In the morning, I had breakfast alone on the porch while the sun came up over the nearby Cowan Fork Creek. The trees were quite colorful with red, orange, yellow and ever purple splashes across the landscape. We thought mid-October might be too early to appreciate the fall colors, but we were wrong!

I basked in the quiet serenity for a few minutes before launching a lighting tour of geological formations at Red River Gorge. As I left the cabin, a small herd of deer crossed the road in front of me as a way of saying goodbye!

There are several short trails located within easy driving distance, so I was able to hike five trails in a couple hours. I could have done even more but decided to squeeze in one long hike at the end of the day.  

I began with the Chimney Rock trail which is only about a half mile long round trip. It is a partially paved path that follows along a ridge before ending in a scenic overlook of the aforementioned Chimney Rock. The sweeping panorama left me feeling a little uneasy, especially when another hiker deliberately ignored the warning signs and stood at the very edge of the cliff. More than 20 hikers have died at Chimney Rock alone since 1960, let alone numerous other areas. I took another anti-anxiety pill when I got back to the parking lot to ensure I could fully enjoy all the breathtaking sights.

Princess Arch was my next destination, and the trailhead is located in the same parking lot as Chimney Rock, which makes it an efficient starting point. The trail was also short and easy. It took only a few minutes to reach the “regal” arch which spans 32 feet. There are more than 100 arches, bridges and other geological formations in the Red River Gorge region. That means I’ll have plenty of excuses to return. The awesome natural powers of erosion and time made me think of the lecture from the park ranger in Death Valley. Visiting these natural wonders is a humbling experience.

After a short drive, I arrived at the trail to Angel Windows. These two small “windows” are located side by side. Whistling Arch is only a few minutes up the road and offers a wonderful view of the Parched Corn Creek valley. However, I was disappointed the arch didn’t live up to its name but still enjoyed the tranquility. In fact, the area was rather quiet, and the only sounds came from the creek and faint traffic noise. Since it was a weekday, only a few other hikers were on this trail or any of the previous paths. Unfortunately, quite a few visitors had left their mark by defacing Whistling Arch with graffiti.

Sky Bridge was my last geological attraction of the day. It was also very close to Whistling Arch and had more visitors than all the other previous trails combined. There are paths along both the base and the summit, although the upper path is the flatter and easier option while the lower path has some stairs. Sky Bridge is just as impressive as Natural Bridge, although it too has been defaced with graffiti. Some urban graffiti can be very artistic, but these were just crude defacements. I can barely fathom the mentality of someone who would deface something as beautiful as Sky Bridge.

For a change of pace, I decided to squeeze in one longer hike before heading home in the late afternoon. I picked the Copperas Falls trail, which turned out to be an “unofficial” path without a discernable trail head. The only indication of a trail is a worn footpath off the side of the road near the Copperas Creek canoe launch. The trail is about 3.5 miles in total and is moderately difficult. It follows the Copperas Creek, which was partially dried out when I hiked it. The trail crosses back and forth over the creek numerous times, so you could get pretty wet. I encountered an abandoned camp site which only added to the sense of adventure. The trail is also easy to lose since it is not well defined. Eventually, I reached the waterfall which was impressive and had a large cave behind it. Next time, I’ll make sure I hike an official trail since I discovered don’t enjoy being a trail blazer.

Overall, it was a great trip. I am glad I had the opportunity to satisfy my pent-up demand for hiking before heading home. There are still many other hikes to explore on my next trip to Red River Gorge. Nataliya also wants to go back since the weather wasn’t very favorable until after she left. I highly recommend driving along Sky Bridge Road and visiting as many natural wonders as you can even if you don’t have a lot of time to visit this amazing location! The trails were not particularly challenging, except for the Copperas Falls “unofficial” path. However, I think I will opt for quality over quantity next time.

After a weekend of wet weather, things finally dried out on my last day at Red River Gorge in October. I went down for a long weekend with Nataliya and her 11-year old son Alex. Since I have a lot of vacation time to use before the end of the year, I stayed an extra day by myself which made all the difference.

We drove down to the Red River Gorge Cabin resort on Saturday and checked in to our cottage at Hideaway Ridge. I planned ahead and downloaded the maps of the area ahead of time so I could use them offline. Previous experience had taught me that we might have only very weak cell service, if any at all. That let me drive right to the cabin. However, Nataliya was not so lucky. Her older GPS unit only took her to the main entrance, and then it didn’t track anything beyond that. I tried to talk her through the navigation, but the road forked several times and our cell signal was very weak. Eventually, we decided it would just be easier if we met at the main gate and then Nataliya could follow me to the cabin.

We eventually arrived and settled in. Alex was immediately attracted to the guitar hanging on the wall, even though he doesn’t play any instruments. Regardless, he picked it up and started strumming a few chords. Alex periodically gave us little impromptu performances over the next several days since we were indoors a lot. The cabin had two bedrooms and two bathrooms; however, the most important feature for Nataliya was the hot tub! The cabin had lots of large windows that let in a lot of light. Be sure to book well in advance!

