It's Day 181...It's also November 3rd...2019...and we are in Las Vegas Nevada

It's Day 181...It's also November 3rd...2019...and we are in Las Vegas Nevada

Ok....OK.....I know.....I said.....no big cities.....and with a population of over 652 thousand....Las Vegas is definitely a big city. But lets not forget....rules....some have told me.....were made to be broken....and when I realized we were just 118 miles away from Las Vegas....another place I'd been a few times.....figured it was worth a quick stop....some learning...and some remembering. I also needed to have the u joints checked at the thousand mile mark on the new rear springs I had installed on Vacilando in Tacoma......and was guessing I'd have not trouble finding a good suspension shop in Las Vegas.

Mother nature has a way of reminding you it’s November…no matter where you are. And the desert outside Beatty Nevada is not immune to those reminders. The windy nights brought with them much lower temperatures. Last night as I went to sleep I reached up and set the thermostat to 50…thinking…”just in case” Turns out that heat ran full blast all night. Or at least is was on each time I woke up to adjust covers and move the cat that was on top of me…which in hindsight, should have been a sign.....that cat rarely sleeps with us all night....unless it's cold. At 5am I got up, shivered a bit as I fired up the generator, started coffee and checked the weather. Google told me that Beatty was 37 degrees…but with the wind it felt like 31 and the area was under a freeze warning. A freeze warning?? “We are leaving today” I said out loud as I slipped on a hoody and mentally prepared to step into the frigid air for a walk with Dougie. While walking, trying to keep both hands in pockets as I managed Dougie’s leash through constant changes in direction…I realized that the sudden change in temperature was likely just the universe reminding me that there is so much more to see. No matter the beauty, or comfort you find in any one place…there is always another place offering it’s own brand of beauty and comfort. We couldn’t possibly ever see all the country has to offer…but if we didn’t move on we would never see any. Today we drive south…again....to Las Vegas.....with all it's storied past....and colorful history.....is home to a few memories of my own. I remember my first trip to Las Vegas ......in 1989...for a McDonalds Convention. I remember my last visit to Las Vegas in 2006 when a buddy and I hit Sin City for a Reba concert.....The fact that we got to see Celine Dion that same trip....ahh....good fun. But my most memorable trip to the town would be somewhere in between.....around 1998 I think. I was living and working in Los Angeles at the time....when one of my sisters came down from Oregon for a visit. It would be nearly 11 o'clock on a Friday night....when the two of us randomly decided that a 269 mile road trip to Las Vegas was exactly what we needed. Less than two hours later....we were pulling out of the airport rental car place in a brand new Lexus LS400. We had decided that this random trek across the desert to Sin City....should be done in Style.

This was my favorite trip to Las Vegas, of the handful of times I've been...for a couple different reasons.....

First....the randomness of it all....and the drive. We laughed....we remembered and reminisced. Then.....I think it was around 2:30 in the morning. Sis was asleep....and with the hiway seemingly all ours.....The high beams on....and the cruise control was set to 120 mph.....Aerosmith had just finished reminding me....that I don't want to miss a thing..... and Will Smith was about to get jiggy wit it......and all was good with the universe...till those headlights popped into the rearview....just a speck at first. Turning off the cruise control I began to sweat pondering what a ticket for 120 miles an hour in Nevada cost me? As I slowed......the headlights gained on us pretty rapidly....I was back down to the 75 mph speed limit as the car came up on us....and then...slowed. It just followed us.....for miles. I kept studying the car in the rearview and side mirrors...and waiting for the blue lights to come on....but could not figure out why a car that had come upon us so quickly....had now just followed us for so long. Surely...if it were highway patrol....they'd have pulled us over by now. Thought about pulling off to the side of the road and stopping for a second....but then realized...even less safe given the behavior of the car behind us.....So we drove....for about 15 minutes more

When I became impatient....and in my 30 something brain at the time....made the totally rational decision to begin accelerating again....so I did......and so did that car behind us.

I was pretty convinced at this point that this was not the law....no lights on the roof in the breif glimpses I could get....I was pretty sure I had seen a Mercedes emblem on the hood of it.

