This is a copy of my old Deck Log (Online Journal). I am now using an online blog at my "Have Web Sites Will Travel" web site. I use it to chronolog my travels around North America (my American Odyssey).

This "Old" Deck Log is now only an archive of past postings. It tell's the reader where I have visited and what adventures I have had up til the time I started my blog on Have Web Sites Will Travel. This archive was written primarily from the perspective of a tourist. Not necessarily my work log though I may do some of that too, especially in those early days when I built the sites resouces. Initially I used it to detail my efforts in getting prepared for the adventure. Then I chronicled the adventure itself.

To read my current Blog, Deck Log, Journal or Captains Log go here.

Date:     17 November 2003    2:13 PM

Location:     City: Las Vegas     State: Nevada

Log Entry Title:     First Entry for Las Vegas and Summary of week in the Reno area

Log Entry:     
7 November 2003
Arrived in the Reno, Nevada Homeport (actual location Carson City, Nevada). The downside for being in the Reno area this time of the year is the cold weather. The upside is the tourist attractions are not terribly crowded. But still crowded for me.

8 November 2003
I visited Virginia City on Saturday.

10 November 2003

I visited Lake Tahoe on Monday. Wow! What a beautiful place! I drove the entire length of the lake on the Nevada side. Went to South Tahoe and crossed over into California. Got out of my truck and visited the Harrahs Casino. The Casino litterly sets on the Nevada/California border (Nevada side of course).

11 November 2003
I went back to Virginia City tuesday to see some of the Veterans Day festivities. Visited the Nevada Gambling Museum and the Mark Twain Musuem.

Mark Twain Museum in Virginia City, Nevada.

Then went onto Sparks, Nevada and visited the World's 8th Best Truck Stop (The Alamo Travel Center) as ordained by the Discovery Travel Channel. This distinction is mainly because it has a casino.

Next I went on to another Truck Stop, Sierra Sid's, which is famous for it's Elvis Gun collection.

On Wednesday the 12th I went into downtown Reno and to the Nevada Historical Society Museum.

Driving Downtown Reno, Nevada.

My Truck in front of the Nevada Historical Society Museum.

14 November 2003

Travel Day. Enroute from Carson City to Las Vegas, Nevada. I Arrived in Las Vegas late this evening (Friday). Tired! I stopped at the first RV Park I could find, Silverton Casino and RV Park. I stayed a couple of days while I looked for a location not so close to the Las Vegas Strip.

Had my first oops! I made a too short a turn and my trailer front corner busted my rear Truck cab window. I believe a lot of that was caused by my being tired after a very long days traveling, then hitting Las Vegas during the late afternoon (on a Friday at that) and all the traffic that means.

Lesson learned: Don't make trips longer than 4 to 5 hours especially into large cities. Also plan ahead and arrange a place to stay for a day a two until I can reconoiter the best place to stay for a longer stay time.

15 November 2003

I spent Saturday looking for an RV park a little ways out of town. The traffic is very, very bad here this close to the Las Vegas strip. I found one a little further away from downtown. It is the Desert Sands RV Park just off of Boulder Highway.

Desert Sands RV Park on Boulder Highway

16 November 2003

Made the move over this morning and being Sunday morning the transit was made without a lot of traffic.

17 Novewmber 2003

Now that I have settled into a long term berth I will get into some sort of routine then start branching out in my tourist role. I am spending a couple of days getting the lay of the land, starting to get into some sort of routine and catch up on some of my web work. I plan to start touristing in a couple of days.

This weeks final thought:

The Reno stay was too short. But the weather chased me out of there. I got such a late start with my adventure so my stay in the Reno, Nevada area had to be cut short. I will schedule myself another visit there in the future. May be a few years before I can but it will be worth waiting for. The Reno, Nevada area is a very nice area. However, I don't think I would like to spend a winter there.

Ray Plumlee