VEGAS BABY!!!

 Vegas Trip

Yay, made it to Vegas for 5 days of sun, fun, shows, and Caching!!!

(June 29) Day 1:

Flew into Vegas and got to grab 5 quick stages of an Adventure Lab as we got to the Airport. We answered the questions later on back at the hotel. That is one of the good things about AL's is that once the stages are open, they can be answered from anywhere, later on.

We headed out for a show this evening and then afterward, we walked down the strip for awhile. Susan was able to grab 3 Virtual Caches that I had already done back in August 2015 during my first Magic Live convention, when I walked 6.8KM from the Orleans Hotel in the morning heat. Yikes!!

We also got 2 stages of an AL on the strip.

PS: On the right hand side of this webpage is where you can find my YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram, links. Please feel free to check them out and follow or subscribe!!!

(June 30) Day 2:

Got up early the next morning, grabbed some breakfast and headed out for a big day of sightseeing and caching in 43C weather. We headed to the Famous Iconic "Welcome to Las Vegas Sign"

Besides taking pics of us at the sign we were able to get 1 stage of an Adventure Lab. Susan was also able to grab the Virtual cache and a Traditional cache that were here and I already logged the Virtual on my first ever trip to Vegas back in 2008 shortly after starting caching. 

It was actually my 14th find ever and my first Virtual cache.

After spending a bit of time here we headed off to the Dessert for some more sights!!

We headed out of town to "Seven Magic Mountains" which is about 28km away, and where I have been several times. I even was able to set up an Adventure Lab that started here. I built it from home, as I had been here so many times and had enough pictures and Information of the surrounding area.

Here you can see me trying to push them over. I wasn't able to though. lol

We took several pictures of this amazing art installation, and even grabbed a cache nearby.

We then headed over to the little town of "Goodsprings", which is an old mining town in the middle of nowhere. The Pioneer Saloon in town is the oldest drinking establishment in Nevada. 

Featured on many Blockbuster Movies, TV Shows and International Media Productions. The Pioneer Saloon has been operating since 1913. Inside you will see the Carole Lombard/Clark Gable Museum (Free of Charge). The saloon was used as base camp for search and recovery for the passengers of the ill-fated DC-3 flight, where in 1942 actress Carole Lombard lost her life. Her husband Clark Gable sat at the bar for several days burning holes into the bar top waiting for news of his wife’s fate. See the bullet holes in the wall where in 1915 a card shark was shot to death for cheating at cards, ruled a justifiable homicide. The original 1860 potbelly stove still heats the Saloon today. The Saloon is also haunted as seen on the Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures”. Take lots of photos you may get a ghost!

Here is a picture of me at the bullet holes in the side of the wall.

There is even a cache here in the bar, and you ask the bartender for it. I got it last year when in town. Susan was able to sign it though.

We finished our drinks and headed down the road after swinging by the other 3 stages of my AL and grabbing one more cache.

Next destination was "Red Rock Canyon"

We saw a couple of wild Donkey's while heading thru, and we stopped to take a picture and it was also where we were stopping for a cache anyway.

I didn't see any the last several times I came thru here, so it was nice to be able to see them this time while I was playing tour guide for Susan and other friends.

The Red Rock Canyon is an awesome place with lots to see and lots of Earthcaches to be had.

Hoover Dam

We then made our way over to Hoover Dam.

The water at Hoover Dam is drastically low. It should be up to just under the bridge you see here. We were told it is 150 feet lower than normal.

We noticed on the way out here a lot of fields filled with Solar panels. I assume the city of Las Vegas is now using Solar to power the city.

We got a Virtual Cache here called "A Virtual Reward for A Dam Cool Dog"

It told the story of the Hoover Dam Mascot when it was being built.

(July 1, Canada Day) Day 3:

Susan was looking at the map and noticed an event being held here in Vegas on Canada Day by a fellow Canadian from Ontario. So we decided to head out in the morning, grabbing a few caches and then off to the event in front of the Fountains at the Bellagio. 

 There was a couple other Canadians from Whiterock, BC and several others from around the states. Thanx to cacher Colin.Wigle for hosting. Was nice to meet you!!

We grabbed a couple of Virtual caches and an Earthcache after the event. 

Later that evening we headed to Fremont Street Experience for a show and some fun. 