So I accelerated some more.....and so did they

I had glanced at the speedometer and saw 130 when the car behind us pulled out into the passing lane......and then....the nuttiest thing ever.....they passed us......I was driving 130 mph and they passed us.....like we were doing 70....and yea...it was a mercedes.....but to this day....I have no idea which Mercedes. But whatever it was.....it was dang fast....and I remember thinking....I think I want one!

We rolled into Vegas around 4 am.....and hit the casinos.....first stop.....MGM Grand. And my second memory......

We had split up....off to see what machines or tables might call to each of us. Around an hour later I had tentatively sat down in front of a machine that promised a jackpot of 10,000 dollars if lady luck was on my side that morning.....when there was a commotion...off in the distance......The memory of my sister running across the casino floor towards me....flush faced....and waving a fistfull of cash while yelling...Craig....Craig.....Best game ever!!...still makes me smile. Excitedly she yanked me from my seat in front of that machine and back across the Casino floor to an area with four tables.....and the words Texas Hold'em emblazoned above in bright lights.....and we took our seats. Sis explaining the game to me with every move....... Two hours later.....sis was still convinced she had found the best game ever....and for good reason.....me....not so much!

That memory....it's not about how much sis won....or how much I lost....that day....night....weekend....whatever.....it was about the memory of a much younger two of us......both fully entrenched and buried in life at the time.....but somehow...found...or took...the time to be reckless....and to just have fun. Oh...and the drive back to LA that Sunday afternoon....the cruise control would be set at 75.....yea.....sis was driving....and I was sleeping.....likely a good thing. Thank goodness I've outgrown the need.....for speed.

Now Las Vegas....some 21 years after that 1998 weekend.....and even just13 years since my visit in 2006 is a very different place. The first thing I would figure out is that it is also a very different experience....if you hit the Las Vegas Strip in a 32 foot RV....and towing a car. I won't do this again.....I thought to myself. Not because it's not doable....or because there are no opportunities for RV Parking....because it is.....and there are. Just not my sorta thing. This is very much a more concrete jungle sort of experience....even in the RV park. We followed the signs to RV parking at the Circus Circus Casino....only to learn that their RV park was temporarily closed for maintenance or remodel of some sort. Some quick googling would take us across town and our spot for the next couple of days in the RV park on the lot of the Frontier Hotel and Casino.

The first night would be spent doing some quick reading about Las Vegas itself...and it's origins. Hollywood has for years worked to conjur up images for the city....from the dark and violent past during the Organized Crime era...to.....a place where the stars come to play.....a place anyone can visit to see most any form of entertainment imaginable....and there is of course the gambling......it is, after all, the gambling capital of the world.

And it indeed has been.....is......and always will be all of these things....and more....but how did las vegas happen....and when.

Like the rest of this part of the country....as recently as the late 1700's it was a quiet, and simple place. Here in this region it would be the Southern Paiute People.... the self proclaimed Desert People, of the region....that had called the area home for centuries. First European contact would be with Spanish Explorers. By 1826, the Old Spanish Trail, a trade route from New Mexico to California, had been established by European and French fur traders, crossing through this Paiute land.

In 1855, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) established a mission at Las Vegas Springs. This mission aimed to convert the Paiutes and serve as a stop on the Salt Lake-to-the-sea shipping route, Although the mission was short-lived, it marked the beginning of permanent American settlement in the area.

The name "Las Vegas" is Spanish for "The Meadows" and would be given to the area in 1829 in recognition of the areas lush green meadows fed by artesian wells...amidst an otherwise desert landscape.

The name would also be given to the town when it was incorporated in 1911.

Born as a railroad town, Las Vegas also had a thriving agricultural economy in the early years thanks to fertile soil and those artesian wells... and these two industries would fuel the towns growth until a couple of hurdles would be thrown at it...and the rest of the country for that matter. First, prohibition in the beginning in the 1920's....and then the countries great depression that would end up lasting 10 years from 1929 to 1939.

1931, would be a pivotal year for Las Vegas. A series of events would take place that would put the towns trajectory, economy, and in fact future...on an entirely different course.

