October 16, 2017 – Leaving Las Vegas

This rental was excellent! The kitchen was stocked with everything you could imagine (even a rice cooker!) and there was laundry detergent, soap in the bathrooms, coffee filters, spices and paper goods. In some rentals, consumables are the renter’s responsibility, but this place was fully-stocked. The recliner chairs in the living room were also appreciated; and there were 2 recliners in the sofa. A very comfortable place to stay.

Here is the VRBO listing for this apartment: Las Vegas vacation rental

Sights around Las Vegas

We arrived in Las Vegas 4 days after the mass shooting on October 1. #VegasStrong billboards and T-shirts were abundant.

The yellow spot on the side of the building is one of the windows broken by the shooter.
Cousins :o)

 

Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, opened on May 21, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada that is operated by the Cleveland Clinic[1] and was designed by the world-renowned architect Frank Gehry.

October 11, 2017 – Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

October is the perfect time to visit the desert. The air is so clear and the temperatures are mild. There is quite an extensive Visitor Center here, with information on how the earth, air, people and water all shape this area. We spent the full day here, and could’ve stayed longer, except the park was about to close. It was so beautiful!

Reminders of Kevin

Kevin would have been thrilled that we are traveling home-free, and would have wanted to visit us in every place we went.

One of Kevin’s favorite places.
Kevin’s cat, Corpsegrinder, has made herself right at home in her new digs.

When Kevin was young, he was on the lookout for flash flood warnings, afraid that our car would be washed away.

October 8, 2017 – The Tubbs Fire

Sadly, the vineyard and winery next door to where we stayed in Calistoga was destroyed in the Tubbs fire, which started just south of our address, 3514 Hwy 128. It spread quickly southwest to Santa Rosa, where it killed dozens of people and destroyed thousands of structures.

The fire started at Tubbs Lane.

The address of this vineyard was 3500 Hwy 128, next door to us at 3514.

Helena View Johnston winery and vineyards in Calistoga on Oct. 8.
30,000 bottles of wine were destroyed.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/10/12/heartache-loss-and-determination-as-winery-owners-return-to-fire-damaged-wine-country/

October 4, 2017 – Down the Silver Trails in Nevada

After a night spent in Reno, and a visit to Jimmy Beans Wool, we traveled south along the Silver Trails in Nevada to Tonopah, site of the early 1900s era silver mines, the renovated Mizpah Hotel ,  and the Tonopah Historic Mining Park.

Traveling from Reno to Las Vegas, NV, along the Silver Trails.

At the Silver Top and Mizpah Mines in Tonopah, NV.
*
*
*

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*