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A Groupon to the Grand Canyon

Posted on by Justin

We purchased a Groupon for a sunset tour to the Grand Canyon several months ago, and we’ve been waiting for the right time to cash it in.  We bought it with a couple of friends, and between all our busy schedules, it’s been hard to get sync’ed up.  Finally, though, we got it together so we could finally enjoy our trip to the Grand Canyon.

Our morning started at 7:30, when Grand-Adventures.com picked us up at the MGM Grand hotel.  It was early, particularly for a weekend, but that was the deal.

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The tour was out and back in one day, and included breakfast and lunch.  Breakfast was a McDonald’s breakfast.  On our way out, as we pulled off the interstate, we couldn’t help but notice that we were getting off at the exit that we lived at (our house is about a mile from I-215).  It was, unfortunate, that our McDonald’s was right next by the house – some smart planning would have let us sleep in another hour – such is Life.  Breakfast was great, though.

On our way out, we made several stops.  I’m still not completely sure why we stopped quite so many times.  We stopped at the Hoover Dam, which made sense, since the tour mostly targets tourists to Las Vegas.  We just parked and took a peak at the dam, and checked out the overlooks.  Our driver, Julio, had some interesting tidbits about the dam, and then we moved on.

Then we stopped at Arizona’s Last Stop – a biker bar on the way into Arizona on Rt. 93 – for a pit stop.  Then we stopped in Kingman, AZ for gas.  Then, we came to Seligman, AZ, which Julio told us was the inspiration for Radiator Springs in the Disney/Pixar movie “Cars.”  It was a sleepy little town, which mostly met all the expectations of a town which might be alleged to be the inspiration for Radiator Springs.

Check out the eyes on the cars.

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Even the bathroom was quirky!

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The last stop on the way to the Grand Canyon was a gift shop about 30 minutes outside the National Park.  It had all sorts of interesting things inside…

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We thought these carved, wooden bears were cute.

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However, when grouped into a huge army, the carved, wooden bears were just creepy.

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Finally, about 3 pm (note that’s 7.5 hours from when we were picked up), we arrived at the Grand Canyon.  As we pulled into the park, I saw a small cart being drawn by a dog… how very curious.  I had to snap a shot.

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We had a nice packed lunch of Arby’s Harvest sandwiches (provided by Grand Adventures), before heading out on a hike around part of the South Rim.  The Grand Canyon is pretty impressive.

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As you begin to hike, you really begin to get a feeling for how big things are.  Not that it ever looks small, but it does feel like no matter how far you hike, you’re never going to make any progress on getting anywhere.  It’s big.

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Can you see the guy standing out on the rock formation?  White shirt, and about the size of an ant?  No?  Try this picture – I zoomed in as much as I could…

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It’s huge.  Like HUGE.

We hiked along for probably something like a mile before we came to an overlook.  It really wasn’t strenuous or rough hiking, which was just a touch disappointing, but since you’re at 7,000 feet elevation, you’re definitely getting winded at this point.

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The Wife was, as always, patient while I shot all sorts of pictures.

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After the overlook, we jumped on the bus, which was hauled us up to another overlook.  We were pretty impressed with the amenities available at the park.  The cabins were nice.  The buses were handy.  Everything was well-maintained.

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It was right about now that we were lamenting that we didn’t have the opportunity to go down onto the canyon floor.  I would think that feeling of size would only be exacerbated being down on the floor of the canyon, looking up at everything and the sheer size of the canyon.  It was a pretty nice view, though, from the rim of the canyon.

After another couple stops and some intermediate hiking, we jumped on the bus to head back to parking lot, before the sun started to set.

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We found a great overlook to hang out on and watch the sunset.  The weather had been perfect all day, but it was starting to get just a bit cool.  There were maybe a couple of hundred folks hanging out on the ledge watching the sunset.  It certainly wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty cool.

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Once the sun was gone, we jumped on the bus and headed back to Vegas.  It was about 7:30, and I was doing the math on how long it would take to get back… 7.5 hours would bring us in around 4 am.  I was not looking forward to it.  Fortunately, we made only one stop back in Kingman for gas.  We made it home in about 4.5 hours, rolling into Vegas about midnight.  We had to drop off some folks at one of the other hotels, first, before heading back to the MGM Grand, and then making our way home.

