We had a great 10 days in Las Vegas. While most visitors jam as much as they can into their 3day/4night air/hotel package we’ve been able to view the city as the locals do enjoying the homey yet luxurious setting of our friends’ Don and Ellen’s estancia (ranch) in a well manicured community 20’ from the bright lights of the strip.
Admittedly, we were more than a little tired after a 3000k jaunt down the coast. Perhaps a little ambitious given it was stacked on top of our Ironman and training, not to mention moving country. Our first days were spent ‘decompressing’, content to let the mornings and afternoons drift away while we enjoyed quiet conversation with friends during an exciting period in their lives as well. It also gave Don an excuse to test his newest recipes at the bar.
With Ellen in the final weeks of preparation for her own Ironman race, it provided us with the opportunity to enjoy a few final bike rides in the beautiful Red Rock Canyon area northwest of Las Vegas. You could count on the constant headwind combined with clear skies to greet us each morning. The Cervelos, now freed from the shackles of the Bob and panniers were free to spin the miles away with each day’s destination being nowhere in particular.
We tackled the Turtle Mountain Hike one cool weekday morning. While it was a repeat of a hike we had completed on an earlier visit it was no less breath taking with beautiful views of the colorful Red Rock Canyon and the skyline of the Strip in the distance.
Ellen, now a local cycling veteran, guided us on numerous new routes throughout the week, which nevertheless saw us climb and descend 4000’ ft, most rides. We reveled in the chance to let bikes speed down the long, sweeping roads with fresh pavement and a wide shoulder.
Bright Lights, Big City
Arriving on Las Vegas Boulevard in the fading light of a November afternoon is a sight to behold. The colorful and enthusiastic lights awaken from their daytime slumber in an attempt to prematurely luminate the night.
We met our cycling friends Phil and Liz under the majestic chandelier at the Bellagio Hotel to tour the Strip with them on Wednesday. Happy to make their acquaintance again we slowly meandered through the Casinos of one hotel to the next seamlessly connected by a series of overhead walkways and escalators.
As always the Forum shops are impressive, both for shopping and their ostentatious design. Phil and I were both politely complemented on our height – he has me bested by a couple of inches - while in the same sentence warning us to not be too clumsy in an antiquity shop. We were tempted but both decided that a 6-foot porcelain giraffe would not fit well in a backpack or pannier. A shame really as it, like the rest of the store was 75% off…
Our wandering landed us at the Parasol Down lounge at the Wynn Hotel. An impressive outdoor bar with an equally entertaining light and water show every 20 minutes. We toasted to our cycling prowess over the past two months and to our journeys ahead.
Crossing Europe in a 30minute stretch we strolled in the Venetian, complete with its own gondolas, canals and endless blue skies. Strolling over the Rialto Bridge brought us to Paris with its distinctive Eiffel tower. While I have never seen France’s own version, Dee, Phil, and Liz assured me it was an excellent replica, minus the restaurant banner hanging off its side, plus the Casino at its base…
After dining at Gabi Mon Ami we traveled down to the other end of the strip to Mandalay Bay where after much deliberation and fighting crowds of autograph seeker – no for us but for the stars of the Latino Grammys being held in the hotel that night - we decided to try our hand at lady luck. Phil and Liz broke even at Roulette while the Blackjack table happily took my cash despite my protests. Dee was thankful we were returning to bed far from the strip lest I might try to recoup my losses and jeopardize the retirement fund…
We also coaxed Don and Ellen out to the Stratosphere on our next to last night. After escaping the tack of the casino floor we were jettisoned up to Bar 107, towering 900' above the Strip. It is an amazing view and even impressed our expert Donald. After the tourist tour we went to a local hangout for some sliders and pizza.
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| High above Vegas at the Stratosphere Dee finally found a suitable chair.  |
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