Freelance Writing

      

Leaving Las Vegas Some like the nightlife, the clubs, the shows, the gambling, staying out all night in a city that goes 24 hours a day. Whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, as they say. But if, like myself, you have no great love for glitz, glamour or gambling, there is an entire world of alternatives beginning 30 miles away from "the strip" that offers a complete antithesis to the man-made attractions. The face of this city changes every decade, but once away from the flashing lights, locales may go a thousand years undisturbed. Out here, it's rider country, and there's a whole world of wide open country begging for exploration starting just outside the city limits. The first destination worth your attention is Red Rock Canyon National Park. Just 29 miles from city center, Red Rock Park can be found by taking Las Vegas Blvd. north to I-215 going west, then exiting on SR159 and going west for a short 3 miles to the park entrance. If you've spent any time on the strip in Las Vegas, the first thing that will strike you is how a place so close to the noise, confusion, and over-hyped man made excitement can be so calm and serene, and both naturally and starkly beautiful. The change is so complete, the two worlds so unconnected, that you will find it difficult to believe the two places are less than an hour's drive from each other. The one-way 'Scenic Drive' leads you through the park, and while there are pullouts at some of the nicer locations on the road, and hiking trails should you wish to get off the bike and avail yourself, the road does a fine job of taking you by the best features of the park. The 35 mph speed limit is a relaxing pace as well. But the day has only just begun. Once out of the park, getting back to I-215 and going east/south will lead to I-515 south, and then to State Hwy 93 which goes through Boulder City and over Hoover Dam at the border with Arizona. The travel time from the park to the dam is only about an hour (55 miles) and an even shorter 30 miles from the city. Being a person who has always loved the wide open spaces, it is difficult for me to understand how so many people who visit Vegas never take the half-day to see the natural wonders just a stone's throw from the casino. Go figure. At any rate, expect crowds at Hoover Dam. It is a popular tourist site, and the road during the approximate 5 mile ride from Boulder City to the dam becomes progressively more crowded, slowing to a 5 mph stop-and-go pace as you go over the dam. There is ample parking, and it is worth a stop, if just to take in the massive undertaking of the man-made structure, the 30s vintage architecture and art-deco styling. If you're not in a hurry, you can take in the museum as well, which features park personnel giving historic presentations and displays of the dam's history and miscellaneous memorabilia. Moving on, there is still more that can be easily covered in a day's time. Going back on 93 into Boulder City once again, a right turn at or Lakeshore Road (SR166) will lead to Northshore Road (SR167) and the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, running parallel to and in sight of the lake for much of it's northeastern run. The roads here are seemingly made for motorcyclists. First, the scenery is simply stunning - the deep blue color of Lake Mead is opposite the color spectrum from the yellow-orange-pink desert topography surrounding it. It contrasts so greatly, and looks so alien to those of us used to seeing green trees and forest, that it is difficult not to have your vision drawn toward it. In contrast to Hoover Dam, the day I visited here there was no one on the road, and literally five minutes would pass between me and vehicles going in the opposite direction. The road is exceptionally well paved, has enough hills and curves to make it interesting, but not so severe that you can't take in good long looks at the scenery. There are several roads (State roads 147 and 564) that lead out of the Lake Mead area and head back toward the city, but you aren't ready to call it a day yet, are you? It is 63 miles from the beginning of Lakeshore Road to Nevada's Valley of Fire State Park. Signs point to SR169, the road leading into the park, also called the Valley of Fire Highway. If you are from eastern and more forested climes and not used to desert landscapes, by the time you arrive here, you can start to become overwhelmed by visuals not normally experienced in nature. Many places take on a "this-can't-be-real" other worldly nature, and Valley of Fire is one of these. The park features orange and red colored sandstone rock formations resembling solidified lava, eroded arches and bluffs, all in a very organic formations. It is 11 miles through the park to the western exit, but you will want to take some of the side roads up into the hills in this park. Most are paved or solid packed gravel, and many of its best features can be found with a bit of exploring off the main drag. From a rider's standpoint, one of the great things about visiting the Vegas area is the accessibility of worthwhile destinations via roads that go out from and back to the city in all directions, offering reasonably quick return trips to your hotel room at the end of the day. SR169 continues west out of the park, and directly back into the northeast area of Vegas, and is about 60 miles back to the "hot spots" on Las Vegas Blvd. BUT… if you're not done yet, there's still more. St. George Utah is 120 miles from Las Vegas, but if you have come the circuitous route outlined, it is only another 90 miles from Valley of Fire. If you get a reasonably early start, the route described can be completed by mid-afternoon. By exiting the eastern park entrance and going north again on SR169, it is approximately 20 miles to I-15 and then 70 miles via interstate highway into St. George, getting you there by nightfall. Depending on whether you intend on returning to Vegas the following day, or want to spend a few days on the road before returning, proceeding from this point can be planned several ways. If you have accommodations in Vegas and don't mind making the extra expense of a second hotel room, you can pack for a day and stay overnight in St. George, and spend an afternoon in Zion National Park, one of the most amazing places I have ever visited. If you are traveling with no need to get back to Vegas in a hurry, you can also visit Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase, Capitol Reef and even the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon. While it may sound like an attempt to do a lot or maybe even too much, this is one area in the western US where many parks are located in reasonably close proximity to each other, and the topography changes so much between locations that it is worth the time to see them all. With a little planning and centrally located lodging, the area can be reasonably explored in several days. It would be a lot of riding, but could probably be done without overdoing. Zion National Park is a purely majestic, magnificent place, with sheer rock faced mountains jutting up thousands of feet out from the canyon floor. Mountains in this park are of mind-boggling scale, and in my opinion, this is one of the most beautiful parks in the United States. Due to high traffic volume, scenic locations and hiking trails throughout the park are accessible only by busses (no charge to ride them!) that run regularly along SR9, the road that runs through the park. It is worth taking the time to get off the bike to experience some of these, especially Angel's Landing, if you are in good enough shape to take the trail up to the top of the mountain. It is a fairly strenuous hike, but worth every step. While busses are used for sightseeing, you can ride non-stop all the way through the park after using the park's free public transportation to see the sights. This plan works quite well, as the eastern exit from the park points you towards parks further east, including Bryce Canyon National Park reasonably close by, with its bizarre "hoodoos" and oddly eroded rock formations that make this one of the most unusual parks I have ever visited. From there, you can go… anywhere. Depending on time, desire, stamina and if you need to return to Vegas for the flight home, you can retrace your path back through St. George (and detour through the Valley of Fire for one last look) or continue east to any park you choose. From there, riding through the Glen Canyon National Recreation area, another stunning location, and onto to Hwy 89 to SR64, also known as the East Rim Drive that runs along the southern rim of the Grand Canyon, offers some simply spectacular one-of-a-kind views. There is no place else on earth like this. Going back west via I-40 will lead back to 93 and over the Hoover Dam once again, before leading back to Vegas to end a long loop ride. However you work it, day ride or week long tour, it's worth every mile, and since there are so many places worth seeing, you can make a plan that features interesting stops all along the way. Take the time to get away from the blackjack tables for awhile - the ride outside of town isn't a gamble, it's a winner every time.