We finally got home around 1 am.  It was a LONG day.  In many ways, it wasn’t worth it – it was SUCH a whirlwind tour of the Grand Canyon, that we feel we left a lot of experiences behind.  On the other hand, it Grand Canyon is SO remote, that if you don’t think you’ll have an opportunity to see it sometime, and you have limited time in Vegas, a day-tour would be a great way to check it off your list.  The price was great with a coupon, but it would probably be worth it to pay full price, if marking one of the Natural Wonders off your list was a big deal to you.

Speaking of the Seven Natural Wonders, since we saw the Great Barrier Reef last year, and then the Grand Canyon this year, we’ve decided to try to get to one a year until all of them are done (although, we’ve agreed that we probably will have to settle for something less than climbing Mount Everest).

The Atomic Testing Museum

Posted on by Justin

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A couple weeks ago, there was a Groupon for the Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas.  Being a geeky engineer, I had already been really excited to go to the museum at some point, but with the reduced price ($6/person, I think), I was VERY excited.  While my parents were in town the weekend of the 4th, we decided to hit it up and see what it was all about.

We weren’t really sure how long to dedicate to the museum, so we got there around noon.  It’s located on Flamingo, a short cab ride or a long [but reasonable] walk from the Strip.  It’s kind of a non-descript building, really, tucked right off of the UNLV campus (or maybe even ON the UNLV campus, I’m not really sure).

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We went in and paid our fees.  And at the entrance we found a cut-out of none-other-than THE Miss Atomic Bomb 1957.  She’s the one on the left.  The one on the right is my dad.

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I’ll spin the tale of Miss Atomic Bomb 1957 after I finish with the museum.

They told us that there were no pictures (cameras) allowed in the museum, so you’ll have to settle for my narrative. 

So we entered the exhibit hall, which had pretty cool doors that were built to look like they could handle “the fallout.”  The museum was exactly what you might expect, and yet nothing like you might expect, all in one.  The museum details the history of nuclear testing from its start during WWII, up to modern times.  Its biggest focus is on the Nevada Test Site, located outside of Las Vegas, but it discusses all facets of nuclear testing.

I think we spent about an hour and a half in the museum, although, it might have been a little longer.  I could have spent 4 hours there easily.  I was holding us up, though, as the Wife right zipped through.  There was a lot of information that I expected to see, like a discussion about how nuclear reactions occur, mostly focusing on fission.   There was a letter from Albert Einstein encouraging President Roosevelt to pursue a “sustained nuclear chain reaction.”  There were pictures of Fat Man and Little Boy.  There were pictures of buildings being destroyed during a nuclear test.  All the standard stuff that you’ve probably seen, but aggregated into one place.

But then there were things that I didn’t really expect to see.  Like an entire collection of Geigercounters.  Or a complete list of testing events that occurred at the testing site.  Or why, aside from the sheer remoteness of the Nevada desert, the test site had been designated where it was.  I hadn’t thought about the fact that in the 1950s, there was a distinct national security issue associated with performing nuclear testing outside of the continental United States, so being remote was far more than just a safety issue.  I also had never realized how much bigger a hydrogen bomb is over a simple fission bomb.  They had a whole section on an island that was completely destroyed by the first hydrogen bomb test in the South Pacific, sent shockwaves through the ocean for dozens of miles, and scared some of the seasoned testing veterans observing the test.

And then there were things that I hadn’t even thought about.  Like how tests are actually done.  How the underground tunnels were constructed, alone, was fascinating.  I had never thought about the fact that simply GETTING data from the instruments was a challenge, because they were all destroyed by the explosion!  What do you do with all the radioactive material after the explosion? It’s all at the museum.  All very objectively laid out with a good global context included to help frame the events.

As the museum came to a close, there was a bit of a non sequitur.  There was a piece of steel from one of the twin towers there, and a 9/11 memorial.  We couldn’t really figure out what the connection between atomic testing and 9/11 was, but it was interesting to see, kinda like a baseball signed by Babe Ruth right at the end of a tour of Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

So what about Miss Atomic Bomb, 1957?  Well, we were hoping to find the story in the museum, but we never did, so my Dad asked one of the employees (most were former employees at the test site).  As it turns out, when the testing first started, and above ground tests were still conducted, you could actually see the explosions from Las Vegas, out in the desert on the horizon.  Eventually, people in Las Vegas would have atomic parties, where they would live it up all night, and watch the mushroom cloud on the horizon in the morning (detonations were frequently in the early morning).  As it turns out, for one rooftop party (Operation Plumbbob), they held a beauty pageant, and crowned Miss Atomic Bomb 1957.  She worked at the Sands Hotel as a showgirl.  The museum worker said she retired to California and recently died.  Her infamy lives on, however, in that picture.

