Boulder City, NV
Since we last shared a blog (Fourth of July), we have been enjoying quiet days here in Boulder City. With temperatures well over a hundred degrees every day, any outdoor activities needed to be done early in the morning, with afternoon spent in and around the swimming pool.
In mid-July we enjoyed a brief visit from our daughter, Jessica. While the main activity during her visit was enjoying the water while floating in a pool chair . . .
. . . we did take one excursion to the Spring Mountains, on the north west side of Las Vegas. We drove the 65 miles to enjoy cooler temperatures at the higher elevations while hiking the Bristlecone Trail in Lee Canyon.
Mother and daughter ready for a hike
We enjoyed great views as the trail rose through the pines
Lunch with a view
Heading back down the trail (find John in the blue shirt)
Our son, Kevin, has lived in Atlanta since graduating from Law School back in 2003. Since leaving the law field he has worked his way up through the pilot ranks to flying airliners with Delta, where his base was still in Atlanta. Recently he switched aircraft and moved his base to Los Angeles. Apparently after visiting with us in Nevada the weather and lifestyle of the west strongly beckoned. As luck would have it, his first trip on the Boeing 737 was from LAX to Las Vegas and back. At first we intended to fly back with him on stand-by, but the flight was full. But we did find a great viewing area for airport landings and take-offs and were able to watch his first take-off in the new airplane.
The dot in the cockpit is Kevin. His mother was disappointed he didn’t wave or toot the horn!
Kevin now rents a great little apartment just a short drive from the parking lot for LAX and a short walk from the beach.
Walk a quarter mile up a hill and this is the view
With the airport nearby, there are no residential areas for a long stretch of beach, limiting visitors in that area.
Walking along a paved trail and you can enjoy the beauty of the Pacific while watching airliners of all sizes head for locations far and near. What a great location for someone who has followed the airlines since he was a small child.
Back home in Boulder City we fell into a low pressure daily regiment. One of our frequent stops has been at nearby Hemenway Park to check out the herd of Big Horn’s who hang out there enjoying the only shade in the area while feasting on the well-maintained grass.
Below is the outdoor temperature for an afternoon in early August. While that afternoon was one of the hottest of the summer, every day the thermometer went well over one hundred. So what does one do when the temps hit triple digits?
Enjoy the comfortable 85 degree temperatures in the pool!
Who is that swimmer?
Now that vacation season is over and the kids are back in school (Why do they need a vacation anyway?) it is time for the retired people to hit the road. We’re now heading into Colorado to enjoy some hiking and exploring.
More on that later . . .
Oh, the Places They Go! 
Excellent photo of Kevin lifting that Seven-Three off the tarmac. Have fun on the road!
It was very exciting to be watching as Kevin lifted off. It’s great to be back on the road again, Jim!
Loved seeing your son take off in that 737!
And how wonderful your daughter came out too!
Summer Fun!
It was nice to have our daughter come visit. Too bad she is so far away. Kevin is so close now and just a 50 minute plane ride away. We’ll see him often.
What a fun time there and nice to see your son take off with that 737
The McCarran Airport has a great viewing area right along the runway. Makes it nice for us. It was really nice to have both kids come for visits.
I just think it’s cool that Kevin has followed his dreams instead of being stuck in a career he would have disliked all his life. Safe travels friends!
Thanks, Janna! We are off to a great start. We are very glad Kevin is finally happy with his job and doing what he has always loved. It wasn’t pleasant before.
Thank goodness for that pool AND the extra bedrooms! Nice to be home and nice to be on the road….perfect situation! Years ago, when we were in LA on business, Jesse and I found that beach and had a wonderful afternoon soaking up the sun, walking the surf and enjoying the huge planes directly over our heads!
If we didn’t have the pool, I don’t think we would stay in the summer at this point. IThe pool makes all the difference. Yes, having the extra bedrooms (and bathrooms) makes everyone more comfortable. The planes are so close at that beach. And seems that they are all huge international planes. It’s nice having Kevin there to identify each plane and the country. Definitely a perfect place for a plane nut.
This is the perfect time of the year to hit the road and do some hiking in Colorado cannot wait to see your upcoming posts!
Now that the schools are back in season, traveling is so nice. We have our fingers crossed that we have more cooperative weather this year than last year.
I was curious how you’d spend the hot desert summer. With family! Were there any Bristlecone trees on the Bristlecone Trail? I did not see any in your photos.
We did spend a lot of time in the pool, but we did do various day trips. John realized that he forgot to put in a Bristlecone photo. The trees weren’t that impressive, rather skinny and sparse. We’ve seen much nicer Bristlecone forest in other areas.
I love following your adventures, especially since I live in Las Vegas so most of your trips are close enough for me to do. Maybe I’ll run into on a trail someday. Happy travels!
Thanks, Jill! Glad we could give you some ideas. We’ll be back out on the local trails by the end of Oct!
Oh, your pool days look idyllic!! In my opinion (as a Florida girl) there is NO better way to spend a hot day than floating in a pool. Your entire summer sounds lovely, with family and relaxation. And now…another traveling adventure! I’m looking forward to your Colorado explorations. :-))
The summer was very relaxing, Laurel, but a little too long. We knew though that we were going use this summer as a trial to see what we thought. Next year we will probably only stay for five or six weeks. It is very exciting to be back in our house on wheels heading for new adventures.
I can imagine you are itching to get on the road, but after having spent the whole summer in crammed in campgrounds and on busy trails and overwhelmed sightseeing spots, a couple months of peace and quiet sure sound nice. The good news for all of us is everything is nice and quiet right now… This whole week has been wonderful!!
Love the 737 photo and love the fact that your son is living the pilot dream. It doesn’t get much better than being based out of LAX and living right near the beach. Good for him! Though, he really does need to focus on waving to his mom as he leaves. Jeez. Priorities, kid….
Summers are the down side to fulltiming. Allowing the kids to have time off really cramps the plans. Heading out after Labor Day sure makes a difference. I was able to make reservations just weeks prior.
Kevin is living his dream and being only a few miles from the airport and over the hill from the beach makes it extra sweet. I do agree that his mother deserves a wave.
I so understand about the heat…it is still hot in Moab. Usually by September the highs are down to high 80s/low90s (which make the mornings very tolerable) But not this year ! That is such a cool photo of Kevin taking off and I’m sure he had his eyes on the runway! Love the bighorns! gay
This was an extra hot summer it seems. The Vegas area is suppose to be in lower 90’s now and they keep hitting 100+. It’s tough to cool off at night when it gets that warm. Hope Moab cools off soon for you.
Sounds like you enjoyed a great summer…albeit hot! Thank goodness for the pool. Always nice to have visits from the kids! We also like it once September comes around and the kids are back in school. Enjoy the cooler temps as you hit the road again!
You and Jessica in the pool screams Divas. I love it.
Upper Bristlecone trail looks awesome. Love to see you hiking girlfriend.
Poor Kevin. He has so much to live up to….toot the horn next time Kevin.
Summer full of fun.
A great summer for family bonding! Your stick and brick house sure do beckon family visits and that pool as well. I can’t complain about our weather here in VI, it has been perfect!
Kevin is living the dream after realizing the west has the best weather and living closer to mom and dad 🙂