Hank – We had a fun time with Geoff, Josh, and Amanda. There was some ax and spear throwing, hiking at Red Rock National Monument, a Cirque De Soleil show, a visit at the Mob Museum, the High Roller ferris wheel and the normal walking around and taking in the cool and sometimes strange sights downtown and on the strip.

The axe throwing was really hatchet throwing. We spent an hour taking turns throwing at two large and thick slices of tree trunks mounted on the wall. It took a few throws to get the rhythm down but we got pretty good at making them stick. Throwing the spear in such small space was awkward. Youre not allowed to be intoxicated when you throw but you can buy and drink beer there while you throw. We passed on the drinking because the throwing was dangerous enough already. Sometimes a bad throw would result in the hatchet bouncing all the way back to where you threw it from.

The hiking at Red Rock never disappoints. And to make it more interesting, Josh, who’s a geologist, would point things out to us. Amanda observed that this was the first time she’d seen a cactus that wasn’t in a store.

We saw Mystere at the Treasure Island casino. Cirque de Soleil shows are absolutely incredible. Mystere is a great combination of athleticism, strength, and humor.

The High Roller gives you a great view of the city. We went up at night. It was sparsely attended so we shared a pod with three other people. The giant Ferris wheel takes 30 minutes to complete a revolution, which gives you plenty of time to take in the sights and take photos.

It was great to have so much time with our (adult) kids. Tomorrow morning they fly home and Kathy and I hit the road again.

Kathy – It was great to see and spend time with the kids again. The last time we were together was at Christmas. We missed them and were happy they could take time off to meet up with us. It would have been great to have Steph with us too but unfortunately work and school kept her at home. We missed her but we did spend a few hours video chatting with her which helped us miss her a little less. It was a really wonderful time with the kids.

We have been to Las Vegas many times. Geoff has also been a few times with friends, but this was Josh and Amanda’s first time. We stayed downtown at the Golden Nugget Hotel where Josh (the geologist major) was quick to research the gold nugget (called the “Hand of Faith”) on display at the hotel and inform us that it is not real. It was supposed to be the largest gold nugget ever found but actually it is the fifth largest ever found. However, it is the largest ever found using a metal detector rather than mined with machinery. The real gold nugget is actually at the Gulf Port, Mississippi Golden Nugget Hotel. All of the other Golden Nugget Hotels have a fake “Hand of Faith” golden nuggets on display. Thank you, Josh, for educating us!

We kept busy while in Vegas. The hiking in Red Rock was amazing and I recommend it for anyone visiting this area as it is only a 30 minute drive from Vegas (or 2 – 3 hour bike ride) 😊. Fremont Street is always fun. And it’s cool to see all the old hotels where Vegas got its start. It also can be eye opening experience to see some of the intoxicated people do things that (I think) they normally wouldn’t do. There are some scantily clothed folks there at nighttime hoping you will pay a few bucks to get your picture taken with them. We skipped on this. There are only a few people there dressed in relatively nothing, but unfortunately once in view you just cannot unsee them. 🙈

Let’s just say axe throwing in small cages with alcohol has a trip to the ER written all over it. No way was I going to do this so I watched rather than throw. To release the business from any responsibility everyone entering (including those not throwing) must sign a waiver. Smart business sense. They must be making a fortune on this place because it was always busy. Throwing axes while drinking liquor…I still wonder how they managed to get a business license. Hank, Geoff, Josh and Amanda had a good time and no blood was shed.

We took some time out to walk about on the Las Vegas Strip too. It was fun watching the amazement on Josh and Amanda’s faces as they saw the massive hotels with all their different themes, pricey shops, and fancy over-the-top displays. The Mystere Cirque de Soleil show was fascinating. Hank and I have seen it before, but it still did not disappoint. It was fun to watch Geoff, Josh and Amanda experience it too. The High Roller ferris wheel is pretty cool. It is best to go at night when all the city’s neon lights are shining brightly. It travels so slow that you really don’t feel it moving much. Another good time.

While the kids visited the Mob Museum, Hank took a walk and I got a little pool time in. Only in Vegas do you see a man in a pink and white polka dots thong hanging out at the pool. Who does that!?! And he pranced around the pool area while trying to pick up ladies. I tried to keep my eyes closed and ignore him but he kept walking right in front of my lounge chair as he laughed and caressed two groups of ladies on both sides of me. I would have moved but every pool lounge chair was taken. He was way over the top. Gross! Again, you can’t unsee it.

Geoff, Josh and Amanda all really enjoyed the Mob Museum. Josh and Amanda also spent some time at the outlet mall. I was the only one to gamble and just as I always do, I donated some money to the neon lights replacement fund via the slot machines. Lucky I didn’t lose much compared to previous Vegas trips. Hank was happy for that.

So many good times and great memories with the kids. We miss them already and look forward to our next time together. After taking the kids to the airport we got some riding in. So state # 37 – Nevada can be checked off our list. I also spread my packet of flower seeds in Nevada just before the border with Arizona. Las Vegas was fun, next up is St. George, Utah.

A couple of notes…

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