Passed 1000 miles on the odometer today!

Note to my friends: someone in my family either passed along my cell phone number or dialed the cell phone number for my cousins, who are six and therefore ambivalent about a) enunciating, b) talking into the phone and c) condensing their message into one phone call. So I have like 700 messages now. Here's one.

"Marcus?"

This was said in the lowest possible whisper, so I'd crank my phone volume way up. And then...

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

I tried to delete as many as I could yesterday, but my ears hurt. So if you left me a message I'll try to get to it soon.

Phone messages aside, things are going great now that my legs are operational again. Decided not to double-back to the highway and instead drove right through Mojave, home to the Kelso singing sand dunes. I thought about sliding down a dune to make it "sing" but I think I've had my fill of wandering around on foot for the moment. Plus, that guy "The Other Edge" would probably think it was Bono singing and I'd have to run away again.

And then, it was across the border and into Las Vegas, which is brighter at night than Mojave is during the day. Man, is it bright - but you really do expect these well-dressed people to stride through the Strip on their way to some really exciting happening. I tried a few hands of blackjack, but seeing as how it was Friday the 13th, I lost miserably. BUT - the real story was the guy sitting next to me, who told me he had very nearly been a hotshot Vegas hotel developer. His big idea - and I'm not making this up - was to build a hotel in the shape of Wilma from the Flintstones. "When you think of Vegas," he said, "You should think of Wilma Flintstone." Vegas has casinos, attractions, huge population growth and Celine Dion, but what it really needs is a giant red-haired cartoon head sticking out of the ground. I recorded the guy explaining the whole Hotel Wilma thing - I'll try to post it here if I can figure out how.

Didn't get to see all the Vegas I wanted, so I'll be here for at least another day. I found a cool bit on KNPR's website where they feature different places to visit that are all a half day's drive or less from Vegas. Too bad that guy's hotel didn't get built - "Join us for a trip to a giant hotel shaped like Wilma Flintstone." Viva Rock Vegas!

Update: here's the audio (with a few extra touches from Andrew P. at NHPR and Florence Rogers and Danielle Branton at KNPR).

(Photo by Old Shoe Woman)