198109 Desert Magazine 1981 September

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September, 1981$2.00

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VOLUME 44 N U M B E R 8 September, 1981

MAGAZINE OF THE S OUTHWES TNevada's Desert Owlby William TarrantJoin us in a light-hearted look atthe inner LasVegas.page 12Where to Go and Whatto See In and AroundLas Vegasby Diane Hlava and Desertmagazine staffLas Vegas is more than gamblingcasinos. This article will guideyou to less frequented, but just asentertaining areas.page 14A Camera's Eye on theDesert Skyby Thomas HewittCome and look at some beautifuland unusual desert photos and atthe same time learn the secrets ofcapturing the elegance of thedesert night sky.page 24Into the Grand Canyonwith a Mopby Virginia GreeneTake a houseboat out on LakeMead with Greene and her fivefellow adventurers.page 26Impressions of a ScenicPhotographerby Jeff Gnasswith Frances G. SmithJeff Gnass has been featured onthe cover and pages of Desertmagazine many times. He nowshares with us the reasons behindhis chosen art form.page 30Dusting Tracks withAmtrak's Desert Windby Gordon SmithA trip by rail from Los Angelesto Las Vegas can be a livelyaffair.page 36

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From Ashes toWildflowersby Wayne P. ArmstrongFire does not always mean deathand destruction. Armstrongshows us how renewal canremarkably follow devastation.page 40High CountryRailroadingby Diane HlavaNow that we've seen the modernrail version of Amtrak, H lavatakes us back to the 1880s. T hisscenic trip is a must for thosewho love vintage railroading.page 45Lady Las Vegasby Virginia GreeneLas Vegas wasn't always theglittering lady she is now.page 50Williams Andrew Clarkby Roberta DonovanIn the history of Las Vegas, oneman was responsible for itsprimary surge of growth.page 54

. Departments4 Editorial5 Shifting Sands6 Letters to the Editor8 Living Desert10 Chuck Wagon Cookin'48 Traces in the Sand56 Desert Calendar58 Desert Rockhound61 Trading Post62 Our Desert HeritageCover:Dawn creeps over the dunes with acreosote bush as witness. Werevelinthe aesthetic beauty captured by JeffGnass in Death Valley NationalMonument, California.Inside Cover.Elephant Rock, a sandstone spanin the Valley of Fire State Park inSouthern Nevada. Photograph byDavid Muench.

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EDITORIAL

I WOULD LIKE to ask you topay more attention to this issueof Desert magazine. Look just abit closer at what the writers have tosay and how they say it. I havespecifically requested that they takemore license with their communica-tion and expression. Our job is toserve you , and I would like to knowif you th ink we are living up to thatresponsibility.I think we are.Virginia Greene has let more ofher heart run free in her writing thistime. Gordon Smith told his storyof a trip on Amtrak's Desert Wind,with an absence of judgementalcomment that speaks well for jour-nalistic integrity. These people andothers care more about the readerand communication of the subjectmatter than they do about "sound-ing like a w riter." I appreciate that

and think you are better served thisway.In this issue, you will notice theheart of the stoic desert rat loosen-ing up a bit and becoming m ore ex-pressive, more communicative.There is more humor, more per-sonal involvement. Th e text accom-panying the photography of JeffGnass and Thom as Hewitt tells youmore about the people behind thelens, the feelings and thoughts theyhave, than you would otherwise getfrom a straight presentation ofphotos. I would like to thank themfor their willingness to com-municate. That is not always aneasy thing for an artist to do verbal-

iy-Desert magazine is older thananyone on this staff. We are youngand we are committedand in ourcombined intention toward ex-cellence we are powerful. I hopeyou will join and support us. Withunshackled writers and a land asgrand and diverse as this, we cannotgo wrong.Thank you,

MAGAZINE OF THE SOUTHWEST

EditorSTEPHEN SIMPSON

Associate EditorsK A TH RY N K RA H EN BU H I .E. S . MITMAN

Editorial InternLIZA E. KAMPS

Art Director/Photo EditorTH O M A S TH REI N EN

Design ConsultantP EG G Y F LETCH ER

Graphic ArtistsGITTA PFAHLLIZ MCDONALD

Archives LibrarianJ U D I P E R S K Y

Contributing EditorsCHORAL PEPPER, Special Projects

NORMA LEE BROWNING, Special ProjectsKAREN SAUSMAN, Natural SciencesWAYNE P. ARMSTRONG, Natural Sciences

Director of AdvertisingKEVIN ANDERSEN

Advertising SalesBILL SCHAUL

JOHN MORRISONAdvertising C oordinator

TERRI BIANCOCirculation Director

TERRY WILLIAMSFinancial ConsultantLIZ FERGUSONExecutive PublisherJULIE BRAZEAU

PublisherED SEYKOTA

ABC MEMBERSHIP APPLIED FOR 8/19/80Advertising Information: See Current SR DS, Sec . 30A

Desert Magazine ISSN 0194-3405, is published monthly bDesert Communication Corporation. Editorial Office: P.O. Bo1318, Palm Desert, CA 92261. Telephone: (714) 568-2781Business Office: 121 West E Street, E ncinitas, CA 92024Telephone: (714) 436-4218. Second Class Postage paid at Encinitas, California and at additional offices. Copyright 1981 bDesert Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this publicatiomay be reproduced in any manner without written permission fromthe Publisher. Subscription rates for U.S. and its possessionCanada and Mexico: 1 year, $15. Elsewhere: Add $4 per year suface, $20 per year air mail (U.S. currency). To Subscribe, Reneor Change Address: Write Desert Magazine, 121 West E St., Encinitas, CA 92024. Please allow six weeks for processing and include, where applicable, the address label from your most recencopy. Exact zip codes are required by the Post Office. Don ors of gisubscriptions should include their own name and address as well athose of the recipient(s). POSTMASTER: SEND CHANGE OADDRESS BY FORM 3579 TO DESERT MAGAZINE, 12WEST E ST. , ENCINITAS, CA 92024. Contributions: ThEditor welcomes unsolicited manuscripts and photographs, buthey can be returned only if accompanied by S.A.S.E. or international exchange coupons. While we treat submissions with care, wcannot assume responsibility for loss or damage. Payment is upoacceptance. Writers Guide free with S.A.S.E.; Sample copy$1.50. Photographers: Please include technical data with eacphotograph submitted.

SI-PTKMBER , 1981


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SHIFTING SANDSby Ed Seykota

On LaughterLaughter is the spark of the soul. It gives us delight inour days. Here are some thoughts about laughter.

Lau ghin g is the sensation of feelinggood all over, and showing it prin-cipally in one spot. Bob HopeA good laugh is sunshine in ahouse. ThackerayTh oug h laughter is looked upon byphilosophers as the property ofreason, the excess of it has alwaysbeen considered the mark of folly.AddisonLaughter is a most healthful exer-tion; it is one of the greatest helps todigestion with which I am ac-quainted; and the custom prevalentam ong o ur forefathers, of exciting itat table by jesters and buffoons, wasfounded on true medical principles.HufelandExcellent authority tells us that theright laughter is medicine to wearybones. Carl SandburgMe n sh o w th e i r c h a ra c te r innothing more clearly than by whatthey think laughable. GoetheNo one is more profoundly sad thanhe who laughs too much. Richter

You grow up the day you have thefirst real laughat yourself.Ethel BarrymorePeople who believe in little laugh atlittle.

Leonard FeeneyThere is almost nothing I won'tlaugh at. Stephen SimpsonHe laughs best who laughs last.English ProverbI like the laughter that opens thelips and the heart, that shows at thesame time pearls and the soul.Victor Marie HugoA laugh is worth a hundred groansin any market. Charles LambThe loud laugh, that speaks the va-cant mind. Oliver Goldsmith

Laughter makes your hair grow.Diana CooperConversation never sits easier thanwhen we now and then dischargeourselves in a symphony of laugh-ter; which may not improperly becalled the chorus of conversation.Sir Richard Steele

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LETTERS

Does Anyone Care?I could not resist writing any longer.We w ant you to know there are many ofus old-time desert people who are sick orvery unhappy about what you and yourgroup have done to Desert.You have made it look like more than1,000 other newsstand magazineseven ap r o d u c t e v a l u a t i o n o n a i r p l a n e s(brother!).Many of us, for years, have looked for-ward to the arrival of Desert. Now thispleasure is gone, too. Keep sending it, ordon 't. We do n't care. Oh, what's the use!Floyd J. PetersNorth Shore, CaliforniaI know w hat you m e a n , Floyd. Ormayb e I don't know what you m ean .Write and tell meor don't writeand tel l me. I care, or maybe I don'tcare. Oh, what's the use? Playfully,EditorRattlesnake RemedyWe are interested in the letters on get-ting rid of rattlesnakes, but no one men-tioned the easiest way. When out on aprospect near Globe, Arizona, our pros-pector and his wife stayed in a shack w itha wooden floor. The rattlesnakes underthis floor were so loud that these peoplewere kept awake. They got two energeticfull-grown cats, and in a monthnosnakes!! Just give the cats water, but no food. If there are rodents around, they'lldisappear too .Like your new format! Especially likedthe Desert Ship [Nov. 1980] article.E. Foster ScholeyPrescott, Arizona 86301Desert DevoteesI was delighted to learn of your plan tofeature the desert areas surrounding LasVegas in your upcoming Septemberissue. As mayor of the "EntertainmentCapital of the World," I have a great lovefor the desert and enjoy more than 200cacti I've collected for a garden at myhome. The name of your magazine sug-gests my favorite part of the country: thegreat deserts of the Southwest!I enjoyed the article in your July [1981]issue on the Santa Catalina Mo unta ins, as

well as Steuer's magnificent photography(I'm an amateur photographer, too!).William H. Briare, M ayorLas Vegas, NevadaToday, I read this month's issue of Desertand w ish to tell you that I enjoyed it verymuch. I was glad to see Choral Pepperand Karen Sausman's names as Con-tributing Editors. Thank you for mycopies.It does not seem possible that my hus-

band (Randall Henderson) is no longeralive. I have been in Palm Desert forseveral months, and can hardly believethat it has grown so much.

