2008.05 | Las Vegas, NV | Our First Cadillac Vacation

The plants and animals in Red Rock are fascinating. There are cacti of all shapes and sizes, multi-colored flowers, and lizards that constantly dart across the path and hide beneath the rocks (still not Roadrunners though). But as the name suggests, it's the intensely red rocks that people come to see and to climb.

Serious rock climbers can be seen in various areas of the park every day, and every lookout on the 14.7 mile scenic loop offers incredible views of desert and rock colliding with blue skies. Check out this 180 degree panoramic photo of the Canyon that I pieced together from six individual photos. The lookouts also proved to be an excellent backdrop for our Cadillac CTS. Some of favorite shots of the car were taken in the park.

Alas, all good things come to an end. I took the car back to the rental agency, and we returned to the hotel for a final night in Las Vegas. But I couldn't leave without putting in at least one session of Blackjack. I came close to winning big on three separate hands but came up just short each time. I did leave with $110 more than I sat down with, so I can't complain.

As a final note, I put $10 into a slot machine while waiting at the airport, and within three spins, I won $30. I cashed out, boarded the plane, and didn't look back. Viva Las Vegas.