Letter From Las Vegas

Trudy Saves the Day

2008-02-17T08:11:00.002-08:00

ZION IN WINTER

In January we decided to take a vacation to see Zion Canyon in the winter. Alan and Judy came out from Buffalo and for a week we hiked around here and up north in Zion.

Winter was fully in control and the ice was spectacular. It wasn't the climbing kind, not thick but feathery and all the more beautiful for it.

The four of us took a long, icy walk to the Emerald Pools and before I knew I was deep in hypothermia. All the training I have, all the places I have been, sleeping out at -20 and below, I was caught by complete suprise but Trudy was not.
She convinced me to put on her black shell over everything of mine and sheparded me for about 20 minutes until my core temperature came back from zombie land.
We saw places in and out of the Canyon that were new, even after many trips to the Canyon.

More as it happens
Bob

Predicting Groundhog Day

2008-01-31T09:14:00.000-08:00

I am going out and find my old friend “Mohave Phil” He moved out from Gobbler’s knob after he and Punxsutawney Phil had a big blowout over movie rights to star with Bill Murray. “Mohave” wanted to do all the stunts but broke an ankle falling off a bar stool. He moved out here and became a mover and shaker in the handicapping biz.

We'll go out and spend dawn in the desert but I won't guaranty the accuracy of his prediction.

More as it happens,
Bob

I Survived The Nevada Caucus

2008-01-20T08:42:00.000-08:00

Democratic duty firmly in the sharpest possible focus, I went to the Nevada Caucus. Knowing that this was "Vegas, Baby!" I anticipated excitement beyond my wildest dreams. We had been told that this would be a highly technical, heavily monitored and exacting process closely allied to musical chairs.

After proving my identity, citizenship, party affiliation, general good character and clean underwear, they let us know who the candidates were. This was true democracy in action, Uncommitted was a viable position. I still wasn't sure that I had heard enough from Mike Gravel, so maybe I could talk to his supporters - if I could find them.

Well maybe they would be along just in time. Oops, the doors closed 5 minutes ago.

Like any true Democratic Process, people got to freely voice their concerns.

Then they got to assimilate all the information to make an intelligent choice.

The tension built as we got ready to vote!

The first vote followed a "realignment" If a candidate did not have 8 supporters, they would not get a convention representative so backers of losers were given the opportunity to shift their position.

Edwards backers shifted to Obama and the Kucinich guy held out to the end. Sometimes it's really all about loyalty.

Final results counted, it took a few seconds to have the news about Hillary sink in.

Time to turn in the official "ballot" so that what we did could be counted.

And then it was all over but the actual election, so far in the future that I wonder if I will remember who I caucused for.

More as it happens, Bob

The Walk Back From Arrow Canyon

2008-01-06T13:59:00.000-08:00

After our encounter with the dam, while Alex and I were trying to find a way down into Arrow Canyon we walked around on some unusual rocks. A real mixture of volcanic, limestone, sandstone, basalt and others.
The real treat of the walk was finding what at first we took for regular seashell fossils. They turned out to be mammal bones end on and sticking out quite prominently.

Of course I'm no expert but first time finds are always exciting.

The weather started to change a bit and in fact it was over the horizon lightning that got us moving for the car. Photocredit - Alex
A little different route back found us walking under a huge overhang in long grass. The direct summer sun would never reach the ground here and there were also large piles of purple thistles that had gone to seed. This would be a delight in the summer.

The desert out here is always ready to give up surprises. As we were scouting access from a different direction we came upon some abandoned mine equipment.
It looked to be the headgear from an old vertical shaft.
We looked for the mine, thinking that it might be close but couldn't find a thing in the area.

More as it happens

Bob

A Mild Disappointment

2008-01-05T15:21:00.000-08:00

Just the other day Alex and I set off north of Vegas to try to get into Arrow Canyon. Jim Boone, a local hiking authority says, that Arrow "is a deep, narrow slot canyon described by one old-time field geologist as the most amazing slot canyon in all of Nevada." Following the most favorable set of directions, we were greeted by a NO TRESPASSING sign. Out in Nevada we really do pay attention to them.

PhotoCredit - Alex
So out came the TOPO maps and a 5 mile drive in the desert was followed by a 2 mile walk.

PhotoCredit - Alex
We got into the lower end of the canyon and it was blocked by a 30' stone dam that was definitely not on the map.

PhotoCredit - Alex
S0 I went over the top only to find a 30' vertical wall, completely smooth and us with no climbing gear.
Then Alex took the culvert overflow shaft and had no better luck.
PhotoCredit - Alex
A 15' drop we might have slid down but not back up.

We backed out and tried an end run from the south. We were able to look down into Arrow but getting to the bottom was beyond us.

The rest of the hike has a bit more of a story but that's for the next entry. Needless to say, I'm going back using a third route we scouted but could not complete because of time.

Bob
More as it happens

Checking out "Winter Sticks."

2007-12-16T08:32:00.001-08:00

History in the Valley

Trudy and I had an opportunity today that could only come to us because we are docents at the Spring Mountain Ranch. As many of our friends knowSMR is one of the premier history locations in the Las Vega Valley.

From the earliest days of the Spanish Trail (circa 1776) through use by a notorious horse thief and ownership buy the rich and famous it was a continuously occupied, working ranch until the State bought it andSMR became a picnic/history spot.

