When you’re already in the desert, there’s no reason to walk a mile further. If your one mile out or twenty miles out it doesn’t matter, because you’re already in complete desolation. The entire experience of the desert is that it’s a brutal, hot and exhausting environment. It isn’t nice and it isn’t pretty. Las Vegas used to be the pit of America. The only reason you would go there is because you wanted to be alone. Over time the city changed and the population gradually increased to more then two million. Now Vegas is a place to act your worst. Where you can drink your stain clean. Even though Sinatra and the mob are gone, there still remains a certain sentimental attachment to the way things used to be. There were rules, and a certain way things were done. When those things weren’t done, there was always a desert and a hole in the ground. Lots of the live acts and shows around the city, are now being replaced by EDM, electronic dance music. The clubs are outpacing casinos. Some of the larger clubs will see between eight and ten thousand people a night. Our experience here has been something out of the ordinary. Maybe we're just not used to the countless sirens and the smoke filled rooms. However we would definitely recommend "la reve" show at the Wynn casino. For now we still prefer the peace and tranquility of sleeping in the middle of no where. Which is why our next stop on the journey is marked as the lowest part of North America (86 meters below sea level) and holds the record for the highest recorded temperature in the world (56.9 degrees Celsius on July 10, 1916). Where is this you ask? Death Valley National Park, spanning over eastern California and southern Nevada
I'm not scared of getting old and dying, I'm scared of growing up too fast or too slow, and making the wrong decisions. We're 22 days into the trip and every day we see or do something different. Each of these things is constantly changing your perspective on life, and humbling you in a different way. I'm happy to report that we've finally done some off-roading, the van is working well, were all happy(most of the time), and we're all adapting to living in a small cubicle.
Since my last blog post we've been through Salt Lake City, Canyonlands NP (NP=national park), Mesa Verde NP, Arches NP and Grand Canyon NP. What do all these parks have in common? They make you take a step back and go, wow. Not just because of its size, color or beauty. But because of the stories and secrets of the parks, the multiple ways our earth can shape itself, and the old native culture contained within the parks. I see why many of the natives used to worship these places. Their incredible, and unreal at times. When we were at Arches NP, one of the rangers was telling us that their yearly entrance count doubles every year. This is mostly people returning after already having been there before. This isn't because of their advertising or warm weather. But because of a certain mystical appeal that drags you back, again and again. Believe what you want, but all of us felt this. We would return without question to Arches NP, and we highly recommend it. Within the next week we will be entering Bryce canyon NP, Zion NP, and then Las Vegas. I'm updating the map and pictures sections of the website quite often. I also added a stats page, which will hopefully grow within the next month. Suggestions and positive vibes are greatly appreciated. Also, be sure to comment on the blog, and like the Facebook page. Talk to you all soon! It's not the countless amounts of flags, the "american only" flavours of goldfish, or the fact that the number of local pubs outnumber's the amount of gas stations and grocery stores. There's just something different about the United states of America. It's big, it's bold, and everything here has the need to make a statement. I love Canada and all, but this place has something different around each corner. Something that makes you say, wow.
We've only been here for a short amount of time and I've already managed to get my hands on some strange American only products. For example cheese in a spray can, Apple pie flavoured juice, and muffins which contained more icing then actually muffin. Our cold start in the US took us through Whitefish and over to Bozeman, Montana where we got to see the world's largest Tyrannosaurus rex skull. The museum (Museum of the Rockies) also contained one of the largest collections of dinosaur bones. We were even lucky enough to catch a glimpse of an eclipse on our way into the museum. Our journey now takes us over to Craters of the moon National Park (just above Salt lake City). Hopefully il get to do some more photography there. Talk to you all soon! |
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