Yesterday we were inundated with some very strong winds and cooler weather once again making our shopping expedition one of the few things we could do without being bashed by it. Today we woke up to sunshine and calm weather, perfect for our drive to Las Vegas for Rick’s birthday.

We had booked a two bedroom condo (through RPI) for the week though Rick and I will only be staying over the weekend. Because there are five of us, with a ton of luggage, we rented a van for the trip and once it was packed, we were certainly glad we did. The band of happy travelers was very comfortable and ready for the three and a half hour cross country trek. We took a scenic route, the one Rick and I used when we went to Vegas last year on the motorcycle and we stopped in Yucca Valley for lunch and coffee to take with us.

After a few picture-taking stops, we arrived at Club De Soleil just in time for the 4:00 o’clock check-in. Once settled in (the condo is great) we took a drive up Las Vegas Boulevard and then went downtown, an area we have never been to before. We strolled along Freemont Street, completely covered with a huge arched video screen, had dinner, and tried our luck in a couple of the casinos (Las Vegas was the winner) before heading back to the condo exhausted. Rick’s 52nd birthday in Vegas; Christine, Fred and Jamie’s first visit there was a resounding success.