RV Winter Rambling 2006-07

Sun, Sand and Casinos…..


Laughlin is like Las Vegas was fifty years ago and today it seems to really appeal to the ‘golden-agers’ (hmmm, is that me we’re talking about). There are lots of 2-for-1 buffets and drinks and the River Palms gave us two free tickets to see an illusionist/magician/juggler show, which turned out to be really good – our expectations hadn’t been high but it was free……….We ended up staying there for a week. River Palms had allocated large RV parking spots high upon a bluff overlooking the length of the strip and the Colorado River with Bullhead City and the mountains forming a backdrop. It was a perfect place to settle in for the week. A cool breeze wafted across the high land keeping Maggie’s temperature moderate for Caesar while we fooled around. Some Geocaching, a day visiting friends in Needles, a day each for Fernie and I in bed with a stomach flu/condition (probably related to one of those 2-for-1 buffets), some poker for Fernie, a day to do laundry and RV cleaning, maintenance and dumping and before we knew it, it was time to hop on up to Las Vegas.

Our friends (L&J), who live in the Summerlin area of western Las Vegas, insisted that we park Maggie outside their house. We resisted at first not wanting to impose, but then agreed with gratitude and stayed for four nights. We plugged in to their electricity so that we could leave Caesar in the cool comfort of an air-conditioned home while we traipsed around Las Vegas. The lure of the ‘Strip’ has abated with us having visited LV every year for the last decade and so we spent much of our time in the locals’ casinos. The new Red Rock Casino and resort just a few miles from L&J is situated on the far western end of town, a stone’s throw from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Red Rock Canyon.

We took L&J out with us one morning to introduce them to Geocaching because describing it doesn’t do it justice. They agreed to join us with amusement at this pursuit that has taken over our lives. We didn’t hunt down any adventurous caches but stuck to some urban hides. I don’t think we convinced them to become Geo-addicts like us though.

One morning, Fernie and I headed out early on our own to geocache. It took us to a long stretch of parkland, Puebla Park which winds through the suburban neighbourhoods for miles, mostly desert but interspersed with cool shady green oasis’s where we would stop to rest under a welcome tree. A geocache labelled ‘Hysterical’ made us clamber up steep rocks and we zeroed in on the coordinates. We lifted stones away to hopefully uncover the cache container. “SHRIEK!” and it wasn’t me that screeched. I jumped two feet off the ground but my reptile-hating partner did a hundred yard dash that was Olympic in its speed. We had uncovered the resting place of a coiled up medium sized snake…..it wasn’t moving so I first of all figured that it was dead, crushed by a rock but then realized it was a rubber snake…..I was totally ‘Hiss-terical” – couldn’t suppress the giggles as Fernie was gesturing from below and yelling “Get outa there!”.

Each day became subsequently hotter and we enjoyed the cool of their grassy palm-fringed yard and the azure pool with its gurgling waterfall - then cocktails, appy’s and dinner at a different restaurant each evening.

Wednesday morning arrived and it was time to leave and as we drove away we felt sad that we wouldn’t see them again until next year.

posted by O'Leary @ 10:07 AM