I picked up pizza from Miguel’s, a prime destination for hikers, which was very busy despite the wet weather. Afterwards, Nataliya and I got to relax in the hot tub before cooking some smores. By the end of the weekend, I was rather bored with the traditional smores, so I decided to use some strawberry and cinnamon churros flavored marshmallows when we returned to Cincinnati. They are a great way to try something a little different, albeit a little pricey at $4 per bag. Alex likes his marshmallows charred while I prefer mine lightly toasted.

Unfortunately, the weather was pretty wet on Sunday, so we didn’t do any hiking. Alex loves snakes and reptiles, so we went to the Kentucky Reptile Zoo near Natural Bridge. The zoo has more than 75 species of snakes, turtles, lizards and alligators. Most of the exhibits were indoors, but there are several small outdoor exhibits too. It was probably the highlight of the trip for Alex, who declared the snakes were “cute,” much to Nataliya’s dismay. Alex has been begging for a pet snake ever since, although Nataliya is trying to negotiate down to a turtle or guinea pig!

Due to COVID-19, the zoo had suspended its usual daily programming, which tyipcally includes venom extraction demonstrations. Only a few people were allowed in at a time, but I was still very reluctant to enter. Ultimately, I went into the zoo but did not go into any of the buildings out of an abundance of caution since I am high risk for COVID-19. In fact, the zoo is rather dilapidated and is not that large. However, the staff is very knowledgeable, and the price was not unreasonable ($11.50 for adults and $7.50 for kids).

After that short excursion, we went back to the cabin for another night of relaxing in the hot-tub and making smores. Alex has also become an avid fan of the classic Monopoly board game, and I brought along a Star Wars themed version. I think Alex enjoyed playing something new although nobody actually won (as is usually the case). Alex still had a lot of pent-up energy afterwards. But he quickly wore himself out by re-enacting scenes from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace while we watched the DVD later that evening.

Monday was the last day for Nataliya and Alex before they went home, and we were finally able to get out and do a little hiking. I had been to Natural Bridge about 10 years ago, so I was happy to return. We rode up in the skylift even though I am afraid of heights. I took an anti-anxiety pill beforehand, but it didn’t help as much as I had hoped. In addition, the chair behind me had a couple of male teenagers who loudly discussed potential mechanical failures until we reached the summit. Nataliya and Alex rode in the chair ahead of me, so I was by myself. I concentrated on the colorful leaves, and the massive rock formation that loomed in front of me in the morning mist. Although the skylift slowed several times, thankfully we didn’t stop. Being suspended over what felt like any abyss would have been much more unpleasant.

Eventually, we reached the top, and I was much relieved to be back on solid ground. Alex had promised to avoid the edge of the Natural Bridge after Nataliya had begged him beforehand. However, he immediately forgot his promise upon reaching the summit. A band of carefree teenagers also sat on the edge which did not set a good example for Alex either. Without a hint of fear, Alex ran right up the very edge and remarked about how high up we were. Eventually, Nataliya coaxed Alex back from the edge, and we walked to the other end of the bridge. I did not linger to take any photos from the top, which is much less interesting than being underneath the arch in my opinion. We descended under the bridge and passed through Fat Man’s Squeeze. We snapped a few pictures from under the arch before hiking down to the parking lot. The arch is an amazing testament to the power of erosion which carved out the rock formation over millions of years. It is a humbling and awe inspiring monument.

The hike down is about a mile and has some steep stone steps that make it harder to ascend than to descend. Alex quickly began to complain that he was hungry and that Nataliya had not bought enough snacks at the gift shop. I tried to distract Alex by pointing out intriguing rock formations and describing how erosion worked, but he was absorbed in self-pity. To make matters worse, Nataliya yelped in pain when a hornet stung her several times, and she had a nasty reaction. To my utter shock, Alex ignored his mother’s discomfort and continued to pester her for more candy even after she cried out in pain. Alex often speaks without thinking because he has ADHD and is unmedicated.

Nevertheless, I lost my temper and yelled at him. While I tried to comfort to Nataliya, Alex hurried down the trail ahead of us. After a brief pause, we started walking again, but quickly lost sight of Alex as he raced ahead. We eventually caught up with Alex when he sat down on a rock beside the trail not far from the parking lot. A sullen Alex continued to sulk during the car ride back to the cabin.

Before heading home, Nataliya bought tickets for a zipline tour, and the tickets were not cheap even though she received a discount since we stayed at the adjacent resort complex. I had considered joining them out of a desire to conquer my own fears, but the skylift ride had shown that discretion would probably be the better part of valor in this instance. Although the first segment of the zipline was not elevated too high above the ground and was relatively short, the last segment was 2,000 feet long and passed over a gorge more than 300 feet deep! Another rider in Nataliya’s group was too intimidated and decided to skip the last section. I definitely made the right choice! On the other hand, Alex claimed he was disappointed because it wasn’t scary enough. I wish I was as fearless as him!

Afterwards, Nataliya and Alex went home, and I returned to the cabin alone. It was a pretty eerie night, being alone in the cabin, even though I had neighbors nearby. I had previously intended to spend a week, or maybe a few long weekends, alone in a cabin for a “digital detox.” I remained largely off the grid this weekend, but it seems like I preferred to have company more than I expected.

I had planned to do at least a little hiking every day, so I had a lot of pent up demand. The wet weather had kept the three of us indoors for a large part of the weekend, so I wanted to see as much of the gorge as I could in a day. It turns out, you can visit quite a few natural attractions there in a short amount of time.

