Viva Las Vegas!!
two days i Vegas doesn't even correspond to 2 days anywhere else....there is no time in that city....
we drove down on monday night, arriving at 1.30am (though the only way you knew it was night was that it was dark outside) just in time to watch the Stardust Hotel at the north end of the strip be blown up!....talk about perfect timing....we pulled up maybe 5mins before the fireworks show started, there was even a countdown on the side of the building in fireworks before it imploded on itself....totally amazing to see....
we then caught up with Michelle (one of my room-mates from last season) who lives in Vegas now.....and managed to make it to bed by 4am, which is pretty good as it felt like 10pm....
On tuesday we began the day with a swim and lying out by the pool in the 88degree weather...before driving down to the strip for "the Vegas Experience"....we spent the day just walking from the north end of the strip to the Sth...though we only made it as far as the MGM, visiting all the hotel/casinos along the way....its kind of like being in a movie set its so extravangant.....we drank margharitas out of over-sized novelty glasses, played arcade games, gambled at the penny slots and rode the New York New York roller-coaster, saw the lion feeding at the MGM, watched the pirate show at Treasure Island, the moving statues in Ceasers....and before we knew it it was 10pm!...we had dinner on the patio of Mon Ami Gabi, a french restaurant across the road from the Bellagio, so we could watch the water show as we ate.....
Wednesday we again had to visit the pool as the temperature was in the 90s......then went down to the Rio for a real Vegas buffet lunch, hideous carpet, gold fittings and all....then made our way to the Stratosphere to be dropped off the side of the tower, spun around off the edge and launched into the air from the top.....all whilst trying not to hurl the buffet we'd just consumed (smart order to do things in, i know!)
All in all i get the feeling that Vegas really is just the Disneyland for adults and i am VERY glad we went mid week as the crowds were bad enough as it was... that and you couldn't walk 5 feet without being offered flyers for hookers....though the only real down side was that we couldnt catch any Vegas shows, they dont run mid-week...but hey you cant have it all despite what they try and tell you....
we drove down on monday night, arriving at 1.30am (though the only way you knew it was night was that it was dark outside) just in time to watch the Stardust Hotel at the north end of the strip be blown up!....talk about perfect timing....we pulled up maybe 5mins before the fireworks show started, there was even a countdown on the side of the building in fireworks before it imploded on itself....totally amazing to see....
we then caught up with Michelle (one of my room-mates from last season) who lives in Vegas now.....and managed to make it to bed by 4am, which is pretty good as it felt like 10pm....
On tuesday we began the day with a swim and lying out by the pool in the 88degree weather...before driving down to the strip for "the Vegas Experience"....we spent the day just walking from the north end of the strip to the Sth...though we only made it as far as the MGM, visiting all the hotel/casinos along the way....its kind of like being in a movie set its so extravangant.....we drank margharitas out of over-sized novelty glasses, played arcade games, gambled at the penny slots and rode the New York New York roller-coaster, saw the lion feeding at the MGM, watched the pirate show at Treasure Island, the moving statues in Ceasers....and before we knew it it was 10pm!...we had dinner on the patio of Mon Ami Gabi, a french restaurant across the road from the Bellagio, so we could watch the water show as we ate.....
Wednesday we again had to visit the pool as the temperature was in the 90s......then went down to the Rio for a real Vegas buffet lunch, hideous carpet, gold fittings and all....then made our way to the Stratosphere to be dropped off the side of the tower, spun around off the edge and launched into the air from the top.....all whilst trying not to hurl the buffet we'd just consumed (smart order to do things in, i know!)
All in all i get the feeling that Vegas really is just the Disneyland for adults and i am VERY glad we went mid week as the crowds were bad enough as it was... that and you couldn't walk 5 feet without being offered flyers for hookers....though the only real down side was that we couldnt catch any Vegas shows, they dont run mid-week...but hey you cant have it all despite what they try and tell you....
Tahoe.....good times...
when they screw you over what else are you going to do but stick it to em?
if they try and stop you riding you gotta get back at them somehow....so we planned a spontaneous trip to Tahoe.....fuck em, if we cant ride at mammoth we'll go somewhere else....
