Trip Notes:
-Laughlin
-Meadview
-Dolan Springs
-Grand Canyon West
Spent a long weekend (Friday-Monday) running around southern Nevada and northwestern Arizona.
Laughlin
Had not done more than drive through Laughlin in about 8 years. Not much has changed. The completed Riverwalk adds a lot to the ambiance. The video poker inventory has gone downhill. The Edgewater VPFREE database lists a few machines that no longer seem to exist: most notably, there was no FPDW or 10/7 DB there at all; the only NSUD we could find was in the bank at the NW entrance. The Colorado Bell games all seemed intact, and the $1 JoB progressive was at around $5400, so we were kept adequately amused. Stayed at Harrah’s ($300 free money room offer) and ate mostly at Harrah’s buffet; a surprisingly good spread: I can recommend the banana fritters, Denver eggs, and chocolate-covered strawberries and bananas (can’t really go wrong covering food with dark chocolate). Also liked the Cuban pulled-pork sandwich at their coffee shop. Service throughout Harrah’s was top-notch and notably friendlier than anything we find in Vegas. Their “beach” was actually very pleasant, albeit too hot in the afternoon. Their guests were decidedly “earthy”: about half the people in the pool were sucking on cigarettes. Diamond Lounge had more of the ambiance of a local’s bar, and the food was pretty bad there. Our “VIP” room didn’t seem Very Important: tiny, dim, and not much of a view (so much for “Diamond” status). On the other hand, we slept well, which is what really matters. Had a great time with a rented jet-ski on the refreshing Colorado River for two hours: just the right amount of adrenaline for us middle-agers. Drove up to the northwest side of Davis dam; was amazed at the hundreds of boats in Lake Mojave and the big line-up to launch boats. Checked out the Outlet Mall; not overly impressed. River taxis now charge $4 for a one-way trip; but still worth it to nuts like us who just plain enjoy boats rides. Didn’t bother with seeing any of the shows; they looked pretty lame.
It was the wife’s first trip to Laughlin, and somewhat to our surprise, she really liked it. It meets a need: low-key, easy to get around, relaxing. Nice change of pace from Vegas.
Meadview
You can’t actually see Lake Mead from most of Meadview. There is a nice scenic overlook near Meadview with the implied scenery, but I’m not sure that counts. South Cove features possibly the least crowded marina in North America. Pierce Landing no longer has any water, or any visitors, or much of anything else. If our car had broken down there, our bodies might not have been discovered for months.
Dolan Springs
The comic relief of our journey. We are still not sure how Dolan Springs exists, or why. We are both well traveled and have seen much, and had previously anointed Pahrump as the “most depressing town in America”, but at least Pahrump has a few diversions, such as they are. Dolan Springs features the highest ratio of manufactured housing to non-aluminum dwellings we have ever encountered: on the return journey we counted every dwelling we could see; the final tally: 821 manufactured houses, double-wides, mobile homes, and trailers; and 6 actual non-aluminum houses. The Chamber of Commerce is aluminum. The Post Office is aluminum. The landscape is dirt. The baseball field contains no grass, stands, fence, or bases. There is no discernable business or industry. We endeavored to solve the mystery of Dolan Springs by Google-ing it: was there a nearby mine? (an aluminum mine, we presumed) No. Nearby attractions? Not really, unless you figure on the 70 mile drive to Henderson, or the two hour journey to Grand Canyon West. The possible answer to the riddle: Median household income: $17,305. Lesson learned: invest wisely for your retirement. One lives in Dolan Springs because one must.
Grand Canyon West
Proper motto: “Not a close as it looks!” Researching on the web failed to yield a couple of relevant facts: first of all, while it may only be 120 miles from Vegas, the last 14 miles consists of a rugged washboard-and-rock dirt road, where we averaged about 15 miles an hour. Second, the West Canyon itself is isolated and completely unpopulated: the “Indian Village” is just a collection of uninhabited hogans and teepees put out for the tourists. Everything operates out of the little airport/heliport. You pay $29 for a short bus ride to the two lookout points, and can stay as long as you like as buses come by every 15 minutes. The “cultural events” consisted of a couple of pre-teens begrudgingly obliging their father by doing traditional dances. (But, as the wife said, all dances are good dances.) On the plus side, the remote location made for fewer tourists and greater serenity. Paid $6 for a decent buffet and a table with a view: overlooking twenty miles of awesomely picturesque canyon.
Wisdom garnered:
1) Stay at Harrah’s, play at Colorado Bell.
2) Do the beach in the morning, before the sand melts into glass.
3) Meadview: mediocre-view.
4) Arizona state politics: pave a road to siphon tourist dollars from Las Vegas? Not if any Injuns stand to profit!
5) Grand Canyon West: pay for the plane ride; it’s cheaper than new shocks.