Vegas: Race Car Edition

I'm a few weeks behind in telling you all about my annual Vegas family vacation. Per usual, we went the first week in March for Nascar weekend. It was lots of fun.

I got in Thursday morning and Ryan and Lauren picked me up. We ate New Mexican burritos at Carlito's, stopped by the store for all my breakfast foods, and then checked into Treasure Island. My parents and aunt and uncle arrived that evening in time for dinner.

Our hotel.

Friday we all had brunch together, then Ryan and Lauren and I wandered the Strip and hung out. Lauren's family also came for the weekend, and we all had dinner together at Battista's Hole in the Wall, a fun old-timey Italian place just off the Strip.

About to lose at giant Jenga.

Sporting our New Mexican shirts.

Uncle and Aunt

Me and Uncle T

Saturday was my Nascar day. I usually don't go to a race with Dad anymore, but this year was special. He, my uncle, Ryan, and myself all headed over to the speedway in the late morning. The day started warm and beautiful. We hung out in the parking lot applying sunscreen and drinking beer. Unfortunately about halfway through the race it got cloudy and windy and chilly.

Our spirits remained high though, because after the race we headed down to the track to ride in race cars ourselves! This was the Christmas gift Ryan and I gave Dad. And Mom didn't want Dad to do it alone, so Ryan and I rode, too!

In line to get suited up.

Fire-protective suits and silly caps.

And helmets of course!

Excited (and nervous!)

 They had six cars going on the track at a time, and they make three laps. So all three of us rode in separate cars at the same time. We had to climb through the window and everything. They strapped us in really well and my (female!) driver chatted with me a little bit before we started. And then we were off! We picked up lots of speed and then zoomed up onto the tilted track. It was scary. I spent the entire time praying we wouldn't crash into the wall or the car in front of us. I couldn't even keep track of how many laps we'd made. And then pretty quickly it was over, for which I was grateful. We all bought plaques with pictures of us in the cars.

Look how happy he is! He liked it.

Sunday my parents and aunt and uncle went to the race, so Ryan and Lauren and I hung out again. First we met up with her family for a lunch buffet. Then the three of us hung out on the Strip some more, including in the New York New York arcade. We ate dinner at the Todd English P.U.B. that Ryan and I really like. This was the one night I actually stayed out (relatively) late. The first few nights I was exhausted and would go to bed pretty early.

Shooting bad guys.

Monday we all went downtown. We ate pizza for lunch, then people split off for various gambling/napping/museum/walking activities. Dad and I checked out the Container Park, then searched around a casino for his favorite buffalo slot machine.

Family portrait.

Dad getting creative at the Container Park.

He had had pretty good luck on one of these earlier in the trip.

Tuesday my aunt and uncle headed home, but the rest of us went to Red Rock Canyon. After stopping by the visitor center Mom dropped us off at one of the parking lots and we hiked a couple miles to meet her at another lot. I love hiking there because you get to climb all over the place and sort of forge your own trail. Lauren and Ryan were sometimes skeptical about how much fun we were having, but Dad and I had no doubts.

 Eventually the hike ended. Then we all piled in the car and starved our way to an early dinner. We ate a big meal at Buddy V's at the Venetian, which was pretty good. Afterwards I went shopping with Lauren and Ryan until I was so exhausted and sore from being on my feet all day (or so it felt) that I left them out on the Strip and went to bed.

Wednesday morning we met for one last family meal, then Mom and Dad took the three of us to the airport for our flights home. It was another great trip!

(Also, I realize that within one year the five of us got to hang out three different times: in California last June, in New Mexico last fall, and now in Las Vegas. This probably won't ever happen again, and it kind of makes me sad.)