Time is Flying

Home from Lake Mead for a full week, I’m inexcusably late in this post … which at this point seems excessively post factum.   Nevertheless, I feel a sense of obligation to draft some thoughts, if nothing else, to keep my mom abreast of our holiday travels to the desert.

Typical desert sunset during our visit

As mentioned in my last post, Kelly and I ventured to Lake Mead Recreation Area chiefly to spend the holiday week in the Las Vegas desert with a few of our Airstreaming pals.  The front half of the week, while not particularly eventful, was great.  Working remotely, just like working from my allegedly hip Silicon Valley office, is still a drab corporate gig, but the change of scenery and evening meals chatting with our well-traveled friends made for a welcome change of pace.

Remnants of damn good vegan brownies

Thanksgiving Day morning Kelly and I took a hike along the historic Railroad Tunnel Trail.  Built in 1931 for the purpose of transporting materials and equipment necessary to construct the Hoover Dam, today the trail is frequented mostly for recreation purposes (and on this day a Turkey Trot 5k & 8 mile race).

Approaching one of the five tunnels

Wooden beams support the entrance from further destruction

Dressed as if it were winter, Kelly inspects the wall; another tunnel in the background

Overlooking Lake Mead below

Thanksgiving dinner was hosted in proper fashion at a decidedly welcoming home, complete with all the usual fixings.  More, as there were three vegans in the house, the menu offerings had been interestingly expanded to accommodate the plant based eaters amongst us.  Suffice it to say, the meal and all-around good company made for a fantastic gathering.

Also, as evidenced within this photo, I had an opportunity to display swordsman-like carving skills.

In dire need to shed our gluttonous post T-Day meal fog, our desert gang went for a hike through a maze of slot canyons not too far our campgrounds.  Sufficiently in the middle of nowhere, and mostly accessible with high-clearance vehicles (less one overly ambitious Prius driver), these were spectacular hiking grounds, and nowhere I would want to find myself in need of a quick ambulance rescue.

A bit of scrambling required

Swiftly navigating the wash, Titanium Ranger and his mistress pushing the pace

Leigh attempts to find her zen in a sliver of slot canyon sun

Lingering post hike

Before we knew it, a few days accumulated themselves into a full week and sadly, it was time to leave this wonderful place and our good company behind.

Fortunately, our retreat to HMB is limited.  In two weeks we’ll hitch the Airstream and once again travel to the lovely southwest desert – this time our destination being Arizona.  Celebrating Christmas with Kelly’s family and rolling into 2014 someplace not yet determined, she and I will undoubtedly be contemplating how is it that another year has passed so quickly.