I wish that I could go on a desert trip orso, but have given up driving. I shallprobably be leaving in a few weeks to goto South Africa to see old friends.May good fortune be with you and thedear magazine. Cyria HendersoPalm Desert, CalifornSagebrush Rebellion StrikesAgainIn your editorial in the January [1981]issue of Desert, you imply that all westerpeople are Sagebrush Rebels. The truthis , most environmentalists, sportsmen,hunters, fishermen, prospectors, small

The Governor Speaks OutI have enjoyed reading Desertmagazine for many years. Your recenteditorials have added a very positivenote to the vital land issue in the West,which has become known as the Sage-

brush Rebellion. Your support of statecontrol of unappropriated lands is en-couraging. Also, your continual urg-ing of the Federal Government to usecommon sense in regulating activitieson public lands is most timely.We in Nevada are laying thenecessary groundwork to guaranteeproper management of public lands,should we be successful in our Sage-brush Rebellion. A proposal to theNevada Constitution, which requiresapproval by two successive sessions ofthe legislature an d a vote by the generalpublic, would provide three importantguarantees:Retention of most public lands inpublic ownership;Retention of permanent public accessover any public lands that would besold; andManagement of public lands in abalanced, multiple-use manner for thebenefit of the greatest number ofcitizens possible.One of the greatest challenges we faceis the proposed deployment of themassive MX missile system. MX:

Those letters promise an economicbonanza to some N evadans, destructionof precious resources to others. Tomost of us, they represent a mixture ofbenefits and liabilities. I would preferto have it deployed elsewhere, but, pu t-ting personal opinion aside, I havelaunched a massive statewide effort toassess the impact of the proposal, sothat we will be prepared should a por-tion of the system be deployed inNevada.In the event of construction, my Ad-ministration is committed to minimiz-ing the negative impacts of the systemto our citizens, resources and environ-ment. I urge your readers to demandthrough their elected representativesin Congress that if the MX must bedeployed in Nevada and Utah, a com-prehensive, detailed and accurate en-vironmental assessment be prepared bythe Federal Government with allnegative impacts completely overcomewhenever possible.The articles in Desert magazine con-tinue to be enlightening and entertain-ing, your photographs outstanding,your editorial positions right on target.Keep up the good work on your finemagazine. Robert List, GovernorCarson City, Nevada

SEPTEMBER, 1981


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miners and rockhounds oppose it. We donot want a situation like the one that ex-ists in Texas, where three whole countiesare owned and closed to the public by theKing Ranch. In Arizona, on the "trustlands," there are more than 9,000,000acres undergoing intensive exploitationfor the sole purpose of revenue.Others who oppose it are ex-Gov. MikeO'Callaghan of Nevada, Gov. Lamm ofColorado and Gov. Babbitt of Arizona. ASagebrush Rebellion bill, ABJ16, failedto pass in the California Energy andNatura l Resources Commit tee . T h evoters of the state of Washington voteddown their Sagebrush Rebellion two too n e .I have roamed the public lands in eightwestern states for 33 years and have notseen a Bureau of Land Management"no trespassing" sign. Larry BerthsFallon, NevadaGood Intentions

I read with interest the articleReprievefor Brighty in the May [1981] issue. It isunfortunate that ignorance and sentimen-tality have prevailed over the knowledgeand experience of wildlife biologists inpersuading Congress to pass laws thatmake the control of the populations ofwild horses and burros, not only in parksbut in public lands, extremely difficult ifnot impossible.The entirely predictable result is nowtaking place:1. Uncontrolled population growth.2 . C rowdi ng-out of native animalspecies.3 . Over-grazing, with destruction ofplant cover, erosion of the land andlong-term if no t permanent reductionof the carrying capacity of the land.4 . Reduction of the population by star-vation and disease.One wonders if Cleveland Amory andthe other groups will be willing to takethe difficul t and expensive act ionnecessary to prevent one more illustrationof the adage, "The road to Hell is paved

with good intentions."John R. Ledbetter,M.D.Rogersville, Alabama

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THE LIVING DESERTby Susan Durr Nix

The PeerlessPronghornMeet the swiftest, keenest-eyed land animal in th e w orld.

ME E T T H E "ante lope" tha tplayed with the deer and roamedwith the buffalo in vast herdsover the rangelands of America less than150 years ago. Meet a living fossil, the lastof a once-numerous and strictly Americanfamily of hoofed and horned cud-chewerswhose heyday passed about 10 millionyears ago. Meet the swiftest, keenest-eyedland animal in the world. Meet the prong-horn.How is it you've.missed this superlativecreature until now? Unless he's an avidhunter or lives near the Sheldon NationalAntelope Refuge in Nevada, a Southwest-erner nowadays is unlikely ever to haveheard of prong horns, let alone seen them .They've gone the way of the buffalo,snatched from the jaws of extinction just intime. An estimated 30-60 million rangedwest of the Mississippi from Canada toMexico in 1824; a mere 70 years later,fewer than 20,000 were left. Pronghornsnow survive only in refuges and isolatedareas, mostly in the less populated North-west.Antelope is as inaccurate a name for apronghorn as buffalo is for a bison. Ourforefathers applied the name to thesepetite, graceful animals whom we nowknow to be more closely related to sheepthan to anything else. Antilocapridae (goat-antelope) is the family name, a token of thetaxanomic difficulties the pronghornposed un til the fossil record cleared up thepuzzle of its confused characteristics.Part of the confusion stems from thedistinction between horns and antlers.Solid bone antlers, such as a deer's, areshed and regrown annually. A network ofblood vessels called velvet covers them asthey grow and etches well defined groovesin the bone, clearly visible when the velvetdries up and falls off. Each succeeding set

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of antlers is more elaborately branchedthan the last until the animal reaches itsprime; thereafter they decline annually.The oldest buck, therefore, may haveantlers no larger than a yearling's.The oldest bighorn ram, on the otherhand, has the herd's most magnificent setof horns. As fixtures, horns grow con-tinuously. They are hollow, nourished byinternal blood vessels and supported by aliving, bony core. Unlike antlers, they donot fork and branch.The horned are quite distinct from the

There must be fewdiscouragements inthe life of a coyoteequal to the pursuitof a rump-flashingpronghorn.

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The peerless pronghorn, whose survival hasdepended on his superb adaptations.antlered, with the single exception of thepronghorn. As his name suggests, hishorns are branched. About two-thirds ofthe way up the black flattened sheaths, aprong juts forward like the hilt of a knife.Technically a bovidan even-toed,hooved and horned grazing mammalapronghorn is unique inside and out. He isthe only bovid w ith a gall bladder and theonly one without dew claws; the two small

extra hooves on the back of the leg abovethe true hoof. He is the only two-toedanimal on the continent.Why he alone of all his family survivedinto mod ern times may have to do with hissuperb adaptation to life on the deserts andplains of the W est. In these open habitats,shared by predacious bobcats and coyotes,vigilance and speed are essential boviddefenses. The pronghorn's enormous pro-truding eyes and sharp sense of hearingand smell are radar-accurate. Certainly noother mammal (and possibly no other liv-ing thing, except some of the birds of prey)has such acute vision, said to be eight timesbetter than ours.It's almost impossible to take a prong-horn by surprise. O nce alert to danger, hecan rely on his powerful legs, prodigiouslungs and heart, outsized feet paddedagainst rocky terrain, friction-free ground-skimming gait and remarkable stamina tomake his escape. With an average max-imum speed of 50-60 miles per hour and asustained speed of 40-50 miles per hour,he is without a doubt the world's fastestlong distance runner. His is not the franticflight of the victim, but the arrogant,calculated retreat of the champion who hasthe advantage and means to keep it. Unlikea deer, a pronghorn never runs for cover.He stays in the open where his sight andspeed have the greatest scope and wherehis disruptive coloration makes him nearlyinvisible at a distance. Until the introduc-tion of the rifle, no predator was equal to ahealthy pronghorn.

The advantage of the individual ismult ipl ied in the herd. Pronghornstypically rest in a circular conformation, alook-out in every direc tion. A slight move-ment or disturbance half a mile or moreaway immediately pro mp ts a "stotting" or"pranking" alarm to the rest of the herd.Tail raised, the lookout takes off, makinghimself more conspicuous by flashing hisbright white rump patch. In full sunlightand open terrain, the flash m ay be visiblefor several miles, instantly alerting the en-tire area. A chain reaction sets the wholeherd in motion.Rump-flashing is accomplished by

special muscles that literally make his hairstand on end. The long, erect sidefilaments turn outward a full four inches,effectively doubling the size of the patch.(The antelope jackrabbit, who shares thisability, gets his name from the pronghorn"antelope.") In a group situation, thisdisplay is either altruistic or selfish,depending on your viewpoint. On the onehand it warns and preserves the herd, onthe other it screens and safeguards the in-dividual. For a lone pronghorn it seemsclearly to be a pursuit invitation, a way totake the initiative in the chase so he is notforced to keep track of a predator'smovements. There must be few discour-agements in the life of a coyote to equal thepursuit of a rump-flashing pronghorn.How frustrating when its prey turnsaround in mid stride and, patch hidden,seems to vanish!

