Las Vegas & Henderson — Beyond the Neon
There are times in life when you simply need to get away.
Not necessarily to find yourself. Not necessarily to solve whatever problems you’re facing. Sometimes you just need to put some distance between yourself and everyday life, change your surroundings, and take a breath.
That was the situation I found myself in when I traveled to Nevada in March 2010. I was going through a rough personal patch, and rather than dwell on it, I’ll simply say that I needed a getaway. Fortunately, I had a friend who understood that. From the day we met, Sean has always been a loyal and dear friend—and for some reason, he seemed to enjoy my company as well! He was someone I could confide in, and when I told him what I was going through, he invited me to come out to Henderson and stay with him and Maria. It was an invitation I was happy to accept. So I packed my trusty Canon ELPH point-and-shoot and headed west. At that point in my life, I was taking photographs, but I was nowhere near the photographer I would eventually become. I recently found the photographs from this trip, which is how I was able to confirm that it took place in March 2010. Looking at them today, there’s something almost appropriate about the way they look.
They’re a little blurry.
And, in some respects, so are the memories. But the important ones are still there.
Henderson: Where the Adventure Began
Unlike a typical Las Vegas vacation, this trip didn’t begin on the Strip. It began in Henderson, where Sean and Maria made me feel at home. I spent the first day simply enjoying their company and settling into a much-needed change of scenery. There was no elaborate itinerary and no pressure to see everything. For a few days, I could just breathe. The following day, another dear friend joined us. For the purpose of this story, I’ll call him Bryan.
Bryan was a genuinely kind-hearted guy and a dear friend to all of us. He was also quite a character, and this particular trip gave us plenty of reasons to laugh about him for years afterward. It didn’t take long for Bryan to make his presence known.
The Hot Sauce Challenge
The following day, Bryan joined us, and we headed to Lindo Michoacan, an upscale Mexican restaurant in Henderson. The food was good—at least Sean and I thought so.
Bryan had a different opinion. At some point during dinner, he announced that the meat on his plate was rancid. Naturally, that required evidence. Bryan made Sean and me taste it to prove his point. We did. Unfortunately for Bryan, we both thought it tasted great. So perhaps the meat wasn’t the problem after all. Because shortly afterward, Bryan began his next culinary campaign. The hot sauce wasn’t hot enough. He asked for hotter sauce. Then asked again. And apparently, a third request still wasn’t enough.
Finally, the chef decided to take matters into his own hands and prepared his own concoction. Bryan tasted it. “It’s still not that hot.” Meanwhile, his face was turning beet red, and he was beginning to sweat. At that point, Sean and I had to wonder whether Bryan actually wanted hot sauce—or whether he simply enjoyed challenging people to prove him wrong. Either way, the chef had apparently met his match.
Hoover Dam From Above
A couple of days into our visit, we headed out for one of the highlights of the trip: a helicopter ride over Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. I’d seen photographs of Hoover Dam before, but seeing it from the air was an entirely different experience. From above, you could really appreciate the enormous scale of the dam, the expanse of Lake Mead and the desert landscape surrounding them. It was spectacular. And apparently, Bryan wasn’t quite ready for the experience to end. He slipped the helicopter pilot an additional $100 to keep circling around. I’m not sure what the pilot thought when that happened, but nobody was complaining about getting a little more time in the air. For me, it was one of those experiences that makes you appreciate just how different a place can look from above.
Red Rock Canyon
The following day, we headed out to Red Rock Canyon. This was about as far removed from the Las Vegas Strip as you could get. Instead of neon lights and casino floors, we were surrounded by dramatic red sandstone formations and desert scenery. We did some hiking and explored the area, taking in a landscape that looked almost otherworldly. Bryan, however, apparently had not received the memo about what the day’s activities involved. At one point he announced:
“I didn’t come all the way to Las Vegas to go hiking!”
