Viva Las Vegas

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Ernest Hemingway recommended to write drunk and edit sober. I've mastered the first part, but who has time for the second bit? To date we seem to have either partied hard and late, or been in bed by 8pm. There is no in between. So a bit of catching up to do.

We transitioned easily to riding on the right hand side of the road, and once I had successfully navigated the hotel carpark with no further interaction with the boomgate, it was a quick ride out of L.A. The speed limit on the freeways seemed pretty fluid, although we haven't quite got the mph to kmh conversion yet so we may have been going a little quicker than we were supposed to. We had our first stop for breakfast at an iHop, 2 hours in. The waitress was surprised when we ordered their special to share. It was a pile of eggs and bacon with massive hash brown, and two banana pancakes with syrup on the side. She empathised that she didn't eat much either.

Our goal on this trip is to stay off freeways wherever we can and ride the back roads through America. But there is only one road into Vegas and it is a mega-lane highway with not a bend in sight for 400kms. Not exactly a rider's road, but we didn't mind as we had a special date when we got there. We hit Nevada and there was no doubt we were in the desert. No trees or even scrub to be seen, and the temperature was now 43C. Not ideal for riding. We stopped a couple of times just to pour water all over us and sit in the gas station air con for awhile. About 30 miles out of Vegas the billboards started. There was one advertising Marijuana Cards, and I wasn't sure if they were greeting cards made out of marijuana, or if it was more of a credit card situation where you could book up your drug stash. And there was another one advertising Egg Sluts. Is that a chicken who lays more than once a day, or just someone who eats a lot of omelettes? These are the important thoughts that go through your head when you are at the end of a 470 km ride.

And then there it was, rising out of the flat desert plain, all the glitz and gaudiness that billions of dollars of gambling money can buy. We were in Vegas, baby.

We cruised down the strip and into the valet parking at the Bellagio. They didn't really know how to valet park two Harleys, but I just wanted the quickest and most direct route to the aircon and a shower. Entering the hotel was like entering a parallel alien world. I think the brief for the interior designer was Salvador Dali on LSD. Fortunately our room was lovely and relaxing, although I think our fountain view was more accurately carpark view with fountain glimpses.

After a shower and a relaxing G&T we were ready to put on our glad rags and head out. Although our space on the bikes is pretty tight, with packing cells and good planning, I've managed to fit in a few dresses and a pair of heels, so I was good to go. We wanted to catch a show but being Monday night a lot were closed, including Donny & Marie Osmond, which has been voted No 1 show in Vegas for three years in a row. I was pretty disappointed we'd be missing Donny. That hair! That smile! We settled for a few cocktails and a wander along the strip before heading to bed. We had a big day tomorrow.

Andrew was up early and started the day with a run down to Venice and back up to New York, via Egypt. Anything is possible in Vegas. After a few Lemon Drop cocktails last night (my new favourite) I had the brilliant idea of doing a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon. We found an 11am ride and away we went.

We flew out over town and Hoover Dam to start (Andrew most impressed that it was built under-budget and ahead of schedule), and then we came over the Canyon. Absolutely breathtaking. The walls of the canyon carved over so many millions of years from the power of water. Grand and majestic. As we flew through the gorges the walls rose on either side of us. It was a scale that neither of us had expected. We had lucked out with front seats so got an eagle-eye view as we toured the rivers and crevices before landing on a tiny flat stone on the edge of the canyon. Some time to wander about, have some lunch and then back in the chopper for one last cruise over the canyon before flying back over the strip, getting a great view of all the crazy hotels. An absolute highlight.

We got back late afternoon, just in time for my hair appointment and mani / pedi. We had a date with Elvis that night, and I wanted to look my best. They like their hair big in Vegas, and sprayed. My style was helmet-proof. While I was getting ready, Andrew, like most grooms, had a few hours to spare. He took his bike for a spin to the Vegas Harley dealership, apparently the biggest in the States. Oh, and he really needed another Harley t-shirt. But he did think of his bride as well, and bought me a lovely Harley stubby holder as a wedding present. What a keeper.

I had ordered a special dress on-line and had it delivered straight to the hotel (well actually I'd ordered two because I couldn't decide, and I'd return one). Andrew had rushed out in the morning and organised a hire suit. We glammed up and were ready to go. ARuss roared up the driveway of the Bellagio on his trusty steed, and I decorously perched side-saddle as his pillion. I had thought of riding my own bike, but I was in a dress and heels, and it was still 41c at 7pm, and no bride wants inner thigh burns on her wedding night.

Our first wedding was over 26 years ago, and a lot has happened since then. We've raised two amazing daughters, built successful businesses, had great adventures and experienced our share of challenges. We have moved and changed and grown and developed. We agreed we had fulfilled on the original contract we had signed on for, and were ready for a new one. I proposed another ten years, but Andrew bamboozled me with balloon payments and contract extensions and repeat clauses so I think I'm locked in for life. I'm okay with that.

I was ridiculously excited about getting married by Elvis. Just quietly, so was the man by my side. We parked in front of the Graceland Chapel and after a few preliminaries, Elvis walked out. He was tall and handsome and had that voice. And the glasses of course. This was really happening. Andrew took his place at the end of the Chapel and then Elvis walked me down the aisle, singing Can't Help Falling in Love. We had written our own vows which we shared with each other and then Elvis asked us to promise not to step on each other's blue suede shoes, never leave me at Heartbreak Hotel and Andrew will always be my hunka hunka burning love. Elvis sung a few more songs, we took some photos and it was over. It was the daggiest and coolest thing we have ever done.

We had a special wedding dinner to celebrate, including free dessert because we were newlyweds, and then wandered through the Casino. Apparently only 13% of the 41 million people that come to Vegas each year don't gamble. Andrew was keen to be in that population, but I was happy to be a sheep and throw my money away like the rest of them. Once he realised we got free drinks if we were gambling he became a bit more enthusiastic. We looked around for a quiet roulette table to join to warm up and get our eye in. Saw one with only a single player and were about to pull up some chairs until we noticed the minimum bet was $500. Single guy had most of the table covered. He won big and lost big, around $10,000 a game. He didn't look that happy. I won $58 on a pokie machine and was ecstatic. But then we gave it away to the lady at Blackjack. Those two free drinks cost us around $100. It was time to leave. Vegas was a great adventure, but I can't help feeling slightly dirty. Everything here is done to excess, a thin veneer of glitz and glam covering up a dirty underbelly. But Elvis. You are still and always will be, the King.

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Photos

Vegas
On the road to Vegas

Going to the Chapel
...and we're gonna get married

Comments

[Jim]

Loved the reference to the packing cells! Congratulations on the wedding version 2.

[FunLoveAdventure]

Oh Jim tell M-C those packing cells have changed our life! I give thanks for them every day.

[cathy fangmeier]

Impressed
I was Impressed by your blog and the Places you Visited i like to visit it

[pauline Houghton]

Missing You
Love your stories..So exciting to read.Love to you both and may the Angels ride with you...XXXXXX