Welcome to Outside Our Bubble

Route 95 Southbound, Heading Towards The Mohave Valley, AZ

So what do people do out in the desert?

Well, they enjoy the windy roads and the beautiful scenery.

Dune Buggying In The Desert

They take their dune buggy’s out of course and go crazy.  No, we did not do this.  We saw some people enjoying the desert on their dune buggy’s on our way to the Mohave Valley in Arizona.  There is a lot of open BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land out in this area.  BLM land is free recreational land that you can camp on, ATV on and as you can see, dune buggy on.  People come out here to get away from it all and enjoy the quietness of the desert (when the ATV’s aren’t running around that is).  Plus, it’s a lot of fun.

Taking Full Advantage Of The Sun In A Solar Array.

There’s obviously no trees to speak of in the desert, so people use the sun to their advantage.  A lot of rv’s out here have solar panels on their roofs.  Here is an example of a large solar array to generate and collect electricity for a nearby town.

David finally found a nice day to fly his stunt kite again.

David Flying His Stunt Kite. Our Coach In The Background.

And yes, that is our coach in the background.  Thanks for asking.

There are also some ghost towns out here.  So we went back to one of our favorites, Oatman, AZ.

David Feeding A Burro In Oatman, AZ

Where the burro’s roam free.  But they are no dummy’s,  they know that if they hang out in town, they will get carrots.

David With A Burro In Oatman, AZ

David With A Baby Burro In Oatman, AZ

Oatman, AZ is an old gold mining town.  The mine is long since shut down and their are actually very few people that live there now.  The burros helped the miners transport the carts full of gold.  Once the mine shut down, they let all the burros go free.  Well, the burros hung around and the people that stayed in the town took care of these burros.  Now it’s a tourist destination.  But you don’t feel like your walking around a tourist trap that popped up overnight.  Yes, they do have all the touristy t-shirts and trinkets.  But the buildings are the actual buildings that were standing way back when.

We went back to the Oatman Hotel that was established in 1902.  Here’s our post from that first trip.  It’s a neat hotel/restaurant where the miners would eat and drink.  The restaurant is full of dollar bills stapled to every surface imaginable.  Story has it that when the miners would go to work they would staple a dollar bill to the walls of the restaurant/bar.  So if anything would happen to them in the mine, their bar tab would be taken care of and their family would not have to worry about paying it.  Well, now it’s somewhat of a tradition for tourists and townies alike to leave a dollar stapled somewhere in the restaurant/bar.

The Oatman Hotel And Restaurant

We of course did this last time we were visiting two years ago.  So this time we went back to visit our dollar and have lunch.

Our Dollar Bill Still There Two Years Later

It was still there.  Here’s a picture of it.

What?  You don’t see it?

Here’s a close up.

Our Dollar Bill Still There Two Years Later, Closer Up

Yup…it says Feb 1st, 2010.  Pretty cool.

While walking around town there are many murals painted on various buildings.  Here’s a couple that I don’t think we got last time.

A Mural On One Of The Walls In Oatman, AZ

A Mural On One Of The Walls In Oatman, AZ

The people of Oatman have a great sense of humor.  They also take pride in there town and it shows.  Whenever we get back to this area, I’m sure we’ll stop in again and visit our dollar.

A Baby Burro In Oatman, AZ

And bring more carrots of course.

Just Hanging Out At The Las Vegas RV Resort

You know that saying…

What Happens In Vegas, Stays In Vegas.

Well, I’m perfectly fine with that.  On top of being sick and tired of hearing that slogan everywhere, we really do not like Vegas.

It’s dry, sandy, dirty (in more ways than one), loud, crowded, too much traffic, too many tourists turning right in front of you because they’re staring at the giant hotels, etc, etc….

Must I really go on?

So why you ask did we stay 2 weeks?

Good question.

We had to be there for CES, The Consumer Electronics Show.  So we got this brilliant idea to arrive a little early and be in Vegas during New Years.  We thought it would be fun to be on the strip and watch the fireworks.  We thought it would be nice to go out for a nice evening on the town.

We should have known better.

We were told, by the RV resort that we stayed at, that you really don’t want to be on the strip on New Years.  Lots and lots of people, crime, expensive everywhere you go and you can’t really see much.

What were we thinking?  It didn’t really sound like something we wanted to do.  Oh well.  So we stayed up and watched it on tv with the rest of the world.  And boy…Were we glad we didn’t go down to the strip.  It was super crowded.  And for those of you who know us, you know how we love to be in a crowded area….NOT.