First, Construction of The Boulder Dam...which would later be renamed Hoover Dam...would draw thousands to the area in search of work during that great depression.

Next...the Nevada State Legislature would legalize gambling in the State. Their bold move was an attempt to drive the states economy in a positive direction amidst the great depression. Las Vegas would immediately become the center of the gambling boom with Hotels and Casinos popping up in the town almost immediately. By the 1940's and 50's...large scale Hotel Casino's, as we know them today were under construction non stop. I'd say....this bold move by the state of Nevada in 1931....was a pretty solid bet...pun intended.

Another interesting step taken by the state in 1931 would be making sweeping changes to, and liberalizing the states divorce laws. People were now able to obtain a divorce in the State after only 6 weeks of residency....which drove large numbers of short term residents to the state driving local economies.

The initial gambling boom in the state would take a dark turn in the 40's when Organized Crime would arrive in the area. The large amounts of cash....changing hands daily....and legally....made the industry the perfect place for East Coast, and Chicago based Crime syndicate's to bring their ill gotten gains....and launder through the casino's sprouting up all across Las Vegas....and the state. Organized Crime money....would contribute significantly to the towns growth....and leave their mark on the area in the form of landmark casino names like The Flamingo, The Stardust, and The Tropicana....all built...with mob money.

Organized Crime...would maintain a strangle hold on the towns economy for decades. The first significant step towards it's removal from the town would come in the form of a reclusive billionaire by the name of Howard Hughes. He would arrive in Las Vegas in 1966 and take up residency at the Desert Inn....when he was asked to leave the hotel...he instead...bought it....and this would begin a buying spree of sorts. In short order he would purchase a string of properties including the Sands, Castaways, Frontier, Silver Slipper, and others. By the end of his buying spree he would control a significant portion of the Las Vegas Strip. His purchase of these properties would mark the beginning of the Corporate Ownership Era in the state....and in particular, Las Vegas.

It was also the late 50's and into the 60's when another transition would begin for the towns image.....this transition....came in the form....of the Rat Pack.

A legendary group of entertainers at the time... known for their charisma, talent, and camaraderie. The core members included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop³⁴.

The group would start performing at the Sands Hotel and Casino in the late 50's. The Rat Pack's shows were a mix of music, comedy, and playful banter, creating a unique and unforgettable experience for audiences³. They often performed together in the Copa Room, where their chemistry and spontaneity on stage became legendary³.

The Rat Pack's presence helped shape Las Vegas into the entertainment capital it is today. Their performances drew huge crowds and brought a sense of glamour and excitement to the city⁴. They were instrumental in popularizing the Las Vegas Strip as a premier destination for world-class entertainment, fine dining, and high-stakes gambling⁵.

Their legacy continues to influence Las Vegas' vibrant nightlife and entertainment scene, embodying sophistication, style, and charm⁵.

While the Las Vegas image was transitioning. The final demise, and eviction of Organized Crime would not come until the early 80's when the state and local law enforcement would enact stricter laws and penalties and conduct a final crackdown on dirty money in the towns economy. The movie Casino, released in 1995 illustrates the takedown of one of Las Vegas's last mob bosses...but I had not realized when I watched the movie that I was watchin it....just 15 years or so after the actual events took place.

The nearly 40 years that have passed since... have brought a new era yet again for Las Vegas. While the town maintains a bit of it's past mystic through phrases like....Sin City.....and What happens in Vegas....Stays in Vegas.....Over 42 million tourists travel to the town each year to experience Broadway caliber shows....Music Concerts in venues offering an experience unlike any other....Amusement Park style grounds offering dazzling lights, and terrifying rides.. and water shows....world class hotel accommodations, over 150,000 hotel rooms...many offering their own world class culinary experiences...and of course....the bright lights....it is also the brightest spot on the planet.....and the gambling.

Oh, and the second, and third largest Hotels on the planet...are in Las Vegas....The Venetian, and the MGM Grand...the two combined offer nearly 14,000 hotel rooms.

