Las Vegas and the area
Las Vegas has to be seen to be believed. We don't gamble and I think we each gambled $1 in the nickel slots on this trip. We go to Vegas for all the things in the area, inexpensive room, and inexpensive food. This trip we went to go to the Guggenheim to see the Art of the Motorcycle display. I wasn't disappointed. The photo to the left is Bellagio's Casino and the fountain show was just starting here. The fountains are huge, hundreds of feet long and they are choreographed to music. The go off every 15 minutes at night. Most of the big casinos have some kind of free show and some of them are pretty good.
This photo was taken looking away from the strip down Flamingo road.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is about 20 miles from Vegas and makes for a nice day trip to get away from the Casinos and explore mother nature. It is run by the Bureau of Land Management. They have a nice visitors center and a nice scenic drive and plenty of places to hike.
While we were there a storm came rolling in and in this case it was snow. When we left and went down to Vegas it was in the mid 50's and comfortable. It was really kind of neat to watch this storm come rolling in.
Spring Mountain Ranch is within the Red Rock Conservation area. Spring mountain ranch has been owned by Vera Krupp, you've heard of the Krupp diamond?, and Howard Hughes. It is now a Nevada Park. Very beautiful views of the surrounding red cliffs.
This photo was taken at Ethel M chocolate factory about 20 minutes from the Vegas strip. They offer tours of the plant where they make chocolates. They hallway you walk in has glass so you can see into the plant. Very interesting. Then outside they have a huge cactus garden.

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