Finally, the last day of the Vegas trip.
As I said at the end of the previous entry, one thing we were looking forward to doing was going down to Guitar Center to play out a little. We left fairly early and got down there without much trouble. We then spent a couple hours screwing around with whatever we could play on.
I found out that ESP guitars are fun to play and worth whatever they cost. I also found out that impulse buying could be a killer, as I tried out a couple of Les Pauls and found that I didn't really care for the feel of either. So buying one of those without putting it through its paces could be a tremendous setback.
We also hit up the acoustic section to try out various steel and nylon-string guitars, plus a ukulele and acoustic bass. Smaller instruments are particularly challenging for me because I have fairly big hands. Fretting strings on them can be a bit of a pain. On the other hand, the nylon-string acoustics were easy to play. I should have started off with one of those, I think.
I also messed around on an electronic drumkit that had double bass pedals. Not as fun without the sticks.
While there I got some picks, so now I am set on those. I am very particular about the picks and strings I use; consistent use of them provides me with a consistent sound that isn't terribly difficult to reproduce. Although most stores make it difficult by not stocking the exact kind of strings I want.
One place I had yet to see was the Cosmopolitan. It was one of the high-end casinos that was somehow left out of the whirlwind tour of the first night. It was surprisingly narrow. This is because the building is housed on a smaller bit of land than most of the other casinos and thus it had to go upward instead of outward. There is a different vibe in that place that I really enjoyed. It was just classier overall. As I recall, we didn't do much gambling there, so we didn't really win or lose much of anything.
With those things done, it was time to eat. But instead of going there right away, I decided that I wanted a trophy from the trip and so we hit up the mall to see if there was a place to get sunglasses. Truth be told, I could have used them at the Valley of Fire and probably won't have much use for them now that I'm back home. At any rate, I managed to find a pair I like that weren't too expensive. I was still ahead in terms of money even after the purchase.
Red Robin was the destination, a timely one at that and conveniently located near the parking lot. I got a chicken sandwich and fries. Both were more than I bargained for, in a good way. We got the food and headed back to the room. Once we were finished eating, we had one last run at the slot machines downstairs. Then it was time to part ways.
The next morning I got up early for my flight and ended up back at my place around 5:30 PM. It was a fun time and I'll probably go back before long.
November 3, 2013
November 2, 2013
Vegas! - Day 4
Finally, the long-awaited trip to the Valley of Fire.
Nominally, it's a large pile of red rocks, with a visitor's center and well cared-for roads leading all around. But to actually be out there and seeing it for yourself, well, that's an experience that I can't accurately describe. Once again, I had the cell phone out to take pictures, and I was thwarted by the sheer scale of the whole thing. So I stopped trying and accepted that I'd have to use my brain to remember the imagery.
I probably shouldn't have had pizza the day before. Certainly not five slices.
We tried to make the best of it anyway. Any time we saw a giant rock formation (which was often), we speculated about seeing people atop it slugging it out with supernatural phenomena.
There's nothing like slugging it out with supernatural phenomena.
After seeing all that was out there at Valley of Fire (including petrified trees, petroglyphs, and plenty of red sand), we took the scenic route back to the city. It's a longish road that doesn't seem too pleasant for much of it, but there are some great views of Lake Mead to be had. Eventually it comes back to Lake Las Vegas. It was interesting to see that from the other side that we hadn't explored before.
Since we had been up early and gone hiking through the entirety of the Valley of Fire, we figured it was probably time for a drink. So we headed back to the hotel and camped out in the room for awhile. Once we got hungry, we headed down to the buffet. It wasn't quite as good as the one at Green Valley Ranch or Red Rock. Ah, well.
I had to take a break for a bit after our trip to the buffet. But once that was done, we headed out. Back to the Strip we went; this time our destination was two casinos situated next to each other: the Palms and the Gold Coast. The major attraction at Gold Coast were the baccarat tables. It also helped that I hit a bonus on a slot machine and doubled up on my initial bet. Baccarat looked fun, but good luck getting a seat. All the tables there seemed to be full.
Another thing we had looked forward to doing was hitting up Guitar Center to try out some guitars we couldn't afford. More on that next time.
Nominally, it's a large pile of red rocks, with a visitor's center and well cared-for roads leading all around. But to actually be out there and seeing it for yourself, well, that's an experience that I can't accurately describe. Once again, I had the cell phone out to take pictures, and I was thwarted by the sheer scale of the whole thing. So I stopped trying and accepted that I'd have to use my brain to remember the imagery.
I probably shouldn't have had pizza the day before. Certainly not five slices.
We tried to make the best of it anyway. Any time we saw a giant rock formation (which was often), we speculated about seeing people atop it slugging it out with supernatural phenomena.
There's nothing like slugging it out with supernatural phenomena.
After seeing all that was out there at Valley of Fire (including petrified trees, petroglyphs, and plenty of red sand), we took the scenic route back to the city. It's a longish road that doesn't seem too pleasant for much of it, but there are some great views of Lake Mead to be had. Eventually it comes back to Lake Las Vegas. It was interesting to see that from the other side that we hadn't explored before.
Since we had been up early and gone hiking through the entirety of the Valley of Fire, we figured it was probably time for a drink. So we headed back to the hotel and camped out in the room for awhile. Once we got hungry, we headed down to the buffet. It wasn't quite as good as the one at Green Valley Ranch or Red Rock. Ah, well.
I had to take a break for a bit after our trip to the buffet. But once that was done, we headed out. Back to the Strip we went; this time our destination was two casinos situated next to each other: the Palms and the Gold Coast. The major attraction at Gold Coast were the baccarat tables. It also helped that I hit a bonus on a slot machine and doubled up on my initial bet. Baccarat looked fun, but good luck getting a seat. All the tables there seemed to be full.
