You have NO idea how exciting this is! Because of our work schedules being completely opposite over the past few months, Zach and I haven't been off-post together for more than an afternoon (plus driving time) since November. We each had some travel in December, but that was work-related for both of us, and (for him especially) doesn't really count as time away. So, yes, we were going a little stir-crazy around here. This place'll get to you after a while (and by while, I mean within a fortnight).
But we got away this weekend! Hurray!
We went over to Vegas again, but really, it was more over at Lake Mead. We started the weekend with a very late drive on Friday night, because work ran late for me, and we had to be at Lake Mead Saturday morning because I was running a race. The Six Tunnels to Hoover Dam 1/2 Marathon. Overall, my time wasn't my best, but it was better than at the AZ R&R in January (so I'm gradually getting back in shape, despite work), and I had several reasons to not expect a PR, so I was pretty pleased overall. I'd never run on trails before, at least not for time, and over half this race was on trail, not on pavement. It's definitely slower running on gravel and sand than on pavement! Also, that whole 4-hrs of sleep thing kinda slowed me down a little too :)
Even more important than the time, though, was just getting away and getting me motivated again. That race was absolutely gorgeous! The weather was perfect, really couldn't have asked for better, and over half the race was along the cliff overlooking Lake Mead. The final turn-around overlooks Hoover Dam, too. The whole thing was all very scenic. It was a smaller race, too, (I think there were only about 600 finishers) so everyone was really friendly. And one of the race goodies was a travel mug! Any race that gives away a mug is good in my book :) A good race that got me off post, hours away from work and all it's craziness, and gave me a good motivational kick in the pants, which I very much need about now. Work's kinda eating my life, my face, and everything else it can get it's grubby little paws on, so I really appreciated a couple hours of fun and beautiful scenery and perfect weather and all being several hours from post!
Oh, with my time, I did beat a pair of guys from Nellis AFB :) We were kinda leap-frogging each other from about mile 8 on (they'd pass me, I'd pass them, and repeat). I finally finished a few minutes ahead of them. Made me chuckle, though, being an Army spouse and all :) Of course, they were in boots and I was in sneakers, but still, made me smile. Some friendly inter-service competition is always fine (I invited them to the marathon we're hosting on post in December, too!)
But the fun didn't end there! Being so close to a big city, we decided to take advantage of it. As I've already mentioned, we're not big Vegas-as-Vegas people. Not into gambling or nightclubs or drunken craziness, all that Vegas stereotype. However, we do like shows and restaurants and the shopping and such that being in a city offers. So we took advantage of all that instead!
Saturday night we went and saw a show in town. We chose Ka this trip, a Cirque de Soleil show at the MGM Grand. I'd seen Cirque shows on film before (Bravo shows them from time to time) but had never been able to see one live. Incredible! The spectacular stunts of a circus, but with much more theatricality. A really fun night! If you're not familiar with Ka, it's a very aerial-themed Cirque show (kinda the way "O" at the Bellagio is the water one, performed over a pool). There's a lot of martial-arts influence, as well, in Ka. If you're a CSI fan, there was an episode that took place backstage at Ka, so you might have seen some clips of it on TV. Some of the stunts in Ka really were just breath-taking. My favorite one was one that actually kinda defies description. For the 'light' sections of the show (the equivalent to the clowns in a regular circus), my favorite was two characters playing with shadow puppets. Most intricate shadow puppets I've ever seen! When one made a bunny, he actually had it washing it's face, just like Joey does! Yes, I get excited over silly little things :)
We did some shopping too, before we went home. Mostly errands, but it was refreshing to take care of them in real stores, not the tiny little post options. Zach was telling me not to cry in the grocery store, because even in tiny little Boulder City, the produce and cheese sections were like what they 'should' be, not the little understocked sections we have on post. You never know how isolated you are, until grocery shopping in a town makes you excited!
I know I'll be busy at work for a good while more. It'll be April before we've both got the same weekend free again, so we're already planning our next trip! I think we'll head up to Death Valley for a weekend in April. We were debating going hiking there or Big Bear, but Death Valley will get hot in the summer, while Big Bear stays nice and cool (being up in the mountains and all), so in April, we'll go and see what the fuss is at Death Valley! Gotta keep planning these weekends, or we'll never keep our sanity around here!
