Our Las Vegas Adventure!

Wow, I really didn't think I was going to have the best time of my life leaving with a cold I had acquired. It started while at the car show and didn't expect it to take hold like it did. Had it not been for hubby, I would have, could have, and should have forgotten so many things!

Fortunately I do have a well developed routine for loading the trailer. I have a laundry basket that I use to haul things in and out. I begin a couple weeks out, gathering the little things we always seem to forget. (I'm so silly that I actually have a notebook I jot down things from the last trip we forgot or need.) They always end up on the bottom of the basket and I continue to load up from there. Washed bedding, fresh towels, toiletries, kitchen goodies and gadgets, etc... fill up the basket. The last basket is always the last minute stuff we thought of, extra shoes, maybe some cooking items, or bathroom things. This time it held all my new 7X Champion stuff.

By the time the cold had fully attacked, all I had left to do was to take out this last basket and shop my grocery list. Since we were doing a Hello Fresh box there really wasn't a lot on the list, mainly drinks, lunch and snacks. Wouldn't have taken me long at all.

I loved the wording on my box...You & I are going on a Delicious Adventure! 

PERFECT!

Days before we are to leave, I felt so bad I didn't even have my "Grandma Wednesday"! In fact Tuesday was similar and had slept most of both days. When I woke up Wednesday or was it Tuesday, I was so out of it I have no clue what day it was, I just knew I had to load the last of the stuff.  Only hubby had already done it! Plus he did the shopping, washed the trailer, (Usually he has a company come out and do it, but he did it himself this time. Said with me sleeping he just kept doing stuff. So awesome!). He even had everything put away already. All I had to do was get myself ready to go. Phew!

By Thursday I was feeling a tad bit better and felt the worse of it might just be over.

Once on the road, and with my camera in hand, I was ready to capture the desert blooming, and boy was it abundant!

The drive usually takes us about 5 hours, but this trip it took us 6 and a half hours towing a trailer and stopping a number of times. Some were for photo ops, a couple potty breaks, and we even had lunch with a view of the Heart of the Mohave.

Once in Vegas it's another 30 minutes out to the track. Traffic wasn't too bad. There was the same construction going on that was happening last time we were there, but it looks like the final stages. I'm sure the locals will be happy when there are no more lane restrictions and traffic can flow like it's suppose to.

Pulling in for the first time we weren't to sure of our directions. It's wasn't marked as well as PIR (Phoenix International Raceway) has for their RV and Parking directions. But we found our way. Found our spot, and we both went, "Hmmm, it reminds me of our first time RVing at PIR!" At PIR we were WAY out in their lot. So far we had to load up my chair and drive up to the track. Our tickets had handicap parking but we didn't know then that there was handicap RV spots. By the next race we were up in the front, steps away from the track. We both agreed we needed to check this out for if we ever come back again. In the mean time we needed to get set up so we could go watch the Hauler Parade.

On our way to find a spot for the parade we did some exploring. We were allowed to drive through the other lots to check them out. We were staying in what is called The Burnout lot. It is right next to the drag strip used for the NHRA weekends. Turn 1 and Turn 3 are kind of pricey, up in the $750-$1500 a week range. The Boulevard ranges from $250-$700 but it's sold out. The Checker Flag lot was $250 and directly across from the main gates. We found the handicap spots in there and stopped to talk to the attendant. Our first question was "Is it sold out?" "No." Awesome! We explained where we were located and what we were doing. We then found out had we known there were spots available before we unhooked, we could have upgraded. We decided that it wasn't going to be worth it this trip. The office was closed for the day and we would have to wait till the morning. With our Friday already planned out it just wasn't an option at this point.

We spent the next 45 minutes to an hour checking out a lot of the area, talking with other fans, and attendants, then found our place to watch the parade. I am just not good at taking night photos. My 2012 parade photos came out in a similar way.

Check it out, Jimmie Johnson 7X Champ led the parade!

Our first day was a pretty good one. It was definitely a great start for what is still ahead! I can't wait to share it!

So not to make this a novel, I'll break it up into a few post.

Part Two coming soon!

I Found A Scenic Drive

With our trip this week to Las Vegas, I wanted to find something close by, but off the strip.

I found Red Rock Canyon to be the perfect excursion for our Friday morning. Bright and early we will head off to explore this area. It will take about 45 minutes to get there. The scenic drive should take about an hour or so. Then our drive back. As long as I don't have him stopping every 5 minutes, the whole trip should take us about 3-4 hours. 

With the Visitor Center opening at 8:00 AM, and the drive opens at 6 AM, if we get there by 7 AM the center will open shortly before or after we finish the drive. Getting us back in plenty of time for practice. Usually we like to hit the centers first to learn all we can. Even if we get there at 8 AM and do the center first, then the drive. we should still make it back in time. 

We'll just have to see how this adventure works out.

It's Our Wedding Anniversary!

39 years ago today we said "I do!"

We've had 42 years of adventures together!

Our first dates always seemed to included drag racing. His dad, his brother and him had a drag car and the races always involved the weekends. His parents had a motorhome that mom would fully stocked to feed us all, even the other drivers and their crews.

This basically set the stage for our life together.

We have been celebrating our anniversary at either a NHRA race, a NASCAR race (next week), or a Swap Meet, since way back when. Since moving here it has been the Midnight at the Oasis.

23 years ago we had no idea this is where we would be when we celebrated our 15th Anniversary in Grand Cayman. Actually by the time we got to go, it was our 16th. Our son had spent 26 weeks in the hospital the year of our 15th. That trip, though a year late, sent us on a journey to here. We had no idea there was this car show here. It was their 4th annual back in 1995. It was now our 17th anniversary. We've spent our anniversary there almost every year since. I think we might have missed a few along the way but we've been there more then not.

This year is their 25th year putting it on and I think it was even better then years past.

We took our youngest "Grand" with us and he had a blast! There were more activities available for the kiddo's.

And there were LOTS of cars. I took 157 photos (edited down to 29 of my favorites) which averaged less then one car of a row and some rows we didn't even go down.

AND I WALKED ALL OF IT!

There had to be close to, if not over 2000 cars!

  Are those not some pretty nice cars. Even the rat rods were cool!

Midnight at the Oasis Parade

Lot's and lot's of cars!

Tomorrow we'll venture through the actual show 

trying to see as many of the 1000+ cars we'll can.