For the first time in a long time, I felt immersed in nature.

Nataliya, her son Alex and I spent a long weekend at Cumberland Falls again in September. You’re probably tired of reading about the same place, so I promise to add more variety in the future. This was our first overnight trip with all three of us together, and we decided to stay in a unique treetop cabin that was off the beaten path.

Built in 1973, the treetop cabin sits on a slope overlooking the Cumberland River. The cabin sits atop stilts that keep it 40 feet off the ground at the deepest point. Heights make me nervous, but I was only anxious for a moment. The natural beauty quickly calmed me. The cabin also has a distinctive circular design that is the signature feature of Deltec Homes, the firm that constructed it. It is located at the very end of an isolated road that only had three or four other houses on it. There were a couple boats down on the river, but there were hardly any hints or sounds of the modern world, such as traffic. I heard little besides birds and crickets. The occasional dog bark was the only clue that any other people were nearby. I only had about one bar of cellular signal, which meant the weekend was a wonderful excuse to unplug from Facebook, email and text messages. I look forward to a few more “digital detox” trips in the near future, especially as the election approaches rapidly.

I drove separately on Friday and arrived several hours before Nataliya got off work. I had a few hours of solitude to get settled in and enjoy the peaceful surroundings by myself. Nataliya and I go hiking frequently and spent a week exploring the parks near Las Vegas. However, staying in the treetop roundhouse was more immersive. In Las Vegas, we went hiking but then returned to Las Vegas and slept in a condo near the Strip.

I could not escape nature inside the treetop roundhouse, even if I had tried! When I first arrived, I noticed a large spider on the ceiling and several insects scurrying about in the cabinets under the sink. On the adorable side, I also found a cute fuzzy caterpillar and a snail on the deck around the cabin. The wrap-around deck also offered a wonderful view of the Cumberland River, especially at sunrise and sunset. The large windows also let in lots of light even in the master bedroom. The weather in mid-September was also perfect too – neither too hot nor too cold.

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The treetop roundhouse has a grill, and I cooked some hamburgers for dinner (although be sure to bring your own charcoal). Nataliya and her 11-year old son Alex arrived late in the evening, and the twisty country roads were a bit more harrowing at night. Alex fell in love with the cabin immediately and christened the weekend “hut time” since the circular cabin resembled a primitive hut on stilts. However, my brief sojourn in solitude was over since Alex has ADHD but is unmedicated.

Alex declared the roundhouse was better than staying at the resorts in Mexico that were his previous gold standard for vacation destinations. He complained that the school of fish sculpture on the central wall had “too many fish,” and we were only slightly disappointed that the telescope was only a showpiece. Although well maintained, the cabin clearly has not been renovated or updated recently aside from a large flatscreen TV.

On Saturday morning, we had breakfast and packed our lunches for a short hike. We revisited Eagle Falls and at first took the one-mile loop instead of the direct shortcut. It was very quiet too with few other hikers. Alex quickly grew tired but still had the energy to climb up rocks and jump off ledges (much to Nataliya’s dismay). He stopped to play with some snails he found in a stream near the waterfall, but quickly returned to complaining afterwards. Eventually, we reached the falls and stopped for lunch. I brought Frito corn chips, which I fondly remember from the packed lunches on all my family hikes as a kid. Alex vowed to stay at the falls forever instead of hiking back the long way, so we took the shortcut back to the parking lot. He complained loudly and frequently about climbing the stairs, but we managed to survive. On our previous trip, I had been too nervous to walk along the shortcut, which has less tree cover and is more exposed. But this time I hardly noticed it, probably because I knew what to expect.

Next, we went back to the horse stables located near the Cumberland Falls resort, that Nataliya had enjoyed on our previous trip earlier in the summer. Nataliya and I relaxed and ate some snacks while Alex fed carrots to one of the horses in the stables. He had his heart set on riding his new best friend but was only a little disappointed when he was assigned another horse. Alex christened his steed “Horse-O.”

The ride started out well enough, but Alex quickly became queasy with motion sickness. He renamed his steed as “Disco Horse-O” because it “danced” around too much, and disco was the first dance style that came to mind. Alex loudly and frequently announced he felt like puking. Although he did develop a case of the hiccups, he did not get sick. One of the guides jokingly asked him if he wanted to trade horses, and Alex was disappointed that the offer wasn’t genuine.

Having had enough fun for one day, we returned to the treetop roundhouse. We had pizza and leftover hamburgers for dinner. When the sun went down, we started a fire and roasted s’mores, which I haven’t had in many years. Alex preferred to set alight his marshmallows and let them become blackened. I prefer mine with a much lighter toasting. Although I had just started a fitness and nutrition challenge at my CrossFit gym, I indulged myself.

Nataliya and I sat around the fire and talked for a long time, which I also haven’t done for many years either. The night sky was wonderfully clear, and we could see the stars and moon with crisp clarity. I often lament all the light pollution in Cincinnati that obscures the night sky. As we were cleaning up, an owl hooted. I didn’t spot it, but the owl must have been very close since it was so loud! I’m not sure I’ve ever heard an owl in the wild before, and it was a wonderful way to end the evening. Later, I learned there are eight different owl species in Kentucky. I think we probably heard a Great Horned Owl, which is the most common type, since its hoot is the most similar to what we heard at the cabin.