Today we got a tour of the Oliver Ranch, just down the road from SMR, and not just any old ordinary tour. We went on a Mohave Desert Plant Identification Tour with two of the members of the Cooperative Extension Master Gardener program.
Mostly we came to look at "winter sticks" as one of the gardeners called them but of course no one could resist looking at the abandoned ranch house and out buildings.
I find the old wooden corals fascinating because they have been replaced by movable metal fencing.
The Oliver Ranch was settled in 1937 and stayed in operation until 1993 when it was acquired by the Bureau of Land Management. As far as the plants are concerned, the property has been abandoned and untouched almost 15 years. In addition to the Ranch there are 2, pre 1900 cabin sites and local history in excess.
Mormon Spring One is an extensive site of an old homestead. The State has sponsored some archaeology here and most of the site has been stabilized. These ruins are in the upper canyon, built when being close to permanent water was a primary consideration.

The semi modern building from 1937 could be closer to the road because technology had solved some of the problems of water and cooling.
"Winter Sticks" don't really make good pictures because there are few leaves and no blooms but learning to identify plants in the off season is important.
This is a Devils Cholla that has a beautiful red stem in the winter and a gorgeous complex yellow bloom in the spring. I'll try to guess the right time to be back.

More as it happens
Bob

The Emperor Rules (with a bit of reindeer help)

2007-12-10T16:32:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was the time for our annual trip to see the Bellagio holiday floral display.

It may well be the most artistic and impressive I have seen. Trudy said it rivaled the Chinese New Year from last year. Too bad I didn't see that..

Just in case you want to say "so what," for this one, look carefully above and to the right of the ornaments. Small people or really big balls, you be the judge.

Several pecan reindeer flew. We tried to name then and came up short.

A few more giant Emperor penguins and then the trees.

Actually we went first to THE HOTEL at The Four Seasons for the Teddy Bear Suite by FAO Schwarz for Nevada Cancer Institute. This is the 4Th or 5Th year year for Sofia and the recession has hit. A full 5 room suite of 5000 stuffed animals has been reduced to a lobby display. A bit of a come down.
By the way, for the reindeer, I suggested Dopey, Doc, Grumpy and Bashful and got booed. Have a good rest of the month.

More as it happens
Bob

Shameless Product Endorsement

2007-11-18T11:27:00.001-08:00

Last post from Zion Narrows, my little joke was to not quite admit that I had gone in swimming by accident. What you didn't know was that one of my cameras went in with me.

My Canon Digital SLR (and lenses) was in a water proof container and I knew that getting it in and out of the canyon dry would limit where I could shoot. For quick snaps I took my old Olympus point and shoot. That was in my hand when I went in. I took out the batteries as quickly as I could so that the card wouldn't short out and two of the snaps (me starting out and the long shot of the two other hikers) were from that card. This week, after completely drying out the camera, I stuck the batteries back in and shot this pic of our office/studio. I replaced the camera because after somewhere well over 5000 images it was getting cranky but am I ever a believer.

I think I may never again buy anything but Olympus. My old (1975) OM-1 has gone to the top of Denali in Alaska at minus 145 F and out in the Mohave at 120 plus. Actually I still shoot with the OM occasionally and I may do more in the future.

More as it happens
Bob

Zion Narrows

2007-11-10T08:54:00.001-08:00

I took a trip to Zion Canyon National Park. It's my 5th or 6th time and the valley just shares more and more secrets every time I go. My focus on this trip is was to hike up the Narrows which may be the most famous canyon hike in America.

I set up in a rather empty campground inside the Park. My first secret reveled was that each night cold air falls into the canyon, all 2000' deep of it and rushes downhill to escape, in 40 mph gusts, right over the top of my tent. Fortunately I was prepared.
I came in on Monday, explored a bit and was in the Narrows entrance early Tuesday morning.

Secret two, just to give the place a bit of scale, look for the two hikers about 100 yards ahead of me. The walls range between 1-2000' high and the water flow was 445 cfs at 45F. The water depth varies from a few inches to over my head in the holes. Guess how I found out how deep the holes are?

I'll let the rest of the Canyon speak for itself.

The last secret, six or so hours later, you climb out of the river very cold, very wet and about a mile from the car on a trail crowded with vacationing America at it's fast food fueled, overweight best, but at least most people are more than willing to get out of the way for a dripping wet backpacker with a slightly crazed look.

A bit more Getty and a bit more Zion to come.

More as it happens
Bob

Bob & Trudy go to the Getty

2007-11-03T07:23:00.001-07:00

Finally our first trip to LA together. The first place we promised ourselves we would go after getting settled in Las Vegas took almost two years but what a treat it turned out to be.

We left all the arrangements up to Kathy Kren so it was a surprise when we could see the Getty from the Luxe Hotel balcony.

The reason for the timing of the trip was because Kathy's brother Tom is a curator at the Getty and was involved with a show opening. If you ever have a chance to go to an opening at the Getty, do not miss it. If you ever have a chance to have a private look with a curator, do not miss it! Just don't miss any trip to the Getty
We spent the first day at the Villa. There is very little sense in me trying to describe the Getty. I took a few pictures, and even those don't do the museum, collection and architecture justice.
You just have to see it to believe the size and scope.
I am not going to try describing the two days, you just gotta' go.
Barbara Debold, Kathy Kren and us in one of the gardens in the Villa.

More pics when I get back from a canyoneering trip to Zion.
Bob

It's Gone

2007-09-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

It's been 6 weeks and the final release came today. The Doc showed me 6 exercises I should do to increase strength and flexibility. I said, "Last time I broke my wrist I kneaded bread every day." "Didn't you gain a lot of weight?" He said. "No - No, I kneaded, not needed," says I.

The splint was better than a cast but now it's gone.