Pronghorn s can control their other bodyhair in the same way, raising and loweringit to regulate the circulation of the air closeto their skin. This accounts for their indif-ference to both sub-zero and scorchingtemperatures. A tolerance for a wide varie-ty of foods, including cacti and toxicplants, and an ability, if need be, to livewithout free water opened an even widervariety of habitats to the adaptable prong-horn. He was quick to exploit them all.Ultimately, his remarkable success washis undoing. Sixty million pronghornswere an irresistable target, particularly asbison began to disappear from the plains.Some were killed for food, bu t m ost for thechallenge. Even now, pronghorns are sec-ond only to deer in hunter po pularity. 0Susan Dun Nix isDevelopment Coordi-nator at the LivingDesert Reserve, a1,000-acre desert in-terpretation and con-servation facility inPalm Desert, Cali-fornia. She shares her enthusiasm for thenatural world not only in articles andpublications, but in educationalprogramsfor visitors to the reserve.


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CHUCK W AGON COOKIN 3by Stella Hughes

The last wordon eggsT HERE ARE many legends abouteggs. The Chinese believed theSupreme Being dropped an eggfrom the sky and Man hatched from it.The early Phoenicians spread the rumorthat an egg split in half, forming heavenand earth. T he Finns believed a wild ducklaid an egg that broke to form the earth.Th e Egyptians had several legends involv-ing an egg in the earth's formation. EvenAmerican Ind ians held beliefs of the G reatSpirit having been hatched from an egg.I asked an old Apache friend if he'd everbeen told of the earth being formed froman egg."Naw," he-answered slowly, "I don'ttink so. Apaches like eggs an' I tink theyeat before da egg hatch an 'eart." Heroared with laughter.Th e old Indian m ay have had a point. Atany rate, he was right about the Apachesliking eggs. My husband used to buy eggsby the case for round-ups on the SanCarlos Reservation. T his was 33 dozen at awhack. We had one cook who wasn't tooenergetic, or he was simply uninsp ired; thelunch he'd make up for the cowboys con-sisted mostly of boiled eggs. This lunchwas delivered to the branding grounds on apack mule led by the flunkie. The packmule was snow white and called Rosie.Well, after several weeks of boiled eggs forlunch, the cowboys' enthusiasm for eggspalled somewhat. When they'd sight theflunkie leading Rosie they'd growl, "Herecomes Eggs." Soon the little mule's namewas changed. When she died many yearslater, she was still known as Eggs.I'd hate to think of life with no eggs.

Terry Williams, Desert magazine's Circulation Director.

Consider for a moment. No eggs, overeasy, with ham for breakfast; no goldenscrambled ones, with green chiles for aquick supper, or egg salad sandwiches inthe lunch pail. We'd surely miss them. It's

almost impossible to make a cake withouteggs, even when using box mixes. I knowwe'd miss the feather-light angel foodcakes, floating-isla nd custards and fillingfor pies, eclairs, cream puffs and me-

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Cookbooks have page after page offor main dishes using eggs. Theyof every description, com-areThe southwesternerred oror canned. Variations call foranykind, shredded and sprinkledtheomelet before folding. Crumpled

andtheomelet before folding, isor DenverWith all the hundreds of ways to use

it's hard to believe the day wouldyouhave more eggs thanyouto do with. Well, howabouta dozencol-s a shock each time you open thecan taxyour ingenuity.do you do with them? Here's a list:Chopped and sprinkled on a fresh greenGrated andsprinkled over any casseroleChopped andadded towhite sauce, withham or crumpled crisp bacon, and

on toastEgg salad sandwichesPickled eggsDeviled eggsDeviled eggs are an old stand-by, andcan be found in most cookbooks.say to shell eggs, cutlength-ith alittleor salad dressing, souror mayonnaise and add one or aofsavory ingredients forzestyForexample:Snipped chives or scallionsGrated cheeseTuna or crabmeat, finely choppedChopped pickle (dill, sweet, mustard,

etc.)Chopped olive (ripe or green)Deviled hamMashed avocado with a dash of lemonAnchovy paste with finely minced onionLiver sausagePickling eggs can be fun, and they'regreat with cold beer, oradded to a picnicbasket, or halved andplaced on a dieter'sskimpy, green salad.Make a solution of vinegar and water,add drymustard to taste, salt andpepperand bring to a boil. Let cool, then pourbrine into pickling jar and add theshelledeggs. Cover and refrigerate several daysbefore using.Another method is to use sweet picklejuice, add some vinegar ifyou like, dashofsalt, several slices ofwhite onion, bring to aboil; set aside to cool. Shell hard-boiledeggs, add tosolution andstore in acoveredjar. In 24hours, they will be ready to eat.My favorite waytoprepare pickled eggsis todrain thejuice from onecan ofbeets,add vinegar, some sugar, salt andpepper,bring liquid to a boil and let cool beforeadding shelled eggs. Slices ofwhite oniondon't hurt pickled eggs, ever.Another wayis tousebrine saved from a

jar of Polish sausage. Bring brine to theboiling point, let cool, then add shelledeggs. Store in the jarthesausages came in.This is a very good eggkeeper.I've been told of a unique method ofpreparing eggs, as brought back by visitorsto the Philippine Islands. They say thenatives take fresh eggs, bury them in thesand and leave them for 100days. Thenthey are dug up and eaten. I understandthis iscalled balut. I'vefailed tofind a com-parable method for preserving eggs in anycookbook; old or new. I'd welcome infor-mation from readers that know more onthis method. They might keep forever,depending onyour taste. 0

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12/64

By Bill Tarrant

I 'M BOONDOCK, my wi fe ' s neon: anunlikely pair. In grumbling voice, Iquote the lament of Wo rdsworth, "T heworld is too much with us . . . get ting andspending we lay waste our powers." Ithrow my backpack over my shoulder, callmy dogs together and disappear into thehills.My wife Dee? She glides in a cabthrough Phoenix, Los Angeles or LasVegas, her face a radiant glow. She says, ina chi ld 's wondrou s way, "O h . . . i t justmakes me feel like gold."We love each other, this writer of remoteplaces and this gal wh o fastidiously followsfashion and owns a status boutique. We

deal in grudgeless trade-offs to make ourmarriage work. She sits in the tree standbeside the deer trail . I hand her clothes andtacks and monofilament to put in theboutique window. She baits the hook, I sitt h rough the sa l e sman ' s showing . Shetosses decoys into the marsh, I wait pa-tiently in the boutique late at night whileshe tallies the day's receipts. Then weleave our work b ehind and take a vacation.This year , she wants Lake Tahoe. Nextyear, it 's San Diego. The year after that, itwill be Ca talina. For m e, it 's been too long

since I fished the Madison in Montana.We 'll go there, I thought, or hike the PecosWilderness Area outside Taos , New Mex-ico, or float the Grand Canyon.

Those were not to be. One of Dee'sgirlfriends, harried with the rush of theseason, blowing wisps of hair from cheeksdam p with perspirat ion, suggested, " W hydon't we go to Las Vegas?" Dee startedpacking.

So here we are. I don't know wh at to call

You can be yourself in LasVegas. It's not the placeof fear and loathing onewriter said it was.the place. If New York is the Big Apple,this would have to be the Big Parrot or theBig Peacock. What else is so bright andnoisy? No , neither of those would be right.Las Vegas should be called the DesertOwl. What else stays up all night, has eyesbig enough to see it all and can turn itsh e a d c o m p l e t e l y a r o u n d t o b e su r enothing's gaining on it?

The strange thing I have to confess isthat everyone can have fun in Las Vegas.That 's saying a lot, coming from a guywho prefers one-course skillet cooking,

travels in nothing faster than his Vibram-soled boots and usual ly sees nothingbrighter at night than the stars or a Cole-man lantern.Now, they've got the shows, the gam-bling and the people to watch. You can

walk from the Aladdin to the Sahara in theafternoon and enjoy a desert trek. There'sall the gossip you pick up and carry onwh i l e you ' re th e re , l eav ing i t t o anewcomer who'll leave it to yet another:where the jackpots are really paying off,why Wayne Newton really bought theAladdin, when Frank Sinatra will takeover, etc.Still, that's not the Desert Owl to myway of thinking.No, the primary attraction in the DesertOwl is Circus-Circusnot the casino, but

upstairs, where they have all the kiddiegames. Dee's and my favorite is the horserace. Eighteen brightly colored horses, fes-tooned with jockeys in riotous silks, maketheir way across a green field, progressingaccording to how well the player throws ared ball into a series of holes protected bysome metal bumps.That 's where Dee comes alive. She'sfound her gam e, if not her cal l ing"T he y' r e off," ann ounc es the concessionaire. The balls start banging and thehorses start edging forward, or taking offin

N E V A D A 'S D E S E R T OWLA true desert rat ruminates on the unex-


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great bounds when someone drops the ballin the 3-hole. You can't look at the otherplayers. You can't take your eye off thatball. You have to ask an onlooker, "Wheream I?" It doesn't matter where you are. Ifyou're behind you throw harder, and ifyou're ahead you throw harder. The win-ning horse touches his nose to the far wall,a bell rings and everyone collapses anddigs for more coins.

Then they all look at Dee. Some smile,others frownsome are downright indig-nant. She's won a stuffed monkey, a plasticbank resembling an old lady in a rockingchair, a floppy beagle with long brown earsand the concessionaire is bringing her aprone lion. I'm telling Dee, "Let's get outof here;" not because I don't feel likestanding before an enraged mob, but thereare other games to play.There are balloons mounted atop pipesthat connect to the open mouths of clownspainted on metal. I shoot a steady streamof water into the clown's mouth and myballoon rises, distending until it turnspaleBAM! Someone else's goes andwater sprays everywhere. I look at myballoon, coming down now, and it's allwrinkled. It was bigger than any of theothers, and I decide it's made of sharkskin.

