Man Cave Material

 

Earlier this year I showed you the racing corner Ed set up in our family room to entertain the holiday visitors (and himself, of course).  He's really getting into the racing simulators and games that are part of the simulator system.

This place was in Las Vegas and we visited it while we were there.  It's called Sim Coaches.

The racing rig in the photo costs more than $40,000.00.  It's a flight simulator that's being custom-built for one of their customers.  It's way more rig than Ed needs and there's no way I'm agreeing to a forty-thousand-dollar toy.

The staff at this facility was fantastic.  Gyssell greeted us and immediately asked us if we wanted to see the workshop.  She led us to the back, where the magic happens, and Ed was in racing geek heaven.  She was extremely knowledgeable, as she's one of the assemblers, and was able to answer most of his questions.  It was as if they were speaking another language, I was completely lost.

We popped out for a bit of lunch and came back to speak with the founder, Lawrence Thomas. He is very high-energy and super knowledgeable about the simulated racing world.  He also raced real cars in his life and had some information about that, too, that he shared with us.

Ed tested out one of the units they had in their showroom, which had curved screens, an adjustable clutch pedal, and a seat that had something called Buttkicker, which replicates the feeling of the vibration and motion in a vehicle in the simulator seat, using haptics to provide a more immersive experience for the gamer.

They even have a simulation for truck driving!  Which, of course, we really don't need as we can just step outside and drive off in our own big rig, but it is fun for the person who doesn't get to do that on a regular basis.

I have a feeling I'm going to see one of these in our house someday in the future.  Lord, help me.

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2024: The Shape Of Gaudi
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Second In Line
2018: Binging On The Box
2017: Ghost Town Patrol
2016: Steakhouse Din
2015: Water Is Precious
2014: Who's That Behind Those Foster Grants?
2013: Where Are The Cushy Couches And Fat Laps?
2012: The Stealth Trucker
2011: Aisles Filled With Q-Tips
2010: Lights, Camera, Action!
2009: Desktop Material
2008: C’mon In
2007: Eddie Hits The Bricks Friday
2006: Built With The Organization Gene
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

It Can Be A Slippery Slope

 

While in Las Vegas this past weekend, Ed and I attended a timeshare presentation for the Hilton Grand Vacations Club.  We went in with a plan - say no to everything.

In the back of our minds was the hilarious King Of Queens episode where Doug tricked Carrie into going to a timeshare presentation because he wanted the big-screen TV they were offering.    

It wasn't like that TV episode at all.  We left impressed with the presentation, intrigued by the offers, and now have a completely different view of timeshares.  We didn't buy anything and we're still not sure it's for us, but it gave us something to think about.

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2024: The Original Man Cave
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Chronicling Our Taco Consumption
2019: Ornamental Iron
2018: Quonset Quartet
2017: Baltic Gold
2016: 350 Days Of Sunshine Per Year
2015: Tenderly
2014: What Else Is There To Do When It's One Degree Outside?
2013: Packing Up
2012: A Man Can Do All Things If He Will
2011: Spinning Our Wheels
2010: It Takes Two
2009: Buona Sera King Louis
2008: The Newest B & B Trend Might Not Take Off As Expected
2007: Pirelli
2006: Classic Sal
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005! 

An Attraction That Can’t Be Missed

A view of The Sphere from the parking structure at our hotel in Las Vegas. This thing is beautiful. When you see it for the first time, your reaction will likely be “What is that??”  And then you remember that you heard about this cool new venue in Vegas. This is it. 

From Canyon Tours, here are some facts about The Sphere:

1. The Sphere was built by the group behind Madison Square Garden (hence “MSG”), and is owned by the same guy who also runs the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.
2. The site was provided by The Sands. Approximately 110,000 cubic yards of dirt and rock were excavated to prepare the site for construction!
3. Construction required the 4th largest crane crawler in the world. Brought in from Belgium, the crane alone required 120 tractor-trailers to transport to Vegas, and it took 18 days to assemble using a separate secondary crane. Once construction of the dome trusses reached their midway point, the crane had to be moved to the southern side of the property to install the remaining trusses. This relocation alone took 2 days!
4. 6,000 cubic yards of concrete were pumped into the roof once the steel frame was completed, forming a layer 10” thick weighing approximately 10,000 tons.

