*I will edit this later and add pictures and video. Right now, all I have is what's on my phone.
Hannah and I are on the same flight out, which she almost misses, but makes it in the nick of time by sprinting barefoot through the terminal. We meet up with Whitney in Vegas, and then Kristin's flight arrives and there is a joyful reunion. I've missed that girl so much! We catch up over drinks while waiting for Nina's flight to come in.
Friday
We all pile into the minivan (the "standard SUV" we reserved didn't really resemble an SUV) and head outside of Vegas to the Anniversary Narrows, a short slot canyon near an abandoned mine that is apparently illegal to hike now. The hike is a gleeful romp; we treat the canyon like the playground it is. As usual, there is a mishap. My scrambling skills are a little rusty, and I sit down in a plant while climbing down to the ground. Since all desert plants are assholes, I'm left with prickly green leaves all over my butt. Kristin and Nina come to the rescue, but their efforts are no match for this sinister vegetation. As a result, I find myself riding around Vegas in a minivan with no pants on.
We head to Arrow Canyon, but we can't negotiate the dirt road in our lame minivan. We recall a sign advertising Valley of Fire State Park and decide to check it out. Score! It is incredible. We jump out of of the car and explore in various scenic spots. When we pull over to see Fire Canyon, I see a man standing far away on a ledge overlooking the canyon. "I want to be where he is," I say longingly. Kristin points out the trail and says I better hurry if I want to make it before sunset. I take off running down the path. The other girls are not far behind me. I'm living out the song "Home." We reverently watch the sunset, noticing how the light shines on the distant mountains. It's a sacred moment, and I thank God for His creation and for this time with my friends. I see a trail in the distance that is calling to me- I am truly an addict. We decide to investigate its potential for the next day's hike later.
The scene in the hotel room is chaotic as five girls prepare to go out. (Rachel has joined us at this point.) All you hear is "Does anyone have _____?" And someone is always prepared with that something. Finally, we are ready to go and end up at dinner at Mesa, a restaurant at Caesar's Palace. My white peach margarita is the perfect blend of sweet and tart, and the chile relleno is the second best I've ever had, perfectly crispy and stuffed with melted cheese and eggplant. (I say second best because nothing can ever live up to that little Mexican place in Jerome.) Kristin and I Google Fire Canyon and discover it is a technical canyon. Our instincts were spot on. There will be a change of plans tomorrow- we have to go back and see this place.
We leave dinner early to head back to our room and do some research. Nina, Rachel, and Stephanie go out, but Kristin's and my priority is clear- the canyon. However, we still end up with very little sleep, as we went to bed around 1:00, and Rachel and Nina stumbled in around 6:00.
Saturday
Breakfast at Bouchon at the Venetian is divine- beignets, banana waffles with Tahitian vanilla bean butter, oatmeal with sugared orange peel... the Venetian itself is divine.
We then pile into the car for another day of adventure- me, Kristin, Hannah, and Whitney. Whitney is skeptical about her ability to do the canyon, especially if there is rappelling involved. By the end of the day, she is an expert downclimber, spotting cairns and, as usual, cracking us up with her wry sense of humor- "We preempted their cairn." The canyon is vast and overwhelming, and there's something new to see around every corner. It's a bit like Arches National Park. I miss the clear blue desert sky so much, and hiking makes me feel so peaceful. Our only disappointment is that there are no real big rappels. The biggest obstacle is a wall that's about 10 feet high. Kristin suggests a partner assist. Hannah expertly downclimbs. Whitney uses the handline. I am a baby and insist on rappelling. I feel safer with a harness on, plus it's good experience.
