A Farewell To Laughlin

We had never heard of Laughlin, NV, until Vicki cut a coupon out of Trailer Trash magazine, entitling us to a week's stay at the Riverside RV Park (and Hotel and Casino) at half price, plus the equivalent of three free buffets, which we extended to four. At the time, we thought a week of doing nothing in a warmer climate might be great after a couple months' active traveling further north. As it turned out, the rest was good, we gained only a few pounds, and even made a modest profit in the gambling department. Very modest. I cannot say we left wiser. I struggled the whole time we were there to characterize Laughlin, especially in relation to its upstate rival, Las Vegas. Laughlin centers around Vegas- ("Nevada-") style gambling, entertainment, accommodations, eating, etc. It is all on a much, much smaller scale, with emphasis on the lower roller. Only a dozen or so casinos, at most. I'd say the average age in the casinos in Laughlin is 10 years older than Las Vegas. There appears to be far more emphasis on family. Less emphasis, if any, on prostitution. But a (relatively) huge population in Bullhead, AZ, across the Colorado River. And the river itself is actually scenic here, down from the dams.

By night; the RV Park is across the street

Thanksgiving dinner, for me, second or possibly third course

Bread pudding portion control

The seafood extravaganza was Friday night

Thus

For three consecutive nights we walked down The Strip to the Tropicana to hear
these guys--Little Elmo and the Cosmos--do their rock and roll stuff; they were
good, really good, especially considering they were our age or only slightly younger

But mostly we ate, and drank, and partially walked off the
effects of eating and drinking (Vicki set a personal best for
drinking; I'll never know what my personal best was...);
anyhow, above is part of the Sunday morning bottomless
champagne breakfast, served in little plastic flutes, two at
a time; as you can see, Vicki is mixing mimosas

Vicki's second plate or so

A table with a window view that Sunday morning, watching the ferry jet
customers back and forth to the casino over the Colorado

A panoramic shot, looking across the Colorado toward Bullhead, AZ...the IHOP,
the McDonalds, the Sam's, the Home Depot, and other fundaments of American
culture

Inside the Riverside..."Let's go bowling, Dude"; but we didn't

From the summit level of the RV Park, looking toward The Strip; there were a
couple pop-tops, so we weren't the smallest rig there

Last day, in the hotel parking lot; just one more spin...

The whole place is the work of Don (The Don) Laughlin

Better picture, off the web

Thus; a truly all-American story, at least as Wikipedia tells it

The monument to the Colorado River (driving by...)