Colorado to Nevada - A mag moves to Vegas

**wahama88** · 10-03-2006, 07:02 PM

As some of you know I have decided to make the move to Las Vegas this past week. My girlfriend Nikki is the first woman that is patient to put up with me

and still laugh at me. We have been dating for the last 10 months doing the long distance thing. What a better excuse to go to Vegas 15 times in one year

. We started talking about if we wanted to live together and then started talking about WHO wanted to move. Well the thought of getting to live in Vegas sounded freaking awesome. Only downside to this move is that it puts me that much farther away from the snow and the mountains. So we'll see how much that will affect my sanity.

We decided to take it easy driving out and doing it over 2 days rather than trying to do the whole thing in 1 day. The first time I made the drive 5 years ago (yeah Dave you better fuckin remember why I went out

) we made it in under 10 hours driving about 100 miles an hour. Loaded up with a U-Haul trailer and the truck full of crap the going was a bit slower. We head out of Fort Collins at about 10:30am and started making our way up. As you can see the mountains don't get much more beautiful than that.

Driving up over vail pass was incredible. Its not everyday that you can go up on the pass when its 70 degress, the aspens are changing, and there is 3 feet of snow on the ground. My my how I am going to miss it this place. But, on the upside its only an hour and a half by plane

Some more pics driving down the western slope of Colorado through Grand Junction and on to the Utah desert. The scenery aint to shabby either....

Driving out west of Grand Junction the landscape completly changes. It seems like you are transported to an entirely different world. The mountains literally just drop off right at the border and you enter into a world only god and mother nature could ever create or duplicate.

Nikki enjoying the view on one of several stops

We stopped for the evening in a small town called Green River, Utah and checked into one of their fabulous hotels called the Comfort Inn

. Since there was a distinct lack of booze or anything else in town, we took it easy, got some dinner, and deceded to get an early start the next morning.

**wahama88** · 10-03-2006, 07:17 PM

We get up at about 6:30am the next morning and hit the road within the next hour. This part of Utah is extremely desolate but absolutley stunning.

This is where our drive got a little sketchy. When we left, we had about 95 miles to go to Salina UT and I had a little more than half a tank of gas and I figured that would be plenty to get to the next town. We get on the I-70 (past the sign that says "No services for the next 97 miles) and begin our way. Well with the addition of the trailer and lots of mountain passes and shifting the gas dimished alot quicker than we anticipated. This was the situation 4 miles from the station

Luckily we coasted in ou fumes, but damn that would have been a shitty way to learn that lesson. Yet another story that my girlfriend will never let go

We made it through the rest of the way through Utah without anymore incidents. Driving through Southern Utah by Zion and Bryce and the Northwest corner of Arizona are awesome.

Lots of fire damage outside of St.George. Entire hillsides charred to the ground. Freakin erie

Much like Utah, you pull out of the mountains in Arizona and you are ejected right into the Mojave desert. Extremely beautiful in their own right, but the Rockies are undoubtly my favorite.

Sin City becoming to come into view

Although it is bittersweet to be leaving Colorado, it is always my home. I'm sure that there will be a few future trips in the works to come explore the playground called Colorado

For any of you Las Vegas mags, if there are any, it me up any chance you get. I'm always up for hitting the bars or the hills with fellow mags. As for the rest of ya, if you ever happen to visit (and I can't imagine why anyone would want to

) give me a holler if you need a hookup or a place to crash

**Blurred** · 10-03-2006, 07:23 PM

I know exactly where you were when each one of those pics was taken...guess I've driven that road a few times. Enjoy your stay in the Watermelon capital of the world?

I'll prolly be back in Vegas in about a month with Mir....even though we just got back. Working on meeting g4n there, haven't seen him since we were in Vegas in June...anyway, I'm there a lot. You better get a good job at a nice hotel so you can hook us up!

I'll get a hold of you before we go.

**cdlv** · 10-03-2006, 08:12 PM

welcome to vegas

TGR Vegas showing of Anomoly @ jillians coming up in a few weeks.
it's certainly not like living inn Colorado, but SLC and Mammoth are both 5 hours drive, Brian Head 3 hours and there is always LVSR if yr jonsin for some turns in a short distance from town.

**steve** · 10-03-2006, 08:30 PM

vegas is where my marathon happens to be.. december 10th.. perhaps beers are in order.

**Pedro** · 10-03-2006, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by steve

vegas is where my marathon happens to be.. december 10th.. perhaps beers are in order.