The next morning, we packed up to leave. Alex, who is an internet addict, was heartbroken to leave “hut time,” and declared he would stay there forever. To no avail, I tried to explain that he would probably feel differently in a day or two due to the lack of internet access. After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, we eventually departed. Alex was somewhat mollified by reading and signing the guest book, which contained many heartfelt notes from previous visitors. Some had even included paintings and songs they had written in their guest book entries. Alex added to the collection by sketching a picture of the treehouse roundhouse.

We stopped at Natural Arch on the way home, which spans almost 100 feet. The arch was formed by millions of years of erosion on either side of the rock formation. Eventually, the indentations on either side of the formation connected to form a tunnel. Instead of hiking out to the arch, we opted for the short, paved path to a scenic overlook. Alex was unimpressed, but it was a very nice view since a few trees were already changing color. We ate lunch at the nearby picnic tables. Alex wanted to play the Monopoly boardgame, which he had brought along for entertainment at the treehouse cabin. He was quite persistent, so we set it up. We had a lot of fun and the time flew by quickly, but we called it quits after two hours since we had a long drive home.

Although somewhat chaotic, the trip was successful, and we all loved staying at the treetop roundhouse. It was a distinctive and memorable experience, especially because of its solitude and natural immersion. I look forward to unplugging again soon! Forth coming destinations include Red River Gorge (KY) and Brown County (IN).

Since being diagnosed with cancer, I’ve tried to be open-minded when it comes to new experiences. As a result, I agreed to participate in the 10km “Moonbow” trail run in southern Kentucky last year with Nataliya. She had originally planned to go with several friends, but one dropped out, so I filled in.

I’ve never gone trail running and certainly not for 10km. The longest street race I had ever run was a 5k and that was more than a decade ago! I did not prepare at all for the race, although I am in pretty good shape since I’ve been doing CrossFit for several years now. In the summer, workouts usually incorporate running but no more than 1 or 2 miles – only a fraction of the 6-mile trail run!

The trail race was at Cumberland Falls in southern Kentucky and we drove down the day before. We stopped in Lexington for lunch at Good Foods Cooperative. I lived right around the corner from the cooperative while finishing my master’s degree at the University of Kentucky. I loved eating and shopping there, so it was a nice treat to return to my old stomping grounds (gastronomically as well as literally). Nataliya had also fallen in love with their little café while studying at UK as well (although not at the same time as me)! We ran across the street to A Plus Comics as well for a second, which was another of my former hangouts. Before hitting the road again, we took a short hike at Raven Run Sanctuary, which has a great view of the Kentucky River. Eventually, we arrived at our hotel, the Fairfield Inn, in Corbin and had dinner at Sonny’s BBQ. Our hotel was about 30 minutes from the park which has cottages to rent but requires a 2-night minimum stay on the weekends. There’s certainly enough trails and other activities to warrant a full weekend (if not more), but we had to be back home by Saturday night unfortunately.

The race began at 8 a.m. at the visitor’s center at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. The course followed right along the Cumberland River for the first 2 miles and then cut overland for 2 more miles. The final 2-mile leg brought us back along the river. You can see a video map of the course here. There were also 30km and 50km versions available for experienced trail runners. It was a bright day, so I wore my prescription sunglasses which turned out to be a mistake. The trail was well shaded, so I didn’t need them. The trail was quite rocky, and I frequently slipped and tripped over stones and tree roots even though we were not going very fast. My prescription sunglasses made it even harder to see what I was doing! I marveled at the true trail runners who sped ahead and finished the course in about 90 minutes. The river cooled us during the first leg which was fortunate since it was still very hot for September. We began a lengthy uphill section once the trail turned inland, and we lost the river’s cooling effect.

The river and the countryside were quite beautiful and peaceful, although the river came to its crashing crescendo at the finish line. I enjoyed the cool clean air along the river, and the earthy scents. I had visited the Cumberland Falls more than a decade ago when I had lived in Kentucky, and it reminded me that I don’t get out into nature nearly as often these days. The race was also an excellent opportunity to break in my new hiking boots and prepare for our upcoming lengthy journeys in Las Vegas. My legs were quite sore by the end of the race!

We eventually finished at just under 2 hours and 40 minutes, although Nataliya had certainly hoped for better. I thought she might leave me behind, but I kept up well. In reality, we mostly just hiked and only ran on a few brief sections of relatively smooth ground. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the challenge and the natural splendor. I certainly would give it another shot! Nataliya suggested trying the 10km version of the “Hot Hot 100” race this year, but I demurred. The course has more than 1,400 feet of elevation gain and descent, so it’s a lot of running up and down hills. It’s also in August which would be even hotter (hence the name), so I suggested we try to improve our performance at the Moonbow race this year instead.

