Leaving Las Vegas

10:12am - woke up a little bit later than expected. I think the 8 hour drive yesterday knocked me out. Dinner was at the casino's buffet compliments of a certain someone :) I had a plate of fruit and was too tired to eat any more. This was the gorgeous view from my hotel room.

Heading out to Albuquerque it was only supposed to be an 8 hour drive. Traffic + getting lost + spending way too much time eating lunch turned that into a lovely 13 hour drive... Again, thank you google maps. I hate you.

1. The directions said to take the Nipton Rd. exit. OK cool, I'll do that...except the Nipton Rd. exit is closed for construction....on BOTH SIDES OF THE FREEWAY. WTF.

2. Next time you want me to turn onto Hwy 163, how about putting up a sign that says "P.S. the podunk dirt road to your left IS hwy 163."

3. A "Left Lane Closed Ahead" sign is not the appropriate one to use when all 3 lanes of the highway are shut down for "test runs". Try using a "Hurry Up & Get Your Ass Off the Freeway Before You Sit In Gridlock for 2 Hours" sign next time.

All frustrations aside, I was relieved to finally arrive in Albuquerque and see Elyse!!

I didn't stop at the Grand Canyon since I had been there already and didn't want to pay the park entrance fee


Welcome to Flagstaff! Google maps also failed to tell me that in order to continue on Hwy 40, you have to take a back-country route that led me to believe I was lost as all hell.


the deer in Flagstaff sure are plump & meaty



I met a girl in Flagstaff who was also driving from Vegas to Dallas (with a stop in Albuquerque) and had lunch with her at the Galaxy Diner off of Route 66. Since I was super lost, she let me follow her all the way to Albuquerque. WHAT A GODSEND. Where was this girl yesterday when I needed her???


I decided to be adventurous and try the "Route 66 Pile-up" which turned out to be a platter of every fried appetizer on the menu


Passing through Meteor City where there was a crater that was 10 miles in diameter!


There really isn't much to look at except a bunch of rocks


chasing shadows as the sun sets on another day

........and we're off!

7:28 am - hit the open road, but not before stopping by the poker chips and arch to take the last pictures I will ever take as a resident of Reno. Getting up was the roughest part....four hours of sleep will do that to a girl :\



What's the first thing I see outside of Reno?


nothing but me and the open road


Welcome to Death Valley. I can't even begin to explain how wonderful it was to not have ANY cell phone reception.




who thought this would be a good idea in the middle of the hot Nevada desert?


driving past Area 51....I think? and passing a bunch of hummers


Vegas at last! Anyone who uses google maps, listen up: their directions are WRONG! I got lost trying to find my hotel because google told me to take exit 76A instead of 76B, then met a handful of people who also got lost using the same directions. Driving through Vegas traffic on a Friday at 5pm is not. fun. at. all.

I stayed at the Primm Valley Resort just outside of Vegas and rode their awesome rollercoaster.



the strip at night