The last few weeks I have been getting out a bit more.
Lots of flat trails at Lake Mead with no scrambling necessary.

Actually the rocks here are grey and the color is all in the light.

More as it happens
Bob

Shakespeare & the Mountains

2007-09-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Trudy and I are just back from a trip to the Utah Shakespeare Festival and an excellent performance of “Coriolanus” in a reproduction of the original Globe Theatre. Started in 1962 it reminds us of the Stratford Ontario Festival

Main Overlook – Cedar Breaks, Utah

We went for a hike up the mountain in Cedar Breaks, an amazing canyon on the Virgin River . It's just above Zion Canyon and has hoodoos instead of cliffs.

In the woods at Cedar Breaks – above 10,000’

Around 10,000' there are numerous alpine meadows separated by woodlands that are very similar to the Adirondacks.

Scott’s Pond Adirondacks NY – 3500’

The similarity to one of my favorite spots in the Adirondacks is uncanny.

The Alpine Meadows up high in Utah have no real Eastern equivalent. I can only guess what it would be like up here after a winter storm. Maybe I have to go back to find out.

More as it happens
Bob

Chicks are up and out!

2007-08-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

THURSDAY 8/30

The Concert Is Over, The Chick has left the building.

The adolescent Dove apparently took advantage of us being gone to the Utah Shakespeare Festival and his parents abdication of responsibility to have a house party. All that's left is a half empty 6-pack of Lowenbird and a nest full of droppings.

SUNDAY & MONDAY 8/26-27

The chick is finally moving around on its own. The parents are leaving it alone for short periods and for the most part we don't see much. Concealment is part of the game and the chick is quiet and hunkered down. Except while waiting for meals.

The chick is grown to about half size and how the parents sat on top of it until just last Friday or Saturday we don't know.

Feeding time is a bit frenetic and then the parent sits away from the nest for a while.

I got my first picture of Baby out of the nest.

Too bad I missed the flight lesions but here's Baby outside the nest.

SUNDAY 8/19

At least one egg (remember, I don't know if there were two) hatched this morning. The angle is bad but things should improve when there is more movement.

MONDAY

Papa has been out all night down on the Strip. He rests a moment before flying in for the hand off.

There is just enough room to maneuver before Mama is off to the Day Spa.

Papa starts right off with the hungry chick.

More as it happens
Bob

I Left My Heart...

2007-08-08T15:06:00.001-07:00

Trudy and I took a rather nostalgic trip back to San Francisco last week. We stayed in the same hotel (Le Petit Auberge) and had dinner in the same restaurant (Rue le Pic) as 24 years ago.

Our first visit, however was the 43 story roof of the building where Douglas Baker is the Asst Manager.

I won't bore you with all the details, just the new stuff.
The new deYoung Museum is fantastic.

Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, it is clearly an acquired taste but a good one for me. Wrapped in a copper sheathing pirced by holes it presents a challenge that works well with the grounds.

The Observation Tower may not be an easy place for everyone but what a view.

Then it was the San Francisco Botanical Garden and a show that included a "Bat Flower" in a tropical plant and orchid show.

A walk along the ocean near Cliff House followed by a visit to the "Beach Chalet" in Golden Gate park with Mike and Trish Prior. The WPA murals by Lucien Labaudi are a real treat!

The building has been rebuilt and "saved" more than once. It is in the western end of Golden Gate Park. The city asked Olmstead to design what is now the park and he declined saying the location was to desolate.

Our last lunch on the trip was at Aqua on California Street

One last quirk of the city - How do Gold, Sagely, and Monastery go together?

More as it happens
Bob

Dove Update

2007-08-06T08:31:00.001-07:00

Mama & Papa Dove are still in residence and although we cannot see the eggs, there should be two.
Of course, the "sitting on the eggs" out here is not to keep them warm but to keep them cool. I assume that with temperatures that go up as high as 110 that even momentary uncovering would be fatal.
They are very dilligent about the morning and evening transfer (it's so quick that I have not gotten a picture yet) and the sitting parent seems to always be in place.
Sofia came over last evening and snapped this picture at the last of twilight.
Mama's in for the night.

More as it happens
Bob

Doves

2007-07-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

The other day Trudy noticed a bit of odd bird behavior. A Mourning Dove, which we usually hear in the tree next door, was picking up twigs from our yard. Then he was delivering them to his mate right outside our office window.
So we now have a new family in the yard. The nest is just high enough that I cannot see if there are eggs yet but there should be two. The doves usually take 14 to 16 days to incubate the eggs and another two weeks of care in the nest.
The male sits the eggs all day and the female all night. They switch at dawn and dusk. Looks like the Mom spends all day shopping and at the spa while Dad wings it down to a club on the Strip all night. I heard there was a new topless place called "Birdies."
Mourning Doves range all over North America and nest up to 6 times a year. There are estimated to be about 130 million of them making them one of the most common birds in the US.
The male and female can be identified by the color of the feathers on the top of the head. Unfortunately the angle I have to view the nest hides the cap feathers color.

More as it happens
Bob

The Wedding

2007-07-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

Finally, the (almost) end of the Japan Odyssey, The Wedding.

The ceremony was absolutely spectacular. If "National Geographic" had been there it would have been a full pictorial cover and article. The only downside was that I was asked not to take pictures. I have located a video that shows a wedding procession and music so similar to Rob and Tomomi's that it might even be at the same shrine.
Tomomi changed from her wedding gown to a red kimono for the reception.

Held at at special facility on the same grounds as the shrine it was quite similar to an American reception except for the food.

There were a few "kids" at the party and what a sight they were.

