Shooting and mine trail

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From Coyote Falls

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Mine trail

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Mountain has been mined

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Volcanic rock

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Looking back at the end of the trail

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Coyote Falls

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Shane's first obstacle

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Mapping the hard line

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We're standing on what we just climbed.

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This is the trail where we got stuck on our side during the last run. We attempted it again...

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three-wheeling

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Needed the tow rope to guide us around the bend. Kate and Shane held on to it. It worked we made it! Obstacle defeated.

From Coyote Falls

This makes you realize how tiny we really are in this world. Click for the fullsize, we're in the center of the photo.

From Coyote Falls

Playing tourist is exhausting

I am beat. I feel like I could sleep for days, averaging five hours of sleep each night for the last week has done a number on me. I simply cannot hang like I used to. My body aches and I'm just exhausted.

Saturday and Sunday we went off-roading we did runs through Coyote Falls and Potato Ridge, I'll share those photos in their own posts. Those runs filled our days, nights were spent drinking, seeing the sights and gambling. In between, Frank and Shane spent time wrenching. They worked on the Jimmy and the Suburban.

Friday, Katie and I went to Stratosphere. I took her to see the views from the observation deck and ride the big shot, two must do's for any first-time visitor. Big shot scared her, but she enjoyed it. It's such a great ride, I've been on it fifteen or so times, yet, I still get butterflies fluttering in my stomach just before lift off. From there we went to Wynn and Encore, I showed her around, we spent sometime on the patio outside the country club taking in the golf course views. After that we drove down the strip and parked at Mandalay Bay. I gave her the tour of Mandalay Bay, Luxor and Excalibur. Luxor was a ghost town, it was pretty eery. Excalibur on the other hand was hopping, it was the busiest place we were all night. I finished up the tour with a stop at the Las Vegas Sign. I like the new parking lot it makes it a lot easier to stop by for photos. We returned home, we relaxed on the patio and drank a few beers. When the guys wrapped up work on the Jimmy they joined us. We poured shots of Patron and hit the hot tub. Shots and beers flowed into the early morning hour.

After a few hours sleep, we left at 8:30 for the Coyote Falls run. We went shooting after we finished the trail. Then, grabbed lunch at Cheeburger Cheeburger (Rainbow north of Blue Diamond) I heard good about their burgers and shakes, we were nearby so it was a good opportunity to give it a try. We weren't impressed. The burger itself was fine, it's nice you can add a variety of toppings for no extra charge, but the buns were weak and failed to support the burger and goodies. We won't be back. We were thinking of running Tierod Canyon, but Frank took us by old mine trails instead. Those offer great views of the valley and strip. Later, we grilled steaks for a delicious dinner. Our friends, Jake and Alysha came by, we played cards and had a few beers, margaritas and shots. Around 11 o'clock, they left and the four of us went to M Resort. I love M more and more with each visit. It has a great feel, cocktail service was excellent. Frank, Katie and I all won on video poker by hitting four-of-a-kinds. Shane wasn't as fortunate. Frank pressed his luck and took his winnings to blackjack and craps. Craps took it away. Katie couldn't deliver on her virgin roll. We had a fun night. M Resort is becoming a fast favorite. I hope the feeling sticks.

Sunday, we left for Potato Ridge via Red Rock Canyon at 11:00. Jake, Alysha and their son joined us. We had a picnic at the peak. It was a great run until Jake ran into troubles and got himself stuck. We blocked the trail for a couple hours while we got him out. He turned back the way we came, and then we continued on toward the rock garden and finished the trail. Despite the setback it was a fun ride and beautiful day. Back at home the guys went to work on the Suburban, Katie and I killed time at the house until they were done. Then, we went downtown. We gave the tour, caught a light show and had drinks at Binion's Bullpen Bar. I like the set-up of the bar and cigar lounge. It's a nice addition. Then, we went to the Plaza for $5 blackjack. We played for almost four hours, sucking back drinks and just having a load of laughs. All four us made money. I was the biggest winner, I made $140. I can't tell you the last time I had a winning session. It felt great. Combine that with the video poker win at M, I was on top of the world. What a great weekend!

From binions

Playing tourist

We have visitors, Shane from Phoenix and Katie from Dallas, they arrived yesterday and they're staying with us until Monday. This is Katie's first time to Las Vegas. It's always fun when friends visit, but nothing beats seeing Vegas through a first timer's eyes.

