Las Vegas

I stayed at a great RV park called Blake Ranch RV.   This is one of the nicest campgrounds I have been in and is also a Horse Motel.  I was advised their showers were a Texas-sized 10' X 10' and of course, I checked that out.  I wondered if the shower size had anything to do with horse-guests. 

They had TWO pristine Dog Walks with shade and benches so I took Cassie for an off-leash run.

The Wednesday drive toward Flagstaff was a nightmare; look at the dust cloud ahead which was bad enough to drastically reduce visibility.  The wind gusts blew RV's all over their lanes and it was nerve-wracking sharing the road with the semis.  Additonally, I-40 was quite damaged in some sections.

Even with teeth-jarring bumps, my sue-engineered fixes remained intact; my antenna, the awning and my cabin desk!

It was a beautiful drive to Las Vegas via US93; leaving Kingman, the topography changed abruptly to rugged southwest beauty and breathtaking scenery when summitting a crest.  The winds were quiet for the ride and I thought maybe the weather front had passed.  Yay.

NAY!  Crazy wind is back with a venegance on Friday!  Rather than get on the road, I decided to stay an extra day in Las Vegas.  Winds are steady 25-35 mph with gusts to 50mph!  I thought I would go on the Suicide ride on the Stratosphere but the high wind gusts changed my mind.    Humidity 9-16% --time to break out the body lotion, Chapstick and eye drops.

Enroute to LV, I stopped in a Cracker Barrel for rest and a Cassie-walk.   I opened the screendoor and a nice-looking native gentleman knocked.  I stayed in the RV and listened to his "story".   He had quite the tale, which I tried to imagine and considered without comment.  Finally--the "close".  He asked for "a couple dollars".

While he was weaving this fantasy story, I was reminded of the Judge Judy TV program where litigants tell strange and inconsistent versions of their predicament and "Judy-isms" are born.  So, when he finished, I channeled my inner Judge Judy and said to him "Sir, the story you tell me is not believable!  I see before me a well-groomed man in apparent good health, shaven with trimmed mustache,  wearing fashionable, clean and well-fitting clothes and boots that show no evidence of having walked on anything except carpet.

You are obviously creative and smart enough to tell a great story.   I imagine there is a cell phone in your pocket and that your truck is parked nearby.   I simply do not believe that you are homeless and penniless".   Surprisingly, he protested and tried to convince me that I was wrong.  Extra points for persistance! 

At about that moment, a guy who had pulled up in another RV got out of his rig and "hovered" near our conversation.   He heard me say to the beggar man "Cracker Barrel would not be happy to get a complaint about their customers being solicited in their parking lot".  Unbelievably, he said he was not soliciting and I said "What do you call asking someone for money?"  At that moment, I could see resignation in his face and suggested that he move along off private property.  He walked off in search of an easier mark--or at least someone who didn't watch Judge Judy.

 Las Vegas News:

...Elton John was hospitalized 4 days ago with a respiratory infection and all his concerts are cancelled, so my plan to go to his Million Dollar Piano concert--gone!

...Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy has been accused of multiple complaints of sexual misconduct, several by his male nurses and caretakers.

..Las Vegas is hosting the first annual "BBQ & Beer for Boobs" festival, a fund-raising event for breast cancer.

Since I am missing some of my planned activities in Vegas, I treated myself to a casino Memorial Day Special--a steak and lobster dinner with all the fixin's.  It was yummy and, of course, I brought plenty of food back to the RV.  Thanks to Dr. Ortiz--"Stomach Seamstress to the Stars", I have two additional meals and Cassie gets some tidbits too!

Of course, I played the latest electronic video poker machines but got over 2 hours of game play before my $20 was gone.   I think the trainee poker games on my smartphone helped my percentage and extend my playtime.

In honor of Vegas, here is my most favorite version of PokerFace; I included lyrics because they are so cool!  I like the Glee version better than Lady Gaga's.  Poker Face - With Lyrics
 
Fuel update:  cheapest in Arizona/Nevada $3.60 and most Purveyors of Petrol ask for $3.79 to $3.99 in LV.