Transformers and Power Rangers come from Japan

Flowers and food held our attention quite effectively

Tomomi's uncle plays a classical Japanese "guitar" called a Shamisen and provided entertainment while we ate.

The reception ended on a high note with a "French Pastry" table for desert.

More as it happens
Bob

Before the Wedding

2007-07-09T14:47:00.000-07:00

Several events were arranged for us before the wedding. Rob and Tomomi wanted to give us westerners a practice run to travel from the hotel to the Togo Shrine. Good thing too because Ann and Trudy had to face the fantastic crush of humanity and auto traffic that rules daytime Tokyo.

And then we had to cope with the Tokyo subway a demanding process that involves elbowing your way to the head of the line, knowing the name of where to get off, finding the button marked "English Language,"
slipping in a 1000 yen bill, taking a ticket and walking to the train. Actually the Tokyo Metro is right up there with NY, Paris and London.

Actually the practice run was great because it got us to Harajuku and to "Fruit World."

Think very high end coffee, excellent French Pastry and platters of exotic fruit.

We met at the Togo Shrine, and the practice getting there got us all together reasonably on time.

Our first look at the gardens in the rain. The actual wedding day would be clear and dry.

Tomomi's parents invited us for a classic Japanese meal. We were served a series of dishes who's beauty and taste was rivaled only by the meal served at the reception.

At several places on the table heavy cooking bowls were placed and in a very mysterious (at least to westerners) way the tofu in broth began to cook.

When the dish had changed in color and texture we were instructed to serve each other.

Serving friends and acquaintances is an important custom. Although Japanese restaurants pride themselves on a tradition of fine personal service, each meal includes places where guests serve each other. Tea, sake, beer and coffee are much better poured for you by a friend.

I have always suspected that the tofu my cooking produced here in the US was a pale imitation of what tofu could be. I was correct.

Tokyo at Random

2007-07-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

Everybody needs a trip to King Kong's "Zen Mall"

As a Westerner in Japan one is constantly faced with what appear to be social contradictions. Actually they make as much sense in Japan as most contradictions in the US make sense to us here – usually they get more confusing the more we analyze them.

Here are some random shots of Tokyo mostly in the Harajuku District. Anybody who follows Gwen Stefani is probably more familiar with the Harajuku subculture than I am. We just blundered into Takeshita-dori on the way to the wedding. You can start checking out the phenomenon at Japanese Lifestyle

True Japanese sweets might not be much to western taste but luckily everybody loves French.

And just to finish off a hard day of walking one can take a quick foot massage on the acupressure track in the park.

Tokyo Fish Market

2007-07-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

Tsukiji

The Tokyo Fish Market is listed in the tour books as a don't miss attraction. It has more workers (who all seem to arrive on scooters and cycles) than a small city. A fish auction and a fruit/vegetable auction supply to wholesalers who in turn supply to the entire city. About 1000 small shops process an incredible variety of seafood for Tokyo's 12 million densely packed residents.

The morning fish auction is closed to the public. In fact the entire room is off limits, unless you are from National Geographic.

The products of the auction are distributed throughout the 70 Acres of food stalls, alleys, roadways and restaurants.

Six foot ling sword-like knives are handled by master cutters.

The amount of highly skilled hand labor is staggering.

Some of the vendors have merchandise other than Tuna.

The market is like Bladerunner with set design by Jacques Cousteau.

A special "spoon" gets the last of the flesh after the main cut is made. Several customers are just off camera waiting.

The narrower rows need old fashioned delivery carts.

Several "Ice Plants" supply huge amounts of blocks that get delivered to the stalls.

All in all, quite a surreal experience.

More about Tokyo as I get it ready
Bob

A Tokyo Wedding

2007-05-30T15:04:00.001-07:00

Japan had never been high on the travel list but when nephew Rob and Tomomi decided to have a ceremonial wedding, we just had to go. What a treat!

The wedding was at the Togo Shrine with a full Shinto ceremony. It was an impressive event that neither Trudy or I would have wanted to miss.

Tokyo was spectacular so the next few posts will give you my view of the trip. We still have Boston and Buffalo before we are back, so this may take a while.

More as it happens
Bob

Off The Grid

2007-05-22T09:18:00.001-07:00

You can be Happy

or you can be Sad

But we're off the grid till after Japan !

More as it happens.
Bob

"Gelato in the Venetian"
"Quothe the Raven in the Valley of Fire"

Unpacking

2007-05-17T08:11:00.000-07:00

Had the Buffalo News liked this "My View" submission a bit better you would have seen it there. Because they sent a rejection letter, you'll see it here. Trudy and I collaborated on this and the names haven't been suppressed to protect anybody, we just thought it stood a better chance of publication without names. Shows you how much we know.