5. The Sphere measures 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide at its widest point.
6. The Sphere could easily hold the entire Statue of Liberty, from base to torch.
7. With 875,000 square feet of space, the Sphere has an interior capacity of 18,600 seats and standing room for 20,000 people.
8. The exosphere is 30% taller than the interior dome. The dome’s roof required 3,000 tons of steel to construct, and includes 32 trusses that weigh a whopping 100 tons each. It weighs a total of 13,000 tons, with a surface area of 220,000 square feet.

9. Out of 18,600 total seats, 10,000 seats provide a fully immersive experience, including specialized sound systems, haptic seats capable of making guests “feel” sound vibrations, and 4D machines that create wind, temperature, and scent effects.
10. The exterior display is made up of over 1.2 million programmable LEDs, featuring about 580,000 square feet of programmable lighting. The Sphere’s owners say you can see it from space!
11. Manufactured by Canadian company SACO Technologies, the interior high-resolution LED screen is the largest on earth, wrapping halfway around the 18,600 seats inside. It measures 160,000 square feet and covers an area larger than three football fields!
12. The interior screen also features 268 million video pixels with 16K resolution, making it the highest resolution screen in the world—at 19,000 x 13,500 pixels, it’s 100x clearer than today’s best HD TVs.
13. The Sphere is home to the world’s largest concert-grade audio system, comprising 1,586 loudspeaker modules, 167,000 speaker drivers, amplifiers, and processing channels, as well as 300 mobile loudspeaker modules that deliver a “crystal-clear” multi-layered audio experience through “beamforming” technology and wave field synthesis.
14. A one-week advertising campaign could set brands back a whopping $650,000. A one day campaign (which works out to about four hours of screen time) will run $450,000.
    

15. The Sphere requires 28 megawatts to function at peak energy usage, the equivalent to supplying power to 21,000 homes.
16. Around 70% of the Sphere’s energy will be obtained from solar power!

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2024: I'm A Sucker For A Nice Hotel With A View
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: One Thousand Grams Of Flour
2018: The Land Of Little Water
2017: Urban Creep
2016: Ed's View
2015: Place Of Refuge
2014: A Story Told In Stone
2013: Eddie Sandwich
2012: Finally – Freight To Buzz About!
2011: For The Crybabies
2010: Chillin’ In Utah
2009: Taking The Peas For A Ride In A Cozy Little Shell
2008: Wyth Jane’s Kin In Wytheville
2007: Color In Architecture
2006: Living On
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Decor Ideas Are Afoot

 

This is the end table in the living room of our suite at the Hilton Grand Vacations property in Las Vegas, Nevada.  

When I see something like this - along with the mixing of the colors and patterns the designers of this hotel room chose, I get inspired to do something like this at home.

Introducing a piece like this would mean slowly changing my current decor—which, although I love my color scheme, I would love to do—but I feel like it's a giant snowball. Change one thing, and then you have to change something else, then add something bigger, then get a new couch, paint the room, or put in new flooring, and before you know it, I'm at a $100,000 renovation.

Maybe if I make small purchases, Ed won't notice his whole world changing around him!  

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2024: A Very Special Cadillac
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Click, Buy, Deliver, Consume
2018: Fiber, Feed, And Food
2017: Time For A Questival!
2016: The Last Link Should Be Your First Stop
2015: The Gods Are Angry. Or Laughing.
2014: These Four Guys Always Have The Same Expression On Their Faces
2013: Save Money On Sandwiches, Buy Nice Car
2012: Big Money Needed For A Relaxing, Feel-Good Experience
2011: The Original Metrosexual And The Petting Zoo
2010: Cribs For Corn, Not Celebrities
2009: LL Cool E
2008: Hunt On Hold
2007: The Blondes Come Marching In
2006: Thank You Is Not Enough
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

I've Got A Thing For Hallways

The hallway at our hotel in Las Vegas.

