Oasis RV, Las Vegas NV
I forgot how hot Las Vegas gets in the summer. We landed early in the morning, and the temperature began to climb to 90 by mid-afternoon. We were fortunate, and our site was open, so we quickly settled in and turned on the air conditioning. The temperature is expected to rise through the weekend as we depart for Kanab, UT.
We have been in this campground so many times that it was easy to pick up our routine. We met a lovely couple on site next to ours, Eric and Sam from Arizona. I enjoy hearing people's stories of their travel adventures and sharing our own experiences. They also have the cutest French Bulldog, Roger; he reminds me of Stitch from "Lilo and Stitch".
We decided to spend a night out in Vegas, as we don't plan to return anytime soon. We saw Cirque Du Soleil's "O" at the Bellagio, a great show! Of course, we had some drinks at the casino first; I had the Bellagio Cocktail, which was light and fruity with passion fruit puree. After the show we watched the waterworks in front of Bellagio. Main difference from what I remember from previous visits is the music. There was no “Waltz of the Flowers”, we got BTS’s “Dynamite”. The vibes on the Strips were great —such a lovely evening.
Today was a hot day in Las Vegas, with a high of 107 degrees. So we drove up to the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, just northwest of the town. Once you leave the valley floor, the road climbs the Kyle Canyon for 11 miles. What a wonderful change! First, the temperatures dropped as the elevation increased to 8200 feet at Mount Charleston and Lee Canyon Ski Resort. Second, there are lots of trees, including pinyon and bristlecone pines, as well as shrubs and some wildflowers.
We spoke with a volunteer at the Visitor Gateway, who provided us with a wealth of interesting information, including the best places to see the views of the high peaks. Mt. Charleston, located over 11,000 feet, and most of the roads and trails are at elevations of 7,000 feet or higher. There’s one peak called Mummy Mountain, as it resembles an Egyptian mummy, and it’s a bit shorter than Mt. Charleston. We walked around on a few overlooks, but I was not ready to hike at 8,200 feet!
Once you start your return and drop down towards the valley, the terrain and temperature changes quickly. Amazing spot just 50 miles off the Vegas Strip.
Now, we are leaving Las Vegas for southern Utah. We don't plan to be back in town; the camper is coming home this time. We enjoyed our time here; the campground is great, and we always meet nice people.