I have often seen this helicopter flying very, very low and landing and have always wondered what the heck it was doing. I finally figured it out. Its the UMC Trauma Center.
And this week we had some visitors from the cold, cold state of Michigan. They came, they danced, at least thats what he thinks he is doing, they sang, they ate, and they drank. And so did we.
They even visitied our house. And, they had the honor of being our first guests in Las Vegas that actually had a place to sit in our living room. Well my brother, brother-in-law and sister-in-law have been here but I made them work moving furniature around so thats not the same!
We met them at the Fremont Street Experience and wandered around and had a great time! I must admit I was a tad hung over the next day, but it was well worth it. We had a great time.
There were 10 of us, actually 9 because one had become ill and cound go out. They are the kind of people that after a half hour with them you feel like you've known them for years! I mean that in a good way...hahahaha.
I have other pictures from something that occured the next day, but was made to promise not to post them for at least 2 months. So I will wait.
This is a C-17 Globemaster III entering the landing pattern at Nellis. It is, needless to say, a huge aircraft. It was a very amazing thing to watch this plane flying so slow and manuvering like it did.
Here are a couple of F-22s flying the pattern at Nellis during Red Flag. I didn't even realize they were F-22's until I got the picture on the computer and could view it full size. Almost every working day I start out in the morning about 1/4 mile from Nellis.
This was on my way to work the day after we had terrible lightening and thunder storms. I worked in North Las Vegas most of that day and just poured off and on almost all day. On CNN they showed cars being abandoned in rushing water while we were eating dinner. We only got a half inch of rain that day but thats all you need for a flood in Vegas.
If they are truly "partners with the community" then I think he should have let me drive it for a bit!
I saw this big old beast the other day. It is an International Commercial Extreme pick up truck. They run about $100,000. This particular one belongs to Titan Commodities Management. All I know is that I would hate to have to be the one to put fuel in it!
I've seen these in the stores before but have never seen anyone actually wearing them. I didn't get his name but he allowed me to photograph him for the blog. Very intense to say the least. Very nice guy too. Me and Karen chatted with him for a few minuets.
Thanks again!
Taking photographs of people I don't know is something new to me. Many photographers do it without hesitation, or without asking. I can't do that. This couple was dancing away to Carl's music earlier and when I saw them again standing near us I asked if I could take a picture of them for my blog. Very graciously they said "sure". I wish I had gotten their names but I didn't. They are visiting Las Vegas from South Carolina and their southern friendliness was clearly evident.
This gentleman at first refused to be photographed. This is not him threatening me though, this is him posing after he agreed to be photographed. His only condition to be photographed was that I dedicate it to his cousin Thunder. He didn't elaborate but was excited when I agreed to do that. So this picture is dedicated to "Thunder"!
This is Rob. For lack of a better word he is a street kid. He said that, as the tattoos on his arms show, "life sucks" and "lifes good" right now he is more or less in a "life sucks" stage.
This is Carl Ferris. He plays at the Frmont Street Experience nightly. We liked him so much we bough his CD.
We are not big jazz fans but we do listen to it on occasion as the mood strikes.
Many of the people standing around began to dance to music.
I guess its a good place for them to preach. 
The local courts here just ruled that it is ok for them top do it so there they are.
These are just more shots of the light show. They have 4 or 5 different ones they put up through out the night.
When I first saw this setup I thought he was just going to do some acrobatics while suspended in the air. I was wrong. He was holding on to the red streamer only. He would climb and descend on it and flip, twist and turn all while being swung accross the stage area.
There was no safety net, no soft landing place at all.
One slip or incorrect move and mean old Mr Gravity would have had a field day with him.
The main feaure of Fremont Street is the "largest digital diplay on the planet". Some 12 million LED lights are used to light up the display that stretches 1400 feet atop of the promenade.
To top off our night we headed to the Fremont Street Experience. It is located in the downtown part of Las Vegas. In all of our trips/vacations to Las Vegas it was one place we had never gone before but had always wanted to. It is more or less an open air mall, but technically it is a city park. There are lots of little shops, bars, a movie theater and of course casinos.
This whole thing was an attempt to breathe new life into the downtown area and from what we was it seemed to be working. There were people all over the place.
If you have ever been to New Orleans you can kind of liken it to Burbon Street without the lewdness and less variety in the music. I don't think anywhere on the earth can totally compare to the Big Easy as its called and thats probably a good thing! Although I must say New Orleans is a lot of fun in its own way.
