Nevada/Arizona - Day 8

Monday 2/10/25

5:00am up and starting the trek home. Returned rental car and took the shuttle to the airport. Watched people gamble in the airport while listening to Kenny Rogers sing The Gambler on the speakers. There was a girl waiting with us at the gate wearing a shirt that says “you give me the ick.” That became our catch phrase for awhile. 

Not sitting by Mike on the flight. We both had middle seats.

The guy on the aisle next to me slept with his big leg against mine. Tailwind made us go 660 mph and arrive in 2 hours and 23 minutes. It was a very relaxing vacation that Mike planned right before all the stress of this year. God knew we’d need this trip at this time. We are thankful.

Nevada/Arizona - Day 7

Sunday, 2/9/25

6:45am. Left our fantastic rental house and drove to Hoover Dam. Drove and walked over the bypass bridge and the dam. Very interesting!

It was early on a Sunday morning, so we were the only ones on the bridge at first.

It was very chilly and windy on the bridge, so Mike wore my fuzzy jacket.

I was endlessly entertained by the fact that I could put one foot in Arizona (where it was Mountain Time) and the other foot an hour behind in Nevada).

We drove back to Vegas and watched a show called “Postcard from Earth”and participated in robot demos at Sphere.  It was so cool!!

Mike lost $25 instantly by betting red at a roulette table at the Venetian.

  I won $1.82 on a panda slot machine. I gave the change to a street musician playing a soprano sax on a bridge.  We stayed at a Baymont hotel with a great 24-hour heated pool. Walked to the nearby mall. Walked over 16,000 steps today!

Nevada/Arizona - Day 6

Saturday, 2/8/25

NHTT and a beautiful hot air balloon. 

(We just saw it, didn’t ride in it).

Walked Rotary Park (including a butterfly garden with no butterflies) and watched a covey of Gambel’s quails.

                                                                    Cupcake Mountain Played games in the garage and went back to wonderful Rotary Park to watch the sunset. NHTT

Nevada/Arizona - Day 5

Friday, 2/7/25

NHTT, blueberry pancakes, games in the garage (Ms Pac-Man, Galaga, billiards).Laundry, Landman, Uno on the fire table in the back yard.Walked the bridge district at night.
NHTT and a ring around the moon.  

Nevada/Arizona - Day 4

Thursday 2/6/25

Slept in, NHTT, Mike shared a seed/dirt revelation from the Andrew Womack book he’s reading. I made blueberry pancakes with brandy syrup. Sure signs we’re living in a desert: flat roofs, no gutters, no clouds, everything is brown except in the rich neighborhoods where they irrigate; no rivers, just “washes”; you don’t park in your garage because your whole yard is rocks so you just park anywhere on your yard. Going to Bill Williams Wildlife Preserve to search for life.

We found lots of animal bones.

Discovered the palo verde tree, which is all green, even the trunk and branches. We decided it’s God gift to a very brown environment.

Bill Williams Wildlife Preserve was wonderful! We loved it. Back home for Landman, leftover Mexican food, NHTT with brandy Alexanders and star gazing. 

Nevada/Arizona - Day 3

Wednesday 2/5/25

Early morning naked hot tub time (NHHT). So thankful for this relaxing trip. Just what I needed right when I needed it.  Quick breakfast at home and then off to the visitors’ center to get info about hiking. Watched an interesting video about London Bridge and got hiking maps from Astrid, the Russian employee. Walked around London Bridge area.

Every tree was sponsored by someone. Sometimes the trees were no longer there, so it looked like the plaque was honoring a stump.

Drove to Cattail State Park and hiked McKinney Trail.  Hot, dry, sunny, but pretty along the water.Beavertail cactusTrying to find a little shadeThe moon over the mountains Javelina Cantina for $1.99 tacos.  Then waffle cones, a walk around the neighborhood, and NHTT. Started watching “Landman”.