On Fremont there was 2 Adventure Labs that we did, and Susan got a Traditional cache and a Virtual that I had done years back.

NOTE: The highlighted or underlined words in my blog can be clicked on as they are links to other cool stuff!! Also if you click on any of the pictures they become bigger!!!

(July 2) Day 4:

This would be the last full day in Vegas, so we wanted to do as much as we could. We ventured out to the strip to find a speakeasy. There are several in town. We ended up at "1923 Prohibition Bar", which was a cool spot in the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino.

You walk up to the Bookcase and push it open to enter.

Its like you transport yourself into the past when speakeasy's were everywhere during the Prohibition.

It was a nice little spot to have a drink and just chill for awhile.

Speaking of "Chilling' for awhile, after we came out of the speakeasy we went into a place across the hall to another bar called "Minus 5 Bar"

You put on a Parka and enter a room made of Ice.

Everything including the glasses you drink out of are made of Ice!!

We ended the evening by going to see David Copperfield at the MGM Grand. I have seen him live 3 other times but never in his Home theatre in Vegas. This was a treat for me!!

(July 3) Day 5: Heading home In total we went to 7 different Adventure Labs with a total of 27 stages between them, 7 Traditionals, 8 Virtuals, 3 Earthcaches, 2 Puzzles, 1 Letterbox, and 1 Event!! We also had a blast on and off the strip, and looking forward to my trip back there next month for MAGIC LIVE 2023!!! The day after we returned back to Canada, I went to an Event which took me to the Border and slightly across the Border to get a very cool Virtual Cache, and then packing again to head to Vernon, BC for the "Vernon Ribfest" where I will be performing 2 shows over the weekend and 4 hours of strolling magic......BUT, More about that and More in Next Months Blog!!!

Well that's it for this month!!

Keep on caching!!

Chris Yuill

Magicman65

Vegas Baby!!!

 Vegas Trip

Drove down to Bellingham, Washington with a Magician friend to spend the night before flying out to Las Vegas for a 4 day Magic Convention and several days extra to see some shows, cruise the strip, hang out on Fremont Street, and of course do some geocaching. Tried to get a cool Multi in Ferndale called "Stamp Panorama"

It brought us to the Ferndale Post Office. 

It had a bunch of large stamps painted by 45 local artists ranging from ages 11 to 80.

You had to find certain stamps to get the 

co-ords to the cache nearby. We found all the info but just couldn't find the cache. Oh well, still got to see this cool place. Sometimes that's good enough!!

We got into Bellingham, checked into the hotel and then went to grab some supper. Afterwards I grabbed a nearby cache.

Next Stop Vegas!!!

Had a nice short flight to Las Vegas from Bellingham, and then got an Uber to where we would stay for the next 9 days!! 

The Orleans Hotel and Casino is an awesome hotel with everything you need such as several restaurant's, food court, a convenience store, Liquor store, bars, 2 coffee shops, swimming pool, a 52 Lane bowling alley, 18 movie theatres, plus for the convention, there is the Main theatre where all the magic shows would be, and banquet rooms for all the lectures and special events. Once the convention starts there is no need to even leave the hotel.

The first night there, we went and saw Carrot Top the comedian. Very funny show and I would recommend it to anyone!! We also saw a few other shows while in town, such as Illuminate, Farrell Dillon, Tape Face, and Potted Potter. All great shows!!

MAGIC LIVE!!!

The convention was awesome as always and was 4 days filled with magic, fun, excitement and surprises. I can't even explain all of it to you as that would be a full blog in itself and this blog is more about caching!!!

The day after the convention, a bunch of us headed down to the strip for some sightseeing and shopping. 

I have gotten most of the caches on the strip, but was able to do an Adventure Lab while on the strip. Also while there, we visited the Siegfried and Roy statue. The other magicians I was with, had never seen this important statue before. I might not have ever seen it as well, but because of Geocaching taking me there, that's why I knew it was there.

There used to be a Virtual cache at this location, which I found while here for Magic Live in 2015. Sadly it was archived in 2017 as the CO closed their account. I am hoping some day I will receive one of the Virtual rewards, and I may place one at this location. Sadly both performers have passed away in the last couple of years.

