Just Travelin’

We are still on the move, slowly working our way to Indiana for a visit with family and friends. Our route has carried us to Pahrump, Nevada, then onto Bullhead City on the Arizona side of the Colorado River and then on to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Pahrump means wet rock or water rock in the local Indian language and was probably so called because there are many springs, although this is a very dry area. There are 3 or 4 casinos, several Gentlemen’s Clubs and rumors of other “clubs” for men as well (I have no first hand knowledge about these). The best thing about Pahrump is going away from it to see the sights.

Our sightseeing away from Pahrump took us on a drive along the scenic byway through Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. You can probably see from the picture how it got its name. This is a very popular drive for folks from Las Vegas, since it is only 30 minutes from mid-city.

Do you ever think of snow skiing while you are in Vegas? Well you could at the Las Vega Ski and Snowboard Resort on Charleston Peak. Probably not for the avid skier as there is only an 800 foot vertical drop in the longest run. But, it is less than an hour from Casino Row.

Bullhead City is only a bridge crossing away from Laughlin, Nevada. Laughlin is a mini version of Las Vegas, but with none of the traffic problems. We did our thing there, which included seeing all the free shows and lounge acts and eating at the buffets while not spending a penny at the gaming tables or slots. Daytime temperatures hovered just short of 100 degrees and the dust and pollen gave me an allergy attack. Yep, I suffer more out here in the Southwest than I did back in Indiana (home of a thousand molds).

The only pictures I took while in BHC where of an ocotillo in bloom. These desert bushes spend almost the entire year looking as if they were dead, devoid of leaves and looking like a bunch sticks stuck in the ground. They green up after a rain and then loose the leaves, often with days of the rain. This leaf out, leaf off cycle can repeat up to 5 or 6 times a year.

These plants blossom only in the spring and I think they are the best of the Spring flowers.

The next issue will contain pics from Albuquerque, if the opportunity to sightsee makes itself available. However, we are finding ourselves with other concerns at the moment, as a result of an argument the trailer had with a concrete abutment in a gas station. The next day we had a flat while on the road and then on our first night in Albuquerque the wind blew down and broke the satellite dish. I think it is an old wives tail about bad things coming in threes, but if it is true then maybe we are done for awhile.