I arrived in Henderson, NV feeling tired and decided the traffic was kinda freaking me out after being in the desert for six months… so I found the nearest large casino/hotel and just mellowed out a few days. Rested, I decided it was time to go find my brother, since he had not responded to any Facebook messages or emails. Last I knew, he worked at the Tropicana… so I went there. Ugh… traffic.
Sat., March 31, 2012: They sent me to the Rio and the Rio sent me across the street to the Palms Casino Resort. Finally found him, had dinner, and he walked me out to the street where we discovered the strip had just gone dark for the Earth Hour… that was neat.
April 1, 2012 Las Vegas Sun: For one hour on Saturday, darkness will replace the bright pink neon glowing on the Flamingo and bulbs twinkling on Fremont Street casinos as part of a global environmental awareness event.
World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour returns to Las Vegas for the fourth consecutive year, and dozens of Strip and downtown properties are participating by turning off their non-essential exterior lights from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.
I spent the night in the Rio parking lot as I really should not drive in the dark and woke to a view of every major casino in Vegas. Trump Tower, Treasure Island, Wynn, the Mirage, Caesars Palace, the Rio and of course the Palms. (note to self… don’t park overnight in Rio parking lot… train tracks right beside the lot and it’s a party place for young folk who don’t sleep)
My brother and his wife, have a fancy big BIG house. I was getting fixated on T.V. again... so I had to get out of there. Also allergies acting up over his two very loveable little dogs. Why do I have to cry every time I leave someone else's pets that I get attached to?
People – T.V. watching; Dogs – Swankie-watching.
Such cute little pups (baby brother,
and his little Grayson).
Big house, lovely home and yard, and pool. Good visit. (Sorry to have missed my other relatives in Vegas, but I gotta go find fresh air. See you next time around.)
Back on the road again... and what have I got... too much wind and lots of tumbleweeds. I kept thinking of the tune to the old cowboy favorite "Tumbling Tumbleweeds." Who sang that?
A little ways north of Vegas is a spot all Vandwellers should take note of. I spotted the water and had to take a closer look. If not for the wind... I would have camped right there for a few days and paddled the whole darned thing, but after six months not kayaking, I was in no mood to battle wind and I had a headache. This is the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge and camping for 14 days is allowed and free (first come first served).. small town of Alamo 3.5 miles away.
Lots of waterfowl. 230 species… I only saw about four. Really want to spend a couple weeks there.
They even had a Photo Blind there. Never saw one of those before. This is a special place. And they even have petroglyphs… which I also did not see.
Can't I ever get away from airborne allergens??? A controlled agricultural burn.
This is the scenery of my child's/mind's eye... I used to draw horses running across such landscape... when I was a little kid. Who threw all my drawings away?
White River Narrows Archaeological District. Now why the heck did I pass this up... wondering as I drove by... what kind of archaeology is out here. Duh!!!! Petroglyphs. What kind of archeologist am I???
So I made it to Ely before dark and settled into a casino parking lot. It was 74 degrees inside the van. By morning it was 47 degrees and I had three inches of snow on top of my solar panel. That had to go. SNOW... there is snow on my van???? SNOW, I tell you, SNOW! This is a heck of a coming-out-of-the-desert party. NOW, I miss Quartzsite's warmth (It is 70 degree F there today).
Something occurred to me last night… not putting my brother down or anything BUTT 
Other Considerations to give more consideration to:
Ely, NV. It has to get better than this... the snow I mean. O.K. some things I didn't consider: 1) where are my warm gloves and winter clothes? 2) how do I get snow off my solar panel and roof rack and trailer roof??? Keep the ladder a little more handy.
Ely gets exciting in June I guess… with bathtub races??? http://www.elynevada.net/events/bathvideo2.html
I saw a parking lot next to a hotel/casino that had plug-ins for campers and RVers. Several men were on top of their rigs this morning pushing the snow off. Consider SNOW and how to get up to your solar panels. You might try to avoid snow at all costs, but it can sneak up on your while you sleep.
Plan for today… or sometime this week… find winter clothes and gloves… and get the ladder out and more easily accessible.
Well, that was fun. Resupplied. Saw this GB vehicle in the store lot. Found a side street up the hill near the P.O. and parked. Heard a whiney outside… and looked out to see this…
How special is that? It doesn’t get any better than this, until tomorrow. (That should be me! lol)
Altitude:
Six months at 882' in Quartzsite. Then a week in Vegas at 2,000+'. Now Ely, NV 6,427' and next Elko NV at 5,060'. Then to Salt Lake City, UT at 4,226'. Then Rifle CO at 5,650' until job starts up the mountain near there to 9,000 feet. Good question. Can I do it. I think the headache and breathing problems were triggered by the pollution of Las Vegas valley (it's really bad folks) and the two dogs at my brother's (and the vegetative state I got myself into checking out their 'thousands of t.v. channels." I live outside because I will die inside. Already with a migraine pill and sinus treatments, my head is clearing... now to get the chest to clear up. Fresh mountain air (cleaned by the snowfall last night). Will just rest here in Ely until I feel better. Blogging, sleeping, blogging and sleeping. Lots to do in this here van-home... and I"m never bored.