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2024: The Best White Stuff
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Welcome To The Local Googie
2018: One Of Many
2017: The First Mustachioed Man In My Life
2016: Cooking Is Love Made Visible
2015: Hawaiian Memorial
2014: We Do Not Remember Days, We Remember Moments
2013: Sharing The Long Haul Lifestyle
2012: Love, Peace, And Soooouuulll
2011: Taste The Fire
2010: Finally, A Shot At Playmate Of The Month! (Sorta)
2009: Remembering
2008: Eddie Gets His Eyes Checked Friday
2007: Shifting The Sun
2006: My Daddy Is Gone
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Waiting On The Win

Las Vegas, Nevada.

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2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Sorry, no post on this day.
2018: The Magnificent Magyars
2017: West Side Lights
2016: Paw Prints On Our Heart
2015: The Incredible Portable Egg
2014: Bric-à-brac
2013: Bidding Adieu
2012: Rushing To The Mine 
2011: Ari-Snowna
2010: It’s In The Air
2009: Wish List
2008: He Must Have Learned It From TV
2007: When Pizza Is Involved, Jesus Is Always In Charge
2006: Sexier Than The Rockettes
2005: $3.99 A Minute 

There Was Gold In Them Thar Hills

 

I've passed through Goldfield, Nevada more times than I can count but I've never been able to stop.

Founded 122 years ago in 1902, what's left today is just a ghost town.  I always marvel at the old buildings and have read up on the history I've found on several sites.

According to Wikipedia, "the community was named for deposits of gold near the original town site.[4] Gold was discovered at Goldfield in 1902, its year of inception. By 1904, the Goldfield district produced about 800 tons of ore, valued at $2,300,000, 30% of the state's production that year.[5] This remarkable production caused Goldfield to grow rapidly, and it soon became the largest town in the state with about 20,000 people."

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2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Sorry, no post on this day.
2018: And That's The Truth
2017: The Sunny Side Of Friendship
2016: The Party Is Over
2015: They've Mastered Chocolate, Cheese, And Watches. Maybe They Should Tackle Trucking.
2014: This Is What Sweeping Looks Like
2013: This Takes Fresh Chicken To A Whole New Level
2012: Exemplary Exemplar Prints
2011: Hurricane? What Hurricane?
2010: The Summer Of 1947
2009: From Pablo Neruda To Mother Goose
2008: Almost Two Beautiful To Eat On
2007: Sweatin’ Eddie Friday
2006: Steel City Glow
2005: Bravo, Bravo

Even The Palm Trees Are Fast Around Here

 

A lone palm tree outside of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in North Las Vegas, Nevada.

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2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Sorry, no post on this day.
2018: Sunset On The Falling Banks
2017: Double Storm Rainbow
2016: These Girls Generate A Brisk Business
2015: A Tough Goodbye
2014: It's Always Polite To Ask Permission First
2013: Too Unorganized To Organize, But I'll Bet They Have Thirty Minutes To Write A Letter
2012: Islands Are Out, But What About Canals?
2011: Survival Training And Retirement Planning
2010: Just A Glimpse
2009: Eddie Mails A Package In His Dorfman Friday
2008: Shower Jam
2007: Golden Arches
2006: The Land Of Fruits, Nuts, And Flakes
2005: Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road?

Grounded

An old, rusty cargo plane - looks like a C-130 - permanently grounded at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada.  