Of course, nobody had promised him a rock-climbing expedition. That comment became one of those lines that stayed with us long after the trip. His preferred outdoor activity apparently involved considerably less effort. He asked if there was a towel he could use so he could sunbathe on the concrete patio. I suppose everybody has their own definition of adventure.
The Night Nobody Slept
Back at the condo, another Bryan moment would become part of the trip’s unofficial collection of stories. At some point, Bryan ended up sleeping on the living room couch.
Unfortunately for everyone else, Bryan snored. And apparently, he snored quite well.
The next morning, Bryan complained that he hadn’t slept a wink all night. We looked at one another. The irony wasn’t lost on any of us. Apparently, none of us had. It was one of those ridiculous little moments that probably wouldn’t mean much to anyone who wasn’t there. But years later, it’s still funny. That’s the strange thing about travel memories. Sometimes it’s the big attractions you remember. And sometimes it’s the guy sleeping on the couch who insists he was awake all night.
Finally… Las Vegas
It wasn’t until a couple of days into the trip that we actually made our way into downtown Las Vegas. And here’s where I have to admit something: There really isn’t a whole lot to tell. None of us were gamblers. We weren’t interested in spending our time at casino tables or feeding money into slot machines. Instead, we walked around, took in the sights and did a little people-watching. And honestly, Las Vegas provides plenty of opportunity for that. We eventually had dinner at an Irish restaurant and enjoyed the atmosphere. For us, the Strip was interesting to see, but it wasn’t the centerpiece of the trip. And perhaps that’s what makes this particular Las Vegas adventure different from what you might expect.
More Than Las Vegas
Looking back, this wasn’t really a Las Vegas vacation. It was a four-day getaway based in Henderson, with Las Vegas simply being one part of the experience. There was time spent with good friends. There was Henderson. There was Mexican food and a battle with hot sauce. There was the spectacular landscape of Red Rock Canyon. There was Lake Mead. There was Hoover Dam. And there was the unforgettable experience of seeing it all from a helicopter. There was laughter. There were a few moments of frustration. There were running jokes that would survive long after the trip ended. And there was a much-needed break from whatever had been weighing on me when I arrived.
Looking Through the Lens of Time
Finding the photographs from this trip brought back another realization. In March 2010, I was still carrying my Canon ELPH point-and-shoot. I was taking pictures, but photography hadn’t yet become the craft it would eventually become for me. Today, I look at those photographs and see plenty of technical shortcomings. Some are blurry. Some aren’t particularly well composed. And yet, I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Because those photographs aren’t valuable because they’re technically perfect. They’re valuable because they were mine. They captured a particular moment in my life. A particular group of friends. A particular place. And a particular four days when I needed to get away. The funny thing is, I found the photographs because I was trying to remember when this trip happened. Instead, the photographs reminded me of what happened. And perhaps that’s one of the greatest things about photography. We think we’re taking pictures to remember the places we’ve been. But sometimes, years later, the photographs don’t simply remind us where we were. They remind us who we were.
Sometimes You Just Need to Get Away
I don’t remember every detail of those four days. Some of the photographs are blurry. Some of the memories are blurry. But the important parts remain surprisingly clear. I remember Sean opening his home to me when I needed an escape. I remember Maria being part of that welcoming experience. I remember friends sharing the adventure. I remember looking down at Hoover Dam from a helicopter. I remember the red rocks of Red Rock Canyon. I remember standing on the Strip and watching the people rather than gambling. And, of course, I remember Bryan. The rancid meat. The hot sauce. The extra hundred dollars for the helicopter pilot. The refusal to go hiking. The towel for the concrete patio. And the snoring followed by the declaration that he hadn’t slept all night. Those are the little things that turn a vacation into a story. And maybe that’s what this particular journey taught me. Sometimes you don’t need to go somewhere to find yourself. Sometimes you just need a good friend to say, “Come on out. Get away for a while.” And sometimes, four days in Henderson, Nevada, are enough to remind you that there’s still plenty of life waiting outside whatever chapter you’re trying to leave behind.
