As promised, this is my last post about my trip to Vegas, and it covers my final two days in the city. From climbing Lone Mountain to riding the world’s tallest ferris wheel, I closed out my trip with a bang.

Or did I? I’ll let you guys be the judge of that.

Here goes!

Hiking Up Lone Mountain

After the desert trail of Red Rock Canyon, we learned our lessons; though perhaps not well enough.

This time, we came prepared. I packed as much water as I could carry, had my fill of coffee to supplement lack of sleep, and checked the maps.

Unfortunately, when you’re on flat land, where nothing is marked, and everything looks exactly the same, the likelihood of getting lost is high – map or no map.

We found ourselves mountain climbing for the second day in a row before I started to question whether or not we were on the right path.

We were not.

Thankfully, since we were up high, it was easier to see the paths and make sense of the map.

After re-mapping our route, we scrambled down the mountainside, and started out again. This time, we got it right.

The hike after that was surprisingly short, though it was hands-down the most difficult hiking trail I ever tackled. It took us about 20 – 30 minutes to make it up, and it was the longest 20 – 30 minutes of my life.

Once we made it to the top though, it was totally worth it! Until we realized… there was more. This happened to us about three more times, before we actually made it to the 600-foot peak of Lone Mountain.

The view all the way up was spectacular, and was a perfect excuse to stop, sit down, and catch our breaths.

This was also the only time I could take pictures, as the hike up was filled with loose gravel and stone. The last thing I wanted was to drop my $400 camera onto a rock, shatter the screen, and weep for a decade.

Those small respites brought me the most beautiful pictures from my trip. I love the clear blue sky in contrast with the tan desert soil below.

Stunning!

You might be surprised to know that there were parents out with their kids on Lone Mountain, and one little boy put us to shame with his speed and agility.

On the way down, we then watched a mother brave the hike with one baby on her back, and a toddler clinging to her hand. The little girl took the slips and falls in stride at first, but her last fall was a rough one and almost brought her to tears.

I offered to help, but the next time her mom slipped trying to hold on to her, she decided it was best to leave the toddler to me and Tristan. And so we hiked up as two, but made it back down as five.

I always enjoy seeing moms being out and active, especially when they bring the babies along!

High Rollers

After resting up from the hike, it was time for my last taste of Vegas nightlife.

It’s not what it sounds like: I promise. I did not go to Vegas to roll a blunt. Instead, I went rolling around for thirty minutes in the world’s tallest ferris wheel.

In PT 1, I mentioned I had brought an itinerary with me to Vegas. I had planned all my activities from the weekend prior, and the big wheel was never on it. But Danny insisted I should test it out, and I was glad I listened.

The first thing I noticed was liquor. And plenty of it. Somehow in Vegas, they think it’s a good idea for people to drink before going around in a big circle for half an hour; all preceded by having to jump onto the wheel, while it’s making its round.

It’s a slow turn… but still!

After a short wait, came the spectacular view. Unfortunately, there was a lot of glare and that made it hard to take a good picture. It might be better in the daytime, but the Vegas lights were worth the struggle.

Fun Fact: NASA says Vegas is the brightest spot on Earth, when viewed from outer space.

Heading Home

After a fun four days in Vegas, the final fifth was spent traveling home. I was ready to unwind and take a nap. But not before getting Shadow his own little keep sake!

Once on the plane, I thought all the fun and adventure was over. But there was still much to see before the trip came to an end.

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Vegas is hands down the best trip I’ve ever taken – mostly because it was so very different from anywhere else I’ve ever been.  

Hopefully, before the year is done, I will have made it further out west to California, and up north to New England. In the meantime, I’ll be hiking on the Georgia trails.

Just in case you’re wondering, 5-day trip cost $582.69 for flight, luggage, and accommodations. 

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My Vegas trip was sponsored by Alexis Chateau PR and booked by our in-house travel agents. Is there a country or city you’ve always dreamed of seeing with your own eyes? Then stop dreaming, and start traveling.

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