April 22, 2013

Riverside Resort RV Park, Laughlin, NV

While I had a lazy morning, Monte took our truck to the Dodge Dealer for an oil change.  He also fueled up at Sam’s Club at $3.69/gal.  I gassed up later in the day for $3.19/gal, 80 cents less per gallon than the last time I filled up.

 

 

 

I packed us a lunch and as soon as Monte returned we took a ride to Grapevine Canyon only 7 miles out of town.  We turned onto a dirt road off of Highway 163 and drove for approximately 1.5 miles.  I was surprised to see there were bathroom facilities available at the small parking area. 

According to the information sign at the trailhead, the petroglyphs were a short ¼ mile hike. 

 

I wasn’t going to bring along my trekking poles but grabbed them at the last minute and was glad that I had because there were some sections of the hike that required climbing.

 

 

 

 

 

It was very hot but the hike was well worth the effort because there are quite a few 1000 year old Native American Indian Petroglyphs starting at eye level and continuing up several hundred feet up the canyon wall. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continuing on we came across a gigantic patch of wild grapevines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 and a couple of small waterfalls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Monte must think he is part mountain goat because he decided to scale the canyon wall. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I stayed below in a shady spot because I was starting to feel a little woozy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got a little nervous when I lost sight of him and got no response calling out to him. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But finally I heard him yelling that he had found an easier way to come down then the way he had gone up. 

 

 

 

 

 

He would have liked to continue hiking but I was really thirsty and almost out of water.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

  I had also foolishly worn a sleeveless top instead of my long-sleeved hiking shirt and could feel the burn on my shoulders and arms. 

When we returned to the casino, we took advantage of the hot tub.  I read while Monte talked to the biker we had met at the hot tub the day before. 

Instead of going back home, we had a hot dog at the casino and I lost my last $20 from my earlier winnings.  But I really don’t feel like I lost because I had started with $20 my first night playing the slots.  So in the end I lost $20 but played for hours over the course of a few nights.