Frank had me make dinner reservations at Stack for 7:00. They have a prix-fixe special running two for $59.99 - 3 courses. We ordered hot rocks and pigs in a blanket to start. Yum! Then, Frank had calamari for his appetizer and the rest of us selected a BLT wedge with bacon, red onion and blue cheese. I like the wedge better at Grand Lux and the calamari better at Fiamma, but both were good nonetheless. For entrees, they all had the iron steak with whipped potatoes and I had the organic crispy chicken with greenbeans. Everyone was pleased. We had nearly identical dishes at Switch, last week, both the steak and the chicken were far better at Stack - at half the price to boot. We each chose the jelly filled doughnut holes for dessert. It was a tasty meal. I'd prefer to order off the menu, but this was a nice sampling at a fraction of the usual cost.

After dinner we walked over to Bellagio via Caesars Forum Shops and casino. Katie thought the spiral escalators were neat. She loved walking the strip, she commented that she had a smile that wouldn't go away. I could totally relate. My cheeks hurt on my first trip, I had a permanent grin from ear to ear. We watched a few fountain shows before we went inside. The first one was Elton John - Your Song. There was a couple next to us, nicely dressed and affectionate. Right before the show the gentleman asked Shane to video them in front of the fountains. He then proceeded to ask his girl to marry him. It was so sweet. Tears welled up in my eyes. I know exactly what that is like as Frank did it to me just a few feet away from that very spot. She said yes! We cheered and clapped. They hugged kissed and she was just in awe. It's such an amazing moment. I was thrilled to watch on.

Katie enjoyed the shows. After the first one we moved to get a better view. We later saw the newly engaged couple again, she was on the phone. I knew how that conversation went, as well. They were walking on air - super sweet. All the emotions of the night Frank proposed came flooding back. Hard to believe that it was over six years ago he asked if I'd be his wife. Yet, I remember the details like it was yesterday...

As a college graduation gift my mom took me to Vegas, Frank and her boyfriend joined us. Little did I know before the trip Frank asked my mom for my hand in marriage. She happily accepted and they started planning the details of the proposal.

We arrived on February 8, 2003, it was a very cold wintery night. Frank had insisted we head to the Bellagio - our favorite hotel. First stop was the Conservatory. We spotted a bride and groom having pictures taken, “emotional me” gets all teary eyed, I tell Frank I’m a nut because tears well-up in my eyes whenever I see a bride and groom at Bellagio. Then he takes me to one of the ponds and gives me a coin to make a wish, he kisses me and tells me that he guarantees my wish will come true.

We decide to head out to the fountains, but I wanted to use the bathroom first. Frank insisted I use the one in the casino, I think nothing of it and agree. We walked back to meet mom and Blaine but they’re gone. We looked for them, but they were nowhere to be found. Frank insists we watch the fountains, he told me they know we’re headed there. After hesitation I agreed, and he took my hand…his hand was ice cold, which is very odd. He had a cold and I was concerned he was running a fever. He told me he didn’t feel well but he’d be fine.

As we walked around the lake, Frank had me looking in all directions and was acting peculiar…I really thought he had a fever. Then we walked past our normal viewing location – he told me it was crowded. It was nearly seven o'clock the show was about to begin, he then says, let’s go to our spot. As we walk up I see my mom & Blaine and notice the ground was covered in rose petals. Tears of joy filled my eyes and I said, What is this? At that moment Frank dropped on one knee with an engagement ring in his hand and asked me to marry him. In tears, I said, Yes! As he slipped the ring on my finger the show began. The song was Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On (which happened to be our senior prom song) Meanwhile my mom was videotaping the whole thing. When the show ended we called back home and shared the news.

After the third show we went into Bellagio to see Fiori Di Como, the Conservatory and Chocolate fountain. While we were in the Conservatory - all decked out in tulips and butterflies for spring, they also have a large collection of poppies that were just beautiful (I'll go during the day sometime soon for photos) - I spotted a woman who was trudging through the flowers so she could touch the water spheres. I wished that she'd fall, yeah, I'm evil, but it'd serve her right for being disrespectful and ruining a beautiful sight for the rest of us. She didn't, damn. But she continued her antics on the otherside of the display. The decorative border gave way and fell over, making a loud thud, and she slipped. Heh. Everyone's attention was on them. They bolted and ran out of the conservatory and into the casino.

We walked around Bellagio's casino and made our way back to Mirage by walking the strip. Katie was giddy from all the lights, the size of the hotels and crowds. Ahh! To see Vegas through a first timers eyes. It's so fun!