But we got away this weekend! Hurray!
We went over to Vegas again, but really, it was more over at Lake Mead. We started the weekend with a very late drive on Friday night, because work ran late for me, and we had to be at Lake Mead Saturday morning because I was running a race. The Six Tunnels to Hoover Dam 1/2 Marathon. Overall, my time wasn't my best, but it was better than at the AZ R&R in January (so I'm gradually getting back in shape, despite work), and I had several reasons to not expect a PR, so I was pretty pleased overall. I'd never run on trails before, at least not for time, and over half this race was on trail, not on pavement. It's definitely slower running on gravel and sand than on pavement! Also, that whole 4-hrs of sleep thing kinda slowed me down a little too :)
Even more important than the time, though, was just getting away and getting me motivated again. That race was absolutely gorgeous! The weather was perfect, really couldn't have asked for better, and over half the race was along the cliff overlooking Lake Mead. The final turn-around overlooks Hoover Dam, too. The whole thing was all very scenic. It was a smaller race, too, (I think there were only about 600 finishers) so everyone was really friendly. And one of the race goodies was a travel mug! Any race that gives away a mug is good in my book :) A good race that got me off post, hours away from work and all it's craziness, and gave me a good motivational kick in the pants, which I very much need about now. Work's kinda eating my life, my face, and everything else it can get it's grubby little paws on, so I really appreciated a couple hours of fun and beautiful scenery and perfect weather and all being several hours from post!
Oh, with my time, I did beat a pair of guys from Nellis AFB :) We were kinda leap-frogging each other from about mile 8 on (they'd pass me, I'd pass them, and repeat). I finally finished a few minutes ahead of them. Made me chuckle, though, being an Army spouse and all :) Of course, they were in boots and I was in sneakers, but still, made me smile. Some friendly inter-service competition is always fine (I invited them to the marathon we're hosting on post in December, too!)
But the fun didn't end there! Being so close to a big city, we decided to take advantage of it. As I've already mentioned, we're not big Vegas-as-Vegas people. Not into gambling or nightclubs or drunken craziness, all that Vegas stereotype. However, we do like shows and restaurants and the shopping and such that being in a city offers. So we took advantage of all that instead!
Saturday night we went and saw a show in town. We chose Ka this trip, a Cirque de Soleil show at the MGM Grand. I'd seen Cirque shows on film before (Bravo shows them from time to time) but had never been able to see one live. Incredible! The spectacular stunts of a circus, but with much more theatricality. A really fun night! If you're not familiar with Ka, it's a very aerial-themed Cirque show (kinda the way "O" at the Bellagio is the water one, performed over a pool). There's a lot of martial-arts influence, as well, in Ka. If you're a CSI fan, there was an episode that took place backstage at Ka, so you might have seen some clips of it on TV. Some of the stunts in Ka really were just breath-taking. My favorite one was one that actually kinda defies description. For the 'light' sections of the show (the equivalent to the clowns in a regular circus), my favorite was two characters playing with shadow puppets. Most intricate shadow puppets I've ever seen! When one made a bunny, he actually had it washing it's face, just like Joey does! Yes, I get excited over silly little things :)
We did some shopping too, before we went home. Mostly errands, but it was refreshing to take care of them in real stores, not the tiny little post options. Zach was telling me not to cry in the grocery store, because even in tiny little Boulder City, the produce and cheese sections were like what they 'should' be, not the little understocked sections we have on post. You never know how isolated you are, until grocery shopping in a town makes you excited!
I know I'll be busy at work for a good while more. It'll be April before we've both got the same weekend free again, so we're already planning our next trip! I think we'll head up to Death Valley for a weekend in April. We were debating going hiking there or Big Bear, but Death Valley will get hot in the summer, while Big Bear stays nice and cool (being up in the mountains and all), so in April, we'll go and see what the fuss is at Death Valley! Gotta keep planning these weekends, or we'll never keep our sanity around here!
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