Unpacking in Las Vegas

My wife, her mother, and I moved from Buffalo to Las Vegas in late 2005 and we have finally unpacked our metaphorical suitcases. The first few months were as hectic as you might expect but made even more so by family illness. Our daughter’s fiancé, was diagnosed with a potentially fatal type of cancer and required immediate surgery. We were barely in the house when I left for the UCLA Medical Center to act as support for our daughter, and my wife was left to take over the care of our almost six year old granddaughter. We had been long term Buffalo city denizens. We had a total of almost 170 years for the three of us, all of it in the city and most of it near downtown. We hardly ever owned more than one car, almost always biked, bused or walked to work, and our two kids switched back and forth between public, private and back to public education with no clear consensus about the winner. All in all, it’s been a good and rewarding life. Life is different in the desert but still a lot is the same. 2,000,000 people some times make us long for a ”Buffalo” traffic jam but then again, with over 300 day a year of sunshine and the most rainfall in one day, less than 3 inches, one adjusts. Over time, our politicians are no smarter (or dumber), although we may have the edge on corruption. Casinos and gambling aren’t really the answer to life’s problems. Even though tourists and locals leave a billion dollars a month at the tables, our schools and social services are constantly struggling. Opinions about geography and climate seem pretty classic. People out here think the snow in Buffalo is a literal killer and most people in Buffalo think we probably won’t survive the next summer day. If one more person says, “you must be glad to be gone from the snow,” I’m going to bring back some snowballs from Mt. Charleston and pitch away. Our daughter is married now and her husband is on the mend. The house is settled, xeriscaped, and lots of friends have visited. We know our way around town and are looking forward to summer again. The desert hiking and canyon exploration are a constant delight and my photography is beginning gain a measure of acceptance. From October to May, snow on our 12,000’ mountain is only a half hour drive away and we are now docents at the premier history location in the Valley. Last week on an airplane home from a trip away, my wife finally found someone who got it right. When she said that we had moved from Buffalo to Las Vegas, a passenger told her that he was heading to an assignment in Las Vegas but he had been on assignment in Buffalo last year and loved the great architecture and restaurants. We always thought that Buffalo’s goodness is unique but it took the move out here to understand that the problems are universal.

Since we mentioned the Xeriscape, I thought you might like to see what's in the Back Garden. Blooms began appearing about 3 weeks ago and last year we had flowers on the Yellow Bells until January.

Oleander

Star Jasmine

Pineapple Guava

Texas Yellow Bells

More as it happens
Bob

Up in the Sky, Junior Birdmen

2007-04-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

We were out in the Valley of Fire a few days ago with friends and saw two amazing (at least to us) sights. At a place called "Mouse's Tank," where there is a small pond of water, pretty much the entire year, we saw at least two bats at mid-day. They were here and there so fast I had no chance for a picture. We see bats here frequently but usually only at dusk and dawn. Sometimes Meg's street has swarms at dusk during the insect season and whatever they eat is so small we never actually see or feel the bugs.

A bit later in the day we saw a Raven dueling with a Red Tailed Hawk and I was able to get some shots.

After about 5 minutes a second Hawk joined in.

As soon as the Hawks flew off the Raven landed nearby and told us all about the fun.

More as it happens
Bob

Grand Canyon

2007-03-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

The Grand Canyon is rather Grand. A chilly time to be there but less tourists are always better. The Bright Angel Fault and Bright Angel Canyon across the way from Grand Canyon Village forms a place to walk to the bottom of the Canyon. We didn't. We didn't take the Mule ride either.
Trudy and I are facinated by the architecture of Mary Colter. She and the Harvey Company are two wonderful but relatively unknown pieces of the west that deserve a look.

Colter designed buildings like the Hopi House gift shop (which actually has museum level pieces of western Indian art) across from the El Tovar Hotel. Her work blends in with the land in a unique way.

The Watchtower is another example of Mary Colter's style. Designed to look "ancient," it combines a commercial gift shop with a display of native art.

The Watchtower is a unique example of how a profitible company can "do the right thing."

Trudy, at the edge near where the old Grandview Hotel stood on Grandview Point. It is one of only several places that hiking to the bottom is possible. We didn't do that either.

More as it happens,
Bob

Black Velvet

2007-03-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I walked into Black Velvet Canyon. It's a beautiful approach in the southern end of Red Rock Canyon. The 2000' walls and the rock define Red Rock climbing and as I hoped the climbers were out.

Don't be fooled by the close ups. A tripod and telephoto don't show the exposure.

They are well off the valley floor. Some of the routes have more than 10 pitches. That means hundreds of feet in the air.

On the way out there was a real treat waiting. Two young Big Horn Sheep. I got a chance to follow them for a while

They let me get just so close and no closer.

Then they showed off their rock skills.
Gone in a flash!

More as it happens
Bob

The Trip Back

2007-03-07T09:24:00.000-08:00

You Might Be Getting Comfortable In Nevada When…

You hear that the morning traffic report is brought to you by Preparation H and you say,"that sounds right!"

Now check out Prep H's site and roll the mouse over the people waiting in Las Vegas traffic.

_____

Last week on the long drive back from Tahoe the scenery was boring but not uninteresting. Once we got used to the "next gas 60 miles" some of the ironic details began to pop up. All I can say is that Tonopah is not a place I want to stay.

More as it happens - Bob

Comfortable in Nevada

2007-02-25T11:46:00.000-08:00

We have been away for a while and just got back from a week at Lake Tahoe. This involves driving almost 500 miles to Carson City/Reno and climbing (in the car) up to the lake at 6000' I won't even begin to describe how beautiful it is but I did get some pictures.

Climbing up from Genoa, Nevada's oldest settlement

Dropping down to Carson City

Lake Tahoe

This was our chance to explore a bit of northern Nevada so it was off to Virginia City, Genoa, Squaw Valley, the Reno Art Museum and Truckee/Donner Pass.

Virginia City, Boom or Bust

Closed for the winter.

Genoa Gate

The Priors joined us for a few days including lunch at Squaw Valley.

In honor of Jeff Foxworthy I'm starting a collection of sayings about our new home.

You Might Be Getting Comfortable In Nevada When…

You stop saying “Why do all the speed limit signs have holes in ‘em?”

You learn that "The Win" is Vegas speak for, not for how much the tourists won but how much they left in the casinos.

You don't freak completely at a Black Widow in the house.