From Mirage, we headed to Sahara to do some gambling. The pit by the Nascar Cafe was closed. Shane and I prefer to play there. The main pit isn't kind to us. Frank did sit and play $5 blackjack. He lost eight hands in a row, his $40 buy-in was gone in an instant. We decided to grab a seat at the bar and get drinks. We played video poker and drank a couple beers. Frank taught Katie how to play. She had beginners luck and hit four of a kind. Cashing out $80. She was thrilled with her $70 win. Frank, Shane and I were losers. Typical.

It was after midnight and I had to be up for work so we headed home. More fun will be had this weekend. I'm looking forward to it.

Trader Joe's

I love all the unique products and interesting food finds at Trader Joe's. My wish is that there was one closer to the house. I make treks every few weeks to three different locations depending on the day and what other errands I have to run. The location on Eastern in Henderson is the newest, largest and nicest. I hit the one on Decatur most often, it's older and parking is always tight. My least favorite store is on Washington, it's the closest to Summerlin, it's always crowded. The parking lot is a cluster, the store itself is worse with traffic jams in every aisle, the store is small and items are often sold out - talk about underestimating the market. However, the goodies are worth the hassle. Everytime I go I find something new. I took my mom for her first visit yesterday, she wasn't too enthused. She didn't appreciate the variety. She's very basic - meat and potatoes are her thing. She doesn't step outside her comfort zone much. Still, I always encourage her to try new things.

My fun finds yesterday were dark chocolate chipotle covered hazelnuts and sweet potato chips. The nuts were very good, I love how the heat sneaks up after the slightly sweet bite. I haven't dug into the chips yet, but I enjoy sweet potato fries; I imagine chips should be tasty, too.

Here's a list of tried and true items, most have become staples in our house:

Prosecco
Contadino Pinot Grigio
Riesling – name escapes me
Carta Nevada Brut

Produce: asparagus, broccolini, squash, zucchini, brussels sprouts, apples, onions, lemons, green peppers…

Fire roasted corn

Cinnamon raisin bread
Sourdough bread

Flattened bananas
Dried pineapple rings

Honey sesame cashews
Pistachios – lightly salted - all varieties
Pecan – unsalted - all varieties
Walnuts – all varieties
Hazelnuts – all varieties
Macadamia nuts – unsalted
Peanuts – lightly salted and honey roasted
Lemon and Tabasco almonds
Hot and sweet mixed nuts – pecan, cashew and pistachio
Marcona almonds with rosemary

Jalapeno cheese baked crunchies
Macadamia toffee popcorn clusters

Dark chocolate covered mixed nuts
Dark chocolate covered macadamia nuts
Dark chocolate covered raisins

Peruvian whole coffee beans
El Savador whole coffee beans

Great TV

It’s been nearly a two year wait for the return of Rescue Me on FX. The crew was back last night – in full force. It was fast paced, quick witted, and then one minute you’re laughing and the next you could cry. I love a show that can tug at all of your emotions. The premiere didn’t disappoint. I’m thrilled to have my favorite show back. There are 22 episodes this season; I’m psyched to watch the stories unfold.

Last night, we also watched the season finale of United States of Tara. What a great show! It’s quickly become a favorite. Like Rescue Me, I love the highs and lows - You never exactly what to expect. Happily, it was renewed; Tara, Buck, Alice, T, Gimmy and family will be back next year for season two.

1-2 Point Brownies

From baking/cooking

¾ c flour
¼ c + 2 tbs cocoa powder
1 c sugar
¼ tsp salt
1/3 c unsweetened applesauce
3 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
¼ c walnuts (optional, if used brownies are 2 pts)

Combine flour, cocoa, sugar and salt. Mix well. Stir in applesauce, egg whites and vanilla. Fold in nuts if desired.

Coat an 8” square pan with cooking spray. Spread batter evenly in the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the center is almost set.

Makes 16 two inch brownies using an 8x8 pan.

Cal 80, fat 0 (.04 nuts), protein 1.6g, Chol. 0mg, Sodium 25mg, Fiber .8g, Calcium 4mg, Potassium 32mg, Iron .5mg

Frank had been craving brownies, it was a good opportunity to try out this low fat/cal recipe. It came together very easily, they looked pretty good, but the taste left a lot to be desired. Texture was off, too. I can't recommend this one as is.

I've heard you can make diet coke brownies, we like the cupcakes, so I'll give that a shot next. Maybe those will be a success and settle his craving?