After the race, we took some pictures at the iconic Cumberland falls before heading home. The water crashes down 68 feet which was earned it the nickname of the “Little Niagara” or the “Niagara of the South.” The Cumberland Falls is also the only location in the Western Hemisphere where you can view a Moonbow, which is a produced by moonlight rather than sunlight. The waterfall’s wide gorge and high walls create the perfect conditions for this unique phenomenon. See a video about it here. The Kentucky state park system publishes a calendar with the ideal dates for viewing the Moonbow. Plus, it’s only 3 hours from Cincinnati, so it’s an ideal destination! The only other place you can see a Moonbow is at Victoria Falls in Africa (although the KET video claims the phenomenon no longer exists due to an earthquake).

On Tuesday, we went up to Valley of Fire State Park ($10 per day) which is about an hour north of Las Vegas. It’s small enough that you can easily visit all the major attractions in a day if you arrive early enough. We visited about 75% of the park in 5 or 6 hours. We stopped at the beehives first, which looked exactly as you would expect. The park is best known for the red Aztec sandstone that contrasts with the brown hills that surround it.

Next, we drove up to the White Domes Trail (1.1 miles), which featured some remnants of a movie set for the 1965 western film “The Professionals.” As you can see, most of the Mexican hacienda has crumbled since then. Valley of Fire has also been featured in several films and television shows. In fact, we drove through a photo shoot on our way out of the park.

Overall, the White Domes Trail was an easy hike without lots of other people (remember most of our hikes were on weekdays during the off season). The trail featured some interesting erosion patterns and a few sandy parts. You walk through several narrow slot canyons, and the trail is filled with an array of colors, including orange, yellow, pink and beige. The colorful rainbow of stones used to construct a stairway is one of my favorite photos from the trip since it shows off the natural beauty so well. Nataliya and I joked that my phone would be filled with 500 pictures of rocks (the estimate was not far off!) Some of the best pictures are included in this article, but they still don’t do justice to what we actually experienced!

From there, we went to the Fire Wave Trail (1.5 miles) next which is one of the most popular attractions in the park. You should be aware that the trail is actually on the other side of the road from the parking lot. Wind and water have eroded the layer rock formation to create distinctive waves. Here, much of the red Aztec sandstone is covered in a black substance called “desert varnish,” which contains unusually high concentrations of the rare metallic substance manganese. The manganese-rich varnish is formed from dust, wind and morning dew. Sometimes, iron-rich orange varnish also forms. The trail is marked with small cairns and guide posts. However, the trail disappeared as we approached the iconic Fire Wave formation, and we ended up wandering around on top of it (which we were expressly warned against!). Several other hikers were also unsure exactly which part of the rock was the Fire Wave either, but some photographers arrived and pointed it out. I surveyed the rugged, savage landscape as we paused to eat our sandwiches.

Next, we continued to Mouse’s Tank (0.75 miles) next. A tank is a natural rock basin filled with water, and the trail is named for a native Paiute renegade who hid in the area in the 1890s. The rocks along the trail were covered in dark desert varnish, which created a natural canvas for a menagerie of petroglyphs. The trail was an easy hike but had a few sandy parts.

We wrapped up our blitz through the Valley of Fire with a quick stop at the Elephant Rock (which was not very impressive). Other notable rock formations in the park include Atlatl Rock, Balancing Rock and the Seven Sisters. We also pulled over near the Fire Canyon Trail and took a walk through the seemingly empty landscape. Upon closer inspection, tracks in the sand revealed the area was filled with unseen wildlife traffic, including birds and snakes. It was a practically a critter highway! We didn’t have much sunlight left, so Nataliya and I decided to drive 20 minutes north and visit the Lost City Museum ($5 admission) before sunset.

The Lost City refers to the ruins in the area left behind by Native American people known as the Ancestral Pueblo. The title is misleading because the settlement was a collection of homes that were more akin to a village rather than a true city. The ruins were excavated in the 1920s and 30s. The Civilian Conservation Corps built the Lost City Museum in 1935 to house these artifacts. The museum features a small collection of baskets and pottery as well as a recreation of the excavation site. There are also several reconstructed pueblos and a pit house. There’s also a small, but very interesting, exhibit about the ecological history of the region. For the modest price, the Lost City Museum is worth a visit if you are at the Valley of Fire. The drive back to Vegas was almost pitch dark. The only similar experience I recall is driving through rural Indiana for late-night newspaper assignments as my first journalism job in 2004. Then, suddenly, the bright lights of Vegas erupted as we crossed over a ridge. It was more like sunset than late at night. The Sky Beam from the Luxor Hotel shot up towards the sky like a laser. Apparently it is visible up to 275 miles away.

We made our first trip to the Strip on Wednesday only because it was raining too much for us to hike. We stopped at the Palace Station first and were immediately struck by the stench of cigarette smoke. Public smoking has been restricted for so long back in Ohio that it had not occurred to me that Las Vegas casinos would permit it. The casinos were gaudy and had few customers. I wish more people would leave the Strip and visit the amazing parks nearby! If they don’t, it’s a missed opportunity.

We were primarily interested in the Cinebarre theater where we saw Knives Out. The theater offers $9 tickets all day ($4 additional for 3D) but that’s not a great price for a matinee. Nevertheless, the theater was clean and comfortable. We played the slot machines downstairs for a few minutes after the movie. Nataliya was the big winner – $34! I joked that even my dreams are modest, because I dreamt before leaving Cincinnati that I won a mere $1,500. Nataliya had much bigger dreams to the tune of $200,000! In the end, Nataliya probably broke even, and I only spent about $50 or $60 on the slots.

