Desert Hiking

I love being a mom.  Don't get me wrong:  I really do.  But sometimes I miss the freedom of just being able to pack up my pup and go exploring.  Before Matty was born, Oskar and I used to just take off walking and see where we ended up.  Well, not so much in Korea, but in Germany--yes.  We'd venture off the beaten path, just the two of us, and usually end up seeing some pretty amazing things.  Our ability to just "get up and go" has dwindled with a little one; we have to schedule adventures around naptimes and meals and also take into account trails that Matty can walk (or I can handle doing while lugging a 30 pound kid around).  Needless to say, Oskar and I don't go exploring too often anymore.

But this morning, I decided that needed to change.  I needed to get out of the city; Oskar needed some exercise; and we both needed some QT together.  So I left Matty with his dad, and the two of us ventured to the edge of the city, where the blacktop ended in desert, and we just got out and walked.  Fellow Las Vegans--did you know the Red Rock Conservation area comes all the way up to the edge of the city?  You don't have to drive all the way out on Charleston to get to it.  

   

And so, we hiked.  Yes, it was hot.  Yes, we were walking through not-as-pretty-as-Indiana scenery.  But, for the first time in a long time, it was just me and my pup.  I could feel the stress melting out of my body (along with a few gallons of sweat.  It was 9AM but already in the 90s).  

The desert really is pretty in its own way, right?  I could have hiked much longer, but Oskar's tongue was soon dragging in the sand, and he was desperately searching for shade under a cactus.  

But it felt nice to get out of the city, even if it was only by a few miles, and just hike.  Looking forward to doing it again soon (but anytime you want to drop the temps, Mother Nature, I'd be fine with that).

*SURPRISE!*

So, it was business as usual last Friday morning.  It was a cloudy, cold (for Vegas) day so Matty was occupied with his tractors and the movie 'Cars.' I was in the kitchen putting away dishes.  Suddenly, the doorbell rang.  Who should be standing at my front door but Karen Patterson (Boggs, as she will forever be known to me).  Yep, that's right.  Boggs was standing at my front door.  I was speechless.

Turns out, she and my husband had been planning the visit for months.  So, in her words, "Surprise!  Hope you don't mind a houseguest for a week!"

I most certainly did not.

Not only had my sweet husband been in major part in planning her arrival, he also agreed to watch MJ for the weekend so we could stay down on the Strip and enjoy some adult shenanigans.  And, as much as I love my son, this momma welcomed the break.  So off we headed.

You cannot survive the Strip without a drink.  It's too crowded and too chaotic to handle sober.  Nothing a 32 oz. margarita couldn't solve, though. :)

When Boggs flew to Europe to visit me when I lived in Germany, we drove up to Amsterdam for a night.  We went to a Madam Tussaud's there and had a blast; so, of course, we had to check out the one here in Vegas, too.  I'd been already, but it's kind of a tradition. :)  And, while the one in Amsterdam is better (in our opinion), Vegas does have some distinctly 'Vegas' qualities about it.

Like Frank and the boys . . . 

. . . and dirty old Hef . . . 

. . . and *cringe* Celine . . .

. . . and (something I will never understand the appeal of) UFC fighters.

One of the best things about taking Boggs to the Strip was watching her face as she experienced the sheer lunacy of it for the first time.  Between the drunks, homeless people, and pornography, there were times I thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head.  However, what she really loved were all the street performers.  Some are creepy and disturbing, but some aren't bad.  This guy, however, took the cake.  We both had to do a double take:

Out of all the ones we saw, this one was the only one we thought legitimately deserved a few bucks for a photo op.  Thanks for letting us join your one man wolf pack, Zach on the Strip. 

I am huge sucker for pretty things so I convinced Boggs to take a detour from all the glitz and glamour and join me in walking through the conservatory garden at the Bellagio.  The garden is themed for every season and, for spring, they turn it into a sort of mini Keukenhof.  Now, I'll admit, it was no where close to the real Keukenhof, but it was still beautiful and a nice breather before returning to all the debauchery of Las Vegas Blvd.

Of course, you can't go to the Strip without doing at least a little gambling.  I'm not really a betting woman . . . but I do enjoy the slots.  So we found a machine, and I pulled up a chair for Boggs who promptly made this face:

"How does it work?!"

After explaining the finer point of pushing random buttons, we got going.  Neither one of us were big winners, although Boggs did get to cash out:

Yep, you read that right.  Vegas owes Boggs 20 cents.  I nearly had to pay her 20 cents out of my own pocket just to keep her from going to the cashier cage.

                                   

After eating, drinking, and giggling our way down Las Vegas Blvd, we decided on a show (Criss Angel's 'Believe'), which was the weirdest thing I'd seen on the Strip yet.  Good show, but seriously bizarre.  