I'd spend Halloween this year exploring up and down the Las Vegas Strip. Some 13 years since my last visit…the city still does not disappoint....if it's spectacle your after. I'm almost proud to say I contributed very little to the town this trip in the form of gambling...likely would have been zero...but..come on.....I can't walk past and ignore every roulette wheel. I just wandered around taking pictures of the spectacle of it all…did not hurt that we were there on Halloween…more than a few eccentricities out on public display.....more than your average Thursday anyway…Even for Vegas. Quick side note.....rookie tourist move I spose....but when a couple of transformers approach you offering to take your picture with them......before gladly handing them your phone and cheeseballin it up....remember.....their gonna want some cash............good work if ya can get it ..... ahhh....Vegas.

And Just a couple blocks up Main Street from where we were parked was The Fremont Experience. They are just wrapping up a multi-million dollar upgrade to the attraction with new screens and technology to be unveiled during their New Years Eve show. Photo’s really do not do it justice…the experience is pretty immersive. If your not watching the video version of this podcast....you can see the photo's and video's I took on our YouTube Channel....or on the website...links in the show notes.

And People watching is probably the best part of the experience. So many different ways of making money out here....and probably more ways to loose it. If I were to come back through here I might give Slotzilla a shot. It is a zip-line adventure that flys you over the Freemont Experience at 11 stories up and 5 blocks long. Definitely a whole different way to see it…from some 90 feet in the air!

Our couple of days here wandering and marveling at it all was full of reflection...and more memories. I can still feel how excited I was stepping off that plane in 1989 for a McDonals Store Manager Convention ..... that 29 year old me, with the ringing, dinging, and chiming of airport slot machines in my ears for the first time.....how blown away I was that there was a slot machine everywhere....I could even gamble in 7-11 while buying a candy bar....if I wanted to anyway. This would be a time of so many firsts....my first convention....my first time gambling....my first time renting a limosine with friends and acting important....and directing that limo to establishments of ill repute....Strip clubs...who knew....and those other places....seems nearly everything is legal here....but even at 29 years old....I chickened out of it all....after the strip club.

And then some 4 years later....when I was back for another convention....this time different Company....Thorn Americas. A bit older and wiser....the dummest thing I did that trip was put a 5 dollar bill on Black 26....embibe a little more than recommended...and stay up way to late.

Packing up and preparing to head out.....our last morning would come with a bit of a scare of it's own......and lesson.....about keeping an eye on that dang cat....oh Billie.

It was after coffee....breakfast and a walk with Dougie.....We were pretty much ready to head out. One last run to the dumpster with the trash bag....

On the way back from the dumpster I was distracted a bit....by a fellow travelor 6 or 7 spaces around the bend from us. He had parked and unhooked the camp trailer....and was unloading his Harley from the bed of his pick up. It was pretty cool....he simply held a remote control and an hydrolic mechanism gently moved his motorcyle from the bed of the pickup onto the parking lot. Struck up a conversation as I admired and commented on his set up! He was in town for the winter from California...working as a plumber....on a hotel renovation in town. He said....I never go anywhere without my bike.....this was the set up for me. We wished each other safe travels as I rounded the bend back to our spot. I looked up to see a cat sitting on the concrete wall that surrounded the RV park. A bengal cat. As I got closer I realized it wasnt another Bengal cat....it was my Bengal cat.....ahhh....Billie.

Apparently....as I stepped out of the motorhome with that trash bag.....someone had decided....he would step out as well. And I am not evern sure how it is possible that I completely missed it. But I did.

The 6ft tall concret wall he was purched on....separated the RV park from a very busy....Las Vegas intersection....and Billie was engrossed in the comings and goings in that intersection.

As I approached....heart pounded a bit quicker realizing that while I didn't think he would run...or jump....what if he did? How quickly could I scale that wall......

Thankfully.....never happened.....Called his name.....lifted him down off the wall and walked calmly back to the motorhome......

Lesson for that day.....always make sure I know where Billie is....before I open the door.

Packed up...car hitched up....we pulled out onto main street looking for the first freeway out of town...and south. The only thing actually scheduled at this point is Thanksgiving in Scottsdale....with friends. But we have lots of time to get there......and a lot of ground to cover

So much .....between us ...... and Scottsdale. I wonder what we'll learn there?