Las Vegas -- Red Rock Canyon February 23, 2001
Aside
from the glitter and action on the Strip, Las Vegas is a town on the move.
Along with adjacent Henderson, Vegas is perhaps the fastest growing area in the U.S. Of the almost 1.8 million people who live in Nevada, about 1.5 million
live here, with about 7,000 newcomers having arrived each month for the last 5
years! Sunny weather, no state income taxes, relatively low cost of living and housing, and
activities galore are among the reasons.
We spent a couple of days with
our friends Blair and Mely, who
recently moved to Henderson and are happily helping their friends do the same.
They're obviously sold on the area and were keen to show us around. We
took a drive around the city's outskirts. There are new communities, new
homes, new buildings, and new shopping centers EVERYWHERE! And there seems
to be
plenty of empty desert left for more growth.
Our day's destination was Red Rock Canyon, a scenic hiking, biking venue run by the US Bureau of Land Management. It's a lovely spot with a visitor center and a scenic 13 mile drive. The hikes into the colorful canyons looked intriguing. This is the 5th most popular rock climbing spot in the US, so it wasn't surprising to see people hanging off some of the sheer rock faces.
As we drove around I couldn't
help but imagine Vegas just 50 short years ago. There was probably nothing
outside
downtown except desert, mountains, rocks, and the stars above. Today,
there's much more here than Mother Nature provided. Las Vegas is a city
shaped by man (or rather humans, as my Klingon encounter reminds me).
Man-made lakes
sparkle; golf courses beckon; the city
and desert shine with the brilliant lights of civilization. But there will
presumably be limits. What will Las Vegas be like when rapid growth
encounters water shortages, road congestion, air pollution, or ...?
It's hard to know and too soon to tell.
Still, today Las Vegas is a jeweled magnet, drawing tourists in from all over for many different reasons. To Dick, it's a gambler's paradise, full of casinos to explore, opportunities to play the nickel slots, and maybe make a killing... To me, it's one of the most fascinating, fun, and exciting cities in the world. I love to see the new splendors that have been built since our last visit. Las Vegas is a gem that seems to sparkle ever more brightly.