Well, we had some time to kill before CES, so you know what idle hands and minds do?  Well, if you are David…

David Fixing The Squeak In The Bedroom Floor

…you tear up the bedroom carpet and pad, find where the bedroom floor has been squeaking, and fix it.  Yup, that’s my bedroom floor all torn up.  Just so David can throw some screws in the floor and on the side walls, to fix a squeak.

I must admit though, it is nice not to have a squeaky floor anymore :)

You also see some interesting things while in Vegas.

When I was going to the store, I saw this sign.

Funny Sign I Found In Vegas

I’m not really sure what they mean by “regular men only”.  And if they are considering the term “regular” against Vegas standards, then I really don’t know.  Because nothing in Vegas is regular.  Too funny.

I also saw a sign that said, “Discount Smog Here”.  Sorry, I couldn’t get a picture of it.  But it did raise the question, why would anyone pay full price for smog when you can come to this place and get your smog at a discount?

We really didn’t do much more of anything before CES.  Not much to do in Vegas if you don’t gamble, don’t drink and have seen all the interesting shows already.  So we just kept to ourselves and relaxed before the craziness of CES started.

And boy…did it start.

The Las Vegas Strip

Their were parties to attend.  Mostly on the strip.  Which meant fighting more traffic and trying to find parking.  We found Valeting nice.  It was easier and we didn’t have to walk a mile from the parking garage to the area we were trying to go.  However, this caused issues some nights because the Miss America Pageant was in town at the same time.  So parking was usually full unless you got there way early.  How I love big cities…NOT!

So what did we see at CES?

Not much.  A bunch of the same stuff but new and improved.  OLED televisions were nice, but too expensive right now.

David found this…

David Wants This

He’s just trying to figure out if it will fit in the motorhome.  What an awesome work station this would make.  I put a stop to that :)

We had an AVSForum.com party this year, as we have in previous years.  Not as big of a crowd as we’ve had in the past, but we truly believe attendance was down all around CES.

AVSForum.com Party In Las Vegas During CES

It was a nice party and everyone seemed to have a good time.  Which is all that matters.

At another party we went to had the band Chicago playing a concert.

Chicago Concert In Vegas During CES

It wasn’t as good as it could have been.  It was in a huge banquet center, so the acoustics were horrible.  So bad in fact, we ended up leaving after a couple songs.  And we weren’t the only ones leaving early.

So once CES was over, we were ready to get outta there.  We went just 2 hours south of Vegas to Mohave Valley, Arizona, near Oatman.  More on that coming up later.

David, Brenda And Tasha

Sad day today.

It was one year ago today that Tasha left us.

Tasha

We still miss her so much.

It doesn’t get any easier.

Tasha Hanging Out In Our Yard

We have great memories.

She had a great and long life, 14 1/2 years.

We couldn’t have asked for a better companion.

Tasha Hanging Out In Our Yard

She still, to this day, makes us laugh at the things she used to do.

She loved traveling in the motorhome.

She also loved being home in Rochester, NY.

Getting spoiled by everyone.

Tasha Loved The Snow!

She even loved the snow.  She would be like a little kid running out the door and dunking her head into the snow to eat it!

She is missed.

She is remembered.

She is loved.

David And Brenda On Top Of Silica Dome At Valley Of Fire State Park

David and I are thinking it’s time for a new mattress for the Motorhome.  We currently have a generic Temperpedic that’s probably a good 15 years old.  So yes, it’s time.

We need one that can fold up, so to speak.  In order for our slides in our bedroom to go in, the top part of our bed folds upward, like a Craftmatic.  So a regular mattress will not do.

Does anyone out there have any thoughts on a Sleep Number bed?  We’re looking at the P7 model.  It’s a 2 chamber sleep number bed that has a memory foam topper.

Do you have one?

What do you have?

We would appreciate any thoughts, concerns or suggestions you may have.

Thanks.

David And Brenda At Valley Of Fire State Park

Our Site At The Las Vegas RV Resort

Well, when we left Valley of Fire State Park we made our way to Las Vegas.  It’s a short 1 hour drive but it feels a lot longer.

It was made a little longer by this…

A Double Tractor Trailer Jack Knifed Trying To Turn Around

On the road out of the park a double tractor trailer tried to make a u-turn, realizing he was on the wrong road, and jack-knifed.  It brought traffic to a halt for us big rigs but cars could scoot around him.  After about 20 minutes, he finally was able to drag his back tires along the gravel enough so he could complete the turn.  Once he was turned around was another matter.  His hook-up for the second trailer was un-driveable.  So he was stuck.

At least we were not stuck anymore.