There are rifles. I can shoot a red starwith an automatic rifle and if I leave not a

bit of red, I win a giant lion. There areelectronic rifles that chase blips on ascreen. Light-ray rifles let me potshoot attargets beside animated characters that dosilly things when their target is litbellsring, lights flash and the animal may do ajig-I guess all of this is not verysophisticated. No shades of Monte Carlo,the limousine stopping at the door, thedoorman in long coat with gold epaulets

The singular attraction inthe Desert Owl is not thecasino, but all the kiddiegames upstairs at Circus-Circus.letting the lady in long white gown alightand walk liquidly into fabled casinos.There is no escort, tapping a cigarette onhis gold Dunhill and adjusting his blacktie, who blows smoke beneath his ClarkGable moustache.

Each of us takes the place with us.Whatever awaits us is toted there to beginwith. We are what we are, and we seekproof that we can be thatwherever weare.

You can be yourself in Las Vegas. It'snot the place of fear and loathing onewriter said it was. It can be kind, graceful,even warm. Sure it can be kinky, but it canbe correct and even uplifting.

It's a circus for big kids, with sirens andbells and elephants on the midway, girls inspangled tights hanging by their teethfrom the rafters and big bass drums andpopcorn carts, cotton candy and "One ringaround the milk bottle wins this giantcamel."

There's another thing. We make ourown worlds, notwithstanding architects,planners and maitre d's. They may try todirect us, but we all go where we want to.

Whatever you want is in Las Vegas, theDesert Owl that roosts in Nevada andcalls, "Whoo looks for you?" Your answercomes: "Me." @Former editor, lec-turer, professor, col-umnist and mayor ofWichita, Kansas,Bill Tarrant wasnamed Deepwoods-man of the Year in1980. From 1967 to1973, he never missed a day of duck-hunt-ing. He now lives in Phoenix, where hiswife Dee operates The Monogram Shop.

ILLUSTRATION BY MARK ZINGARLLLI


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Where to Go and W hat toSee In and Around Las VegasAn extensive, though not comprehensive, guide.

by Diane H lava and Desert magazine staffInl980, the 11 million plus visitors to the greater Las Vegas area spent more than two billiondollars, exclusive of g ambling revenue. Thereisob

viously much m ore to do in Las Vegas than just gamble.The disparity between the glitter, congestion and material wealth of Las Vegas and the solitude, silence and natural grandeur of the desert is

more pronounced in Southern N evada than anywhere else n the Southwest. It is the most intense entertainment center in the world, with the excetion of Manhattan and it has outdoor recreation to match. The greatest spectaculars of both man and nature are in and around the city. T his the attraction of Las Vegas. It is super-saturated civilization in the middle of nowhere, the diamond in the dunes.

Look through the following p ages, enjoy the glitter of the city, then get out of town by sundow n and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

In Las VegasAuto Tour of HistoricLas V egasThis trip around metropolitan LasVegas highlights some of the historicbuildings and sites that are w orth visiting.1. Ice Plan t, bu ilt in 1907, is an in-

dustrial building that still supplies ice toLas Vegas businesses. 612 South Main.2. Wengert Ho use, built in 1938, Tud orrevival style. Once the home of bankerCyril Wengert, a pioneer Las Vegan, it isnow a law office. A good example of adap-tive reuse. 1001 South 6th Street, at thecorner of Charleston Boulevard.3. Railroad cottages, built around 1910

in bungalow style. Constructed by therailroad for their em ployees, some of theseone-story buildings are being restored foruse as offices, others as residences. Th ey 'relocated between 2nd and 4th Streets andGarces and Clark Streets.4. Fifth Street School, built in 1936,mission style. Now the Clark CountyCourthouse Annex, this school was builton the site of the old Las Vegas HighSchool, which burned in 1934. 400 LasVegas Boulevard South.5. Las Vegas Hospital, built in 1931,Spanish style. The second hospital con-structed in Las Vegas, this structure is intransition and no longer serves as ahospital. 8th and Ogden Streets.6. W aite Rockh ouse, bu ilt in 1932.Constructed of mineral specimens foundin the Las Vegas area, this residence is nowshielded by a large block wall. 9th andOgden Streets.7. Westside School, built in 1922, mis-sion style. Now undergoing restoration, itwas the first school built on the west side ofLas Vegas. D and Washington Streets.8. Kiel (Kyle) Ranch. Originally ownedby C onrad Kiel, the oldest structure on theranch dates to the early 1880s. Now on theNation al R egister of Historic Places, it's aCarey and Losee Roads, in the city ofNorth Las Vegas.9. Las Vegas Art Museum, circa 1935Housed in a former motel, the museumhas railroad ties from the Las Vegas andTonopah railroad placed along the front ofthe building. Exhibits include all areas offine art in permanent and changingdisplays. The museum shop features thework of local artists. Located in LorenziPark at Washington and Twin LakesDrive, it is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mon-

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Above, the magnificent Hoover D am located in the Lake MeadNational Recreational Area.Right, the Strip, wher e bright lights pull you into their grasp .Below, in contrast to the Strip stands the Old Fort at Las VegasSprings.

s w ^ ^ mDESERT 15


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Las Vegasday through Saturday; Sunday, 1 to 4p.m., closed holidays. For more informa-tion, call (702) 647-4300.10. Las Vegas Artists Cooperative, builtcirca 1920-1930, Spanish style. This artgallery houses work by members of thecooperative. The coop has been recog-nized by the Nevada State Historic Preser-vation conference for its contribution tohistoric preservation for the adaptive reuseof this former home, located at 421 South6th Street. The coop is open from 10 a.m.to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday,closed holidays. For more information,call (702) 384-5470.

11. Andre's, built circa 1920-1930,Spanish style. Now a restaurant specializ-ing in French cuisine, this building wasoriginally a h otel. It's located at the cornerof 4th and 6th Streets.Old Las Vegas FortBuilt in 1885 by the Mo rmon s, and nowrestored to its 1929 condition, it is theoldest building in Nevada. The fort has along, interesting history. Because of theartesian springs near the site, the Mor-mons built a forted community as a way

16 SEPTEM BER, 1981

station on the dry journey from SouthernUtah to San Bernardino, California.About 1905, the fort became a resort,boasting the first swimming pool in LasVegas. In 1929, the Bureau of Reclama-tion leased it from the Union PacificRailroad, which then owned the property,to test concrete for the building of HooverDam. By 1941, the fort was a restaurant.In 1955, the site was purchased by the Elksfor a lodge facility. Now owned by the cityof Las Vegas, it is operated by theDaughters of Utah Pioneers and thePreservation Association of Clark County,Nevada. You can visit the fort, which is onthe National Register of Historic Places,and view permanent exhibits depicting therole of the fort in the development ofSouthern Nevada. Also on display is aMormon living room, circa 1900, the firstof a series of exhibits of living quarters atthe fort. In addition, demonstrations ofpioneer handicrafts, such as doll making,button molding and bullet m aking are heldregularly. Located at the intersection ofLas Vegas Boulevard No rth and Washing-ton Avenue, the fort is open Tuesdaythrough Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.year-round; closed on Federal holidays.For more informat ion, ca l l (702)386-6510.

Another picturesque area to visit; the WhiteDomes area in the Valley of Fire State Park.

Mu seum of Na tural H istoryOffering permanent exhibits on thegeology, biology, zoology and an-thropology of the Southern Nevada andMohave areas, the museum is on theUniversity of Nevada Las Vegas campusat 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Admissionis free, hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. onweekdays, closed on national and stateholidays. For more information, call(702)739-3381.Another spot of interest on the UNLVcampus is a monumental sculpture byKlaes Oldenburg. Near the Judy BayleyTheater and Artemus Ham Hall, thiswork is the first monumental publicsculpture in Nevada. A replica of anusher's flashlight, it symbolizes entertain-ment, and is made of three-quarter inchCor-Ten (rusted) steel.

Local ToursAir-conditioned bus tours of Las Vegas,Hoover Dam and surrounding points ofinterest as well as overnight bus tours ofthe south rim of the Grand Canyon are of-fered by Grayline, 1550 S. Industria


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GAZINECommunicating theExperienceof Life on theDesert.The color, the beauty and the majesty of the desert areaffectionately reflected onthe pages ofDesert magazine. We takeyo u to unexplored regions, tell you little-known facts, give youthe experience of the desert as it really is. Subscribe todayandbegin sharing with us the treasure that is the great Southwestdesert. 12monthly issues just $15. Send in theattached card orwrite to: Desert magazine, 121West E Street, Encinitas, CA92024. Kg

M Subscribe Today

1111111 Summer Rainbow,Temple Mountain,Utah. Photograph by Tom Till


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Las VegasRoad, Las Vegas, NV 89102, (702)384-1234.If you're interested in off-strip LasVegas entertainment or cultural activities,Cultural Focus Tours provides severalunusual programs. Our Hometown Thenand Now looks at the history of Las Vegasthrough a tour of historic landmarks.Classic Evening offers dinner at a speciallychosen local restaurant and a choice of aplay, concert or dance performance. OasisSafari takes participants to the Lake M eadNational Park Service Headquarters for aguided tour, provides an opportunity toenjoy an art walk in Boulder City, learnabout solar energy research at the EnergySystems Center and Nevada history at theSouthern Nevada Museum. Canyon/Ranch Country looks at such scenic spotsas Red Rock Canyon and Spring Moun-tain R anch. For more information, contactJeanne Clark, Cultural Focus Tours, 749Veterans M emorial D rive, Las Vegas, NV89101,(702)382-7198.