It was an epic night, as much as it could be for two exhausted mommas.  We stayed out until 1:00 AM. Yeah, 1 AM.  I hadn't seen that time of night since Matty was 3 months old and still waking up for midnight feedings. :)

The next day was St. Patty's Day, Boggs' and I's "frieniversary." (It's a really long story.)  We spent the day relaxing and recuperating from the night before, although we did indulge in some green beer.  It was much different from the last St. Patty's Day we had spent together (which I honestly can't remember--and NOT because it was several years ago).  But I loved spending it with my best friend and my son at the park instead of some smoky bar.

By Monday, we were rested and ready to head out again. We had MJ in tow and an itching to get out of the city so Red Rock Canyon seemed like the perfect destination. 

We were definitely ready to do some hiking, but I figured a stop at the visitor's center would let MJ stretch his legs a bit before being shoved into the carrier for most of the morning.  Their visitor's center is wonderfully kid-friendly and very interactive.  MJ had a blast climbing on EVERYTHING in sight.

And I was right.  By the time we left and arrived at our trailhead, MJ made zero fuss about being strapped to my back.  I, on the other hand, may have made some groans and moans at first. ;)

Boggs enjoying the mountains.  You most certainly don't see things like this in Indiana!

Rocking the 30 pound baby on my back.

Our trail took us near some ancient Native American carvings and painting on the canyon walls.  Beautiful!

Tuesday morning brought some unexpected bad news.  Karen's husband's grandfather had passed away.  She would have to fly home on Wednesday morning for the funeral.  Our reunion week was drastically cut short, but she was needed at home with her family.  I hated to have to say good-bye to my best friend so soon, but it wasn't even a choice.  Her family had to be her priority.

We did have one day left before I had to take her to the airport, though.  And we decided spend it doing the one thing she had been talking about since she arrived:  climbing Lone Mountain.  Apparently she was a fan of my previous post.  ;)

And yes, we conquered it together.

Cheesin' at the top.

And, as you can see from this view of the Strip, it was a beautiful day to climb.

As Boggs relaxed at the top, I scrambled a bit further to get a better view of the Strip.  Suddenly, she started screaming "Something on that rock is moving!"  I nearly plunged to my death trying to scramble away, thinking for sure that a rattlesnake was waiting to strike.  I laughed out loud when I saw what it really was.  Can you spot our summit friend?

Thanks for the fantastic surprise, Boggs.  I didn't even realize how much I had missed you.  Come back any time.  Remember, Vegas owes you money!! :)

Hiking Lone Mountain

Lone Mountain is just what it sounds like.  A tall, craggy mountain, separated from the rest of the Spring Mountains, sitting inside city limits of Las Vegas, surrounded on all sides by miles and miles of subdivisions.  It's just off the 215-Beltway, the inter-state highway that circles the city and, from the view on our balcony, lies just to the west of the Strip; at night, a huge black mass blocking out the seemingly endless lights of a city of 2 million people.

It's been my goal since we arrived here 18 months ago to climb it.  Every time I take Matty to the park at the base of it, I see people at the top.  And these people don't seem like hard-core climbers; they seem like regular people.  If they could do it, I could do it . . . right?

However, this is most definitely NOT something I wanted to do with a kid hanging off my back.  The climb is steep and covered in loose rocks; I barely trust myself with myself not to trip and fall, let alone trusting myself with my only child.  But, I also didn't want to do it by myself, for fear of falling and hurting myself and then being stuck at the top of the mountain with no way down.  So, long story short, I've never really had a chance to do it . . . until today.  My father-in-law decided he wanted to climb it too.  Luckily, my husband and my mother-in-law did not.  So, off the two of us went, leaving them behind with Matty.

The view at base.  

About a fourth of a way up.  The desert is actually kind of pretty (in its own way).

Posing at the bench at the half-way point.  

Looking west at the half-way point.

Honestly, the first half way easy.  It was no steeper than any of the trails I'd done at Red Rock or up on Mt. Charleston.  However, this picture does not do justice to just how steep the second half of the climb really was.  

No wonder there was a bench there.  Smart people would stop there, enjoy the view, and then head back down.  The first half involved just my feet; I had to use my hands a bit for the next half.

But it was worth it.  Check out the view from the very top (the Strip looks tiny in the distance).

I climbed my first mountain!

My father-in-law and I at the top.

Panoramic view at the top.  Wish it were larger.  Awesome option, iPhone, but improvements need to be made. ;)

My father-in-law taking a breather at the summit.  Bless his heart, he kept up with me.  I think I made him nervous bouncing around snapping pictures up there, though. :)

Looking southwest from the top.

My elation quickly faded, however, when I realized I had to somehow get down from here.  Climbing up was easy compared to getting down.  I'm not going to lie:  I was nearly on my butt in some spots.  But, better to have rock burns on your bum than a broken leg. 

My father-in-law took the lead, saying he didn't want to take me down with him if he fell behind me.  Sweet, sweet man. ;)

The climb down was long and slow, and I had time to actually notice some of the local wildlife.  There were some beautiful red cacti along the sides . . . 

. . . and the first hints of some spring wildflowers.

This was my first time climbing Lone Mountain . . . but it most certainly won't be my last.  What an adventure!