LasVegas
4 days was 4 days to long in Vegas , not my kind of city . Well I suppose it was not to bad but the heat was a killer , 108degF day and night (it is like a giant night store heater , during the day it heats up all that concrete and at night lets it go ) . Everyone just seems to wonder around from one Hotel/Casino to the next , and they are hugh (yeah and some of the people as well ) . A Hotel Casino can take up a whole block which can be (what seems like) a mile by a mile or 1.6 kms x1.6kms and be 4 storeys high . The Venetian as in the photo has a Canal System on the second floor with Gondoles taking people for rides just like in Venice . The worst thing about them is that they allow smoking in them , and not being smokers we just notice the smell ,but in saying that ,the higher end ones seem to have better air cons and the smell is not so noticeable .
Anyway Ruth won $12.00 on the pokes so she was happy and that was the extent of our gambling . We did go to 2 shows , the first was a varity show called "Vegas" which was very good and we enjoyed it very much . The second was a live concert by the Doobie Brothers and again very enjoyable (we old Rockerrrs as well as Bikerrrs) .
We were sucked in with our accommodation , we rang from the Information Center for a Room Rate at the Treasure Island Resort right in the Strip (we were told they had the best deal ). It worked out at $85.00 a nite over 4 nites , so we were happy with that and were in with a grin . BUT BUT all is not as it seems in the city of bull shit as we were to find out . They had a fee over and above the Room Rate called a Resort Fee for $22.75 per nite, which we were not told ( I'm pissed ) and they smiled when they gave me my bill (still with only the room rate as agreed ) . It was not until I checked on my Credit Card a/c that it all came out (but I did have a sniff before I went to settle up and was primed for action , but the bill was at the agreed rate ). But the problem now is it is to late to cancel the payment , we have been sucked by the best . When I complained the lady said that it is normal and that it is on all the web sites , so beware . This is not over yet I will keep you posted (arseholes).
Vegas to Jerome
The road from Vegas to Jerome was at most just on a Interstate so just boring as can be , we cover the 430kms(approx) by 2.30pm (we were on the road by 7.30am ) and it was not that hot probable only around 95 deg F (we getting used to the hot weather now) . As we got closer to Jerome it cooled down as Jerome is up on the side of a hill . The road in is very popular with my Bikerrr Mates (you can see in the Photo Da V Strom hangin out with his Harley Mates ) as there are 125 corners in 12 Miles (I know this as they sell tee shirts in Jerome with this on ) . We were told to go to Jerome by a good friend of ours Jenny White from San Fancisco . Back in 1973 she went there because it had been abandoned by a Copper Mining Company and all the houses were left empty . Well a Hippie community started up and the word got round and Hippies started arriving from all over (including Jenny ). So the town was reborn and today it is quite a place to go for a day trip , I guess from people around the area . We stayed in the old Conner Hotel (Jenny wanted me to take a Photo of the bar as it was quite a meeting place back then ). The little town is full of Art Shops and Restaurants and nick nacks shops and has a great outlook over the valley below .
Jerome to Sedona to Tucson
We were told to visit Sedona as it is reputed to be the most beautiful town in America and it would be hard to refute that (there are heaps more places with better views , but as an all over package it is very very pretty ) . It was approx 60kms out of our way but worth the trip .
Again the road to Tucson was pretty similar to the road to Jerome (just desert and hot ) . We are here in Tucson for 2 days to get a new tyre and a service for da Strom , then on to Tombstone for a shoot out at the OK Corral and then on to probably Douglas and Mexico .
Apart from the odd drama which only adds to the adventure we are havin a great time and lovin ever minute .
Just a couple of observations about the USA
The people are very very friendly , polite (even on the roads) and helpful people , the county is very clean and for where i have been largely Graffiti free (even the trains have no Graffiti on them , unlike home )
And the Real Biggie , this is the only country in the world that I have been to (and we have been to a lot of them ) that I enjoy going to a public toilet (in fact I look forward to going to them ) . No matter whether it is a Porto Loo , a long drop, or a road side Toilet they are exceptionally clean and they don't smell , not one of them . I'm going to ring up the NZ government and get them to send over a envoy to investage this phenomenon . Not one had crap written all over the walls (I mean real crap), no writings about who ever was the biggest hore in town etc . In fact I wanted to take a book in and read for awhile ( not a blood chance anywhere else in the world , you are lucky if you can even sit because some dirty bugger has crapped all over the seat . And in NZ you got to be out real quick not only because of the smell but the bloody Mozzies are bitting your arse before you get your pants down (mosty long drops or porto loos).
So bloody good on you America . We loved being here and will come back, not only for the Public Toilets but to enjoy your company .
Because what makes a great country , the people within .
Photos
1. Vegas
2. In side the Venetian Vegas , that is on the second floor not outside
3. The Bar at Jerome ( for Jenny , I could just see her there with her red velvet dress and a flower in her hair )
4. Da V Strom hangin out with his Harley Mates outside the Conner in Jerome
5. The Conner Jerome
6. Not far from Tucson having lunch at a road side stop . Notice Ruth having a great time in the heat, it was so hot that we hardy had to boil the water for a cuppa .