Scenic AirlinesIf you're called by the wild blue yon der,you might like to try sightseeing in anairplane. Daily flights over the GrandCanyon are offered by Scenic Airlines. Afour-hour flight over the canyon includes ahalf-hour refueling stop at the airport onthe south rim of the canyon$ 128 per per-son. A day tour, lasting seven and a halfhours, takes in more of the canyon and in-cludes a bus tour and lunch$ 158 per per-son. Flights in Cessna 402s or 404s leaveevery half hour between 5:30 a.m. and5:30 p.m. Reservations are recommendedduring the summer. Scenic Airlines islocated at 241 E. Reno Ave., Las Vegas,NV 89119. For more information, call(702) 739-1900.Big SpringsFirst described by John C. Fremont in1844, these springs made settlement at LasVegas possible. Several artesian springsbubble u p, creating two large ponds. T herun-off from these ponds creates a meadowarea, from which Las Vegas (TheMeadows) takes its name. In the early1900s, Las Vegas was chosen by the SanPedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Rail-road as a division point, and later thisrailroad was acquired by the UnionPacific. Now owned by the Las Vegas

One of the many beauties of the desert, thesandstone formations at the Valley of FireState Park.

Valley Water District, wells in the BigSprings area produce nearly half of thewater used in the Las Vegas Valley today.For more information on this historictour, contact Jeanne Clark, Allied ArtsCouncil, c/o Preservation Association ofClark County, 873 N. Eastern Avenue,Las Vegas, NV 89101, or call (702)649-8725. A brochure with a map of thetour and illustrations of each building onthe route is available for $ 1.

Within a One HourDrive From Las VegasEthel M ChocolatesView the production of specialty boxchocolates on a tour of the Ethel M fac-tory. Named for the mother of ownerForrest E. Mars (of the Mars Candy

Company family), Ethel M offers toursdaily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. D uring slowproduction times, a 12-minute video tapeexplains the manufacturing process. Theadjacent candy shop, with turn-of-the-century decor and costumed staff, getsyou in the mood for demonstrations ofold-fashioned methods of hand-dippingchocolates. These demonstrations areheld daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m .Ethel M Chocolates is located at 2 BusterBrown Drive, Henderson, NV 89015,mailing address is P.O. Box 18413, LasVegas, NV 89114. For more informationor to arrange group tours, call (702)458-8864.Southern Nevada MuseumThe history of Southern Nevada isdetailed through exhibits ranging fromfossils to the atomic bom b. Hou sed in theBoulder City depot, donated by theUnion Pacific Railroad, the museum alsohas a gift shop, cactus garden and naturetrail. On the grounds is the BeckleyHouse, a railroad cottage built in 1912,now undergoing restoration. The BeckleyHouse is the first of several historicbuildings to be relocated at the SouthernNevada Museum. Arriving soon will bethe circa-1905 Giles-Backus House,which is being moved from the formermining town of Goldfield. Located at1830 S. Boulder Highway, Henderson,NV 89015, the museum is open daily 8a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Christmas Day.Admission is $1 for adults, $.50 forchildren u nder 16 and senior citizens. Formore information, call (702) 565-0907.

Old VegasOld Vegas amusement park is a com-mercial development that uses historical

Las Vegas as its theme. Recreating awestern town atmosphere, the parkfeatures several historic buildings, Eurekaand Virginia Truckee railroad equipmentalong with restaurants, rides and shops.Located at 2440 S. Boulder Highway,Henderson, NV 89015, the park is openSunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6p.m. and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to10 p.m. Admission is $3.50 for adults,$2.50 for children age 3 through 11.Children under 3 are free. For more in-formation, call (702) 564-1311.

Old NevadaBased on plans of western miningtown s, Old Nev ada is a composite of fron-tier communities. Entertainment in-cludes staged gunfights, a narrow-gaugetrain ride, plays, historical and waxmuseums as well as restaurants andshops. O ld N evada is 20 miles west of LasVegas via West Charleston Boulevard inRed Rock Canyon Recreational Lands.Admission is $4.50 for adults, $3 forchildren 5 through 12. Children under 5are free. For more information or abrochure, contact Old Nevada, OldNevada, NV 89004, (702) 875-4191.

Boulder Dam HotelRestored to its former 1930s splendor,this 54-room hotel is decorated in theelegant style of that decade. In keepingwith the '30s ambience, none of therooms have television sets. The diningroom also features period furnishings.Located at 1305 Arizona Street, BoulderCity, NV 89005, rooms range from $25to $60. Call (702) 293-1808 for additionalinformation.Desert SoaringFor a bird's eye view of Boulder City,Lake Mead, Lake Mohave and LasVegas, there are rides in a Blanik glider.For $24.50, you can ascend with a li-censed glider pilot in an aluminum craft.Most rides last about 20 minutes and areavailable to adults and children age sevenand up. Reservations are recommended.Located at the Boulder City Airport,1499 Nevada Highway, Boulder City,NV 89005, Desert Soaring operatesTuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. tosunset and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.to sunset. For more information, contactDick McKnight at (702) 293-4577, orwrite to P.O. Box 637, Boulder City, NV89005. Licensing instruction is alsoavailable.

Helicopter RidesLift-off in a whirlybird. Available fromBauer He licopter, In c. are several tours ofthe surrou nding area. Included are a four-

DESERT 19


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MOAVALINDRESFLOYDLAMBSTATEPARK

TOIYABENATIONAL FOREST

DEATHVALLEYJUNCTION

SouthernNevadaMuseumHENDEEtheChocSpring Mountain RanchRED ROCK CANYON

Old Nevada

GOODSPRINGSGhost town BDEATH VALLEYNATIONAL MONUMENTZabriskie PointDevil's Golf Course

SEARCHLIGHTG/lOSt tOWIi

Las Vegasminute tour of Lake Mead for $7 , a seven-minute flight over Hoover Dam for$12.50, a one-hour tour of the Valley ofFire State Park for $90 and a three-hourflight over th e Grand Canyon for $150 .Fares are per person. Each chopper cancarry four to five people. Reservations are

recommended for longer rides. BauerHelicopter operates from th e grounds ofthe Gold Strike Inn at the junction ofHighways 93 and 466, Boulder City, N V89005. For more information, call (702)293-4022.Coca Cola Bottling Plantand MuseumFeast your eyes on an extensive collec-tion of Coke antiques that include a vin-

tage bottle capper and a juke bo x thaplays favorite oldies of past decades. T he a r l y 2 0 t h - c e n t u r y d e c o r of th irestaurant and ice cream parlor was inspired by a photograph seen by owneBert Hansen in an old issue of the LadiesHome Journal. Located in the former GaCompany building, constructed in th e early 1950s, th e Bottling Plant, open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.mand Friday, Saturday an d Sunday from 9

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a.m. to 11 p.m., is located at 1300Arizona Street, Boulder City, NV 89005.For more i n forma t i on , c a l l (702)293-4666.Moapa Valley IndianReservation

View archeological exhibits in theCommunity Center or picnic on thegrounds of this Paiute community.Leather goods and jewelry handcrafted

by residents are sometimes available.There is no fee for entry to the reserva-tion; visitors are welcome. V isitors shouldask permission before taking pictures.Groceries are available. About 60 milesfrom Las Vegas, located off Interstate 15on Highway 7, the Commu nity Center isopen Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4p.m. More information can be obtainedby cal l ing the tribal office, (702)865-2787.Floyd Lamb State Parkat Tule SpringsEnjoy picnicking, self-guided walkingtours and other recreational activities atthis day-use park. Trees and small lakesdot the park, providing a pleasant settingfor touring the historic ranch buildingslocated here. Originally a dairy, alfalfaand fruit ranch in the 1920s, it became adivorce ranch in the 1940s. Now on theNational Register of Historic Places, the

park is open daily during daylight hours.It's located 20 miles north of Las Vegason Highway 95.Spring Mountain RanchOne of the most historic sites in the LasVegas region, the ranch dates to the1870s, when it was a cattle operation.In the 1940s, there was an attempt to raisechinchillas as well. From 1955 to 1974,the ranch had several owners, includingactress Vera Krupp and Howard Hughes.In 1974, it became a part of the Nevada

State Park System, and is now on the Na-tional Register of Historic Places. Pic-nicking and self-guided tours of the ranchhouse and grounds are available. Onweekends and holidays, the ranch houseserves as a visitor's center, with informa-tion about the ranch and surroundingareas. Located in the Red Rock CanyonRecreation Lands, 20 miles west of LasVegas via West Charleston Boulevard,the park is open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk.A nominal admission fee is charged. Formore information, call the park (702)875-4141 or the Las Vegas District officeof the Nevada Division of State Parks(702) 385-0264.

Toiyabe National Forest Th is diverse recreation area in theSpring M ountains, 35 miles northwest ofLas Vegas via Highways 95 and 157, pro-vides summer camping, hiking andhorseback riding; in winter, skiing ispopular. The Mount Charleston Lodgeoffers dining and dancing. Points of in-terest include Kyle Canyon, CathedralR o c k , D e e r C r e e k a n d M o u n tCharleston. For more information, con-tact the Las Vegas Ranger District, (702)385-6503.

Red Rock CanyonRecreation LandsHome of the Spring Mountain Ranchand Old Nevada, Red Rock Canyon alsooffers a scenic loop drive. There are spec-tacular views of the 3,000-foot red andyellow sandstone escarpment and the can-yon along this 13-mile drive. FollowCharleston Boulevard west from LasVegas about 16 miles, then look for direc-tional signs for the scenic drive. TheBureau of Land Management sponsorshikes and nature walks in Red Rock Can-yon Recreation Lands. For informationand reservations, contact the BLM, (702)385-6403.Hoover DamDesignated one of the seven wonders ofmode rn c i v i l eng i nee r i ng by t heAmerican Society of Civil Engineers,Hoover Dam, a concrete arch gravitydam, spans the Black Canyon of the Col-

orado River creating Lake Mead. Com-pleted in 1935, the dam began generatingelectricity in 1936, and was recentlyplaced on the National Register ofHistoric Places. Guided tours of the damare conducted daily between 7:30 a.m.and 7:15 p.m. from Memorial Dayweekend through Labor Day, and dailyfrom 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p .m. the rest of theyear. Admission is $1 for adults; seniorcitizens with a Golden Age Passport,$.50; children under 16, free. In the ex-hibit building at the west end of the damare models of the Colorado River Basinand a generating unit, and a recorded lec-ture. The dam is located on Highway 93at the Nevada/Arizona border. For moreinformation, call (702) 293-8376.

