Viva Las Vegas!!!

This past week, I spent a wonderful time relaxing in the splendor and excitement of Las Vegas, Nevada.

It was a combination of Nancy, my wife of 30 years, overcoming cancer along with the treatments she went through, and our daughter and son-in-law's anniversary and birthdays together in one package.

We began our trip on Saturday by flying from Detroit to Las Vegas and then going by car to Primm, Nevada. It is a small gathering of casinos and hotels on the Nevada-California border. We stayed at Whiskey Pete's, one of the three resorts. Buffalo Bill's, on the other side of the Interstate, has one of the biggest roller coasters, and Teri definitely wanted to enjoy it. At the Primadonna, there is a complete mall within its walls.

They even have the Death Car of Bonnie and Clyde and one of the huge Lincoln limos that was a part of the Al Capone fleet. Also on display was the shirt that Clyde Barrow wore the day he was killed by the law.

Returning to Las Vegas on Sunday, we went and picked up our tickets for some of the shows we would be attending during the week stay. After checking in at the Silverton, just south of the strip, we had an evening of playing the slots.

Monday morning, we started out the day with a buffet at The Luxor. I consider it one of the best in town. We then went to Mandalay Bay and went through the Shark exhibit and show. It was well worth the admission. Next, we decided to hit a few of the casinos to get a closer look at them. Taking the tram back to the Excalibur and crossing the street, we were at the Tropicana.

I went over to the free pull slot machine and met Dan Palmgren, a fan from New York that has been in contact with me for over a year. I need to publicly thank him for the kindness he showed to my family and me.

We then went to the MGM Grand and then to New York, New York. I was very moved by the affection of the people of Las Vegas by the placing of flowers and notes on the fence line of that property. We went to the Monte Carlo and then to the Bellagio for one of the most beautiful displays of flowers I have ever seen. I met with Rhonda Orton, the daughter of Bob "The Big O" Orton and sister of Cowboy Bob Orton Jr. and Barry Orton. How good it was to see her again. I told her to give our best to her dad, and that we would be meeting with him on Thursday.

From there, we went to the Harley Davidson Cafe and then to the Aladdin. Next, we did some shopping and had lunch before returning to the Luxor, where our car was. We went back to the Silverton and changed to go to the Mirage to see Siegfried and Roy, billed as Magicians of the Century. They certainly lived up to their reputation, and my front row seat afforded me the privilege of having a five-year-old white tiger pass within two feet of me, as well as a huge elephant that they made disappear before my eyes.

Tuesday was my day as we had a nice breakfast and headed in the car across the desert through Red Rock Canyon to Rhyolite Ghost Town. I had the privilege of meeting Suzy and Riley McCoy, the summer caretakers, at Rhyolite. They work for the BLM and give tours of the Bottle House. Their love for the area and keeping the memories alive in a town that has no permanent occupancy is truly a remarkable effort. Riley and Suzy are also members of the Beatty Museum and historical society. If you are ever near there (it's 105 miles north of Vegas), make it a point to stop and say hello. You can also visit them on the web by going to www.rhyolitesite.com.

Next, we were off to Scotty's Castle, another 50 or so miles from Beatty. I made it a point to visit the castle, not only to take my family there, but also to pay respects to the Biggest Con in the West, Walter "Death Valley Scotty" Scott. He never owned the castle; it was just a namesake for him built by his best friend, Albert Johnson. To give you an idea of it being in the high part of Death Valley National Park, upon our leaving, a coyote looking for food confronted us.

We returned to Las Vegas and rested in the hot tub and pool at the Silverton Resort.

Wednesday, I started the day by calling one of my old friends that lives in Vegas, Bob Orton Sr. We spent the better part of a half-hour speaking, and then it was time for breakfast. We went to Caesar's Palace for the Living Statues Show and went through a few shops before going to the Paris down the street.

To be continued…

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