More as it happens - Bob

Winter Comes

2006-12-17T13:20:00.000-08:00

There was rain a few places (mostly around Meg's) in the valley last night. Actually when I went to bed it was predicted for snow in the Mountains and we woke up to white above 5'500'.

Palm trees and snow always knock me out. Trudy and I hope to get up to play in the snow on Monday or Tuesday, so more later.

Bye The Way there are 22' at Lee Canyon Ski Area and more is on the way.

Bob

Keeper of Bryce

2006-12-16T08:29:00.000-08:00

Trudy and I took our friend Christina Shepelavey to visit Bryce Canyon. Since the canyon rim is above 9,000' and winter comes early, we were almost alone. We were lucky enough to see the "Keeper of the Canyon" a wise old raven. After looking us over carefully he went back to making sure that the view was perfect.

His parting comment was,
"No Cheetos, No Peanuts, No Popcorn, all you get to see is the back of my head."

He did his job well because the view was magnificent

Bob

Googling the Valley

2006-11-29T11:45:00.000-08:00

Way back on November 3td I promised some Google Hiking. Well I went and it turned out somewhat different from my expectations.

I set up my tent just below this terradactyl rock and next day set out for Fire Canyon. There had been a heavy rain a week earlier and I expected some flat washed sand.

I used Google Earth to plan a route and that worked well except that it wasn't needed. A bunch of people had beaten me to it and they and their dogs had tramped a path that needed no map to follow. Still Google worked as a route planning tool and got me on the right track.

The views along the Canyon were spectacular. Arches are everywhere. Little ones, big ones and ones on the horizon.

I was there in early November and it was a great time to be out in the desert. Blue sky, moderate temperatures and no wind until the last night when my tent was blown down twice. It was nice to hike in the 70's but I missed the look of the Mohave in summer heat.

I really never tire of exploring beyond the edges of the beaten path. There is always one more hill to look behind and one more canyon to explore. Alone and quiet there is almost always some creature in motion.

The people and dogs had ripped up the flat patches of sand and sandy mud, probably not on purpose but just because it was there. Finally towards the end of the day I found two patches of unbroken earth.

One sundried patch of sand and clay that had baked in the sun,

and one patch of sand that had been under fast running water. If you look carefully at the lower left corner of the photo you can see a small mound of disturbed sand. It was the opening for some creature's home and I couldn't identify what had made it

Last time Alex and I were out in Red Rock Canyon we found a burrow for an Owl. Tough to believe but everything out here has found a way to escape the heat and underground is very efficient.

By the way the links on the first page are

The Cold Front - Alex
Beacon Bee - Melissa
heyjud - Judy Hourihan

They are all worth trying out.

Bob

Little Baja

2006-11-21T14:03:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, in between a class given by the Master Gardener of the Spring Preserve, Lynn Mills, and a fantastically challenging play at UNLV, Trudy and I went looking for backyard pots. We didn't find exactly what we wanted but we did find a real treasure, Little Baja. Along the interstate, just south of the strip is five acres of eclectic pottery, sculpture, fountains big enough for Versailles and goo-gaws beyond description.

As Deiter on "Sprockets" said, "You want to touch my Monkey."

There are mounds and piles of Mexican pottery and wood and metal and I supose a complete mixture of third world crafts. All for outdoor and garden decoration for every taste or no taste.

And, of course if one wanted to start a small casino, all the loby decorations are here.

The payoff came for us with the decorated pottery steer that is now on the garden wall.

And, bye the way, the garden out here stays in bloom almost all year.

Texas Yellow Bells are actually a legume. They fall in place with our plan to stay as "green" as possible. These beauties fix nitrogen and help to fertilize themselves. Goes along with the bamboo floors and drip irrigation.

Bob

The Lake of Illusion

2006-11-11T10:09:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we took a friend to "Lake Las Vegas." This 320 acre lake with a 10 mile shoreline about 15 miles east of the strip may be the largest Farm Pond ever constructed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. If I were cynical I could say that the work was "hidden" under the title Virgin River and Tributaries-Utah, Arizona and Nevada Comprehensive Analyses of Multi-jurisdictional Use and Management of Water Resources on a Watershed or Regional Scale which might make the cost ($350 million) and and the end use (speculative resort development) a bit difficult to explain as a "pork."

Anyway it's a very classy place where Trudy and I go for music, ballet, opera and fine food. The multiple signature golf courses, the multi million dollar condos, and the neighbors like Celine Dion are a bit beyond us but it's arguably more fun than anything on the Strip.

The five-star Ritz Carlton has a great garden and a restaurant we need to try.

They put up a huge Christmas Tree and we will be bringing Sofia here for Ice Skating on the floating stage in the bay. This all does lead to a point. There are goofy things in Vegas but yesterday was among the goofiest.

A group of probably normal adults in "outdoor" clothes and helmets on Segways. I usually have to restrain myself from pointing and laughing but I was just stuned.

They were all so serious in a perfect line. Spaced out like a graphic designer had placed them in a sci-fi photo of a new "Westworld" there was no conversation, only solem concentration. It was only after I found out that they were on a "tour" that I fell down laughing.

When they make an "off the road" Segway I'll stop laughing.

Bob

A Walk in the Desert

2006-11-03T16:37:00.000-08:00

Sometime ago I (in perhaps my last e-mail before the Blog) I talked about Google Hiking but didn't get the chance to go.

Google Earth shows a dry wash near "Mouse's Tank"that looks like a challenge for both feet and navigation. You can see a faint mark that is the wash bed (actually my printout is a bit bigger and clearer) It seems to be called both "Hidden Wash" and "Fire Canyon." I will be going out to tent in the Valley of Fire next week. I'm going to try follow the route from what I can find on Google.