We emerge from the narrows all too soon begin the 2.7 mile hike out of the canyon. Unfortunately, the beta did not mention we'd be hiking all this way in sand. (Although, I suppose we should have inferred this, since the directions did say we'd be hiking through a wash...) We slog through heavy sand for what feels like hours. It's Buckskin Gulch all over again, although I tell myself to be thankful it's not 100 degrees this time. I remind myself that there's always balance in life and in hiking- nothing can ever be entirely good. You have to be willing to sacrifice something in order to experience the best things. When we finally reach the road, we are exhausted and know we don't have long until sunset. There is a 3.5 mile road hike ahead of us. Hannah is a rock star and volunteers to run back to the car to get it to us faster. After she takes off, the three of us go at our own paces. I remember that I have my secret weapon- The Ting Tings on my iPod. I get my second wind and I'm off, rocking out to "That's Not My Name." When Hannah pulls up, I've only got one mile left, and I run the rest of the way to the van just to prove that I can. We pick up Whitney and Kristin, who were offered a ride by a kind ranger. But no official involvement this time, thank you very much. We made it out by sunset all on our own. Hannah rocks out to "Hell Yes" by Beck; that will always be her song now. All of us rock out to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Our whole bodies are buzzing from the endorphins.
We laugh as we make our way through the lobby of the hotel, thinking what a sight we must be, all dirty and sweaty and lugging helmets and packs and assorted gear. Little do these people know how nicely we clean up. Within an hour, we are ready for my birthday dinner at the Bellagio.
There is a bit of a wait for our table. I pass the time by playing my first slot machine with the dollar Mike gave me. It's my first time gambling, ever! I feel very classy, doing it at the Bellagio.
Kristin buys me the best French martini I've ever had (made with champagne!), and the four of us girls stand around the bar, sipping expensive cocktails and feeling very glamorous. When we rejoin Nina, Stephanie, and Rachel, we learn that Owen Wilson walked by and checked out Steph. Celebrities are in our midst! We are finally seated, and it is worth the wait- our table is next to the Bellagio fountains. We get a breathtaking show every 15 minutes. Dinner is a flatbread, and dessert is mango creme brulee with lemon shortbread cookies. Someone also let the waitress know that it's my birthday, and I'm brought a special dessert with some amazing truffles. The girls sing, I make my wish, Rachel makes a toast. Could anyone imagine a more perfect birthday dinner? I can't. Now, it is time to party. I have promised to go hard since I went to bed early the night before, and I do. We go to The Bank, the club at the Bellagio, where Jeremy Piven's band is playing. I feel like I'm in a movie or on tv or something. I'm so excited. Before I even finish my first drink, a cute guy from San Francisco is hitting on me. Then we're dancing, then making out, and the girls are cheering me on. I love Vegas!
At 4:30 a.m., I find myself sitting in front of a slot machine, drinking a beer and smoking one of Rachel's cigarettes. I can't help but think of how I would not want my parents to see me at this moment. But I'm in Vegas!
After a scant 3 hours of sleep, we are up and preparing for departure. Unfortunately, we do not have enough time for the Bellagio buffet, so we do the buffet at the Flamingo, which is extremely disappointing. Nothing really looks good, although the view of the Flamingos is nice.
I end up eating waffles, a banana, and cheesecake for my birthday breakfast. I smuggle out some cookies to snack on later, and Kristin says, "Wow, you really are a Cookie Monster," and makes the mistake of asking about my favorite cookie. I proceed to ramble about my favorite cookies for an embarrassing length of time.
Then, it's time to leave. There is some craziness as we try to meet up, coordinate luggage and rental car and flights and money owed. My flight leaves first, and I'm dropped off in a rush, which is good that I don't have time to be sentimental that it's all over. I have a certain swagger as I walk through the airport, especially after a security guard calls me "miss" instead of "ma'am." I am singing the Katy Perry song in my head about waking up in Vegas and thinking that I don't feel 30, and apparently I don't look it, either. Life is good. I listen to the Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros album all the way home, dozing and trying not to think of the professional development presentation I have to give on context clues first period tomorrow. Instead, I think about how lucky I am and how I can't wait for my next Vegas adventure.
Comments