Road Trip To IWCE: Home Again, Home Again Jigity Jig

On 03.16.10, In Las Vegas, Pahrump NV, Ride Report, Train, By Dan

SUNDAY March 14, O Dark Thirty, UGH! TIRED. Should I get up or try to get some more sleep? I should sleep, but I am restless to go home.

This is one of those days when there doesn’t seem to be enough caffeine on the planet to wake me up. To the hotel coffee shop for breakfast. Pack the car, check out, rolling by 6:30AM, which is really 5:30AM cause the clocks changed overnight for daylight savings time. I don’t see any so they must be saving it for later.

The preferred route is north through the desert through some really beautiful country, but counting the hours I realize that will put me in the Sunday evening Tahoe westbound rush after about 8 hours driving. So back to Las Vegas on the NV 160, south on I-15 to west bound CA 58 and back up CA 99 to Sacramento.

It was a good choice, traffic was pretty light most of the way. Tired? Yes, but not too tired to take pictures. The sun is about to peek over the mountains.

Over the summit on the Las Vegas side the sun is just up. Photographers call this the magic hour. I look left and pull over for this picture.

Apparently there is some history to this area.

Into Las Vegas, Yes, there is a Starbucks right by the 15. I’m gassed up, coffee’d up, let’s roll. At Barstow, switching to 58 west, racing the train.

That’s about it! What a week. The rest of the drive was just a routine drive, except for the trying to stay awake part.

Lucy, I’m home.

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Road Trip To IWCE: What Can I Say About Thursday?

On 03.15.10, In Hotels, Las Vegas, Pahrump NV, By Dan

Thursday was pretty much like Wednesday, minus the party after the trade show.

The Imperial Palace where I stayed is pretty worn down, but cheap and on the monorail line. Anyone who has spent exorbitant amounts on Las Vegas taxis will appreciate that. That also means the hotel is in a constant state of repair, or should I say needing repair. It took me 40 minutes to get an elevator empty enough to get down from the 14th floor. Only one of three was running, and the whole dang tower must have been trying to go down for breakfast. If I had not  been on my way to check out and carrying all my stuff, I would have taken the stairs.

Speaking of breakfast, since I was already late anyway, I decided to have some. This is Hash House A Go Go in the hotel. It is isolated at the top of its own elevator, which has this decorative door, and has VERY good breakfast. The service was good too.

I had this scrambled egg, bacon, avocado and chive thing and it was REALLY good. The griddled mashed potatoes rocked.

Delicious Breakfast (tastes better than it looks)

I checked out of the hotel and after another long day on the trade show floor, drove to Pahrump NV. I checked into the Saddle West Hotel and Casino. It was late, I was tired. A quick dinner in the hotel buffett and off to bed. Tomorrow, Front Sight!

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Road Trip To IWCE: Las Vegas Wild Wednesday

On 03.11.10, In Hotels, Las Vegas, Uncategorized, By Dan

OK, maybe not so wild, but the title sounded good. There was a good company party afterwards.

If you’ve never been to one, this is what a trade show looks like.

It doesn’t really really matter what industry, they all look similar. Carpeted rows separating booths at some hotel or convention center, some more imaginative and larger than others, with vendors hawking their wares. Las Vegas is one of the more popular destinations.

Many of the manufacturers throw parties for their customers. Even if you do not represent one of them it is not usually hard to get into at least one.

Here’s a Skyline pic followed by some from the party at the House Of Blues at the Mandalay Bay. The party featured a Blues Brothers Revue. The band was good and the faux Jake and Elwood were pretty good too.







Sorry, but no pics of the revelers. Suffice it to say the drinks were flowing freely and a late night was had by many, followed no doubt by a painful early morning, LOL.

We’re hitting the home stretch on the trade show. the plan is to check out this morning, finish out today at the trade show, and then it is off to Pahrump for the two day defensive hand gun class at Front Sight.

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If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be Las Vegas

On 03.09.10, In Hotels, Las Vegas, By Dan

Day Three, survived the all afternoon marathon meeting in a cramped overly warm room. Why are hotel meeting rooms always too cold, or more than likely too warm. It’s hard enough to stay awake without making it toasty, no sweaty in there. Tomorrow the trade show starts, yay.

This is across the strip strip walking back from the Flamingo to the Imperial Palace.

This is the view from my room, well the slice of it worth looking at.

We met one of our Principals at Toby Keith’s I love This Bar, conveniently located next door at Harrah’s.

The drinks were expensive, but the food was reasonable and actually pretty good. Toby was nice enough to take a picture with me.

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Road Trip To IWCE: Day Two, Second Leg To Vegas

On 03.08.10, In Hotels, Las Vegas, By Dan

A road trip doesn’t really feel like a road trip until I wake up and hit the road from someplace else on day two. That’s when I really know I’m not on just a day ride (or drive in this case).

Waking up in the desert is always a pleasure. The landscape is so big, and it goes on forever. Last night’s thunderstorm is nowhere to be found. Weather is clear and cool, in the 50′s. There is a bit of a crosswind.

Last night’s room at the Ramada Inn in Barstow was pretty good. Comfy bed and quiet. I just checked into the Imperial Palace here on the Vegas Strip. They actually have a 13th floor here, I am not on it. They are jack hammering out the pool down below, so I feel like I am in the Travel Website commercial where the guy gets a cheap rate on the Hotel, and finds out why when he gets there. I hope they don’t work at night.

The MiFi is working, but only if I put it out on the balcony. If it goes dead, I can use the hotel wifi, for a price. You didn’t think internet was free in a $40.00 per night hotel did you?

You see the strangest things traveling across the desert. There was nowhere to stop where the really strange ones were, but here is a Baker landmark:

And I ran into an old friend from LA:

Crossing the Nevada State line (without intent)…

It’s off to the first meeting. I’m not sure when I’ll have time to chime in again, but the meeting would bore you anyway.

That’s all for now.

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Road Trip: Viva Las Vegas

On 03.07.10, In Firearms Training, Las Vegas, By Dan

Next week is IWCE week. The International Wireless Communications Expo is the main trade show for my industry and it is held in Las Vegas annually. So I go to Vegas at least once a year whether I need it or not.

You are probably thinking AWESOME! Shows, drinking, dining, gambling, carousing, staying out all night! It’s not as glamorous as you might think. Mostly it is two days of meetings and two days of standing on the trade show floor for hours at a time at the Convention Center. It is a lot of work, but  a great business networking opportunity, and who knows, maybe a little fun can be snuck in….

Bonus: Front Site Firearms Training Institute

After the show it’s off to Pahrump NV to attend a two-day defensive handgun training class refresher. If you haven’t heard of Front Sight, check it out. If you have an opportunity to attend a Front Sight class, don’t miss it.

YouTube Preview Image

I’m headed out today midday and hope to make Mojave, or maybe Barstow, then roll into Vegas tomorrow. If anything post worthy pops up, I’ll tweet or post it.

See you in a week.

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