With this weather, the snowbirds seem to be the first to leave. Then it is the rest of us wanting to experience warmth and sunshine again, but one thing is for sure, flying into Las Vegas, Nev., will quench any thirst you may have.
The airport scene alone in Las Vegas is enough to know you are at the seductive hub of the senses. The sense of over stimulation the moment you land. So we leave.
We, close friends and family, head to Henderson.
From there we lazily lounge in or around the outdoor pool and watch the lights and thousands of planes land, one after another.
For us, Nevada has become a place to hike, explore historical places or view unconventional art, like the Welder Up shop.
It is a contrast to the wild nights and bright lights of the Las Vegas strip. It is of comfort, grounding and some new adventures.
A favorite stop is the Pioneer Saloon, now a biker’s haven but the bullet holes from the late 1800s remain in the walls and tell another story.
The saloon immerses you in the Wild West past and allows you to imagine one of the many characters to soon walk through the swinging doors. Today, the saloon is a biker haven but often hosts blues bands on their outdoor stage and across from the open fire pits where you can sit while enjoying one of the best burgers in Nevada.
The walls are filled with newspaper clippings with headlines of the past including the tragic 1942 plane crash into the rugged Clark County mountains.
Carole Lombard, wife of Carey Grant, was one of the passengers.
Decades have passed since Lombard’s death, but those who walk into the Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings undoubtedly spend a few minutes gazing at the memorabilia and the cigar burn marks on the bar that as legend has it were left behind by a downhearted and drunken Gable while he awaited the news, a tragic tale of fame, love and fate that continues to captivate to this day.
Whether you head out to the Red Rock National Park, Valley of Fire, or White Domes Trail, you will need a full day.
The humility while being in these elements, where the sun and parched land can and will turn you into a crispy version of yourself, is an understatement to say we are at the mercy of Nature.
With wind-blown stone hills and tumble weeds rolling past you, it is possible to create a scene where Clint Eastwood can be seen walking with the clink of his spurs wearing his famous poncho and cowboy hat.
There is a reckoning to be had in these lands and I am sure that Nature wins many times.
The silence is almost abnormal for all of us who work and busily hustle in our daily lives.
Perhaps it is in a time where the over simulation of sounds, flashing lights on our phones, televisions everywhere and the intoxication of the Las Vegas strip is what makes the silence seem almost impossible to exist.
The land is harsh and intense beyond the Las Vegas lights and like the strip is unforgiving.
But the contrast of the strip and the intriguing beauty & stories found outside of the city are what draw us back each year.
The grounded feeling we leave with is now what we bank on.
Sharlyn Carter lives in Red Deer and is a foodie with a gypsy soul. You can find more on social media and the web as Market Gypsy.