We had lunch at In-n-Out Burger for the first time. I ordered of the “secret” menu, including a Neapolitan shake (chocolate, vanilla and strawberry) and a tasty animal style burger (the patty is cooked with mustard). It reminded me of the burgers I had at Johnny Rockets as a kid, with toasted buns and lots of crisp pickles. The Neapolitan shake was unremarkable since the strawberry flavor was lost amongst the vanilla and chocolate.

Next, we made our way to the Bellagio which was much more decadent than the Palace Station. The staff were in the process of erecting the Christmas display. We watched one of the choreographed fountain shows with lights and music which was quite impressive. The fountains usually erupt every 30 minutes, but you should check the schedule to make sure.

Here’s a link to my brief video clip of the fountains: https://youtu.be/QFd6nnoof6Y

Then, we went across the street to Paris Las Vegas. The façade was a reasonable copy of Parisian architecture but was also covered in the stench of cigarette smoke. We stopped at Le Creperie for a quick snack – a lemon and blueberry crepe. It was quite sweet and lot of food given the price (approx. $12). I enjoyed a game called Aftershocks which would buzz, shake and permit extra spins. However, I still lost a couple bucks and, in general, I found gambling not very fun or entertaining.

We finished up the night at Strat (formerly Stratosphere) where we had dinner and saw a show. We ate at McCall’s Heartland Grill and both had fish – mahi mahi and salmon. Both were tasty and Nataliya enjoyed a cherry drop martini too. I had no interest in visiting the rotating bar or the terrifying amusement park on the top of the tower, but my barber in Cincinnati recommended it. Merely watching  this video makes me start to sweat.

I had originally planned to see several shows in Vegas, including the magical duo Penn & Teller and at least one Cirque du Soleil show. However, I decided against buying tickets ahead of time in order to avoid over-committing myself, especially after several days of hiking. If I felt up to it, I decided I would buy rush tickets the night of a show. Nataliya was on a tight budget, but I was less concerned with price since we might not be in Vegas again any time soon.

In the end, we went to Celestia at Strat (starting at $29), which was much more affordable than Cirque (varies $80-$100). We opted for cheap seats off to the side, which turned out to be a great deal. However, we had to pick our tickets up at the box office, and it was entirely unclear which desk or which line was the right one to be in. Nevertheless, we eventually got our tickets. Attendance was sparse on a Wednesday night, so the ushers reseated us in prime seats for free.

The show felt a lot like a Cirque production and occurred in a 30,000 square foot tent outside the Strat tower. The 90-minute show features several exciting acts, including a Wheel of Death as well as acrobatics, contortionists, aerialists, and a dagger throwing act. As the name indicates, the show had an extraterrestrial theme and sci-fi music (which was too loud). The bumbling clown protagonists were entertaining, Nataliya was terrified by the Wheel of Death!

Here’s a short promo teaser for Celestia: https://youtu.be/7zZAQALwjgY

We saved Red Rock Canyon ($15 per day) for our final blitz on Thursday. Red Rock is only 30 minutes from Vegas and is one of the most popular parks (for good reason). The park is named for the iconic red Aztec Sandstone which occurs when iron in the rock oxidizes. The park is organized around a one-way 13-mile scenic loop. You can stop at any of the 26 hiking trails along the way.

Unfortunately, we only had a few hours in the morning to explore since our flight back to Cincinnati left in the afternoon. On the other hand, that gives us plenty of excuses to come back! We stopped at the visitor center to get some advice from a knowledgeable volunteer and picked up a few gifts at the shop.

We hiked a short part of the Calico Hills trail which gives you a close-up view of the distinctive geology of the Red Rock Canyon. Back on the road, we passed a few visitors touring on Segway scooters. The road rises about 1,000 feet to the High Point scenic overlook. We paused for a moment to take in the awesome sight, and I was finally at ease after adjusting to the wide-open horizons (just in time to leave). At this point, I was finally at ease in wide-open spaces. I prefer to savor the moment while Nataliya is eager to move on. The trip was also a great milestone in my relationship with Nataliya. It was the most time we had ever spent together (nearly a week). Nataliya was very supportive and understanding when I was a little anxious at the start of our adventure. We worked well together and found ways to compromise between our different budget goals. Finally, Nataliya and I had originally intended to go see a comedy show instead of Celestia, but I lost our tickets! She was only slightly mad at me, even after an embarrassing delay at the car rental desk at the airport…

We stopped for lunch at the Willow Spring picnic area and took a short hike to another petroglyph display. The trail to the petroglpyhs was not clearly marked and the petroglpyhs were quite faint. However, it was neat to see the hand-shaped images, which opened a portal back into history.

We tried to eat a quiet packed lunch in the picnic area, but an inconsiderate jerk insisted on flying a drone overhead even though it is prohibited. It felt like the operator was intentionally annoying people by flying low and buzzing anyone he could find. I took great relish when the drone plummeted to the road and crashed with a satisfying crunch of broken plastic.

Out of time – we had to catch our flight back to Cincinnati. I’ve always had a passing interest in North Africa. Perhaps I’ll see the rest of Tatooine (filmed in Tunisia) in a year or two if the terrorism situation in the region improves.

