Sin City

As I walk to claim my bags my two of my five senses are assaulted. There are enormous monitors everywhere flashing ads for shows, there are flashing lights coming from the slot machines, there are sirens and whistles blowing to announce winners, and then there are the usual airport announcements. I can’t help but wonder in amazement that there must be such a market for gambling that there are slot machines in the baggage claim and rental car center. I rarely spend more than a half hour in both locations and my only concern is getting out of there. Yet here are devices that are specifically designed to keep you there.

Las Vegas is an interesting town. Every time I visit I am perplexed by its existence. It truly is a giant playground.

When I rent my car I check the radio and hear nothing, but that is expected as the rental car center is underground. Once I hit the freeway I’m dismayed to find out that in a city full of noise at all hours I’ve found the silence in the one place I don’t want it: my car. My speakers are not working or not connected properly. Alas it’s 7pm and all I want to do is get to the hotel. I think of all my friends who upon hearing of my solo travels encouraged me to keep an iPod with me to play music. What does one do in this situation? With iPhones I’m sure everyone has their music on their cell phone so they would likely just listen that way. Pandora won’t work out in the middle of nowhere. I’m lucky if I have a cell phone signal. Once again I’m left alone with my thoughts, which are broken up as I call friends and family. The drive back should be more quiet as it will be too early to call anyone. There is definitely something enjoyable about hitting an open road that is not an interstate and just driving.

To get to my job site I have to drive a stretch of Route 66. I’ve never done this before and I didn’t expect my first time would come in this way. Route 66 is synonymous with road trips and music. After driving down from Vegas with no radio this is one moment I miss some rock and roll. The road is quite bumpy and rough. It runs almost parallel to the interstate in this area. One of the days on my way from the site I will stop and imagine what it was like 50 or 60 years ago when the route was in its heyday.