Within a Two hourDrive From Las VegasLake MeadIf you enjoy the outdoors, Lake Mead

National Recreation Area offers a wealthof activities. On Lake Mead and LakeMohave there's camping, fishing, water-skiing, houseboating, hiking, swimming,sailing and drives through undevelopedscenic areas. Nine major developedrecreation areas provide visitors with awide range of activites plus access to adja-cent areas of special interest. Developedareas include campgrounds,picnic areas,boat launching facilities and a marina.Som e areas also offer lo dg ing , arestaurant, bar and groceries. Four areasare within an hour drive of Las Vegas, theremaining five requ ire travel time of up toone and a half hours.The Alan Bible Visitor's Center, 601


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Las VegasNevada Highway, Boulder City, has slidepresentat ions, books, pamphlets andnatural history exhibits. A naturalist pro-gram is held in the evenings at the am-phi thea ter a t Boulder Beach. Thevisitor's center is open daily from 8 a.m.to 5 p.m. For more inform ation, call (702)293-4041.Overton Beach is 80 to 90 miles fromLas Vegas via Interstate 15 or Highway167. This less-developed site offers nolodging.Echo Bay is 70 to 80 miles from LasVegas on Highway 167. It provides allfacilities. Houseboat rentals are availablehere for trips into Grand Canyon Na-tional Park.Callville Bay, 30 to 40 miles from LasVegas via Highway 167, offers allfacilities.

Las Vegas Wash, 20 miles from LasVegas via Highways 95 and 147, has allfacilities.Boulder Beach, 20 miles from LasVegas via Highways 95 , 147 and 166, hasal l faci l i t ies. Houseboat rentals areavailable at Lake Mead Marina.Temple Bar, 60 to 70 miles from LasVegas across Hoover Dam via Highways95 and 93 to Temple Bar turn-off, has allfacilities. Houseboat rentals for GrandCanyon trips are available here. Sixty-seven mile long Lake Mohave, created byDavis Dam, offers excellent trout fishing.Willow Beach, 35 miles from LasVegas via Highways 95 and 93, has nocampground, but all other facilities areavailable.Cottonwood Cove, 50 to 60 miles fromLas Vegas via Highway 95 to the Cotton-wood Cove turn-off at Searchlight, has allfacilities.Katherine, 80 to 90 miles from LasVegas via Highways 95 and 163 acrossDavis Dam, has all facilities. Houseboatrentals are available here. Located at thesouth end of Lake Mohave, just aboveDavis Dam, Katherine is an excellentbase from which to explore Arizona ghosttowns such as Chloride and Oatman, andscenic areas in the Newberry M ountains.Side trips into scenic regions of therecreation area include:Grapevine Canyon petroglyphs in theNewberry Mountains.Joshua Tree Forest, at the upper end ofLake Mead near Pierce.Gypsum Cave, near Callville Bay onLake Me ad, with an interesting 1930s ex-cavation that uncovered remains of thegiant ground sloth and evidence of earlyman.Canoeing below Hoover Dam in the22 SEPTEM BER, 1981

Black Canyon. Launched below the dam,canoes can be paddled down-stream totake advantage of the excellent troutfishing.For more information, contact theBureau of Reclamation, Hoover Dam,(702) 293-8367. Directions to the abovepoints of interest can be obtained throug hthe chief naturalist's office at the Alan Bi-ble Visitor's Center.Death Valley Junction,CaliforniaFounded in 1924 as a center for boraxmining, this town, located west of LasVegas via Highways 95 and 373, wasabandoned in 1934. In 1967, MartaBecket and Tom Williams moved westfrom New York to revitalize the town,which is now on the National Registry ofHistoric Places. Becket, a classically-trained dancer, singer and actress, per-forms ballet and mime scenarios and

stories of her ow n creation, playing one to16 characters in a single production at theAmargosa Opera House. This season,performances are scheduled for Friday,Saturday and M onday evenings, October3 through May 31, 1982. Decorated inRenaissance style, the opera house ceilingis painted to resemble the heavens, with16 ladies playing antique musical in-struments.Performances begin at 8:15 p.m.,tickets are $3 and reservations are ad-vised. During Christmas and Easterweeks, performances are held nightly.June through September, performancesare on Saturday evenings only. Lodgingand dining are available at the recentlyrefurbished 20-room hotel . Daytimetours of the opera house are available bypre-arrangement. For more information,contact Tom Williams, Amargosa OperaHouse , Death Val ley Junct ion, CA92328 , or call, with the aid of a telephoneoperator, Death Valley Junction #8.

Death Valley NationalMonument, CaliforniaOne of the hottest places on earth,Death Valley is best visited Octoberthrough April. It's about 140 miles fromLas Vegas via Highways 95 and 373through Death Valley Junction. Camp-ing, hiking, picnicking and points of in-terest such as Artists Drive, ZabriskiePoint, Devil's Golf Course and FurnaceCreek make an interest ing trip. InNevada, Death Valley National Monu-ment Devil's Hole area is accessible fromLas Vegas via Highways 95 and 373 to theDevil 's Hole turnoffa gravel road.Once again, winter months are best forvisiting this area. For more information,contact Superintendent, Death Valley Na-

One of our ghost towns emerges. Shown heresunrise over the Old Cook Bank Building inRhyolite.tional Monument, Death Valley, CA92328.

Lost City MuseumBuilt by the Civilian ConservationCorps in 1935, this museum is located onthe site of an Indian pueblo that was oc-cupied from circa AD 300 to AD 1150.This Anasazi site is sometimes calledCasa Grande de Nevada. The museumconta ins a r t i fac t s f rom the ruins .Operated by the State of Nevada, themuseum houses permanent and travelingexhibits. It is open daily, May 1 throughOctober 31, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.The museum is located at 721 SouthHighway 169, Overton, NV 89040; ad-mission is free. For more information,call (702) 397-219 3.

Valley of Fire State ParkRed sandstone, limestone, shale andconglomerate rock formations create adramatic setting for camping, picnickingand hiking . Petroglyphs made by Anasazifarmers between AD 300 and AD 1150are also visible in the park. Located in thelow desert, Valley of Fire is about 60miles from Las Vegas via Interstate 15and Highway 169. A visitor's center hasmaps and additional data on the park. Formore information, contact Valley of FireState Park, Box 515, Overton, NV 89040,or call (702) 394-4088.

Ghost TownsThese relics of the past survive indesert regions throughout southernNevada, southern Utah, southeasternCalifornia and northern Arizona. Toonumerous to describe here, a few of themore accessible towns are Chloride andOatman, Arizona; Searchlight, Good-springs (partial ghosts), Potosi, Goldfieldand Rhyolite, Nevada; Silver Reef andGrafton, Utah; and Old Ivanpah, Califor-nia. Detailed information and directionsto these and m any other ghosts can be ob-tained from Sunset Books, Ghost Townof the West by William Carter (LanePublishing Co ., Menlo Park, CA) and theNevada Map Atlas (Nevada StateHighways Department, Carson CityNV).ElDiane WilliamsHlava is a freelancewriter who lives inLos Angeles andwrites for the LosAngeles Times.


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A Camera'sEye on theDesert SkyThomas Hewitton theSorcery ofPhotographingNight Skies"On a moonless winter night, thesilence is overpowering. All theanimals and people are either asleepor hibernating I feel as. if I am theonly being in a universe of darkmysterious land and astonishinglybrilliant stars."So writes Thomas Hewitt of hisexperience of photographing thedesert sky at the interface of day andnight . Hewit t i s an appl iedmathematician working in the fieldof controlled fusion at Los AlamosNational Laboratory. He is also awilderness photographer, as hesays, "when given the opportu-nity." Hewitt creates the opportu-nity.


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Far left, with Delicate Arch in the fore-ground, Hewitt captures the constellationOrion crossing the night sky.Left, the amazin g d etail of a star'formationabove Arches National Park. '< 0

is

few years back, I have been drawnto its silent beauty and the solitudewhich pervades , " says Hewi t t ."Naturally, as a photographer, Iwould hope to be able to capturesuch a magical place." After someexperimentation he found that hecould, as these pages show.The t ransparencies tha t pro-duced these pho tos were taken w itha Ca non 24m m fl.4 lens at 30 to50-second exposures. H e used high-speed Ektachrome pushed one stop,and shot during a quarter moon,which lit up the background. Anylonger exposure, Hewitt tells us,would have caused the stars to trailnoticeably, producing an entirelydifferent effect. Too much moon-

light or even thin clouds or haze arelikely to make the sky come outdaylight blue, with mere dots forstars. This happened to Hewit tmany times. The balance betweenenough light for scenery and not somuch that the sky turns blue is dif-ficult to achieve. Hewitt is happy toget a couple of good exposures perroll of film. Trial and error are a

central part of the learning process.A wide-angle lens with greataperture is better than a normal ortelephoto lens for two reasons. Th eshort focal length of a wide-anglelens reduces noticeable movementof the stars. Also, a wide-angle cancover a greater area and the starlightis less diminished the higher it isabove the horizon. The longer focallength lenses would tend to recordthe stars as less brilliant and showmo vem ent. (Also, for every f-stop ofspeed one can expect to record threetimes as many stars; e.g., fl6 showsthree times as many as fl 1.)