This was our last big trip for the year. We had plans for 2020, but COVID-19 has interrupted them. That has left Las Vegas as the most memorable trip in 2019. I feel very lucky to have been so fortunate to go, especially with Nataliya, and would love to go back. I was inspired after my uncle David and aunt Myra visited a few years ago and shared all of their photos. I hope this article encourages someone the next time they visit Vegas to escape the smoky casinos for at least a few hours (or hopefully much longer)! I might never have returned to France (like I did in 2018) or taken the initiative to visit Las Vegas without a cancer diagnosis hanging over my head. It has encouraged me to seize the moment, although perhaps I should have let my fears get the better of me at the Red Cathedral…

In “A New Hope,” R2-D2 is captured on the desert planet Tatooine by Jawas in a region called the Jundland Wastes. The scene was filmed in the Golden Canyon in Death Valley in 1976, and the park rangers’ children played the Jawas!I never thought I would be in the same spot where parts of Star Wars had been filmed, but now that famous phrase “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” was not just words on a screen any more. Death Valley was the first stop on our trip out west in December 2019, although Las Vegas was our primary destination.

Death Valley was only 2 hours from Las Vegas, and we got up early Sunday morning since we were still on eastern time. We drove through the Spring Mountains west of Las Vegas and marveled at the stark wilderness: only rocks, shrubs and snow as far as I could see! Once we left Las Vegas, there was literally no sign of civilization, aside from the highway and power lines, until we reached Pahrump an hour later. We only passed through one other tiny village before we reached Death Valley ($30 for a 7-day pass).

Zabriskie Point was actually our first stop in the park, and it felt like we were on a different planet (which is why so many science-fiction movies have been shot there, including my beloved Star Wars!). The sky was the widest I’d seen since my last trip out west about 20 years ago, and the valley was unnervingly flat. It was a psychological shock and it took me at least a day to adjust. You can see for miles in Death Valley which is certainly not the case in Cincinnati or any of the other places I’ve visited.

After arriving at Zabriskie Point,we got out of the car, and suddenly I felt horribly exposed. My hands were sweaty, and I felt like I could be swept off the ground at any moment. The 2004 film “the Forgotten” seems to have made an impression on me, in particular the malevolent force that hurled people into the atmosphere whenever the heroine got close to finding out the truth.

Although unsettling, Death Valley was incredibly beautiful as well. The distant mountains looked like a painting or a movie studio backdrop. Nataliya and I walked up to the top of Zabriskie Point and to get a view of it all. The terrain looked like giants had created furrows by dragging their fingers across it. An array of colors also rippled through the mountains from pale sandy yellow to dark earthy brown – sometimes juxtaposed next to each other. This was only our first stop and we were already flabbergasted! We got back in the car and I immediately felt more at ease.

We drove down to the visitor’s center where we asked for some suggested trails and learned that a ranger would soon be leading a geology hike in the Golden Canyon. We hoped back in the car and a few minutes later we were at Golden Canyon. This was the location where the R2-D2 seen was shot with the Jawas in the Jundland Wastes.

The ranger who led the hike was very engaging and knowledgeable. He explained all about the geology and history of Death Valley as well as the tremendous forces and time span that ultimately created the impressive landscape. The ranger said the powerful process and beautiful results made him feel humble and frightened – I agree! I reflected on the immense scope of the natural world and how insignificant our relatively brief human lives seem in comparison to planet Earth. Never mind the rest the of the universe! Human history is only a tiny blip on the cosmic scale.

On a side note, there’s a very interesting approach towards teaching history called the Big History method, where the class starts with the Big Bang and finishes with modern history. It’s an excellent way to create a multi-disciplinary class that covers geology, biology, history and chemistry, among other topics. And since I’m not a Renaissance man, the best approach is to invite a bunch of guest lecturers to address the various specialties (which coincidentally means less work for me).

It was also thrilling to walk in the same canyon where R2-D2 had once rolled. I have been a Star Wars fan nearly my entire life. The educational hike only went about half a mile into Golden Canyon, and we decided to continue to the landmark known as the Red Cathedral. The trail is also part of a longer loop that can add on another 3 to 8 miles depending on how far you want to go.

The trail was moderately busy and not very strenuous, until the very end, which had a steep incline up to the top of the Red Cathedral. The overlook was completely exposed, and I was turned back twice when anxiety overtook me. I eventually overcame my fear. My 3 years of continuous cancer treatment have taught me not to take anything for granted. I intend to return to Death Valley sooner rather than later, but I realized I might never have the chance (for numerous unforeseen reasons). I did not want to let my fear get the better of me, so I scrambled up to the top. However, I was so anxious that I could only take in the awesome sight through the viewfinder of my smartphone camera. I scrambled back down the hill in a crab-walk. Nataliya had been waiting for me and climbed up when I got back. We then returned to the trail-head together.

Next, we stopped at Badwater Salt Flats which is the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level). The salt flats were still slightly unnerving since I could see further in any direction than I could remember before. The Badwater trail is very flat, but it’s possible to trip over salty protrusions. The salt flats actually look more like a frozen lake with frosty wave crests. The salt flats were a popular destination and only a few parking spots available.