Another thing we had looked forward to doing was hitting up Guitar Center to try out some guitars we couldn't afford. More on that next time.
November 1, 2013
Vegas! - Day 3
We really had no idea what we wanted to do on Day 3. I had steadfastly avoided any and all tourist-y crap (besides the Strip, which has to be seen no matter what) but was at a loss for something to do. So we decided to hit up Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. As it turns out, the natural wonders really are the best things to see, even if there are a ton of people around.
We commenced somewhat early, though probably not as early as the previous couple of days. The first thing to do was stop for supplies. It doesn't pay to be all the way out there with no water, after all. With that finished, we headed down the highway toward the dam. It's a scenic route, made more so by stopping through Boulder City. It's a bit slower that way, but well worth it to see the shops and whatnot.
Once we arrived at the Pat Tillman Bridge, we got out and trekked upward so we could get a good view of the dam. I had my cell phone out and snapped a couple of photos. Surprisingly, there were a lot of people there, walking around and taking pictures for the most part. They were all over the bridge, too. Looking out from the bridge to the dam was pretty awe-inspiring. What was even cooler was driving over the dam and seeing the bridge from the other side. It looms large, maybe not quite like a skyscraper, but certainly a monument to man's ambition and perseverance.
The next place to see for us was Lake Mead. Technically, we only saw part of the lake on this day; it stretches and moves up and around in an odd way that I didn't expect. I guess there are different names for the parts that extend outward from the actual lake that we were looking at. Most of that water is going to Los Angeles, a fact that I found a bit disturbing.
On our way back to the city, my friend proposed a side jaunt to Lake Las Vegas. It's a fairly small area that is set off from the rest of the city, but has tremendous views, apparently. There were far fewer people there, a fact that I appreciated. There was supposed to be more development (and thus more people) but the economic crash/collapse/whatever prevented that. Still, it's a nice place to be and if I had the money, I'd certainly consider it. The lake water was a bit brown, though.
Finally, we were ready to eat, so I suggested we hit up the buffet at Green Valley Ranch. My friend had mentioned sometime before that their pizza was the best he'd had in the city. Naturally, I wanted to try it. So what did I do? I had five pieces and basically ruined the next day. Alas, these things happen, I suppose.
After stuffing our faces, we headed back to the hotel. My friend had a test to prepare for and went off to do just that. I was a bit lost at that point, as I had no idea what I wanted to do. I knew that there'd be a football game later on, but I had some time to kill.
Eventually, I went downstairs to watch the game on a bigger screen. Nothing against the TV in my room, but I needed something with HD and more size. Of course, that point was moot as the game was terrible. But even terrible football is improved by watching it on a screen that dwarfs your entire body.
My friend finished up and I was still sitting in front of the giant screens. Since we had nothing better to do, it was time for a drink. I went with a Bud Light and then a Newcastle. A surprisingly good combo.
We eventually went back up to the room with our drinks in hand. There we saw the end of the game (still a piece of crap) and planned our next move. Day 4 was the long-awaited trip to the Valley of Fire, but we had to get an early start once again. More on that and what I saw there next time.
We commenced somewhat early, though probably not as early as the previous couple of days. The first thing to do was stop for supplies. It doesn't pay to be all the way out there with no water, after all. With that finished, we headed down the highway toward the dam. It's a scenic route, made more so by stopping through Boulder City. It's a bit slower that way, but well worth it to see the shops and whatnot.
Once we arrived at the Pat Tillman Bridge, we got out and trekked upward so we could get a good view of the dam. I had my cell phone out and snapped a couple of photos. Surprisingly, there were a lot of people there, walking around and taking pictures for the most part. They were all over the bridge, too. Looking out from the bridge to the dam was pretty awe-inspiring. What was even cooler was driving over the dam and seeing the bridge from the other side. It looms large, maybe not quite like a skyscraper, but certainly a monument to man's ambition and perseverance.
The next place to see for us was Lake Mead. Technically, we only saw part of the lake on this day; it stretches and moves up and around in an odd way that I didn't expect. I guess there are different names for the parts that extend outward from the actual lake that we were looking at. Most of that water is going to Los Angeles, a fact that I found a bit disturbing.
On our way back to the city, my friend proposed a side jaunt to Lake Las Vegas. It's a fairly small area that is set off from the rest of the city, but has tremendous views, apparently. There were far fewer people there, a fact that I appreciated. There was supposed to be more development (and thus more people) but the economic crash/collapse/whatever prevented that. Still, it's a nice place to be and if I had the money, I'd certainly consider it. The lake water was a bit brown, though.
Finally, we were ready to eat, so I suggested we hit up the buffet at Green Valley Ranch. My friend had mentioned sometime before that their pizza was the best he'd had in the city. Naturally, I wanted to try it. So what did I do? I had five pieces and basically ruined the next day. Alas, these things happen, I suppose.
After stuffing our faces, we headed back to the hotel. My friend had a test to prepare for and went off to do just that. I was a bit lost at that point, as I had no idea what I wanted to do. I knew that there'd be a football game later on, but I had some time to kill.
Eventually, I went downstairs to watch the game on a bigger screen. Nothing against the TV in my room, but I needed something with HD and more size. Of course, that point was moot as the game was terrible. But even terrible football is improved by watching it on a screen that dwarfs your entire body.
My friend finished up and I was still sitting in front of the giant screens. Since we had nothing better to do, it was time for a drink. I went with a Bud Light and then a Newcastle. A surprisingly good combo.
We eventually went back up to the room with our drinks in hand. There we saw the end of the game (still a piece of crap) and planned our next move. Day 4 was the long-awaited trip to the Valley of Fire, but we had to get an early start once again. More on that and what I saw there next time.
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