Vegas to Hot Springs

After leaving Las Vegas Saturday morning we arrived in Tucson just as the sun set. Easter morning Leon and I watched this hot air balloon rise while out walking the neighborhood with our coffee. (Look for the little yellow ball!)

Noah came out and showed me around the yard. He does love to climb but I guess most 13 year olds do.

Soon Noah assured us there would be pancakes with chocolate chips.

Carlos plugged in the griddle and the production began. It was well worth taking the southern route and an extra 200 miles to have another visit and more pancakes with this family. Afterall, we had to pick up another sack of popcorn for the trip home. Ah, to have a popcorn machine!

As we passed Las Cruces, New Mexico we saw this large road runner defending the town. We did not see him soon enough to exit into the rest area where he resides.

In Ft. Hancock, Texas we stopped for gas and spotted a not too fancy little cinder block building named Margie’s. A restaurant open on Easter Sunday with a chicken fried steak specialty! We decided to take a chance. Fancy it wasn’t, but delicious and homey indeed.
There we got the inside scoop on the Mexican drug wars just across the border and decided to go two miles further to have a close up look at THE fence. The sheriff’s deputies advised us to go further east before we stopped for the night in a roadside park. No problem!

One night in Van Horn and another in Greenville, Texas and we completed the 5,025 mile holiday. We really enjoyed Arizona this time of the year but until the next trip you can find us at the dead end!  Jiggety jog!

Viva, Las Vegas

The intent of this trip was not to spend time on the strip and in the casinos but to visit with Leon’s family and get to know other parts of Vegas. But one cannot ignore the glitz and neon lights completely. The Strip is actually four miles along Las Vegas Boulevard where the most popular casinos line the sides of the street and the neon lights light up the night sky, while the throngs of tourists look like an army of fire ants whose hill has been disturbed. So we joined the ants! At the Rio we saw the Show in the Sky, one of the freebies that we had not seen.

There is a large stage, lightly clad dancers, and three “vessels” that float around the room on rails on the ceiling. They even throw a few Mardi Gras beads. It is not at the top of my list of shows to see but it's free!

Then it was a time for an ice cream fix. We immediately thought of St. Mark’s Square in the Venetian. We got our gelato, cholesterol and fat free of course!

Then we just sat in the plaza and watched the crowds before wandering over to the canal to watch the boats with singers poles by.

We intended to visit New York New York but we just ran out of time.

It was great having all the space at the Elks’ Lodge to ourselves most of the time.

The unexpected entertainment was the sirens we kept hearing as emergency vehicles passed by from the next door fire station.

This was the last planned stop on our trip so it is now time to head to the house.

Liberace Museum, Las Vegas, NV

Before the famous, flamboyant pianist Liberace died in 1987 he had set up a foundation and museum in the town where he performed for 42 years.

Several of his many cars are displayed here. This rhinestone roadster was customized in the style of a Duesenberg and adorned with thousands of rhinestones to match one of his outfits and his Rhinestone Baldwin Grand Piano. The piano was used in the finale of his performance in Radio City Music Hall in 1986.

The 1957 English taxicab he bought in England and restored. He would sometimes pick up his friends at the Palm Springs, California airport in this taxi.

There was also a room full of pianos. This @1900 Steinway was painted blue and gold to match an outfit he wore when he performed. He often used it at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Due to all the beadwork, his Neptune costume weighed 200 pounds. His shoes had heels that helped balance the weight of his cape.

And then there are the pink ostrich feathers!

Leon was even in awe of his costumes.

The toreodore outfit was one of my favorites.

He was the king of bling in the 1950s to 80s and when asked once how he played with all those rings on his fingers his reply was “Very well, thank you!”

Now where is my bling.

His Las Vegas mansion was filled with this furniture. A bit gaudy in my opinion. This was a fascinating tour!

Stratosphere, Las Vegas, NV

The stratosphere, which looms high above Las Vegas, is the tallest free standing building in Nevada and the tallest building west of the Mississippi.

Leon’s grandsons, Blade and Gunnar, accompanied us and made this adventure special.

The observation decks are nearly 1,000 feet above the ground and the views are amazing. Mt. Charleston in the distance is over 11,000 feet high.

Las Vegas Boulevard, the strip, was busy below.

We could barely see the people in and around the pool, but trust me, they were there.


Three rides atop the tower are for the real thrill seekers. The Big Shot shoots riders straight up into the air high above the tower.  We could hear their screams.

The X-scream is like a giant see-saw that plunges the riders out over the edge of the tower in a downward motion. It made me nervous just to watch.

Our guys were not insane this day and did not ride. Afterall, they had just eaten lunch. The insanity spins the riders out over the edge of the tower.

It is always a pleasure to spend time with Gunnar and Blade. They are such nice young men. Today was special!