He witt also uses a level to be surethat the horizon is level in hisviewfinder. You can also use flashto illuminate the foreground, butthen you are limited to lightingclose objects only.

Tom Hewi t t has pushed thelimits of the photographic processand come u p w ith results we wouldotherwise never expect to see. Ifyou've looked at the photos andwondered how he did it, now youknow. 0

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Cruising Lake Mead in a houseboat, a peacefulrespite from the chaos of civilization.

Into theGrand Canyonwith a Mop

by Virginia Greene

> A m op back there."'What? Here, hold this line for a minute. What didyou say?"There's a mop there on the back.""It's a swab. And that's the stern."What had, in anticipation, been called adventure suddenlythreatened, in reality, to become d rudgery. T aking a houseboat60 lake-miles into the lower reaches of the Grand Canyon had,from the planning at the dining room table, suggested theromance of the Caesars, the thrill of brine-swept buccaneering,the long thoughts of youthful dreaming.

Left, Boulder Canyon, one of the many sites on the Lake Mead cruise.Above, crossing the long expanse of Gregg Basin, our houseboat headedfor the grandest can-yon of them all.

DESERT 27


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Our hou sebo atmuddled along the shore,nudging into little inlets and c o v e s .

Our reasons for houseboating LakeMead and rambling from Echo Bay on upthe Colorado River as far as our floatingpalazzo would carry us were many. Wewanted to explore, to have fun on thewater, to leave for four days the chaos ofthe marketplace.We were southwesternersArizonans;Californians. We knew the Grand Can-yon. We have seen it from the rim sincechildhood, walked into it andstruggled outof it, ridden muleback along itsprecipitoustrails and fished its waters along themile-deep floor of side canyons. Never had weseen the ancient monoli ths from ahouseboat. We thought of it as sixpeoplesharing an adventure.However, this wassomething else. Callit a swab if you like. It was a mop to thethree women aboard. A plain mop!Bluehandle; clean, white strings showing m uchuse; ironically carrying out the colorscheme ofthe 46 x 14-foot blu e andwhitecraft in which we stowed a mountain ofstores.Cruising was luxurious and easy. Thebrochure says even kids candrive the fully-serviced houseboats. We would neverknow, because our three "old sea dogs"turned experienced hands to the wheel:Under cloudy skies, we sedately wig-wagged our way 13miles dow n themiddleof Overton Arm toward Napoleon'sTomb, where welunched in theshadow ofthe great pebbly bluff, admired theNevada/Arizona scenery, and com-plimented our choice ofvacation.Tom, Frank and I took our dinghy toTemple Bar Marina to meet Cliff andMarilyn Bernard, dispensers of food,drink, camping and fishing gear andendless information about the upper lake.While our houseboat muddled along theshore, nudging into little inlets andcoves,Marilyn tipped us off to scenic placesalong the next 47 miles, answered ourquestions and gave historical background

about the area.The houseboat collected us and weheaded across Temp le Basin, made acircle

around the gigantic stone Temple whichstands 350 feet above the waters of thelake, turned left and began looking forBurro Bay, our first night's tie-up. Wewould be 24 scenic miles from Echo BayMarina, anxious to try our hands at cooking and sleeping aboard the boat.The sun shone, we explored the sandydunes, then opened thecase ofwine whichFrank and Bobbie had earmarked for thetrip last winter in Phoenix. Dinner wassteaks on thepatio g rill; desultory talk anda midnight swim followed. We made upthe double bunks and hunted in vain forbathroom lights until one of the old seadogs remembered a houseboat has noheadlights for night running and was in-spi red to push the switch marked" headlights " on the control panelVoila!Wild burros, relatives of those patiencritters that helped prospect the long-agomines in the area, roam the desert andcome to the lake todrink. We hadwatchedfor them all day and hoped the moonlighwould bring them to us, but sleep camefirst.Wind and rain moved into our isolatedcove about 6 a.m. Our three fishermenwere undaunted butcame emptyhanded tothe breakfast table.The squall moved on and so did we, fowe planned to gothrough Iceberg Canyonthe narrow strip of water and highsculpted rock formations that abruptlymarks theentrance to the Grand CanyonAt that point, wewould be 41 miles fromEcho Bay.Another hairpin sweep of lakand river would take us 10miles farther tColum bine Falls; seven miles beyond thatafter a right-angle turn of the oldColoradRiver, we would be as far as we could gowhite w ater. Before wecould tie up for ousecond night on the lake, we had a long daof lake and river cruising ahead.Intermittent sunshine and rain followeus through the narrows, 10 miles acros

the sand-bracketed bulge that is GregBasin and around Sandy Point, a greadune that sweeps into theblue waters like28 SEPTEMBER,1981


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The isolation was as sereneas was the shadow-stained desertrolling back from the shore.

woman's softly tossed cape. We had seenno one else since leaving Temple Bar theprevious day. The isolation was assereneas was the shadow-stained desert rollingback from theshore.The rain moved east. Tom and Mae,our Hemet friends, took thedinghy andthe photographer for a photo session intothe myriad coves along the shore. AtCenter Point, we were surprised to seeanother houseboat, for we had becomeused to the solitude of the last 24hours.They disappeared around a headland. Itwas the last we were tosee of thema tinyblue and white box moving beyond aclump ofsalt cedars against the dunes andblack lava rock ofthe far shore.After a swim and lunch, Bob and I tookthe dinghy around and down thenarrowsto Pierce Bay, a small, almost bell-shapedcollection of water where a ferry hadoperated off and on for 60years after itsfounding in 1876 by Harrison Pearson.The houseboat followed, but pulled intoGod's Pocket to allow its passengers toswim, read and fish b eneath great sculptedmonuments of multicolored stone. Wewere in the beginning miles ofthe GrandCanyon. The blue and white mop hadar-rived.We made ourway in thedinghy to thebase ofColumbine Falls, a surprising veilof natural spring water andwinter snowrunoff that falls 400feet from the rocksabove. Hanging gardens decorate the can-yon walls and the silence, broken only by arush of water on water, iscomfortable. Wedrifted, watching birds dart along the sur-face of the lake. Now and then, a fishjumped and then splatted in a loud returnto the water. Ducks swam in a tight circlenear the base of the waterfall. Wind-eroded sandstone rose on all sides, abulwark against the ages.We went onuplake, running in the nar-row canyon unt i l we found whitewaterthe end of the canyon for river-rafters. A group had just loaded into theSeparation Connection, that 35-foot all-aluminum speedster that takes rafters back

to showers and other creature comforts atTem ple Bar after 10 days on the Colorado.They were off with a huge roar of twinoutboards and silence on the water wasshattered for a long moment.We turned back and followed them at aleisurely pace, found our houseboat anddecided to cruise back as faras ChuckwallaCove, ourevening refuge. We talked, aswe sat on theupper deck with diet colas,beer andcheese, about places wehadn'tseen on the lake and river, and we made adecision: next time.The following day was hot and still. Weran halfway down Gregg Basin, tied up atSandy Point and spent the day in thewater. Water skiers and houseboats,fishermen andrunabouts joined us, thenmoved on. We were alone again when therain and hail moved across the lake and in-terrupted dinner. Bobbie's enchiladas hadto wait while weclosed up, mopped upand secured the boat farther up on thebeach. Thunder rumbled for a long timeafter therain hadstopped.We sat late on the p atio that evening, ourlast. Nostalgia was already setting in. Ourblue and white mopdripped rainy evi-dence of its usefulness on the stern. Thefriend from Phoenix spoke wistfully offishnot caught.It was time to return. T he next morning,we cooled the waffle iron andstowed itwith uncounted other items while webegan the day-long trip back toEcho Bay.The dinghy was once again launched offTemple Bar when wefelt a sudden needfor that last champagne toast. Thehouseboat cruised past the marina andNapoleon's Tomb. The dinghy caught itat Middle Point, where the champagnewas poured under a ruthless sun. Burrosappeareddark silhouettes on the whitebluffsand Frank caught his fish: Threeinches of optimism, returned to theaquamarine waters soon after the laughterdied.We cruised on. Back toEcho Bay. Backto turn in ourblue andwhite houseboat,our blue and white mop. Our swab. B

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30/64

JEFF GNASSImpressions of a Scenic Photographera

I - - - *

T he desert is wheremany of myphotographic skillswere developed. Ireturn with aspecial affection.

Text by Jeff Gnasswith Frances G. SmithPhotographs by Jeff GnassI T'S A CHALLENGE to cap ture theelusive spirit of the desert or thefreshness of a summer storm on film.I feel a sense oi elated satisfaction when Ido .

W hat is it about scenic photograph y thatmakes one accept an insecure, marginal in-come, being away from home for weeks ata time, 18-hour work days, heavy cameraequipment on one's back and extremes oftemperature from sweltering desert heat tonumbing winter cold? The answer lies inthe challenge of creativity, the satisfactionof being able to capture a fleeting momentand share it with others.