So aside from the 9/11 memorial, which, while touching, just seemed out of place, the Atomic Testing Museum was a great find.  I definitely see myself going back several times over the next couple years with friends that come to visit, until I get my fill.  We’ll see what the Wife has to say.

Graceland – A Memphis Must

Posted on by Justin

We did not get up particularly early in Nashville.  We had plenty of time to get to Little Rock, so we took our time getting up and out.  We even had a chance to blog.

The Wife wanted to go to Graceland.  It seems like “THE” thing to do in Memphis if you only have a couple hours. 

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To be honest, when I realized we were going to Graceland, I was more interested in seeing the morbidity of what I envisioned as hordes of visitors demanding to know his REAL whereabouts, insisting he was still alive.  Or watching a huge gathering of fans sing terrible renditions of his greatest hits in memoriam of his career.

Now, to be clear, I’m not a fan of Elvis.  I evidently don’t know that much about him.  His music is from a different era.  He died before I was conceived.  From my academic perspective, he seems like more of figure for the history books, than a performing spectacle. 

After our trip down I-40, we reached Memphis, and then made it out to Graceland.  When we got to the ticket gate,  it was $10 to park and $30/person to get in. 

!?!?!

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I was beginning to wonder what the Wife had gotten us into.  She appeared a bit sinister.

IMG_8365We paid our fees, and took the shuttle bus to the mansion.  It was not like I expected.  This phrase, actually, would be the theme of my visit to Graceland. 

Named for a previous owner of the estate, Elvis purchased the home and nearly 14 acres in the 1950s for just over $100,000.  The house was more modest than I expected from Elvis. 

From the ticket office, we took the shuttle across the street to the mansion.  It was big, but not huge.  Additions had built it up to be several thousands of square feet, but the original house was not cavernous.  The basic tour allowed us to walk through the first floor and basement of the home.

As we walked in the house, we were greeted with the living room and dining room.  The rooms were mostly in the condition they were in when Elvis died.  It was like the house had been preserved as a memorial for those who wished to honor Elvis, and a chronicle for those who never had the opportunity to know about him.

IMG_8390 It wasn’t what I expected.  You’ll notice that I use this phrase a lot during this post.

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I had always thought of Elvis like any other modern “celebrity.”  I knew he was raised poor in Tupelo, MS, but I didn’t know that he pledged to provide his parents with a better life when he got older.  As he approached super-stardom, and after he purchase Graceland, he made good on his promise.  His parents moved into Graceland with him, along with his grandmother.  His parents lived on the first floor.

IMG_8392Elvis, however, lived on the top floor, and it was considered his private area.  It is also where he died.  In memorial of his private solace, visitors are still not allowed upstairs.

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The first floor seemed so much like a HOME, rather than some eccentric spectacle.  You could imagine a family living there, with a child or two running around.  It was so peaceful and… normal.  The Wife said made her feel nostalgic; reminding her of her grandparents’ home when she was growing up.  I didn’t immediately feel that way, but in hindsight, I don’t think that’s an inaccurate description.

We went to the basement, which was more what I expected from “the king.”  One room was outfitted with three TVs after Elvis heard that President Eisenhower was able to watch all three network broadcasts at the same time.  This was probably the most interesting room on the tour for me.

IMG_8404He also had a pool room, which had the most ludicrous decor.  It was dark, but just look at the illuminated part of the wall.

IMG_8406 Then we went back upstairs to see the jungle room.  This is widely regarded as the most interesting room in the house by most, but it didn’t quite do it for me.  I took several pictures, but it was so dark, none of them came out except a goofy picture of me taking a picture of myself in a mirror.

Then we headed through the back yard to the office Elvis had built for his father, Vernon, who essentially functioned as his manager.  He also had two administrative assistants (secretaries at the time).

IMG_8419 We crossed the back yard again to check out the trophy room, where Elvis’ awards were kept.   Up to this point, the tour had been interesting, and really not what I expected, but this is where it really began to go from, “how quaint,” to “holy crap, this guy was incredible!”  Look at this hallway.

