Tripometer – 10,143 mi
Gas Gauge – 788.351 gal
Location – Circus Circus RV Park, Las Vegas, NV
Lodging – $31
Cans of OFF – 4
A late checkout was followed by a late lunch today. We chose a small local Mexican place in Yucca Valley with good online reviews for traditional Mexican. Pulling up to the establishment we noted that the restaurant was one of three businesses in the same building all interconnected on the interior – a bowling alley, a Mexican joint and a dive bar – Now THAT’s a business plan. The little Mexican place looked rough but we persisted. We were rewarded with the most amazing Mexican food we’d ever had. We didn’t get fancy dishes, we ordered burritos, tacos, and the like, but the flavor and consistency were everything you want your Mexican fast food to be but better! (NOT related to the Taco Place pictured above!)
Today’s drive took us to Las Vegas by way of the Mojave Desert. What an interesting and beautiful route. We had intended on travelling Route 66 for a fair bit of the day today but road construction had the entire road closed for several miles. An extinct volcano, Amboy Crater, salt mining operations and a ghost town were the highlights of our limited Rt 66 experience. Perhaps we’ll get a chance to travel the 66 again later in the trip. The picture advertising leather gear was too funny to pass up. Who doesn’t want a pair of gas station leather chaps???
As we approached Las Vegas we ran into two very different yet similar areas that were a pleasant sight for a couple of left leaning voters. At different points in today’s drive we were within sight of alternatively 1000s of wind mills and 1000s of solar panels in extremely large power farms. Las Vegas in specific and the southwest in general is running into problems using hydroelectric power to supply the power needs of the area, the Colorado isn’t producing the annual water supply that it has in the past due to climate change. It was refreshing to see the area turning to sustainable energy to meet future needs instead of other more traditional and dirtier power generating capabilities.
We have been absolutely awed with how far you can see in the desert. We fairly sure the effect has to do with both lack of humidity in the air and lack of trees. Being from the east coast we view long distances only when at the highest of points and even then only in the direction that has been cleared of trees. From a high place in the desert you can see for 10s and occasionally a 100 miles. We have had the experience several times during this trip of discussing where we are going by getting to a high place and simply pointing at the next hours travel. “We drive to that town there, take a left, drive along that mesa for about a half hour and then turn right on the I99 at that clump of trees over there…”
Arriving in Las Vegas in the evening we quickly unpacked and set up for a couple of days. The three of us, Paul, Kelly & Stratis went out for a hike on the town to reacquaint ourselves with Sin City. We quickly passed on Tacos El Gordo in favor of a place that has just a bit more focus in their menu. Seriously, who combines tacos, sushi, and BBQ on the same menu? Welcome to Las Vegas! We called it an early night when we realized that David would be waking up in an hour or so to catch his flight out here. It’s gonna be an early morning and a long day tomorrow.
Special Note: We were interested to see that some housing developments in the desert rake their dirt (as opposed to mowing their grass). I guess we need to walk a mile in their shoes, but in our eyes if you can’t grow grass then that’s one less chore you have to participate in. Honestly, a dry dusty front lawn that has zen garden-like rake marks is only marginally better than flat dirt. These people need better hobbies.