Monthly Archives: May 2013

It’s Time to Get Out of Dodge . . . Well, Las Vegas, anyway.

We left Apache Junction when the temps started getting into 3 digits, and now that weather has caught up with us. Officially it was 101 today, but it was 113 under our awning, so it’s just about time to hit the road.

113 Thermometer

We’ll leave here Wednesday and spend one night in Tonapah, NV where it will be 82/52. Starting Thursday we’ll be in South Lake Tahoe for two weeks where the temps are forecast to be in the high 60’s/ low 70’s and high 30’s/ low 40’s at night. Very, very nice.

I braved the heat for a while to finish topping off my house batteries with the distilled water I got yesterday, and also packed some stuff away to get a head start for Wednesday.

I also washed out a couple of compartments using my new Little Big Shot Super Hose Nozzle,

Little Big Shot

This thing is really neat. It will adjust your water spray from a needle-fine hard stream to a full spray. The needle spray is great for washing out areas without getting water all over everything next to it, and the full spray is great for washing your coach.

Then after working out in the heat, a nap seemed to be a good idea, and I was right.

Since we wanted to see the Bellagio Fountain Show after dark, we planned on a late dinner, so we picked up Jim and Peri at 6pm and headed down Flamingo Rd. to the Flamingo Casino. We were having dinner at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville located in the casino there.

Margaritaville1

Margaritaville 1

Margaritaville 2

Our meals were good, and there’s something entertaining always going on, from dancers on stilts,

Margaritaville 3

to a bikini-clad girl sliding down the slide of a volcano into a giant margarita glass,

Margaritaville 4

finishing up with a trapeze act hanging from a large fishing hook high over the crowd. Really neat.

By the time we finished dinner, it was after 8pm and now dark, so we walked down the Strip toward the Bellagio.

Vegas Strip 1

Vegas Strip 2

The shows are every 15 minutes so we didn’t have to wait long for the next one. In fact we stayed for 3 shows, since each one is different.

Bellagio

Bellagio 1

Bellagio 2

Bellagio 3

Bellagio 4

Bellagio 5

Bellagio 6

Bellagio 7

Bellagio 8

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For a little more, you can check out this short video of a show.

Bellagio Fountains

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Tomorrow we’ll start getting ready to travel, and then finish up with one last buffet at Boulder Station Casino with Jim and Peri, before we head out on Wednesday morning.

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Thought for the Day:

“The amount of ammo you need is determined after the gunfight.”

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I Can’t Believe I Ate the Whole Thing . . .

And Lived To Tell About It.

So far.

First off, an update on the 3D printer story. Staples has announced that they will soon be selling several different models of 3D printers in their stores, and will also let you bring in your own files and print them on a store machine.

Other big name companies will soon follow.

After a lazy morning, I went outside to do some battery maintenance. I wanted to add some distilled water to the batteries and double check the connections. But I quickly found a problem.

My 1 gallon jug of distilled water had sprung a leak and was pretty much empty. So I’ll have to pick up a gallon or so today or tomorrow to finish things up.

Jan and I headed out about 2:30 for an afternoon of dining and sheer terror. Well, maybe sheer terror for her.

Our first stop was the ATM at a Chase Bank and then it was over to the Fremont Street Experience at the top of the Strip.

We got parked at a nearby parking garage, and then first up was the terror part.

Jan had decided that despite her somewhat fear of heights she was going to do the zip line that runs down through Fremont Street.

So we got her ticket at the FlightLinez Zip Line store and then took the elevator up to the 5th floor.

FlightLinez 1

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That let’s you walk directly out on the platform. The smaller tower in the front here is the one presently in use. The taller one in the back is the new one coming on line soon. It will be higher, faster, and longer.

Some of you may be wondering why I’m not doing this.

Well, someone has to take the pictures, right. But the real reason is the weight limit of 250 pounds. I could probably squeak by on the limit, but I would have to do it in the nude, and I don’t think that would be an option.

Or a pretty sight for anyone looking up. Just saying.

FlightLinez 2

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FlightLinez 3

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The present zip line stops at the platform at the lower side of this photo. The new one will be higher and go all the way to the end of the covered area.

FlightLinez 4

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Here they’re getting Jan and her flight buddy strapped in and ready to go.

FlightLinez 5

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Ready, set, GO.

FlightLinez 6

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And a safe touchdown at the other end.

FlightLinez 7

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Here’s the video of her flight.

Jan’s Zip Line Ride

Jan said she enjoyed it, but that her knees were still shaking a half hour later.

It will be interesting to see if she will do the higher, faster, longer version next time.

The next item on our agenda was a little scary too. The Heart Attack Grill. It’s located at the front of the Fremont Street Experience, right on the Strip. It’s a place we had to try at least once.

They do have a lot of fun with the concept.

Heart Attack Grill 1

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From the disclaimers,

Heart Attack Grill 2

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to the hospital gowns everyone has to wear,

Heart Attack Grill 3

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to the ID bracelets everyone is given. The white one is for the Heart Attack Grill, the blue one is for the Zip Line. Actually I think the gowns would be a good idea at some BBQ rib places I’ve been to.

Heart Attack Grill 4

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Jan got the Single Bypass Burger and the Flatline Fries. I got the Double Bypass with Bacon, but without fries because we were going to share Jan’s order.

Heart Attack Grill 5

The Flatline Fries were really good. They’re sliced and then fried to order. IN LARD.

HMMM! LARD!

Heart Attack Grill 6

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Besides their large selection of alcoholic drinks, the only others are water and Cokes. But the Cokes are the ones from Mexico made with real sugar, and not corn syrup.

Heart Attack Grill 7

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Here’s the burger menu, with one to eight patties, and 5 to 40 strips of bacon (5 per patty).

Heart Attack Grill 8

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And here’s the Octuple Bypass Burger. How do you even eat something like that.

Heart Attack Grill 9

Even my Double I ended up eating with a fork. If I went here again I’d have them leave off the Chili. It’s good but it makes it too messy

Oh, and if you weigh over 350 pounds you can eat here free. Or just eat here a few times until you then weigh over 350, and then eat from then on.

Ready to leave, we stop in the Walgreen’s there and I got a couple of gallons of distilled water for my batteries to use when we get home.

Along the way we stopped off at Boulder Station Casino once again to register our Boarding Passes for the weekend drawings. And as it turns out, I won 1000 points in last drawing. That’s $10 in the slot machines.

Getting home, I had planned to work on the batteries again, but that burger made me too sleepy so I took a two hour nap. Very nice.

Tomorrow we’re going to eat at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville in the Flamingo Casino with Jim and Peri Dean, and then check out the fountain show at the Bellagio.

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Thought for the Day:

“Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you.” – Pericles (495 BC to 429 BC)

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