The Valley has thousands of petroglyphs. Perhaps I will get lucky and find some more.

Bob

A Night On The Town

2006-10-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

I have written before about Las Vegas politics, Oscar "Thumbs" Goodman and ethics in general in Nevada. Things happen out here for the same basic reasons as back East. Money, power and sex dominate it's just a bit more so out west.

In typical Las Vegas fashion we have a politician who wants to come back from Washington as a Representative and run for Governor. I have wondered if he is leaving Washington one step ahead of the sheriff or if there is more money to stick to his fingers in Nevada or both.

He came here for a televised debate (he is from Reno by the way) with Dina Titus (who had our vote to begin with) and went out trolling after leaving the studio. He had the same motives as my Red Rock Tarantula (see the Blog below) but he didn't get girl and he didn't get away either.

A bit of flirting while partying in a high end restaurant followed by some kind of an encounter has created a media feeding frenzy. You can follow it on-line if you want at the conservative Review Journal or the liberal Las Vegas Sun

I doubt that we will ever know what really happened but I do know what Gibbons has said in response to the media. Today he is quoted as saying "As a nearly 30-year member of our nation's military, I try to present myself as an officer and a gentleman, and my actions that night were consistent with that practice." If this bozo thinks I am impressed by his standards as an officer and a gentleman he is sorly out of touch. Torture coverups, murder in Iraq, sexual harassment in the military, service academy scandals and high government conduct have left me way beyond this kind of claim.

All other conduct aside there is no dispute that as a public official walking a drunken person to their car is not a good idea.

The best quote of the affair, for a politician was yesterday, "gosh, I learned an important lession, never to offer a helping hand to anyone again."

Boy oh boy, that just makes me want to be a constituent of his. And that's enough about Nevada politics.

Bob

A Day in Oak Creek Canyon

2006-10-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a walk in Red Rock Canyon this morning and climb up Oak Creek.

.
It was still dark when I left Lugo Street and just breaking dawn when I got to the entrance to Red Rock. I noticed a car full of climbers in front of me at the entrance booth. Climbers can always spot climbers but in this case the tipoff was a car full of gear featuring helmets and the guys in the back seat were reading a topo map.

I stopped to take a dawn picture of the strip (from about 20 miles away) and check out a waterfall that I thought might have water, it didn't.

I was up early enough that not everybody in the park was awake.

By the time I actually got to Oak Creek, the climbers were ahead of me so I found them on the rock. I stuck around and got out the telephoto and tripod. Later I left a note on their car to email me for the pictures.

This is the time of the year when the serious climbers come out. The heat of the summer sun is gone and they can climb all day.

They were nice to watch and moved with ease.

Walking out in time to be home for lunch I discovered I discovered I was not as alone as I thought. A solitary Tarantula was on his way to lunch also. Well actually he was out looking for a date also.

This is the season when the big guys come out and move around in the daytime. During the hot months they hunt at night. Now they are out looking for female company (who says Las Vegas is a family entertainment town) during the day. In the summer I saw nothing but burrows and webs.

This guy did not like the flash on the camera and after 3 shots he dove under a rock.

Like the Black Widow, if this guy actually finds a receptive female, he will use a bit of hypnotysm to calm the her before impregnating her and then he will run home as fast as he can (boy does this sound like Vegas or what) before the female can kill and eat him. Unlike the male Black Widow, he will be strong enough and fast enough to actually get away.

Always a suprise to be had and a lession to be learned in the City of Illusion.

Bob

A Night at the Opera

2006-09-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

On Saturday September 23td Trudy and I went to the Opera at Lake Las Vegas.

With no disrespect intended, Trudy and I had a better time than Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Kitty Carlilse.

The season opener was a free presentation of famous arias by the principals of the company. The topper was sitting right in front of the ice cream parlor with the world's best Galatto.

The week before we had gone to the Ballet and I didn't know the cameras were allowed. Won't make that mistake again.

A few days later we took Joni Kahn to the Las Vegas Art Museum for an amazing show of Roy Lichtenstein Prints 1956-97. I saw works that I had never seen before, We were enthralled.

This is all to let you know that there is a cultural side to "Lost Wages" that takes a while to find. Trudy has spent hours on the phone, on the net and reading the paper to find what, when and where.

The theatre here (in the Off The Strip World) is excellent. It is well supported and inexpensive.

The Laramie Project was as well done as any play we have ever seen. Bye the way, we saw "O"

(absolutely no cameras allowed) and it was good but we still like Mystere best.

Bob

Backyard Black Widow

2006-09-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

I have said before that the desert bites back. Meg, Sofia and I were in the backyard early yesterday evening and Meg spotted a Black Widow hanging off the side of my wooden sculpture of a "Pair of Shorts." First I got the camera, then I got the Raid. Interestingly, I had been picking up "Shorts" and moving them around. Who knew that the crack was occupied.

So the Raid worked great and there was one dead bug. Now I am used to the normal crew of desert bugs, beetles, cockroaches, and stuff I can't name cleaning up the critters that drop dead in the backyard. Guess what? Next day there is still one dead spider on the concrete.

I guess nothing messes around with a Black Widow!

Bob

This story is dedicated to Sue Hofmeister whose father often said ,
"Sue, there are some things even a mosquito won't bite."

Summer Over ?

2006-09-16T13:37:00.000-07:00

We woke up Saturday morning and it was cool!

