Days #551-556 of Our Epic Trip

5-6-2025
H: 71ºF L: 57ºF
Thousand Trails Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada

We finished seeing the “Utah Mighty Five” national parks which include:

– Bryce Canyon National Park
– Capital Reef National Park
– Arches National Park
– Canyonlands National Park
– Zion National Park

Each park was unique in its features and beauty. Daniel’s favorite was Canyonland because it seemed so vast with great long range views. My favorite was Arches because most of the main features could be driven to rather than requiring a long hike and the arches and hoodoos were impressive.

We also noticed a greater need to use the restroom while in these parks and, after a google search, learned that “the body’s adjustments to higher altitudes can disrupt fluid balance, leading to increased urination” [source]. We have learned so much during our travels!

Today we traveled from Utah to Las Vegas, NV. It rained while we were setting up our camper but stopped shortly after. We have a lot of things on our list to see in Las Vegas. Fun fact: Daniel proposed to me in Las Vegas in 2022! We both feel that our lives started when we met each other.

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5-7-2025
H: 81°F L: 57°F
Thousand Trails Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada

While looking for fun things to do and see in the area, I came across some interesting information. Apparently in the 1940-1950s, people actually moved to the Las Vegas area to be close to the Nevada Test Site where they tested nuclear bombs. People would enjoy the mushroom cloud of a bomb while having a cocktail. This was obviously before the major health risks of being near a nuclear bomb site were well known. In fact, the impacts of the 100 atmospheric bombs detonated 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas did put people at risk. The significant radiation effects occurred within 100 miles of the test site especially if the area was downwind. The underground detonations contaminated ground water. Interestingly, the test site was active until 1992 – nothing screams the US government doesn’t care about its citizens like continuing to test nuclear bombs near people after the effects of nuclear radiation were well known.

We explored some archaic places today. We started with The Simpson’s House. This house was made to look just like the house from the cartoon. Even the inside was a replica with bright colors and furnishings to match everything on The Simpson’s. Fox and Pepsi teamed up to raffle the house off in 1997. The house has changed color over the years but has retained the structure of the cartoon house. It definitely stood out in the subdivision with its chimney and asphalt roofing. This article has a picture of the house when it was first built and explains a little more of the saga behind this one-of-a-kind house.

Next we went to Seven Magic Mountains which are brightly colored stacked boulders in the middle of nowhere by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone. They are next to a highway so we didn’t have to go out of our way to see them. They are larger than we thought they would be.

As we continued south, this sign in Jean, NV called my name from a shuttered casino.

Our last stop for the day was Primm, NV. We stopped at a thrift store which was closed on a Wednesday at 3pm and attached to the abandoned Primm Mall. We found a door propped open so we went in the abandoned mall and found it full of art and graffiti. It had lights on and music playing which gave an eerie effect. We took pictures of the artwork and found the place to be really cool. As we were walking through the mall, the lights shut off and the music stopped. I picked up the pace to the exit because I know how horror movies start. Daniel, however, lollygagged like he has no sense of self preservation and had never seen a horror movie in his life.

Connected to the mall was Primm Valley Resort and Casino which looked closed but had a few cars in the parking lot. We went in and found two people using slot machines and one employee. Much of the space was empty. This casino is obviously going to close very soon. After some sleuthing and talking to a man who works in accounting, we learned the three large casinos in this small town are owned by the same company, Affinity Interactive. They closed the casino on the other side of the highway, Whiskey Pete’s Hotel and Casino, in December 2024. Overall, it left a sad, apocalyptic impression. It was what I imagine being in a zombie movie would feel like but without the zombies.

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5-8-2025
H: 88ºF L: 60ºF
Thousand Trails Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada

We went to an RV dealer to pick up a part for our camper awning. We had fun looking in the campers they had on display in their showroom. We found one very small camper with the most spacious layout and I loved it. The Riverside RV Retro 135 with optional dinette is 16′ long and only weighs 2680 pounds. Note: Riverside RV was acquired by Sunset Park RV in 2024 but they still make this model.

In the evening, we sat outside with our neighbors, Wayne and Kristi, and enjoyed getting to know them.

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5-9-2025
H: 95ºF L: 67ºF
Thousand Trails Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada

We went to Goodsprings, NV to Pioneer Saloon and had a drink. The saloon has been in continuous operation since 1913. It has a storied history with bullet holes in the wall from a 1915 shooting stemming from claim of cheating during a poker game and original tin walls from Sears and Roebuck. Clark Gable sat at the bar for three days awaiting news on the fate of his wife, Carole Lombard, whose plane had crashed. The bar is still heated with the original pot belly stove built with parts of a Civil War cannon.

The saloon had some great signs too!

Next we went to Cactus Joe’s Blue Diamond Nursery. They had some neat things but I was hoping to find a small cactus to be a token of our time in the desert. They had a very small collection of small cacti.

Last we took the scenic drive through Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. It was really pretty but you do need to get a $2 reservation on www.recreation.gov to enter the park. Luckily, the park ranger was really nice and helped us get a reservation on the spot. We were hoping to see a desert tortoise but no such luck. Daniel even got his binoculars out to scour the desert for these elusive creatures.

This guy seemed as curious about us as we were about him.

I’m still in awe of the cactus flowers. I promise there won’t be too many more pictures of them!

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5-10-2025
H: 99ºF L: 71ºF
Thousand Trails Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada

Daniel did something totally cool this morning. He went to Dig This Las Vegas and learned how to use a bulldozer. This was for educational purposes (for working on our Tennessee property) and for fun. Brian, the instructor, was nice and easy to talk to.

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5-11-2025
H: 99°F L: 78°F
Thousand Trails Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada

Happy Mother’s Day! To celebrate we got up and took the boys for an early walk before it got too hot and then we sat outside and had coffee.

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Stats

Expenses:

• Tesla Cybertruck fuel: $0
• Tesla Model X fuel: $0
• Campsite: $0
• Camping memberships: $32.80
• Food: $184.89

Tesla Cybertruck miles driven: 175 (114.5 kWh)

Tesla Model X miles driven: 267.9 (67 kWh)

Number of people asking about the Tesla pulling the camper: 1

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