IMG_8429This is only one half of the hall.  The other side of the hall was just as decorated and impressive.  Elvis held, effectively, every significant musical record during his life.  The tour alleged he has sold over 1 Billion records worldwide.  1 Billion.  Burgers is one things for McDonald’s.  There’s a good chance in a year, I’m going to buy 5-10 burgers from McDonald’s.  But there’s no way I’m going to buy 5-10 Elvis records in a year.  Even if I WERE a fan, I might buy 1?  1 Billion worldwide.  That’s incredible.

From the trophy hall, we walked into an area that held costumes from his acting career.

IMG_8436 These are the kinds of outfits I always imagined Elvis wearing.  Yet, when you hear the interviews about his life, and you see the house, they somehow seem appropriate for him; and not outlandish.  He performed live in the early part of his career, along with being drafted and serving in the military.  He met his wife, Pricilla, while serving.  Then he moved to films.  He performed in 31 films in 13 years.  Do the math.  That’s almost 2.5 movies per year, for 13 years!  During this time, he really didn’t perform live. 

It also had a section about the charity he provided.  Aside from providing for his family, he frequently paid off debts or purchased homes for those in need.  One section had a large picture frame, filled with cashed checks given as charity to people around him. 

It was here that I really began to see him as a whole person.  Here he was, this huge, mega-star, and yet he was a personal philanthropist, prominent American, and wonderful son.  He didn’t invent rock and roll, but he made it relevant to so many strata of society.  He appealed to the poor, because of his roots growing up.  He appealed young people because of his sex appeal.  He appealed to older audiences because of his wholesome family values.  And his attitude and personality fueled the juggernaut that was his career, making him otherwise unstoppable in international markets.  I liked him because he seemed so genuine.  I had always imagined him as being a huge personality, which was really just an act.  Graceland, though, showed that he really WAS the person on stage; a huge presence, and indeed, a bit eccentric.

Then we headed out to the racquetball court.  Yes, he had a racquetball court built on the property.  Today, though, its basically the trophy annex, because the one building wasn’t big enough.

IMG_8444Holy crap.  Is this the RIAA’s warehouse?  Or did the warehouse vomit all over Graceland?

This is also where the tour showed his “Aloha from Hawaii” performance.  Brought to the world “via satellite,” the performance was seen by over 1.5 Billion people worldwide, and more Americans than the moon landing.  1.5 Billion people!  Today, 30 years later, that’s still 5 times the entire population of the United States.  He was so beloved by the world.  I have tried to come up with a modern-day comparison, but haven’t been able to, yet.  Maybe Princess Diana? 

As we left the trophy annex (my term, not theirs), we passed the pasture where there’s still horses kept on the property. 

IMG_8423They were gorgeous.  We thought of our friend Kindell, who rides horses.  

IMG_8441 Then we made our way to the gravesite.  Once again, not what I expected.  I assumed that there were hordes of people that simply sat and mourned his loss, day in and day out.  It was quiet and somber, which I expected.  I didn’t expect it to be quite so touching, though.  He was laid to rest along with his parents and grandmother.  There was also a marker memorializing his brother, who is buried in Mississippi.

IMG_8459 It was generally a pretty understated grave.  People had laid flowers on the grave.  You’ll notice a teddy bear, also.

IMG_8461 At the base of the grave marker, you’ll notice the lightning bolt, with the initials “TCB”.  If you look back to the “3 TV room,” you’ll notice the same lightning bolt on the wall, along with the TCB.  It stood for “Taking Care of Business in a Flash,” which was Elvis’ motto.  Otherwise, though, it was a life-size grave for a larger than life personality.

IMG_8463The only thing that stood out as being particularly flashy was the eternal flame, located at the head of the grave marker.  IMG_8464As we rounded the corner to catch the shuttle back to the parking lot, we noticed this sign.  We thought it was pretty cool. 

IMG_8471It was a pretty quiet ride back to parking lot.  I was amazed at how much of a global impact Elvis had.  I hadn’t seen any protesters demanding to know the truth about Elvis’ death.  I hadn’t seen anyone sobbing over his death.  I had just seen people, remembering someone that had a tremendous impact, like a president or an astronaut. 

We made the obligatory stop by the gift shop, where I got a shooter glass (I try to get a shooter glass anywhere I go), and the Wife picked up an Elvis Pez dispenser.

IMG_8479 It was a wonderful experience, and one that I would recommend to anyone heading through Memphis.  If you are an Elvis fan, you’ll love remembering him.  If you’re not an Elvis fan, you’ll enjoy learning about him.

Long live the King.