NOTE: The highlighted or underlined words in my blog can be clicked on as they are links to other cool stuff!! Also if you click on any of the pictures they become bigger!!!

Day 7 in Vegas: Caching!!!

Rented a car, and spent the day caching and drove a total 205.2 KM to grab 17 caches and an Adventure Lab. It's not about quantity, but about Quality. The day started out by going to Seven Magic Mountains to see some very brightly colored rocks, and then heading to Red Rock Canyon, where the mountains and rocks looked like they were painted but they are all naturally colored. 

Seven Magic Mountains

The Seven Magic Mountains is an Art installation that opened in May 2016.

Renowned Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone’s colorful large-scale, public artwork Seven Magic Mountains is an exhibition located in the desert outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring seven, 30 to 35-feet high dayglow totems comprised of painted, locally-sourced boulders.
Visible across the desert landscape along Interstate 15, Seven Magic Mountains offers a creative critique of the simulacra of destinations like Las Vegas. According to Rondinone, the location is physically and symbolically mid-way between the natural and the artificial: the natural is expressed by the mountain ranges, desert, and Jean Dry Lake backdrop, and the artificial is expressed by the highway and the constant flow of traffic between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

This was the second time I came here. Last time I got a virtual nearby, and since then someone placed a cache here called "Stonehenge in the Desert".

The cache is far enough away from the public, as this can be a fairly busy spot.

These awesome structures are very cool to see from a distance, but even cooler to see up close!!

Goodsprings, Nevada

Next stop on my list was a little town called

Goodsprings. It is an old mining town located 41 km south of Las Vegas. 

Goodsprings is the home of the Pioneer Saloon, considered to be one of the oldest saloons in Nevada (over 100 years old). The saloon features a bullet hole on the side of the building and a coroner's letter describing how it was created. The saloon is said by many to be haunted by the victim's ghost. This was the first stop in town, as it is part of a Virtual cache, and there is also a cache located inside the building that you have to ask the bartender for. 

 

Always cool, to learn some interesting history and grab a cache or two.

In this pic I am holding the Ammo can, that is normally behind the bar until it is asked for.

Pioneer Saloon

Lots of history in this little town!!

Red Rock Canyon

I headed back into Vegas and right back out west towards Red Rock Canyon.

The last time I was in Vegas in February of 2019, I went out to the Red Rock Canyon to do some caching, but that was the year it snowed in Vegas for the first time in 20 years. 

Check out these two photos, and my blog at: "2019 Vegas Trip"

The top pic was taken by me in 2019, and the other one I took while here this time. Not a lot of snow back then, but enough for them to close the scenic circular drive in the Canyon, and I was unable to do the caches in the loop at that time.

The Red Rock canyon is very picturesque and had many different earthcaches.

The pictures don't show the Vibrant colors of the hills and rocks, as good as they do when you are there. If you are ever in Vegas, I would recommend coming out to see these very cool mountains!!

Nice to see geocachers giving back!!

Virtual challenge cache

So a few years back when I was here in February of 2019, I got several challenge caches and one of the ones I wanted to get was a challenge cache to have had found 100 virtual caches. It was a simple Lamp post cache. I went to get the cache and sign it as I only had 3 more virtuals to find at the time, but did not want to enter the parking lot as there was something there and I decided to wait for another trip to Vegas. Check out the pic and let me know if you would have gone to get it. 

Today there was nothing in the parking lot, so I made the find. And because I have now found 137 Virtual caches, I can log it. Challenge complete!!

Of the 17 caches, I found 1 Virtual, 5 Earthcaches, 5 Puzzles, and 6 Traditional caches. Not a record of any sort, but some awesome caches, and a day well spent.

PS: On the right hand side of this webpage is where you can find my YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram, links. Please feel free to check them out and follow or subscribe!!!

Pathtags

I was running out of the first batch of Pathtags I had, so I ordered a couple hundred more pathtags awhile back, to be able to give them away at Geowoodstock, and they arrived while I was away 

 By the way make sure you log your will attend for "Geowoodstock XVIII" and the "Geowoodstock Registration Event", and I will see you there!! Come find me doing magic and ask me for a pathtag!! 

#geowoodstockxviii #geowoodstock2022 #pathtags

Well that's it for this month,

Keep on caching!!

Chris Yuill

Magicman65