[Giambi-Juice]

I am getting ready for my first trip to Vegas ever! It is sort of funny that me and my lovely wife leave for Sin City on Easter Sunday. We will be staying at the Pallazo and I am super jacked for this vacation!

I really appreciate all the info and tips that you guys have posted. I will spend quite a bit of time gambling in the casino's. But I will also have to entertain my better half, especially if my funds start to run dry!

I already planned on renting a car one day and driving around the desert as I have never seen a cactus before? Now I at least have a destination or two to drive to. I think we will pass on the Hoover dam for now, but I plan on checking out Red Rock Canyon for sure!

Thanks again,

G.Juice

[MadJack]

Originally Posted by Giambi-Juice

I am getting ready for my first trip to Vegas ever! It is sort of funny that me and my lovely wife leave for Sin City on Easter Sunday. We will be staying at the Pallazo and I am super jacked for this vacation!

I really appreciate all the info and tips that you guys have posted. I will spend quite a bit of time gambling in the casino's. But I will also have to entertain my better half, especially if my funds start to run dry!

I already planned on renting a car one day and driving around the desert as I have never seen a cactus before? Now I at least have a destination or two to drive to. I think we will pass on the Hoover dam for now, but I plan on checking out Red Rock Canyon for sure!

Thanks again,

G.Juice

This should keep you both busy for awhile

www.lvol.com

[kickserv]

Jack..........it won't keep Dead Money busy. lvol.com came to him for the info. Dead Money did the entire sight

[Dead Money]

At the Nevada State History Museum was mention of the "Wash"

To satisfy my curiosity; I dug a little into this one....

It appears that the "Gray water"

Storm water, run-off, partially treated "sewage" ends up in Lake Mead...

BUT there is more to the interesting story....

Wetlands are Natures filtration system, kind of like a humans kidneys, purify the blood.

If you follow East Tropicana past I-515, across boulder highway, (a stones throw away from Samstown)
it dead ends when it hits broadbent Blvd, you will see Wetlands Park Lane....a left turn here and you are in a HUGE (many thousands of acres) wetland. (in the middle of basically a desert) annual rainfall here is 3-7 inches.

It is a wonderful oasis of life in the desert....
It is currently winter here, daytimes 55-70, nites 40-45.
So, I did not see the Bullfrogs, Turtles, Sunfish, butterflies that are probably thriving in the Vegas spring summer, I did see from the asphalt pathways, and raised trek pathways many birds.
Signage there mentions Beavers, Raccoons, Cottontails, Coyotes, Bobcats, Snakes, lizards, Squirells, Roadrunners.

I saw American Coots in the ponds,several Mallards, lots of birds I could not identify...there is tons of plants such as Cattails, Bullrush, Reeds, Willows, etc.

The area is laden with ponds and an inter-connected stream.
There are signs warning of possible "flooding"

This area is a wonderful jogging area, nature walk...they are building a visitor center probably open in the summer.
It is probably 25-30 minutes from the strip.

The beauty of this is the natural filtration and the finished "clean" water re-plenishing Lake Mead..

I plan a trip to see where it empties into the lake at a later time.

If LV.com needs a well paid roving attraction reporter, I am available, as long as it does not upset my Casino Gaming schedule.
Discovered Omaha, good tourney at Orleans Thursday nite.

[LetsMakeMoney]

Originally Posted by Dead Money

At the Nevada State History Museum was mention of the "Wash"

To satisfy my curiosity; I dug a little into this one....

It appears that the "Gray water"

Storm water, run-off, partially treated "sewage" ends up in Lake Mead...

BUT there is more to the interesting story....

Wetlands are Natures filtration system, kind of like a humans kidneys, purify the blood.

If you follow East Tropicana past I-515, across boulder highway, (a stones throw away from Samstown)
it dead ends when it hits broadbent Blvd, you will see Wetlands Park Lane....a left turn here and you are in a HUGE (many thousands of acres) wetland. (in the middle of basically a desert) annual rainfall here is 3-7 inches.

It is a wonderful oasis of life in the desert....
It is currently winter here, daytimes 55-70, nites 40-45.
So, I did not see the Bullfrogs, Turtles, Sunfish, butterflies that are probably thriving in the Vegas spring summer, I did see from the asphalt pathways, and raised trek pathways many birds.
Signage there mentions Beavers, Raccoons, Cottontails, Coyotes, Bobcats, Snakes, lizards, Squirells, Roadrunners.

I saw American Coots in the ponds,several Mallards, lots of birds I could not identify...there is tons of plants such as Cattails, Bullrush, Reeds, Willows, etc.

The area is laden with ponds and an inter-connected stream.
There are signs warning of possible "flooding"

This area is a wonderful jogging area, nature walk...they are building a visitor center probably open in the summer.
It is probably 25-30 minutes from the strip.

