avargov's Blog

I never would have thought in a million years that the Wizard and my 13 year old son would find themselves in cahoots plotting my untimely demise. But alas, this is true. Please let me describe the incident and you can decide for yourself.

On Saturday, my son and I met the Wiz and his son for a nice little walk. It was a glorious day in Las Vegas. Not a cloud in the sky, and the temperature was hovering around 50 degrees, again, just a perfect day. We agreed to meet in the Albertsons parking lot around 1100. Not being too familiar with the area, I ducked into what I thought was the proper lot, only to find that there is another Albertsons half a mile away. Needless to say, my son was a little aggravated by this, I suppose it is because of the life insurance policy that he is named on was not going to be cashed if we didn't find the Wizard. Well, we found the proper lot, and pulled up behind the Wiz and his son. As they walked up, I am sure that a saw just a hint of a demonic look on the Wiz's face (sorta like in the movie Devils Advocate when the homeless people killed the office manager fellow), but I shook it off as remnants of last nights libations, and we started our day.

We they made our way to the red rock canyon. It may be the most beautiful place in all of the valley. What a wonderful place to die, if that is what friends and family are hellbent on doing to you! We parked on a pulloff, grabbed our packs, and started our "leisurely" climb to reach the summit of Red Cap (or Red Hat, I can never remember). Let me take this opportunity to say the the Wiz did forewarn me that this was a "strenuous climb" and was "steep in places". I have always felt that in a murder plot such as this, honesty is always the right policy, and if the Wiz isn't honest, then he is nothing. The first few moments we very easy, as a matter of fact, there is even a picture of my son and I at the bottom, and I must say that I am looking rather happy at this point. I would post the pic here, but I am too stupid to figure it out. Then the climb began.....

To make what is becoming a long story much shorter, I think I was nearly dead from over exertion no less that 8 times. The climb was gorgeous, but good gosh! Not let me explain that I have only been a non smoker for 5 months, after 27 years of heavy smoking. That I now carry the equivalent of a Backstreet Boy in extra weight since I was in my early twenties was no help at all. All that being said, I feel that my son was prodding me to go further, and the Wiz set a pace that a Kenyan marathon runner could not have kept up with. I was "allowed" to take all the breaks I needed to catch my breath, get rid of the pain in my side, and rest my burning legs. But I think that was just to prolong my agony before I begged them to kill me and leave me behind.

After what seemed to be an eternity, we finally made it to the summit. There is a little jar there with a pad and pencil to record success. I have never been so proud in my life for doing something so difficult. We ate lunch there, well, I didn't eat anything at all for fear that I would lose it on the way back down, so I drank plenty of water, rested heavily, and tried to get warm. I did have a small piece of celebratory cheese that we brought along.

I am not sure that I would have made it on my own, actually I would have never even tried if not for the Wiz inviting me, and my son really wanting to go. I have a picture of the Wiz and I at the top smiling, or course I look like death warmed over, and you just see the silhouette of a horn coming out of his forehead (again I can't post because I am stupid). I am also not sure, now that I am looking back on it, that my son and the Wiz were trying to kill me. I would, however, like to take the time to thank our host for the invite (taking a relative stranger and his son to a remote place), and for the chance to accomplish something that was completely different for me, and forced me out of my comfort zone.

Thank you Mike, it was a wonderful time, perhaps we can do it again sometime. And I am not even all that sore this morning ;-)

We are here. Everything is moved in. Putting things away. Think we will go to Caesar's tonight for the fireworks. Tomorrow at GVR for the Station firework show. Have enjoyed my first weekend here. No gambling at all. Just hanging with the family. Here longer than I thought this week, $2500 brake job on my truck that won't be done until Tuesday at the earliest. Also have a line on a couple of local jobs. Maybe I will be home everyday...quite a while since those days....anyway....more boxes to unpack!

Well, the last that I knew, my wife and son are heading out tomorrow to trek to Vegas. They will be meeting me on Wednesday at The Orleans. Have the movers lined up for Thursday morning. Guess I will only have to make sure there is cold water and iced tea for the fellows. I, or course, am way too lazy to unload anything, so a couple of hundred to have some pros do it is great.

So, kinda like last time, I have a couple of days to kill before anyone gets here, so, I am guessing some craps is in my future.

Edit: I gotta say, there.are.some very colorful people out and about at 3am. I am at the intersection of Main and Charleston. Sorta reminds me of where I grew up. Man, I am really gonna like living here :-)

Well....sheesh.....my wife informs me today that we are not moving until June 27th. I asked her why, she told me some baloney about my son having some performance in Dallas on June 20th or some such. Oh well, a couple of weeks really won't matter in the long term, but I am ready to get this over with!

I am reasonably certain that no one here will actually give a rats-a$$, but as of today, I am officially a resident of Clark county. I suppose the fact that NFCU gave me three checking accounts sealed the deal. Anyone wanting to send apartment-warming gifts or manilla envelopes filled with US currency, please PM for my address.

BTW, we won't physically be moving until mid-June. Plenty of time for you folks to provide some dandy swag!