Vegas BABY!!!!



Vegas BABY!!!



"Come on and shake the glitter off your clothes now.  THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR WAKING UP IN VEGAS!!!"

After driving all night through the state of Nevada, and arriving in Vegas about 3am, we are finally here!

When I tell people that I drove down to Vegas they always say something like, "Oh, I'm sorry you had to make that drive."  The truth of the matter is not only do I not mind it, I actually enjoy it.  Of course your travel companions always influence and make a difference when it comes to the 7ish hour drive down south.  My friends and I always make an adventure out of it.  We have been known to do a variety of scavenger hunts, taking pictures and documenting our journey along the way.

The trek was a little bit different this time because we drove at night.  There's not much to see during the drive in daylight (except for little sleepy mining towns, a variety of brothels, expansive sky, and high mountain desert that turns into deserts filled with cacti and Joshua Trees). When driving at night there was even less to see.  It almost felt as if we were in that WINDOWS screen saver where those stars are coming at you (a la Star Wars).  It was pure darkness except for the occasional cars and the twinkle of street lights from the tiny towns we drove through. 



Nothing like a little RENT to get you through the drive!

  Because of our night travel, a scavenger hunt was out of the question.  But as always, the trip was entertaining.  The soundtrack to the Broadway Show RENT played on the stereo and we belted out our favorite songs in the most amazing, off-key, way.  This continued until one of my friends couldn't take the rest of our singing anymore.  We were greeted by a fireworks display in Hawthorne, and decided to take a stretch break as we watched the colors light up the night sky. 

And as part of our travel tradition, we stopped in Goldfield to pay a visit to the abandoned Goldfield Hotel.  Whether you believe in ghosts and spirits, or not, you can't deny that there is something about the Goldfield Hotel that can't be explained.  They say it's one of the most haunted places in the world and that this old, abandoned mining hotel is built on one of the few "gateways to another world".  Supposedly there are spirits of a midget, two children who like to play pranks, a man called "the Stabber" who is said to have been seen carrying a knife, a woman named "Elizabeth" who cries over the death of her child, former Goldfield Hotel owner George Wingfield who still smokes his cigars and terrorizes visitors, and a variety of other ghosts of men who jumped out the hotel's window to their death and women who have hanged themselves. 

The Goldfield Hotel

On this trip we happened to be in Goldfield right before midnight.  As we got out of the car to look around and peek through the windows, I felt a great tension take over my body.  This always seems to happen when I'm there, and I'm not the only one who has felt it.  One of my friends yelled at the hypothetical ghosts to come out and show themselves.  We snapped pictures of the windows and the building hoping to see an image or an orb or something that would show us the spirits do exist.  Unfortunately (but not surprising) we came up empty handed.  One day I hope to actually tour the INSIDE of this historic building.  But seeing as the building is locked up, and tours are no longer offered, this may be a dream that is never fulfilled. 

The rest of the drive to Vegas was uneventful, besides the random orange "lightening bolts" that seemed to appear on the horizon out of nowhere.  My girls and I had great conversation, many laughs, and a great iPod soundtrack to keep us going until we hit Sin City.

As I sit comfortably at my Bestie's "Aunt's" house this morning and write this blog, I can't help but think that this is the calm before the storm.  The rest of the weekend is going to be so crazy with the anticipated Nevada vs UNLV football game, going out and hitting the clubs on the strip, and the general nonsense and foolishness that comes along with a trip to Vegas. 

Today's going to be a day of relaxation, pool-time, tail-gating prep (we have jello shots and tshirts to make), and the traditional trip the the infamous Cheesecake Factory (YUMMMMMMMM).  Weather is unusually warm here, especially considering it's the first day of October, and the temperature is predicted to be in the high 90s/low 100s all weekend.  High on my priority list is soaking up some rays and getting what will probably be my last tan of the season in.  Unfortunately, a morning shower is predicted and the cloud cover looks dense.  I'm hoping my friend, Mr. Sun, will snap out of his "bi-polar-ness" and grace us with his presence.  Pretty please Mr. Sun?  I will love you forever!!!!

There is no doubt that the rest of this weekend will be a memorable one.  Here's to almost three days in the City of Sin! Only time will tell what kind of adventures and "trouble" we will be getting in to....