And Now the Drive Back to the IE
At least the moon is full. It won't be massively dark out there.
I've made this trip dozens of times. Scores of times, maybe. Come to Vegas, see some significant event, write about it, drive back.
It can be tricky, leaving Las Vegas at 10, 11, maybe even midnight.
But there are good reasons to get outta this town as soon as possible.
First, well, I don't really like Las Vegas. I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to. I certainly don't want to pay to stay in a hotel, which are tough to get to, in terms of traffic, on a Saturday night, and loud and noisy.
Second, I prefer not to drive the next day. Why ruin TWO days with long commutes?
Third, if you don't get outta Las Vegas by about 10 a.m. on a Sunday, you risk getting stuck in the traffic jams that inevitably pop up on the 15.
There's nothing more frustrating than sitting at a dead stop on the 15 -- in the middle of the desert, with no on- or offramps anywhere to be seen. Just you and a few thousand other cars. Idling.
Flip side: I like driving at night, especially in the desert. It's usually clear, and you can see a million stars all around, as The Eagles would say, and even if the route is getting busier and busier ... there's still something inviting about blowing through Baker at 1 a.m., heading for Barstow and beyond.
And the challenge of "will I stay as wide awake as I need to?" is always interesting. It can be a battle, but I've made it back every time so far. Let's see if I can extend the streak by one more.