This is what drives artists. As a painterformulates a concept, I, too, think in term sof line, shape and space. I must extract theelements of a picture from the many formspresent, emphasizing some, playing downothers, to create visual excitement. Thisinvolves not only camera position, angleand choice of lens, but picking a time ofday when the light is exactly right for theeffect I am trying to achieve.My approach to composition is morecontemporary than classical. I am con-stantly exploring the different perspectivesoffered by wide-angle and telepho to lenses.Above all, I strive for sim plicity, relying onstrong composition to produce a pleasing,exciting picture.I love th e solitude of th e wild, the

demands of carrying a heavy pack, the ex-citement of exploring unfamiliar terrainand climbing mountains to get shots ofremote areas. To stay in condition, I runseveral miles most days. Photography inthe field is not witho ut its dang ers. Besidesthe hazards of sheer cliffs, there are someunfriendly desert plants. Once I backed in-to a jumping cholla while setting up a pic-ture. I 've been wary when photographingnear cacti ever since. I enjoy camping, sonights spent along the trail with fewconveniences are no problem for me.When I go out into the field, I don't

count on getting specific pictures, though Itry to be at the right place at the right tim e.By this, I mean particular localities duringcertain seasons. My planning is broad andgeneral: I must be adaptable. If I expect tobe in Arches National Park the middle ofApril and I learn that a storm is blowingthrough, I will drive all night and arriveahead of schedule to capture the changingclouds as the storm breaks up. I try to visitan area at the peak of the flowering seasonor the height of autumn color, though Imay also return at different times of year.I work out the best possible picturesunder given conditions. Sometimes a loca-tion is wo rth a return visit whe n lighting orweather are more favorable. Other times,eve ry th ing works toge the r : There i sminimal wind, the lighting is great andthere's a lot of interesting material at hand.Then film holders are used up quickly asthe subject is thoroughly explored withdifferent lenses and varying foregrounds.A lot of energy goes into a session like this.It usually results in a number of successfulpictures and a feeling of exhilaration. The

best shots are spontaneous reactions toephemeral conditions, like sunlight spill-ing through clouds. One m ust react quick-ly and precisely to such an opportunity. IOpposite, Jeff Gnass shares the beauty of theHenry Mountains at the Capitol Reef Na-tional Park in Utah.

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1*5 S P i


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JEFF GNASSI realized I have a

strong creativeurge.Photography offersme an unlimitedopportunity toexpress it.An evening scene at the T ufa Towers atMono Lake Basin in the Eastern SierraNevadas.

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" ' - / - - . . - ' - ,


35/64

JEFF GNASSneed my camera to be a part of me, sincespectacular shots can be missed whendramatic scenes change in an instant.Though I am proficient with my equip-ment, I probably miss more pictures likethis than I am able to catch.When I go to a new area, I like to try tocapture its feeling or spirit first. After I'msatisfied that I've accomplished this, I con-centrate more on detail or shots that arenot unique to that area.Th ere is a pattern in my daily activities.The lighting for most scenes is best fromdawn to mid-morning and late afternoonthrough sunset, so I usually work duringthese prime hours and spend the m iddle ofthe day unencumbered by camera equip-ment, hiking, discovering what I am goingto shoot later and deciding what time of dayis best. Even my daily routine is constantlyrevised to capitalize on changing condi-tions. I adapt my photography to theweather. On an overcast day, I shoot detailor otherwise contrasting subjects, likethose found in a dense forest or a deep can-yon.My favorite type of picture is what I callan intimate landscape; something betweena detailed close-up and a panoramasay, asubject in the middle distance. I especiallyenjoy working with backlighting, becauseof the d ramatic relief it offers. Th e desert iswhere many of my photography skillswere developed; I'm always returning tothose arid lands with a special affection. Iam fascinated by the patterns in sand andslickrock, the flowing lines of thin-layeredstrata, the crossbedding of ancient dunesfrozen in stone.Beauty is a necessity. I gave up a securejob and a comfortable living because Irealized that I have a strong creative urge.Photography offers me an unlimited op-

Left, sunset and the sand dunes at DeathValley National Monument, California.

por tunity to express it. It also allows me tointerpret the grandeur and subtleties ofnature to others.I prefer working with a large-formatcamera and have settled on a 4 x 5 becauseit gives me the image fidelity I demand, yetis versatile enough to be handled in thefield. The very nature of a larger cameramakes me strive for excellence with everypicture. There is a different rhythm toworking with a technical camera, as op-posed to a 35mm. I find the smallercamera more adapted for close-ups, mov-ing subjects and spontaneous situations.Most frequently, I use my 35mm forflower detail and, for a change of pace,photographing wildlife.One of the less exciting aspects of my oc-cupation is handling the necessarybusiness details and developing ap-propriate markets for my work. Thenthere are captions to be researched for thethousands of transparencies that are even-tually catalogued and placed in my library.All of this is very time consuming. I usual-ly work long hours when I'm home, so that

I don't sacrifice too much of my creativetime to paperwork.Al thou gh I ini t ia lly preferred tophotograph only the wilderness, I'vegrown to accept Man as part of nature andto value the human element in some set-tings. The Indian ruins of the southwestare an excellent example of this.Winter, summer; snow, rain; mountaintops, desert floors; forest shade, seashores;constantly changing , ever new. Each offersdifferent settings to test one 's skills, to cap-ture beauty and share it through themedium of one's art. EHJeff Gna ss is a 34-year-old freelance photog-rapher. Currently working out of NorthernCalifornia, he photographs the outdoors ofwestern North A merica. His work appearsfrequently in Desert magazine, ArizonaHighways, Nevada magazine, AmericanForests and the Sierra Club Calendars.

The best shots arespontaneousreactions toephemeralconditions.


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Dusting Trackswith Amtrak's Desert WindThere's no fear or loathing on the rails to Las Vegas,just friendly peopleand plenty of conversa tion.

AT LAST WE'RE all on board:mothers and daughters, grand-parents, babies, couples of allages, single women and men. We storedour bags in the compartment below, hur-ried up the stairway to choose our seats,even struck up a little conversation withthe people across the aisle. We're on theDesert Wind, Amtrak 's s leek newsuperliner out of Los Angeles. The an-ticipation is running high. Although thetrain goes all the way to Ogden, Utah,before turning around, more than half ofthe 200 passengers on board are headed for

Las Vegas. They can't wait to drop a fewcoins into the slots and watch the sevenscome up . The ir w allets are fat and they'reready to go.Instead, we wait. And wait. And wait.W e're bound for Las Vegas, but right nowwe seem bound to the tracks at LosAngeles Un ion Station. It turn s out one ofthe cars has a bad axle bearing, whichcould cause the train to derail; we sitwaiting as the entire car is taken out of thetrain and replaced. "The first time I'veridden a train in 36 years, and look whathappens!" a woman with a shrill voice

calls out impatiently, as the minutes tickby. "Come on, let's get going!"After nearly an hour, we d o. Moving ouslowly through downtown Los Angeleswe pass warehouses, industrial storagyards, run-down hotels and parking lotsIt's one o'clock in the afternoon, and thsun is trying to break through the thickbrown L.A. smog. The heat outside ifierce, but we're immune to it in this bisilver coach; there's plenty of clean, cooair coming in throug h the air conditionersSoon, we're picking up speed. W hen wpass a young boy waving to us from th

Text by Gordon Sm ith Photographs by Zeke Larsen36 SEPTEMB ER, 1981


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second-story window of an old brick apart-ment building, we roar by before we canre turn the wave . We ' re sa i l ing a longtoward Pasadena, the first of our fourstops. The car is swaying gently from sideto side as the buildings and telephonepoles fly past.The people around me are a mixture ofevery age and race, but they all have onething in common: from jeans and jogging

suits to summer dresses and polyesterpants , they're all dressed casually. Clothesare not the only thing that 's casual; so isthe social scene. In the company of fellowtravelers, everyone loosens up. Soon thereare more conversations buzzing around thecar than wasps at a hive.Beverly Jenkins is one of the people onboard the Desert Wind today; a studentfrom Los Angeles, she's traveling to LasVegas with her m other, w ho doesn 't l ike tofly. "If I were going by myself, I'd fly,even though it's twice as expensive, just toget there sooner," Beverly confides. "Iguess you could say I have Las Vegas syn-drome. I 've been there three times in thelast six month s. Puttin g mo ney in that slotmachine and pulling that leverit justturns me on."Dave Swarz, an auto glass installer fromHollywood, is also headed for Vegas, butnot to gamble. He lived there for two and ahalf years as a teenager, and now he'sreturning to visit his family. When Beverlytells him she once lost $400 at the black-jack tables, Dave just laughs. "The peoplewho live and work there don 't gam ble," hesays. "You learn not to." There is silencefor a moment, and then Dave sums it allup as well as anyone could: "Las Vegas isjust an incredible place. Las Vegas neversleeps."Beverly, Dave and nearly everyone elseon board adm it to being on Amtrak for thefirst time. If you ask people why theydecided to take the train to Las Vegas,you're likely to get a wide variety ofanswers:"You can kick back and watch thescenery.""You can sleep the whole way.""I'm tired of driving out there.""I t ' s cheap."As a matter of fact, Amtrak's standardround-trip fare from Los Angeles to LasVegas costs almost as much as taking aplane: about $100. However, Amtrak'sfive-day excursion fare of $55 (you have toreturn within five days) beats the air fareeasily, and most of the train seats areroomier and more comfortable than thoseon a jet or a bus. The Desert Wind takesseven and a half hours to run th e 300 m iles

from Los Angeles to Las Vegas (by car, thetrip takes about six hours), but that justgives you extra time to have a drink or

Art Laurie, engineer. Without him Desert Wind wouldn't make it to Las Vegas.three and hear the latest gambling gossip."The train is more comfortable andmore convenient than driving yourself,"insists Conductor F. W. Dean, who worksth e Desert Wind between Los Angeles andBarstow. "You can sit here and talk, youcan have a drink, and you don't have toworry about looking in the rearview mirrorall the time for the Man."

At 34, Dean is one of Am trak's youngestconductors. Sitting down to chat with medurin g a spare mome nt between LosAngeles and Pasadena, he tells me the rideto Las Vegas is always livelier than thereturn trip: the excitement level is higher,the people drink a little more and they're alittle harder to control. "On the way back,a lot of people are down, they're already

burned out," Dean says with a smile."Everyone's real nice then.

Documents

198109 Desert Magazine 1981 September