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2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Sorry, no post on this day.
2018: Sunrise At TIA
2017: All Kinds Of Bread And Schat
2016: Riders On The Storm
2015: 20 Miles From Sin
2014: Nature's Lace
2013: The Bicycling Capital Of America - Welcoming Those On Both Two Wheels And Eighteen
2012: Crossing The Mojave
2011: Justin Time For A New Pair Of Boots
2010: Miles Of Smiles, Hours Of Laughs
2009: I’m Dreaming Of Blue Skies, Key Lime Pie And Pink Flamingos*
2008: Stop Beyond The Palm
2007: Kittery Dittery Do
2006: Crab Infested Thoughts
2005: Bi The Way

Table Games

 

Las Vegas, 2012.

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2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Sorry, no post on this day.
2018: Guarding The Hill
2017: Fragrant Bouquet
2016: Mesilla Valley Morning
2015: Ready, Set, Sell!
2014: Squeaky Clean Reflection
2013: Bicycles Liberate, Espresso Invigorates
2012: Playing For Gas Money
2011: Faceted Beauty For Less Than Three Bucks
2010: Triple FFF-18
2009: Hot Tuna Doesn’t Get Any Play In My Truck
2008: Corn Fed Summer
2007: Eddie Breaks The Rules Friday
2006: The Chicks Of Dixie
2005: Text Me

Cashing In On Chips Before Even Playing Them

 

I recently saved a few dollars. Not with coupons or anything, but just because my default position is "no".

After we delivered our load in California, Ed wanted to go to Las Vegas for the weekend. There were a few concerts he thought we could go see.  

One of them was Adele.

Now, I love Adele.  But the only tickets available were $1,000.00 each.  EACH! 

There was no way I could justify paying $1,000.00 to see her.  I like her, but I'm not a thousand-dollar-a-concert kind of fan.

Instead, we deadheaded home.  Sure, that was fuel money out of our pocket but it cost waaaay less than Adele, gambling, dinner, hotel room, etc.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Survivor
2018: Today's Catch
2017: Antiques Around EVERY Corner
2016: Flashback Friday
2015: The Rich Coast
2014: Getting Hosed
2013: River Of Grass
2012: Stupid Rock
2011: Crab Rangoon Makes Me Swoon
2010: Bonnie And Clyde Meet Toni And Frank
2009: Finally…A Bib That Is Both Functional And Accurate
2008: Trickling Down
2007: Anonymously Yours,
2006: Over 7,000 Feet Of Pristine Beauty
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Sin In The Distance

A view of the city of Las Vegas from approximately fifteen miles due north of the famous strip.  A bustling party town plunked in the middle of the Nevada desert. 

It's so barren.  So ugly.  And so hot.  Really fucking hot. 

It was 110 degrees today.  The state is under an excessive heat warning - temperatures in some areas ranging from 100 to 125 degrees.

Not really a place to visit in the summer.



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2017: Often, The Trees Speak To Us
2016: How I'm Feeling Lately
2015: Ed Goes With The Flow
2014: Big Coin Was A Big Hit
2013: Painting The Serengeti
2012: Why Fig Newtons Will Always Be On My Shopping List
2011: Losing The Wallet At Your Convenience
2010: Bridge Over Troubled Roadway
2009: If Only The Streets Were Truly Paved With Gold
2008: She Reigns Supreme
2007: A Match Made In Heaven
2006: Proof
2005: Caped Crusaders

Tanks In Sparks

More tanks from the facility we almost hauled a load out of in Sparks, Nevada.


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2017: Italian Butterflies
2016: Views Of The South
2015: Supreme Love
2014: Unfuzzed
2013: I Think We May Be Following A Derecho. Or Is It An Izquierda?
2012: This One Time, At Summer Camp…
2011: Into The Wild
2010: It Was Clear The Moment You Opened Your Mouth
2009: Eddie Captures A Sunset Friday
2008: Pelicans Enjoying Their Rule Of The Lake
2007: Bigfoot
2006: There Is A Reason People Try To Repress Certain Childhood Memories
2005: Painted Ladies