Death Valley

Yesterday, my mom, Frank and I went to Death Valley. We wanted to check out the spring wildflowers. We saw some, but once we got there we set our sights on a new adventure. Rather than visiting the popular sights near Furnace Creek we took off toward Stovepipe Wells Village, Panamint Springs, and Hunter Mountain to see the Racetrack. Home of the mysterious sliding rocks.

We entered Death Valley via 190 near the Armagosa Opera House. It's a short drive from my mom's place in Pahrump. When Frank and I visited before, in 2005, all access points from Pahrump were washed out from heavy rains. On that visit, we entered from Baker and drove through the park, eventually departing via the Beatty cutoff. This trip, it was a quick ride to the Furnace Creek visitor center. We picked up a backcountry road map that shows all the unpaved and 4WD roads. It's fairly well detailed there was only one part where we got turned around, that was right before we headed into Hidden Valley.

Our first stop were the sand dunes near Stovepipe Wells. Those were neat to see. There's several places to spot dunes in Death Valley, these were the only ones we saw upclose. We continued on paved road until a little way past Panamint Springs. We stopped at Father Crawley Point to take in the views of the Panamint Valley and Rainbow Canyon. Then we continued on an unpaved road threw Lee Flat Joshua Trees and up Hunter Mountain. Near the peak, we found several herds of cattle. They roamed free; some relaxed under the shade, while others grazed on vegetation. As we climbed elevation, the temperature got cooler and we came across snow. Frank couldn't resist pulling over just to throw a snowball at me. We slowly made our way down the mountain and then approached Hidden Valley. It was around 5 o'clock we stopped and ate sandwiches I had packed. Then, we pressed on, we began to wonder if we'd ever see these mysterious sliding rocks. Finally, we came upon Teakettle Junction. The sign said it was 9 miles down a washboard road to the Racetrack. It was a terribly rough ride, we shook so much the air-intake case came loose. It caused the engine to die, boy, were we relieved that it was such an easy fix. We stopped at the first marker, but no rocks were found, just vast openness - the lake bed is huge.

We, then, decided to continue on further south where most of the sliding rocks can be spotted. There we found all kinds of trails from the rocks sliding. Some rocks were small, others were a few hundred pounds. It's something you have to experience to fully appreciate. It's really unique! We stayed until the sunset and then we made our way back. About half way down that 9 mile road, we smelled something, we took a look, there was a leak on the passenger side. We couldn't tell if we blew a shock or if we were leaking break fluid. We were in the middle of no where, all we could do is press on and hope we'd make it out. Once we hit Teakettle Junction it was another 30 miles on washboard unpaved road. It was awful, our bodies ached from being jarred around. We reached paved road just before Ubehebe Crater. The sun had already set, but we did catch a glimpse of the crater before it was too dark to see. Amazing! We'll definitely have to make a trip back to see that in daylight sometime. Again, the air-intake case came loose and caused the engine to die, we fixed that and headed to Scotty's Castle. It was too dark to see anything, maybe we'll finally see it on our third trip? We made it to Beatty fine. We stopped for nuts and candy - largest selection in the State. At 11:30 we were back in Pahrump. We dropped my mom off at home. It was a long day - 12 hours drive time - but it was absolutely beautiful. Death Valley surprised me again with its geological wonders. We had another hour drive home, and fortunately made it safely. Thank goodness the Suburban was a trooper. Frank took it into the shop today, we did blow a shock and we wore away some sort of grommet that holds the brake line in place. That washboard road sure puts a vehicle to the test.

There's a slideshow below that covers all the spots we visited.

Opening Day

There's something magical about opening day, it's a fresh start, hopes are high - anything is possible.

Regrettably, we missed Spring Training this year. We planned to go, but then we both had to make last-minute trips back to Chicago. Cubs and Sox even played a game here in Vegas, Frank watched from Chicago. Never would've expected that to be the case.

We have three chances to see the White Sox in California this year. There are two series in Anaheim, the first is late May and the second is in September. We're going to try to make both. They also play in Oakland mid-August. It'd be neat to see them there, too, but it's unlikely.

It is great to have baseball back. I enjoy football, I like playing the pick 'em contests and fantasy football. I even had fun with the NCAA brackets. I won $90 this year! I don't even need UNC to win tonight. No matter the scenerio, I win. But baseball is the only sport I enjoy for the love of the game. I am a true fan, it's the one case where I don't bet with my wallet or watch lines. I'm a White Sox fan through and through. Let's go White Sox!