The beauty of this is the natural filtration and the finished "clean" water re-plenishing Lake Mead..

I plan a trip to see where it empties into the lake at a later time.

If LV.com needs a well paid roving attraction reporter, I am available, as long as it does not upset my Casino Gaming schedule.
Discovered Omaha, good tourney at Orleans Thursday nite.

don't be strolling around samstown area after dark,just sayin

[Dead Money]

I got my one and only tattoo in Honolulu 1969, after consuming my first dozen screwdrivers at the age of 18....Oh those Navy memories.

I remember thinking, "its just basically orange juice"

3 of us pooled are money $60, and on Hotel street, Rose Tattoo parlor, received 3 Tattoos off the wall, our choice.

I chose a large Cobra on my left shoulder....why? i do not remember, when we got back to base I barfed my brains out and woke up wrapped around the tranquil coolness of a porcelain toilet.....never touched a screwdriver other than a "phillips or flathead" again.

Flash ahead 43 years, the mighty Cobra weathered Vietnam, 3 jobs, a 30 year marriage, and everything between...it was looking VERY sad, lost its color and just a shell of its former glory.

My wife has several small floral and Oriental symbol tattoos on her left foot and ankle...she decided to get another to tie them together.

After much research here in Vegas she decided on the 2011 parlor of the year "Executive Tattoo" on west Flamingo about a Mile west of the palms.

They offer affordable, very good quality tattoos starting at $40.00
Most in Vegas start at a Hundred and up.
Prices are flexible depending on their schedule and your bargaining skills, they definitely prefer cash..we walked in they were drinking coffee, totally available...


MY wives price was agreed to $80 cash.

I jokingly showed my old time cobra to Rau, a Dutch-American dual citizen (very interesting fellow, about 35) he drooled and said "I LUV re tooling old tattoos, I would do yours for $80.00 cash money"
I had been quoted $250 in Oklahoma

After a minutes thought, I said WTF, its Vegas, do it...

He photoed it before and after took an hour, it hurt but not intolerable.
It will take a week or so to gel, but
the old cobra will live again.


Executive is one of several under the same management, Sin City Tattoo is the other. They are expanding 2 five all over Vegas.

I heartily recommend them, cool people, with the passion.

[Dead Money]

Behind Binions....

Big Bux spent to refurbish Federal Court-Post Office circa 1930.


Money well spent, 3 floors of Mob History, from inception in the USA complete with a veritable who was who of the "Mob" Vegas, Kansas City, Cleveland Ohio, New York City, Chicago, Boston, L.A., New Orleans, Las Vegas.

Artifacts, actual wiretap recordings of John Gotti and others, an interactive Smith & Wesson virtual police training session with a lasered 38 special (yes you get to shoot a bad guy, hopefully before he shoots you).

If you are into computer high tech interactive, this is your place.

Did the mob kill Kennedy? They make quite the case....

How was the "Sports wire'' used illegally?

How was the casino "skim" discovered?

Kennedy's gangland mistress?

Sinatra and the mob?

Castro and the mob?

Casino scams, loaded dice, slot machine scams?

It is ALL here...

Ever held a "Tommygun?" heres your chance.

Into prohibition artifacts? How about a hollow cane for storing your personal hooch...or a "body flask" molded to fit your stomach area.

Mob enterprises including everything from Prohibition, Drugs, Prostitution, Sports Fixing, Gambling, Corruption, Warehouse heists, you name it, the Mob had a finger in it and it is here to see.

Many sit down short movie documentaries on different aspects, people, Hollywoods fascination with Gangster films and Vegas Myth and facts, complete with a refurbished era court room.

There is an entire wall timeline of the who's who of gangsters and their fates.

A large area is devoted to the good guys and the efforts of all Law Enforcement, FBI, Justice Department and associated agencies that cooperatively zeroed in on the "Mafia" in the early 60's and pretty much over the next 30 years eradicated the "Mob"


THIS IS $18.00 WELL SPENT

It took us all of 4 hours to thoroughly enjoy the exhibits.

Parking next door is limited, and $3.00...you can park free at a nearby casino and trek here easily.


Do not confuse this with a mob experience at the Tropicana, I believe...

[Dead Money]

Lake Mead has 550 miles of shoreline...largest reservoir in the USA.

Flying over it to land in Vegas really gives no perspective, it is a monster.

The drive from Vegas is an easy 30 minute drive, highway 93, exit on Lakeshore (just before Hacienda casino).
Park admission about $10. (I purchased lifetime pass for $10, have to be 62+ I made the cut)

A half mile past booth take a right to a Marina....hundreds of boats and water crafts docked.
Along dockside was thousands of fish (lots of 3 foot carp, and huge stripers? in the crystal clear water being fed by locals with bread.

