I know I promised this a while ago, but y’all my June and July have been absolutely chock full of activities (many of which you’ll also get to read about–some of them not so much). Sorry I’m so late in getting this to you….let’s go back to Vegas!
I won’t beat around the bush, it was a much shorter trip than the usual, as travel and leave priorities have shifted in the Professor’s domain. So rather than a sweet epic road trip around the country (been done, a few times, and will likely be done again/lots more once I’m retired in a few years) it was just a boring ol’ “fly to Vegas and back” kind of deal. But in exchange, there’s more fun to be had throughout the year.
Wednesday before EDC, it was off to BWI to hop on Ye Olde Southweste. Yes, I know there’s better options out there, but being military their boarding and baggage policies are favorable for domestic travel. Even before the plane took off, one dude was getting an earful. Eyeful? Whatever you want to call it, she was givin him the business.
A few rather uneventful hours later, and touchdown in the desert. McCarran was welcoming as always. The first order of business after picking up bags and rental? Why, off to Total Wine of course, to grab up some more Smoke Wagon Uncut/Unfiltered Bourbies. We’re a big fan of it in the Horseyhead household. Well….Professor is. The cat and ferrets don’t get any. After that, it was check in at the ol’ stomping grounds of Sam’s Town Gambling Hall. Off strip, late 80s Showbiz Pizza style animatronics that haven’t been updated in decades…..god I love that place. Also it’s crazy cheap to stay there especially compared to the strip. Once again the ol’ military benefits popping up, as the MGM conglomerate offers free self-parking at all their properties (which is about 80% of the strip’s mainstays at this point) so going to/from the strip is super easy.
Checked in, roughly settled, and it’s time to get fancy cause my guy Rob was getting married!! Not a “let’s elope to Vegas” marriage; he’s stationed out there. He was about a month ahead of me in boot camp and my first tech school in Biloxi, we were at Offutt together, “deployed” to Kuwait together (in quotes because everyone knows Kuwait isn’t a real deployment), and then both came out to Maryland at the same time in 2008, working together for a few years after before I moved to a different unit (same base). He’s as solid as they come, and I was massively excited and honored to get to share the moment with the happy couple…..at the top of the Stratosphere no less!! After the nuptials, the whole party went to Lotus of Siam for their spectacular Crispy Duck Khao Soi and–because Vegas–a random Thai dancer appeared. Fantastic night all around, and the rave hadn’t even started yet!!
Thursday was a nice late start, because as this raver continues to age, dusk till dawn takes some prep time. Pretty laid back wander around all the usual Vegas spectacles you would expect, but on a slight time budget because it was a very special day. Perfect (if a bit warm–it’s a desert though so that’s to be expected) weather meant a lovely view over the Bellagio pool toward the Paris, although A/C was preferred so it was indoors after that, enjoying the sights and sounds of the Caesar’s Forum, some fantastic pizza and Spritzes at Trevi, and then…off to SeaQuest to feed the otters. Because of course I’m going to go feed the otters. Why WOULDN’T you want to go feed the otters? Sheesh.
After this, it was time for a nap, a wardrobe change, and yet another amazing experience at The Golden Tiki, along with more strip-walking shenanigans to include my Major Award. Which nearly every person that actually saw me with it of course HAD to know where they could get their own. Sorry folks I don’t even know if this size is made anymore, but mine came from Fat Bar just north of the New York New York on the east side of South LV Blvd–and it’s permanently closed now.
Got back to Sam’s Town nice and late, ready to sleep WELL in and prepare for the weekend of nocturnal emissions. Haha. Get it? Anywho…..with the exception of a chicken and waffles brunch at Alexxa’s in the Paris on Saturday, the next three nights (not days) were a very simple formula of “eat sleep rave repeat”…and to make it better my homey Sasha who’s not in the mil anymore but we go way back as a result of it also came down for his first ever EDC!!
The usual suspects were all in attendance; ATB, Ferry Corsten, Ruben de Ronde, Charlotte De Witte, Felix Da Housecat, Technoboy & Tuneboy (TNT), 3 Blokes, LNY TNZ, Tweekacore, Da Tweekaz, Paul Van Dyk, Giuseppe Ottaviani, Darren Styles, Dr Phunk, Wildstylez, Ben Nicky, et cetera et cetera et cetera. 3 nights, dusk till dawn, far too many acts to list. So much fun, ran into some other “rave regulars” from past EDC events (and some even went around the world, more on that in a later post), great friends from the DC scene, and even made a few new ones to boot! Now comes the dump of photos and videos.