Greatest Rock Bands of All Time

The other day, a local radio morning show was discussing the greatest rock band of all time. Listeners called in, votes came in for Van Halen, U2, Guns N’ Roses, Queen, Journey, Def Leppard, Styxx, Iron Maiden, Pantera, Metallica, even Bon Jovi, and oddly enough, Poison. It got me thinking about my choice. I've thought about it the last couple days, I cannot chose one band. I simply can’t do it. All I could manage was an attempt to narrow down a top five list:

Metallica
Aerosmith
Lynyrd Skynyrd
AC/DC

Now, my last pick is tricky. Could music be what is today without the Beatles? If it wasn’t them wouldn’t someone else have stepped up and paved the way? No way to know for sure. I like the Beatles, but they’re not a favorite, I can’t give them the top five honor. Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, hard to choose, but I’d give the nod to Floyd. Can I count The Jimi Hendrix Experience? Jimi’s time was short-lived, but his contributions were great. Guns N’ Roses, I don’t care for the new stuff, but they were unstoppable in the 80’s and 90’s. I can’t deny Van Halen’s success and popularity, they switched lead singers and remained a favorite. That’s no easy feat. Still, do they make my top five? I think not. I could have continued like this all day, instead I concluded… my attempt failed. I can only name four; my fifth pick is up for debate.

What do you think? Can you name one or successfully pick five?

Review: Switch

Yesterday afternoon, I was told that Wynn and Encore were offering special menus. I looked them over and I was interested in Stratta and Switch. I sent an email to Frank and to my surprise he suggested we make a reservation. We celebrated our anniversary over the weekend, I intended to make Gouda pork chops and Brussel sprouts for dinner. But how could I argue? We opted to try Switch.

Our reservation was for 6:30, there were only a few diners at the time. Frank checked his suit coat with the hostess. We were seated on the lower level beside one of the moving walls. The first theme of the night reminded us of Mexico. The stone and colors had a Mayan feel, we really liked it. We told the waiter we'd be have the Taste of Wynn menu. We made our selections, and we were left to enjoy the show. The switch was about to begin. Two walls completely move, the third has framed areas that change and the ceiling morphs, too. The newest look was Parisian, music was now in French.

We snacked on bread while we waited for our first course. There were two types: a french baguette and a cranberry nut roll. Both were good, the texture of the roll was great, I usually dislike cranberries but I didn't mind them here.

We started with a Caesar salad and lobster bisque. No spoon was delivered, so I had to wait to dig in. The bisque was very good, although, it seems I haven't acquired the taste for lobster. It was tender and they best I've had to date, but I fail to see the allure. The Caesar was loaded with dressing, but the romaine remained crisp. Frank and I switched - har - midway so we could each sample both dishes.

We ordered the chicken and the flat iron steak. The chicken was roasted with black truffles beneath the skin. It was nicely presented and well prepared, but it was underwhelming. The organic chicken at Nobhill outshines this dish. The steak was tender, the bordelaise sauce was excellent. The cut of meat isn't our favorite but it was good. Again, it was well done, but lacked any wow factor. Neither left us wanting more or intriqued to try other menu items.

The next switch took place. The exterior walls were removed; providing an outdoor feel. The ceiling grew taller. Sinatra played over the speakers. It had a traditional Vegas restaurant feel.

The dining room really began to fill and service slacked off. We had a long wait for dessert. We each chose the Milk Chocolate Crunch Bar. Dessert was good. I liked the hazelnut. Once again nothing mind blowing.

While we waited for our check the dining room switched again, this time back to the orginal theme. It took far too long for our check. We hate being held hostage. When Frank was ready to speak to someone, the waiter finally appeared, our total bill was $137. He gave the waiter his receipt to retrieve his checked coat. I thought we'd be waiting ages, but he brought it up within a few minutes.

The experience was fine. No major complaint, aside from slow service. However, given the average food, the novelty of the switch isn't enough warrant a return visit.

Twelve Wonderful Years!

I love you, Frank, there are millions of reasons - these are only a dozen.

I love that I know you. Really, really know you. More than I ever thought possible.

I love that I can trust your gut.

I love that I can’t trust you around water.

I love that we enjoy and appreciate similar things.

I love our trips to places we adore and those that are la-la landish.

I love our adventures.

I love happy Sundays.

I love your laugh.

I love your songs.

I love your enthusiasm.

I love your touch, your embrace, your winks and kisses.

I love that you love me and show it everyday.

You are the greatest! Happy Anniversary!