There was about a hundred sea-gulls majestically hovering and diving for morsels in the 30 mph winds, next time out I will take several loaves of bread.

This is an area of extreme beauty.
Other than the lake , there is sun scorched rock, empty washes, a few scraggily plants and trees.
There are rest rooms and some Marina diners.

Along the short 12 mile drive (there are optional MUCH longer drives including Fire Valley (60 miles)
we did the look-outs, beaches and rec and campsites.
Looking at the many RV's with satellites, propane and water hook-ups, it appears that people winter here..it would be an awesome experience.

I did manage to see where the Las Vegas Wash (Las Vegas "Dirty Water") enters Mead, at Las Vegas Bay.

Sunset overlook looks like a gorgeous evening site...we were in park at noonish.


Heading out of the park,
there is an Italian Villa development known as Lake Las Vegas. We drove through hundreds of upper end homes, condos, businesses, golf courses, and it looked utterly deserted.
(Probably a victim of the over-extension and bad economy).

Continue the drive about 20 more miles, you go through Henderson and end up back on Highway 93 back in Vegas.

Total trip and sightseeing from Vegas maybe 4-5 hours.

I will go back for a sunset view and feed the birds and fish.

[kickserv]

Dead Money...great write up on Lake Mead

[Giambi-Juice]

Thanks for all the write-ups Dead Money! Easter can't get here fast enough as I am ready to break my Vegas cherry!! That mob musuem sounds very cool to me. I added that to my list of down time activities. I still can not believe that I just ordered tickets to go see the Austrailian Bee Gees!! I must really love my wife i guess? Thnx again for all u contribute D.M

[Dead Money]

Talk about a waste of precious gas...

About 55 miles Northwest of Las Vegas is an unincorporated "town" consisting of a few junky casinos and residents who have to be bored out of their gourds.

The only redeeming factor is that it is in Nye County....lots of "chicken ranch" activity. (houses of ill repute)

Pahrump Nev (Pahrump in Shoshone means "water rock" lots of Artesian wells...this appears to be a "town" with little past and less future. They did not have phone service till the 1960's.

Strangely, gasoline was a quarter cheaper than Vegas.




After my lab liberally soiled their park, we hastily continued on.
On 95 south towards Mt Charleston,
There were a couple correction facilities, air force bases, and a distant "settlement" called Mercury Nevada..signs said "NO Services"...after Pahrump, passed this one traveling 90MPH...this is a good area for unwanted members of society. Nothing but sun scorched rock, dirt, and a few scraggily cacti.




Mt Charleston....elevation 11,000+ ft..you can drive up to about 8000 ft on paved road.

Goodly amount of snow still in shaded areas, most trailheads closed till April.

This is a beautiful mountain area with great views and outdoor activities skiing, horseback riding, trailblazing, climbing, wildlife...etc, in season.

Driving 95 north out of Vegas, it is about a 40 minute ride and 25 degree difference maker.








The highlight of the mini-trip was seeing a young wild Burro, standing by the roadside watching traffic as he grazed.

Next season out, I will head up to Tahoe and Carson City.

[Dead Money]

Just googled Mercury Nevada...

This is where they housed scientists and gateway to "Atomic Bomb" testing area...

http://www.atomictourist.com/nts.htm

Reading that, its amazing Las Vegas doesn't glow at night without electricity.

you can actually tour the blast areas and take a walk through "Doom Town", realistic sets constructed by the Atomic Energy Commission to measure effects of atomic weapons on animals and various types of buildings....OMFG

No atomic dosage badges are needed on tour?

That shit has half life of centuries..

That one won't be on my list of must do activities...

[kickserv]

Ya gotta "draw the line" at some point Dead Money

[Dead Money]

Originally Posted by kickserv

Ya gotta "draw the line" at some point Dead Money

LOL....

Don't want to pick up hitchhikers out there either....lots of walking dead.

[Dead Money]

If you need some "points" with the wife while in Vegas, here is a couple of winners.

We have been going to antique and collectible stores for years, most are pure shit.
These 2 listed were very entertaining.... especially if you enjoy rummaging.

Antiques at the market...6665 South eastern Ave..15 minutes east of strip..Eastern and Sunset area.
Hundreds of booths of much better than average collectibles.
Bronzes, paintings, glass ware, vintage clothes, small furniture, jewelry, Vegas and Hollywood memories, much more...you will enjoy this one.

Antique Mall 307 West Charleston
(West Charleston + I-15) 10 minutes from strip

A large quantity of cool vintage Las Vegas stuff, a completely stocked "Tiki Room",
circa 1960, Vargas Prints, TONS of neat stuff from A-Z...especially good used book section with many older gambling, western, and gangster titles, a room of vintage clothes, purses, shoes.