Our first glimpse of Las Vegas on the horizon looked like this…

Vegas In The Smoggy Valley In The Distance

The traffic out here is insane.  I don’t know any reason why anyone in their right mind would want to live out here and fight this traffic all the time.  Not to mention, look at all that smog.  YUK!  And we are lucky enough to be breathing it in for 2 weeks.  Double YUK!

All The Electrical Lines Leading To Vegas

On the side of the highway are all these electrical lines.  Now you know Vegas uses a lot of electricity but this is ridiculous. So maybe instead of dropping your money into the slots, maybe you should hedge a sure bet and invest in the local electric company.

Wouldn’t it be nice if they could build one of these mega hotels GREEN!

That would be the day.

So we’re just sitting here wondering why we had to be here. Listening to helicopters, planes and sirens.  Yup, the lovely sounds of a city.

Oh yes, CES is coming up next week.  What fun that will be.

And if your name is Sheldon Cooper and you are a character on the Big Bang Theory, please note that I was being sarcastic.

David And Brenda Hiking In Valley Of Fire State Park

Our last day at Valley of Fire State Park was filled.

Right next to the campground was an area known for it’s Petroglyphs.  It’s been said these date back over 3000 years!

Petroglyphs On The Side Of The Red Rock Sandstone

Petroglyphs On The Side Of The Red Rock Sandstone

It simply amazes me that after all this time and various weather conditions that these Petroglyphs still exist.

David Hiking Up The Red Rock Sandstone That Makes Up Mouse's Tank Hike

A Crevasse Off The Beaten Path Of Mouses' Tank Hiking Path

We hiked through Mouse’s Tank.  Mouse’s Tank is a popular hike among visitors.  The story is that Mouse (a renegade Indian) used this area as a hideout back in the 1890′s.  He protected this area because their is a natural basin formed in the rocks that collects and keeps any water from rainfall for months.  Being a desert, this water was a hot commodity. So Mouse defended this area as his own.

The Slot Canyons In A Wash That We Hiked Through

David Making His Way Through One Of The Slot Canyons In A Wash That We Hiked

We were told by some fellow RVers that we should hike this one particular wash.  So once we found the wash, in we went. As you can see from the pictures above, there were some amazing slot canyons that you have to squeeze through.  Some areas are so tight you actually have to turn side ways to get through.  That was fun.

An Old Movie Set At The End Of The Hike Through The Wash

When we reached the end of the wash, we found an old movie set.  The set was constructed for the 1966 film, The Professionals starring Burt Lancaster. Other movie scenes that were shot here at this park are the Mars scenes from Total Recall, a scene from Star Trek Generations, and the 1984-87 television show Airwolf.

This area was actually part of the White Domes Hiking Trail.  We just happened to take a more interesting way to get there.

We also noticed there was a geocache in the area.

David Found The Geocache. We Signed The Book And Added A Couple Trinkets.

Brenda Putting The Geocache Back Were It Was Hidden

David found the cache easily.  We signed the log, added some trinkets that I had brought with me just for this reason and re-hid the cache box.

This was also a nice time for a rest.

David Taking In The Nice Weather

We had some snack bars and water and David found the view relaxing.  It was another beautiful day.

Hiking Back Through The Wash

When we left we had to turn around and go back the same way we came in, as our car was left there.  However we found some interesting side trails that we explored.

The next day it was time to pack up and hit the road for Vegas.  We’d personally rather stay here.  We don’t like Vegas.  Too much traffic.  Too many people.  Too expensive.  But alas, we have to make our way there for the Consumer Electronic Show for work.

BK And Whisper Taking In The View

Even BK and Whisper didn’t want to leave.  They loved the views.  The peacefulness.  The serenity.

One Last Picture On Our Way Out Of Valley Of Fire State Park

So we pulled over and took one last picture as we headed out.

Then a little further down the road we saw this…

A Big Horned Sheep Munching On Dinner Next To The Roadside In Valley Of Fire State Park

Our first sighting of wildlife (other than squirrels which don’t count).  On the road heading out of the park, we spotted, right next to the roadside, a big horned sheep.  He didn’t seem to have a care in the world.  He was munching on something and he was happy.  I jumped out of the motorhome to get a picture.  Cautious not to get to close.  I really didn’t want to see him charge me because I disturbed him.

He seemed to care less that I was there.  There were other vehicles driving up and down the road and only a small number of them slowed down to take a look at this creature.  Being from New York, I was amazed at him.  Others, whom no doubt are from this area, seemed less amazed. It’s sad thinking you would become so blase about such things.

Throughout this whole trip I always have my eyes open for wildlife and I was excited to finally seem some!

Now on to Vegas.