It was ski jacket cool. I was suprised by the abrupt change. It was 53 this morning

and when I started hiking Saturday to Le Madre Springs it was low 40's. I haven't worn my wind pants in years. It did jump up to the 80's before I was back.

Great!

Abbey Lives

2006-09-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

It’s been years since I read Edward Abbey but I remember being very influenced by “The Monkey Wrench Gang” in the late 70’s and “Hayduke Lives” in the 90’s. His characters live in a desert set more towards the Four Corners area but some of his descriptions are based on the Valley of Fire and Mouse’s Tank. If memory serves, eco-terrorism in the western desert and the destruction of a huge bridge are at the center of the plots. Well it looks like life imitates art.

Yesterday the enormous construction crane and cableway system being used to construct the new bridge over the Colorado River at Hoover Dam fell down in high wind gusts. I had taken some pictures of the project when Howard and Joanne were here earlier this year.

This is going to have some long ranging effects for Las Vegas. The bridge, to be completed 2008, was to be a quick way to Arizona. This would make” just over the bridge” a new suburb of Vegas. Estimates now delay completion several years.
Developers stand to lose millions, whole projects will fail, and thousands of people will not move to the desert.

Abbey just sat up and threw away the cap on another bottle of Jim Beam.

Here is a slightly different view of the "Hoover Dam."

Bob

Shakespeare and Cedar Breaks

2006-09-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

Before going to New York, Nyack and Boston, Trudy and I went to the Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City, Utah. We saw Merry Wives of Windsor and it was good, actually it was as good as Stratford Ontario.

So, the Sunday morning after the performance in a sleepy Mormon town, we had a dead battery. Turns out we still owned the same battery that was delivered in the Jeep in 2001 and the heat in the desert killed it. AAA and Wal-Mart to the rescue and we decided to take a brief trip into the mountains to see Cedar Breaks.

Cedar Breaks is a smaller version of Bryce Canyon and is on the Virgin River above Zion Canyon. The Virgin River empties into the Overton Arm of Lake Mead. The Indians called it the "Circle of Painted Cliffs." Situated at an elevation of 10,000 feet, Cedar Breaks is shaped like a giant coliseum dropping 2,000 feet to its floor.

The park is small but gorgeous. The Alpine meadows above the breaks are spectacular but at 11,000Â a little high for weekend camping. The time to be here is after the usua 30' or so of snow melt and the wildflowers bloom. I may be able to get by without a GPS but chains and a shovel are the next purchase.

The early settlers thought that the trees at the bottom were Cedar, hence the name, but they are actually Juniper. Climbing down the third of a mile through the "Hoodoos" to verify the tree species would not be on my agenda. This is a type of formation that the settlers called badlands or breaks. Very fragile, very steep and very tough to climb.

The color in Utah is somewhat darker than in southern Nevada. A high concentration of Iron gave southeastern Utah an early mining industry. Iron oxides provide the reds, oranges, and yellows, while manganese oxides provide shades of purple. The sedimentary formations are not as highly compacted as the sandstone here in Nevada.

We finished the trip back to Cedar City and Las Vegas by going over the top of the plateau at 11,000Â and through the Brian Head ski resort. No ski resort should ever be seen in the summer. Snow cover is needed for more than skiing.

Bob

Mt. Charleston

2006-09-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

Mt Charleston, Nevada from Cathedral Rock Park

After leaving the house at 5:30, that little tiny pimple looks awfully far away and awfully high. It is. We have chosen the highest peak in Southern Nevada. Charleston Peak is 11,918’ and about 9 miles from the trail head, the trail head is about a mile from the car. So, a 20 mile roundtrip with an elevation gain of 4,600’ topping out at almost 12,000’ We predict a long day.

We have to climb out of Kyle Canyon on a switchback trail that gains almost 1,500’ in 2 miles. That is approximately the same as climbing 150 flights of stairs but, of course, they are not stairs. I didn’t even bother to bring out the camera until we were up on Echo Overlook.

Actually, I don’t think we look to bad. There are lots of ponderosa pine and white fir at the overlook, so there is plenty of shade, but you have to get right out to the very edge of the cliff to get a good view of Kyle Canyon.

Echo Overlook

The next portion of the trail runs in and out some of the most beautiful mountain meadows I have ever seen. The trees change to Bristlecone Pine with enormous piles of pine cones at the base of every tree.

Lunch on a trail this tough is always a balancing act. Cooling down is part of the drill but stopping long enough to begin to stiffen up is not a good thing.

This is really pretty country and later in the day we will see two parties coming up to camp for the night. There are some really enticing spots.

The village of Mt. Charleston in the center is where we parked the car and it is about 3,000’ below the meadows. The extreme weather on high mountains really blasts things. As usual, some of the dead stuff looks very surreal.

Some of the trees here live a long life both alive and dead.

Those things that are successful competing for resources in this environment tend to be bigger than normal and tough. Just before we got out onto the talus slope to summit we came on some thistle plants that were over 6 ‘ tall. Alex found a bee feeding on a low bloom. The bee was twice the size of a WNY bee and totally black.

Leaving the Bristlecone grove was an abrupt transition. Trees, grasses and flowers are highly altitude dependent and the last 1,500’ of trail was across a talus slope composed of thousands of stacked bits of slate. This is clearly one place that would be easier when it is covered in snow.

Eventually climbing can stop.

Just a bit warmer than we expected but hard to believe that back on Lugo St. it’s well over 100

Photo Credit - Alex

Just kicking around is all that’s left and the view is good.

All I need to say about the downclimb is that the switchbacks were endless but we did make it back for dinner. A bit zombied out but actually awake.

Bob