A Regional Jet approaches the threshold at our McCarran International Airport. The distant clouds add a bit of flair to the photo. The RJ is my favorite aircraft to fly in, short takeoffs and landings too. Let’s get high together! 😎
Tag: Travel
Mixed Photos
Here is a mix of my stuff and not my stuff. Do you think the DHL driver was fired for his miscalculation? That’s a whopper of a screwup! The sunset photo from the other night that’s not cartooned is actually straight out of the Nikon, with no processing except for the file size reduction.
The photo that has Fremont Street in it was taken on the way to lunch a couple of days ago. Fremont Street looked pretty darn busy in there. Very early this morning I had a phone chat with my dad to see if he’s back in Michigan safely, yes indeed. What is it like to fly during Covid days?
This has me wondering if I can make the journey up there next month after I receive the second Pfizer vaccine injection. He was not asked for his proof of vaccination card, I thought it would have to be shown to board the aircraft but everyone has to wear a mask the entire flight. How uncomfortable this must be, right?
Back To The Valley Of Fire
I really need to take the ride north to the Valley Of Fire again, it’s been a long time. The rock formations and colors are crazy beautiful there. There are two ways to get there. The fastest is taking the 15 freeway north from Las Vegas. The most beautiful way to get there is to take Lake Mead Boulevard east until you reach the boundary of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and head north. Eventually, you will come up to the park gate entrances.
Christmas, 2019
This morning I’ve pulled some photos from deep inside the archive. Are you a deer hunter? Neither am I, but my dad has hunted since he was a boy. There are several deer on his office walls. That cloudy Michigan sky was taken along the road I used to live on, and don’t I look so handsome going for the Nikon selfie! I flipped the image since it was backward in the mirror. Have a great week, friends!
Cowboys and War Heroes
I’ve pulled some old photos again for the blog today since it’s another day on the couch. The cowboy photo is an iPhone image from a local car dealership that was replacing a broken part on the truck door. I had to have this done twice as one of our lovely windstorms had ripped the door from my hand and flew open too hard for the plastic bit to handle. Note to truck manufacturers, you can’t use plastic for everything!
The two war hero photos were taken at the Ranger Station along Kyle Canyon Road on the way up to Mount Charleston. It’s a nice building with the usual touristy odds and ends for sale. Outdoors is this memorial, and a couple other items honouring these war heroes. Thank you for your service, I honour you and yours.
The milage sign was obviously taken well outside of Las Vegas Valley. I may be wrong, but I think this is north of Las Vegas, southbound on the ninety-five freeway. How about another day trip, wanna ride along with me?
Needles
This was a ride in the old Nissan Rogue south to Needles, California. I’ve heard of this place many times as being the hottest place in the United States. It wasn’t hot that day as I recall, and I didn’t find much that was interesting either. So why is it called Needles? Below is what I found in a quick search:
Named for the nearby pointed mountain peaks, Needles was founded in 1883 to support the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The city’s location along the Western bank of the Colorado River, which serves as the California/Arizona border, was once its major draw. As in John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, it was an important stopping point for travelers entering California in search of opportunity during the Dust Bowl era. Like the Joad family, thousands stopped in Needles for gas and supplies before crossing the Mojave Desert.
Its proximity to Arizona has since become a major factor behind the town’s decline. With corporate taxes and building regulations being significantly higher in California, many large businesses such as Walmart, Kmart, and Home Depot have chosen to open stores in Bullhead City, AZ, only a 20-minute drive from Needles. And for savvy travelers who know that gas is often a dollar per gallon cheaper east of the Colorado River, the decision to stop for fuel and lunch in Bullhead City instead of Needles in a no-brainer.
That’s not a very positive review of the city, is it? The comment on high taxes and regulations is to me, the best reason why this little town is slowly fading away thanks to the asswipes in Sacramento. I can’t see why people live in California, the taxes and rules, regulations are ludicrous and a great reason why Las Vegas has so many ex Californians here. That said, please, don’t California my Nevada! Here is the source of the excerpt above.
Exiting The City
After jumping on the 215 south, I exited at Charleston Boulevard westward. From that point, it’s just a couple miles or so to the edge of the city proper. You just pop out into the beautiful wild desert. From there, it’s several miles until you reach those mountains that run north-south.
Westbound Summerlin Parkway
Good afternoon. I left the house fairly early today for a ride into the open desert for some landscapes, many of which have seen this space before. The adjustments I made to the Nikon yesterday sure didn’t hurt anything but the damn dust intrusion is still there in a reduced state. It doesn’t matter what I try, the dust won’t fully come out.
Gladly, the Aurora HDR application removes most of it. The rest if any can be removed with the Clone Stamp tool. Another windstorm is on the way, but I haven’t seen a substantial increase in speed yet this afternoon. Summerlin Parkway links the 215 freeway and the 95 freeway as well as many other roads in that area and has new pavement.
Modus Travel
Just a few snaps here, mostly on the northbound two-fifteen freeway on the west side of Las Vegas Valley. Speaking of the modus, my super-clean pickem’ up is now six years old but in fantastic, near-mint condition. No road salt has ever touched it thanks to our climate here. It’s all original except the tires, battery, and a small piece of fuel line just above the fuel tank that broke and made my garage smell really bad for a couple of days.
Sometimes, I miss driving a car though for its small size, maneuvering and handling. I’ve thought about swapping the truck for a new car but don’t want the higher insurance cost and monthly payment. The truck is paid for, the insurance is not costly at all because of my clean driving record and my age. So then, what to do? Plus, I can’t make myself part with the truck for sentimental reasons. This brand has been in my family literally for decades.
I’ve looked at many car brands and find that the Honda line gets my attention the most. There’s a reason for this. For decades, my family has owned Honda four-wheeler bikes, dirt bikes, and power generators as an example. Honda’s quality and dependability across the board with its products have a great track record. One drawback for me is the lack of V6 power though. Not everyone wants to drive a car with a 4 cylinder lawn mower engine in it!
Boat Racing, Always In My Blood
Here are some photos of what yours truly grew up with. I will always have little racing boats in my blood, and a family history of traveling and boat racing. To this day, photos of those wonderful days are all around my home. Note that all photos are our family photos except the poor driver hanging upside down with his boat on top of him, boat racing is very dangerous.
