Red Rock Canyon National Park

When someone mentions Las Vegas to you...what comes to mind? Usually one gets images of bright lights, the Bellagio fountains, extravagantly decorated hotels, high end shopping, scantily dressed women, gambling, excessive spending, and hangovers.

Well I'm here's to prove that belief wrong. :)

I am currently in Vegas accompanying my husband. He is at a 2 week course for the Air Force, and I happened to have Wednesday-Sunday off from work (I had taken PTO many months ago as we were planning a vacation during this time). So I packed up the car, set off for a road trip to Vegas.

The one thing I had to do was figure out how to entertain myself during the day while Ryan is at school. My initial thought was, "I know! I'll buy myself a pack of Marlbarols, drink Manhattans, and spend the afternoon with my ass planted at a slot machine so I can waste thousands of dollars!!!!"

Oh wait, no. I wouldn't do that. Ever. In a million years. In fact, I loathe casinos. I am sorry to offend anyone reading this -- but I get absolutely no appeal to casinos. Ryan and I are too practical to gamble. Last time we each set aside $10 to gamble. Lost it immediately. And then thought, "We could've bought a martini with that money!" I just don't get the lure that some people do. And if you've ever watched people in casinos?! They look like slugs -- I actually think I could see their brain matter melting out of their head and being sucked into those machines...


Okay, rant is over. ;)

I did a little research of fun outdoorsy activities to do in Vegas, and I found Red Rock Canyon. It is about 10 minutes west of Las Vegas (it was about a 45 minute drive from our hotel on the Air Force Base). It is totally worth the drive!!

You go from city and residential to absolute pure natural beauty. The landscape is painted with Red and white speckled canyons and giant rocks formations. There is a 13 mile "scenic path" that loops around the park. Many road bikers. Only a few runners out there crazy enough to attempt. I was one of them! I only did 6. It was 90 degrees out, if I had done the 13 miles I'd probably be laying dead out of the desert from heat exhaustion. (I only joke...kind of)

Here are a few photos that I snapped on the run!!

 Here is the road I ran on. It is a 13 mile loop, and it's a one way. I was relieved it was a one way --so I could run in the middle of the road. For I could hear snakes on the perimeters. For those of you not well-accustomed to the desert...this is "mating season" for rattlesnakes. They are hungry, protective, and like to bite.

 Here's a photo I snapped of me. (I cannot figured out how to flip the image on my blog, sorry!) As you can see...I'm rather diaphoretic. Thank God I carried a bottle of Gatorade with me. It was hot!

 Here is an example of the colorful rock formations. It's as if someone went and painted the rocks. This was a structure of Sandstone.

 More Red Rock. This is one of the pull outs -- where a nice couple asked me if I needed any water. People are always so happy and kind at National & State Parks....

One last view of the canyons off in the distance

I was definitely kicking myself afterwards for not bring my road bike on this trip! This area was road bikers heaven with lovely, newly paved roads. The bike lanes were huge! And miles upon miles of road to discover!