travel

Walking Las Vegas: 2022

Las Vegas is fascinating to me. It’s a snow globe of America: The good, the bad, the audacity, the optimism, the heartbreak.

We’ve not been to Las Vegas since 2018. That was for work, but it’s Vegas—you find fun.

We would have been back in 2020—again, the excuse being work. But you know, this whole pandemic was going on, and it seemed prudent not to do the entire “in-person” thing.

But, for 2022, we were back in the first week of December.

Strip to Fremont

Sometime before 2018, Laura and I decided it should be tradition to walk from wherever we’re staying on The Strip to downtown.

We did it the first time on a lark, and it was immensely satisfying to see a third side of Vegas—the one nestled between the Fremont Experience and The Strip.

This year we did it twice.

This is a lightweight walk in the grand scheme of things.

Craig Mod has managed to make a career out of walking. Much longer walks than this. Don’t take my word for it, go check out his website.

While lightweight, it’s the timing of these Vegas walks that’s key.

The Strip is a whole experience, and catching a break from it—to see other parts of The Las Vegas Experience—has become an essential part of our trips.

AVL: A Quick Walk

I was lazy this morning and didn’t get out until the light was less helpful. Nice to spend an hour and change walking around with a camera and actually taking pictures.

Mountain Getaway

We had planned on being in the Galapagos this week—but then 2020 had its agenda.

Instead, the Galapagos gang ended up in an Airbnb up in Banner Elk, a few minutes from Grandfather Mountain. I'd never been before, and we lucked into nearly peak fall color.

I'd underestimated how important it is to get out of the routine.

Picking up a camera again was a nice bonus.

Weekend Wilmington Wrightsville Getaway

A little city, a little beach, a little sound. It'd been far too long since I swam in the ocean.

December 2012 Wallpaper

And we'll close out the year with shot from last month. Right here in North Carolina, just down the road from Elk Knob State Park and down by Bridal Cove there's the remains of homestead. And by remains, it's really just three chimneys at this point. This is one of them. In the summer the foliage is so thick you can't really make out much of anything. But come winter, after the leaves fall, it gets more interesting.

DSPRATTE 2012 December Wallpaper

Click on the image above to get yourself a high resolution copy for your desktop. Enjoy.