Las Vegas, NV (USA)

Up around 0800L. Bought some souvenirs and checked out of the hotel (0845L).[itinerary uncertain] Flew home to Atlanta...

Las Vegas, NV (USA)

Flew from Atlanta, bound for Las Vegas! Stopped for fuel [at Shreveport Regional ?] and picked up dinner at Subway (1830L). [Rest of the flight itinerary uncertain.] Arrived at [McCarron Airport] after dark. After we put the plane to bed, we got a ride to the Excalibur. Wow!!! It was stunning, really, to see all the activity and entertainment possibilities. This was actually my first time in Las Vegas as an adult (my previous experience as a teenager in 1984 was much different, of course). Met everyone for dinner at the hotel buffet (2100L). After we were done, we walked around the Strip. The other guys have visited the city much more often and they showed me the major highlights. We ended up at a bar at New York-New York, watching the traffic and people. I'm glad it wasn't the middle of the day - because it was REALLY hot, even after 2200! Went to bed late...

Bemidji Trip - Day 16

Got up VERY early and headed towards home (wanted to avoid the drunk drivers tonight). Drove through Lancaster County (Nicky's favorite) and got back on I-81. Instead of driving through DC and using I-95, I continued through the Shenandoah Valley... Gas fillup in Raphine, Virginia (0930L). Lunch at McDonalds. Continued through Knoxville and got on I-75. Got more fuel in Cleveland, Tennessee (1430L). Made it back to Atlanta late in the afternoon. By the time we made it to Douglasville, I was very tired. As much as I like long trips, this one may have been TOO long...

Bemidji Trip - Day 15

Left early - drove over to hit MA-128 and then got on Mass Turnpike (I-90). Once on I-84, we continued west. Stopped for lunch at KFC in Vernon, CT (1245). Drove pretty quickly through New York and got gas at the Turkey Hill Minit Market in Matamoras, Pennsylvania (1615). [Had a "brain freeze" in Scranton that put us on I-476, but we made our way back to the correct route eventually...] Got on I-81 and continued south. Had dinner at the Cracker Barrel in Frackville (finished at 1900). As we were driving to our hotel, a Hampton Inn [near Lancaster County ?], we saw some good fireworks but didn't stop to watch...  We checked in to our rooms at 2240 and went to bed as soon as we could.

Bemidji Trip - Day 14

We spent some time with Dad and Beth this morning and then said "goodbye." We drove up to Katie's new house in Hanover. Had lunch at McDonalds. We arrived pretty early, with plenty of time to go out and have fun. Instead, Nicky started yelling at the kids and (I'm sure it is the stress) that led to her and I having a fight (over a kid's shoe...). As a result, we didn't end up doing anything all day except driving to the Christmas Tree Shops for a short time. I ended up going back with John to the house. He had a lot of work to do on his deck, so we hung out for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, Nicky went shopping... By the time it was dusk, everyone had returned from their shopping spree and things had settled down a little bit. The evening weather was nice - not really hot - and we walked around her neighborhood and had a cookout. The kids were excited to have a sleepover with Aria and "Little John." Katie made Margueritas and we stayed up talking for a while...

Bemidji Trip - Day 13

Katie and John arrived very early with their kids. We spent more time in Dad's pool (still, YIKES!). Later, we drove down to Corporation Beach and took lots of pictures. [Lunch ?] Later, we took Aria with us, planning to go to Plimoth Plantation, a place I used to visit a lot as a kid. We arrived at 1400L, but there was a lot of stress by that point (fighting: kids, Nicky, me, etc.). In the end, only a few of us went inside the park. Nicky, Erin and Aria stayed in the car and watched movies until John came to get them. The rest of us spent about an hour and a half in the Plantation. Nicky called to tell me she was shopping in Pembroke with Katie at the Christmas Tree Shops in Pembroke (1550L). Luckily, she left the car... We (Brenna, Mollie and I) drove into Plymouth and stopped to see the "Mayflower" and Plymouth Rock. After that, we drove back to the Cape. Everyone was there by then - we had a cookout for dinner.