Before heading back to Nevada, we made a slight detour to on to the Artist’s Palette driving tour. This one-way loop takes about 25 minutes and includes several scenic overlooks, but we did not stop (which I slightly regret). The drive does show off some colorful terrain, but it’s not as vibrant as some of the photos I saw online. Perhaps the overlooks had the best views or maybe the sunlight wasn’t favorable. In a day, we saw only a tiny sliver of what Death Valley has to offer, and there are numerous natural wonders to visit next time. I balked when Nataliya said she would come back in 10 years – I think delaying more than a couple years would be travesty!

We might have been able to squeeze in one more quick stop, but we left while we still had sunlight since we had a 2 hour drive back to our resort, the Desert Paradise. It was quiet, affordable and not far from either the Strip or the airport. Most nights we cooked dinner in the condo and packed lunches for the trail. Nataliya is a much more budget conscious traveler than I am.

Apparently, I over did it by forcing myself to ascend the Red Cathedral, because I suffered from a few nightmares Sunday night that interrupted my sleep. I awoke suddenly several times after imaging being stuck exposed and terrified on the slope of the Red Cathedral. I only fell asleep after consciously refocusing my thoughts on the hike I eagerly anticipated Monday morning. I vowed not to push myself too hard in the future.

The next morning, we drove to the nearby suburb of Henderson for a walk back in time. But first, we drove through seemingly endless subdivisions of homes painted in the same limited palette of sandy yellow or brown. A few Italian villas were bizarrely out of place, as were the palm trees that seemed confused and lost.

After 25 minutes of mind-numbing architectural repetition, we arrived at Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area (no fee). Since it was early Monday morning, we had the entire place almost to ourselves – only one other car was parked in the lot. This was one of my most anticipated hikes and it did not disappoint. Only 25 minutes from the Strip, Sloan is often overshadowed by more popular parks such as Red Rock Canyon.

Petroglyph Trail was one of my favorite hikes from the entire trip. It reminded me of an Indiana Jones movie or a Lord of the Rings adventure. We started off on an alternate route called the Cowboy Trail and then came back on the main path. However, the Cowboy Trail was a little easier than the regular route, because we were able to simply hop down from a rock ledge instead of trying to scramble up it if we had gone the “correct” route.

The Cowboy Trail provides a scenic view of Las Vegas (plus the first of many opportunities to test out the panorama function on my smartphone camera) and was very quiet, save for the constant distant rumble from the airport. Only a few birds even chirped at us during the hike, although distant gunfire echoed through the hills as we were leaving. Petroglyph Canyon lives up to its name with hundreds of images, mainly facing towards the interior of the mountains. Petroglyphs are created by scraping or carving into the surface of a rock, as opposed to pictoglyphs which are painted onto rocks.

Native Americans carved the petroglyphs in Sloan Canyon at least 800 years ago. The canyon has very little water so the artists must have only been passing through the area instead of permanent residents. Some of the more abstract images were more difficult to interpret since the alignment and perspective were undefined. We had no idea if we were looking at the image upside down or right side up! Mountain goats were a frequent subject, and they seemed to be very lively! Like the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art, these simple works of art bridged the gap over centuries as Nataliya and I pondered the meaning of the petroglyphs.

Later, we found a booklet at a gift shop that offered possible interpretations of the images – some of which seem to convey very complex stories or concepts. Sloan is a hidden gem on the outskirts of Las Vegas that has somehow preserved an amazing treasure trove of cultural history. There are a several other trails in the Sloan Canyon park as well, and some of the area is open to cross-country hiking, cycling or horse-back riding.

Our next destination, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area ($25 for 7 days), wasn’t far away either. Lake Mead was created in 1935 when the Hoover Dam was finished. The massive recreation area has numerous hiking trails and other activities, including boating and fishing.

We decided to check out Hoover Dam next, but I stayed in the parking garage while Nataliya grabbed a couple photos. I wasn’t really that interested in seeing a giant dam, and I was chastened by my recent nightmares from Zabriskie Point. After seeing how deep the dam was, I decided not to stress myself out any more than necessary. Nataliya was not impressed and only stayed a few minutes.

We made one more stop at the Historic Railroad Trail at Lake Mead before heading back to the resort. The trail is very flat, easy and uncrowded. The railroad transported construction supplies to nearby Hoover Dam and was later converted into a hiking and biking path. There are five tunnels along the 7.5-mile trail. It provided a scenic view of the Lake and another opportunity to try out the panorama option on my smartphone camera. I was still little uneasy with the vast expanses that confronted me, but much less than on Sunday.

After dinner, we went to the Christmas display at the Ethel M chocolate factory. Located in Henderson, about 20 minutes from the strip, the Ethel M chocolate factory has a 3-acre botanical garden filled with 300 species of cacti and other desert succulents. The garden was decorated for Christmas with lots of colorful lights and was extremely crowded. We went inside to warm up with some hot chocolate. We also tried chocolate-coated marshmallows which were surprisingly good. Nataliya said it was the only time she felt the Christmas spirit even though the holiday was only a few weeks away. We saw a few Christmas trees but back home there was a plethora of inflatable holiday yard decorations and massive light displays. Even for a Monday, the Ethel M store was packed full of people. It’s definitely worth visiting – especially if you love chocolate! Be warned that my GPS had a hard time finding the exact location.

To be continued…