Park next door at Holsum Bread store, their parking sux.

They are having huge sale month of April. May 1 they are moving next to Arizona Charlies on Decatur.

Enjoy...

[turksure]

Originally Posted by Dead Money

Just pass the humanity of people at the hotel lobby, is a magnificent site;
you will find a beautiful Oriental garden with many Dragons, Little emperors, Koi Ponds, fountains and falls.
All ornately surrounded and some covered by live flowers.....
Being 2012, "year of the dragon"

Look overhead and you will see lit garlands of firecrackers going off complete with crackling noises....

A must see if you have the wife, significant other with you....

Every trip to LV, its a stop

[Dead Money]

We are talking "World Class" here...
2000+ seated theater, 250+ seats Jazz Cabaret Theater, 250+ seats Studio Theater.

This palace is near downtown, bazillions of dollars of Marble, Art Deco style with all the bells and whistles.



All large cosmopolitan cities have a Performing Arts Center, kind of a crown jewel so to speak.

For decades the casinos dictated the entertainment (money) in this town; I don't think they wanted the competition of a PAC (performing art center)

Gone are the days of Elvis, Sinatra type generational super performers.

Now you have had 18 years of Circus Soliel, now being re-re-hashed as they closed the "Elvis" version.

Here is link if interested..

http://www.thesmithcenter.com/shows-tickets/

[Dead Money]

My 62 year old " content sitting at a poker table" body is still recovering from the experience 2 days later.




For the last 10 years I have wanted to try an ATV adventure.

Never been on one, closest experience riding a rented motorbike near Cancun (Isle Mujeres, circa 1979)

Purchased a Groupon for $85.00


Adrenaline ATV family owned, Overton Nevada, (near Logandale...50 miles North of LV off of I-15)


You are picked up at MGM Grand or several other hotel locations and whisked out to this "Valley of Fire" National park area.

Guided group rides consist of 10-12, split by experience into an easy group
and a "adventuresome" group.

My brother in law and I chose adventure saying we had motorcycle experience...he did not ask what decade.

After going over basic safety, we donned our helmets, goggles, gloves and headed out.

The 2007 Hondas could be driven manual or automatic..

If you are thinking gentle, rolling trails with cute wild rabbits eating vegetation along the trails, you will be sadly disappointed.

You will be very dirty, you will feel aches and pains from body areas you never had; for several days afterwards.

The access road to the trails are gravel and a bit of asphalt so you do have a couple minutes to figure out throttle, brakes, and center of gravity.

The trails range from well worn dirt ruts to huge chunks of exposed bedrock covered with big loose rock and dirt...there are occasional short straight gravel covered areas (it is semi-maintained by BLM and National Park) that you can get quickly up to about 40-45 MPH.
There are trails with hairpin turns with a 45 degree grade.

The hardest thing on the body were
the many series of rolling hill ruts...you learned quickly to get your butt off the seat on these very quickly.

You will experience a power drift thru sand dunes if you wish...I almost lost it but hung on for dear life.

Lets just say your adrenaline will be flowing big time.

The vistas are magnificent..here is a site with pics http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...on_Nevada.html


Lunch is supplied as is plenty of water by a following dune buggy.

Halfway thru the 16 miles we stopped and ate.
There are several stops for photos and stuff.

After lunch we opted for the easy group. In the fast group you were so busy watching the road, you did not enjoy the great views.

If I had it to do again, I would do the easy group for the first half to gain the experience and for the second half go balls to the wall, as there were many more straightaways where you could fly with new found confidence.

The road guides are fabulous, most been riding since they were 5 or 6 years old...every house in the area has ATV's; it is the entertainment here.


I give the experience 5 stars, use Adrenaline ATV none better...

[kickserv]

62 year old on an ATV.........




Sounds like ya had a blast

[Dead Money]

http://lasvegas.about.com/gi/o.htm?z...m%23Experience

Did this today with my brother in law...

Mini dig on a groupon was $100.00

Just south of Palace station on Rancho Dr...4 acre "sandbox'' with 315 cat.....experience priceless...air conditioned cab....hard hat, work vest, and 2 way radio....

Way cool; about 45 minutes continuous on the spot training, an hour hands on digging a trench, deep hole, hauling dirt, rolling the cab and scoop around and around or whatever. (Can't play tag or dodge em' with the others)

They had 3 Excavators, 3 dozers and on this windy dusty day, they ran a water truck spritzing down the compound....

If you loved Tonka trucks as a tyke, you will love this adventure..you get a "Diploma" suitable for framing.

This was started by an "Aussie" out of work construction outfit to pay the bills.


I am leaving Vegas for a return to my Humdrum existence in Oklahoma Friday....and to think I came out here to "relax"...