Yes, beers, strippers and Pai Gow.

**iskibc** · 10-03-2006, 08:45 PM

Good luck out there RJ. As a maggot and friend I've known the longest you will surely be missed around these parts. I'll be sure to keep the Trailhead Tavern in business and give you the usual phone call after a deep dawn patrol outing.

Look for a visit sometime after the new year. Fay is itching to get out there and I am too. We'll be expecting the grand tour of the city of many sins.

**Rossimo** · 10-03-2006, 08:50 PM

i heard there is some really good climbing around vegas. you could hit up some backcountry in the la salles just outside of moab, that might be sweet.

**Rossimo** · 10-03-2006, 08:52 PM

nice pics by the way man.

**BakerBoy** · 10-03-2006, 09:09 PM

SIA roll call!

**Will** · 10-03-2006, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by Rossimo

i heard there is some really good climbing around vegas.

There is.

Bolt-clipping + long trad routes = fun.

google = Red Rocks climbing

**Jumper Bones** · 10-03-2006, 11:10 PM

Where in Vegas will you be living?

I went to High School there, lived in the Green Valley area. Pecos & Windmill.

**squirrelmurphy** · 10-03-2006, 11:34 PM

Cool man. I'll be there for the first two weeks of december, bumming around not doing much of anything. Turns are definitely in order.

Where are you living?

**Squirrel99** · 10-04-2006, 12:25 AM

Great shot of Glenwood Canyon

We're losing one from the PNW too! Be sure to hook up with the Zeedash when he lands in Vega$ just after the new year.

**hamper** · 10-04-2006, 03:32 AM

Originally Posted by BlurredElevens

I know exactly where you were when each one of those pics was taken.

Like anyone could even know that.

Name 'em then, tough guy!

**shera** · 10-04-2006, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by BakerBoy

SIA roll call!

Now there's a thought.

**shera** · 10-04-2006, 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by hamper

Name 'em then, tough guy!

Just watch.

I felt the same way when I looked at the pics. But I've only made that drive 3 or 4 tiimes and flown the rest. That's as close as I ever get to Utah mountains.

**shera** · 10-04-2006, 06:30 AM

RJ, that woman is superfine!

I'm totally psyched to see the two of you in Vegas. It might be tough to have any fun there, but we'll try.

I'm so curious - will you be at the Wynn?

**Jim S** · 10-04-2006, 07:39 AM

Great TR.

It's only a 6 hour drive or 50 minute flight to ski mania in Tahoe.

**Yeti** · 10-04-2006, 08:30 AM

Nice sago palm.

**wahama88** · 10-04-2006, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by BlurredElevens

I know exactly where you were when each one of those pics was taken...guess I've driven that road a few times. Enjoy your stay in the Watermelon capital of the world?

I'll prolly be back in Vegas in about a month with Mir....even though we just got back. Working on meeting g4n there, haven't seen him since we were in Vegas in June...anyway, I'm there a lot. You better get a good job at a nice hotel so you can hook us up!

I'll get a hold of you before we go.

Yeah dude, of all the things that they do out there, they are nuts about their watermelons. No mention of Moab, or Grand Canyon.....just their damn watermelons

**wahama88** · 10-04-2006, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by Jumper Bones

Where in Vegas will you be living?

I went to High School there, lived in the Green Valley area. Pecos & Windmill.

We're right off of W. Hacienda and Decatur, only about 4 miles off the strip

**wahama88** · 10-04-2006, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by SheRa

I'm so curious - will you be at the Wynn?

Mir - Yeah I'm working on getting a job out here. The Wynn is on my list of interviews. Right now I'm just wanting to get a job. Its been a week and I'm going stir crazy already! I'll let you know what works out. Hey PM me, I need some info from you

**Blurred** · 10-04-2006, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by hamper

Like anyone could even know that.

Name 'em then, tough guy!

First, the terrain drastically changes from St. George to Mesquite. In between that is Arizona for a short ways. That's where the first two pics were shot, very close to each other. Last time I was there, I was doing about 140mph chasing g4N around the corners...it was more blurry than the pic....
Plus, those fires were raging then....hot as hell. Third one is just too easy, only one spot in the middle of Utah with terrain like that...

Good luck on the job RJ, Wynn might be tough. (employees are pissed about the whole tip sharing thing that just changed) Pm me for thoughts on all the hotels.