspiring place, and I only wish she had chosen October instead of August to explore it.

Corrections and updates: In my original post, I erroneously reported Alicia's name as Anita. On August 14, 2009, the Las Vegas Review Journal corrected Carlos' age, which they originally reported as 11. He was 6. The Fox News Report cited the GPS prominently in their headline: "...Mom Says GPS Left Them Stranded in Death Valley."
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Photo information: My photograph of Titus Canyon Road.