I recently had to attend a conference in Las Vegas, and decided it would be more fun to drive than fly from San Diego. The desert is pretty nice this time of year, and I was able to take a whole day getting out there, and 2 full days coming home.
On the way out I took the Interstate for a part of the way, then detoured through the Mojave National Preserve. I was traveling alone, and did need to arrive in time for dinner, so I stuck to pavement through the Preserve, but it was still quite scenic.
For those that know the area, or care to look at a map, I entered the Preserve from the south on Kelbaker Road off of I-40, took that up to Kelso, then took Kelso-Cima Road to Cima, then Cima Road back to I-15.
Looking north on Kelbaker Road not long after entering the Preserve.
The Park Service has done a very nice job of restoring the old Union Pacific station in Kelso. For those of you who have traveled US 93 through Nevada you may remember seeing the twin of this station in Caliente (it has not been restored).
Kelso-Cima Road follows the rail line. It is still quite active with freight trains.
At Cima I turned away from the rail line and headed over the hills through the world's largest Joshua Tree forest.
The conference ran from Sunday evening through Wednesday evening. No shots of the Xterra during that time, it spent the next 3 days in the valet lot at the Mandalay Bay.
As always, Vegas was crazy. The new City Center complex has recently opened. They spent $8.5 billion building the place. It is impressive. Only some of the lean of the building on the right is from my lens. That is one of 2 residential towers that each are built in such a way as to appear to be leaning 5 degrees off vertical, in opposing directions.
Since I was staying at the Mandalay Bay I had to go check out the Shark Reef aquarium exhibit. My fisheye lens seemed only too appropriate.
