I don't know about you but my average Sunday involves a lie in, a few hours slobbing with the paper and on the odd occasion a visit to Mecca (no, not the bingo hall) to meet with similarly devout worshippers of the elixir of life... sometimes known as Marstons Pedigree.
So, you can imagine how blown away we all were after yesterday when I describe our day.
We departed Flagstaff under clear blue skies though it was blooming cold, and remarkably we were on the road by 8.30am (this may have something to do with booze fatigue setting in the previous evening when even the hardy souls within our group gave way to a week of continuous supping). The route to Las Vegas happened to take us along a 60 mile stretch of Route 66 (which I'm reliably informed by old people was made famous by a song in the 60s). This in itself would have been memorable enough but after a 50 mile run along highway 93, and despite a benign encounter with the second most notorious bike gang after the Hells Angels who were filling up at the same time as us, we arrived at the Hoover Dam. There are some places that can only be appreciated by actually setting eyes on them and this, like Las Vegas shortly after, is one of them. It is... (to use that awful American word) awesome. There used to be a dam in a stream near where I lived made of twigs and i can tell you it was nothing like this.
Our arrival in Vegas was typified whilst waiting at traffic lights, Mr 'Big Exhaust' Reid thought he'd try and have one over on an American couple driving a customised 1950s Chevvy pick-up. After Andy had revved his Austin Allegro and pipped his hooter, they responded in kind by letting rip what can only be described as a ship's fog horn. We all now have semi-permanent deafness.
An evening in Las Vegas then followed and I am pleased to report that we have broken the Casino at the Ballagio. Well, broken may be a bit too strong a word for it... We did, however, come out up on the night and made our escape before the cussing Casino manager could have us plied with even more free beer (you will note that we seem to have recovered from beer fatigue).
A day off in Las Vegas tomorrow and a helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon awaits (lets hope they've got plenty of sickbags).
Stinky Tony pants update... no change
ps. Hi to our friends Harold and Marie-anna from Colorado whom we met in San Francisco last Sunday. Harold freely admits he is an American but still likes us even after reading some of our observations about the locals
Not jelous
ReplyDeleteGoing to the Lion tonight to try and keep it open whilst you lot are away. After Terry's put up a few more lights, as requested by Dave Frost, I reckon he'll have it looking very much like the photo of the strip.
ReplyDeleteHave a good ride through Death Valley and remember the sun tan lotion.