We took off sunday night and drove up 3hrs to Sth Lake Tahoe to stay with some friends....got up early and went up to north lake to ride Squaw Valley for the day.....its pretty nice, it was hot as hell and the snow was slushy but all the better as its terrain is pretty open and not very much is groomed so the slush meant you could jump off all kinds of things and not worry about getting hurt....Squaw has about 500 more skiiable acres than mammoth and is all pretty much straight up.....every time you get to the top of a ridge and expect it to be the top there is actually a whole lot more lifts on the other side.....
We came back to Sth lake in time for dinner and then DOLLAR drinks night at Mont Blu (a bar in the Harrahs casino) needless to say it was a pretty crazy night of drinking and gambling.....
Tuesday we went to Heavenly which has about 1300 more acres than Mammoth, it pretty much has lifts going every which way....it is HUGE and i had no idea where i was most of the time.....it was hot again so the snow was kinda sticky and there was a lot of flat spots so it was pretty tiring getting around, though their park was fun with lots of features to keep you entertained......
It definitely makes you appreciate the diverse terrain and amount of grooming at Mammoth though, as moguls on a snowboard is a lot of work....both mountains would prolly be more enjoyable on skis...but now at least i can say i've skiied the 2 biggest resorts in Tahoe
if they try and stop you riding you gotta get back at them somehow....so we planned a spontaneous trip to Tahoe.....fuck em, if we cant ride at mammoth we'll go somewhere else....
We took off sunday night and drove up 3hrs to Sth Lake Tahoe to stay with some friends....got up early and went up to north lake to ride Squaw Valley for the day.....its pretty nice, it was hot as hell and the snow was slushy but all the better as its terrain is pretty open and not very much is groomed so the slush meant you could jump off all kinds of things and not worry about getting hurt....Squaw has about 500 more skiiable acres than mammoth and is all pretty much straight up.....every time you get to the top of a ridge and expect it to be the top there is actually a whole lot more lifts on the other side.....
We came back to Sth lake in time for dinner and then DOLLAR drinks night at Mont Blu (a bar in the Harrahs casino) needless to say it was a pretty crazy night of drinking and gambling.....
Tuesday we went to Heavenly which has about 1300 more acres than Mammoth, it pretty much has lifts going every which way....it is HUGE and i had no idea where i was most of the time.....it was hot again so the snow was kinda sticky and there was a lot of flat spots so it was pretty tiring getting around, though their park was fun with lots of features to keep you entertained......
It definitely makes you appreciate the diverse terrain and amount of grooming at Mammoth though, as moguls on a snowboard is a lot of work....both mountains would prolly be more enjoyable on skis...but now at least i can say i've skiied the 2 biggest resorts in Tahoe
A HOLIDAY....finally!
Finally i managed to get out of mammoth...the first time all season!
the roommates took a trip down to San deigo for a couple of days...
we stayed in Solana Beach and spent two days sitting variously on Solana, Del Mar and Pacific Beaches in the sun.....it was only 60 degrees but after the minus temperatures in Mammoth it was "hot"......San diego has a much more interesting, grunge feel than anywhere in LA and the beaches (for america) are pretty nice...... also it helps that we were staying in the 'rich' area.....
did i mention i LOVE LOVE LOVE the beach and am already anticipating summer at home....feels like i havent had one forever...as the 3 weeks of hot weather in canada was so short its almost like it never happened.....
the roommates took a trip down to San deigo for a couple of days...
we stayed in Solana Beach and spent two days sitting variously on Solana, Del Mar and Pacific Beaches in the sun.....it was only 60 degrees but after the minus temperatures in Mammoth it was "hot"......San diego has a much more interesting, grunge feel than anywhere in LA and the beaches (for america) are pretty nice...... also it helps that we were staying in the 'rich' area.....
did i mention i LOVE LOVE LOVE the beach and am already anticipating summer at home....feels like i havent had one forever...as the 3 weeks of hot weather in canada was so short its almost like it never happened.....
