Around the 700th year of the Common Era the rivers and marshes of Las Vegas valley begin to recede, forcing the members of the Paiute tribe to move on to find more fertile grounds. They left behind many clues to the mystery of their nomadic lifestyle in the forms of buried relics. Up to that point, southern Nevada had been inhabited by people as early as 10,000 B.C.

In the early 1800s, a group of Spanish merchants established Las Vegas as a trade outpost between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. Folks have been traveling through Las Vegas ever since, and Vegas now boasts the nation’s 28th largest population and a booming economy fueled by roughly 40 million tourists per year.

The state of Nevada famously outlawed gambling via a midnight vote in 1910, paving the way for whispers of mob activity and the indoctrination of the likes of Bugsy Siegal and Meyer Lanskey. It wasn’t until some years later that the state legalized gambling at the local level to provide entertainment for the hoards of workers flocking to the Hoover Dam.

Our family posse followed the old wagon trails via U.S. Highway 93 and made our first Nevada stop at the Hoover Dam Lodge and Casino in Boulder City. The casino, built in 1943, formerly supported the population of dam employees and now offers a great exhibit on the region. Most importantly, the lodge offers free overnight parking for RV guests.

The hotel sits a few miles from the dam, and a defunct railroad line serves as a walking trail that ties the two landmarks. On a late afternoon, I’d decided to make the trek via foot and enjoy early evening views of Las Vegas Bay. The Hoover Dam, albeit a marvel of human engineering, mostly strikes me with a solemn chord. In many ways, it serves as a metaphor for the rest of Nevada, a signal that human innovation outweighs the need for the preservation of natural resources.

That evening we watched “National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation” to prepare ourselves for the coming week.

Having just eclipsed five months on the road, it was time to take Rosie (our RV) in for a tuneup. Las Vegas hotels will allow for pretty much anything, but finding one that’s “cat -friendly” proved to be a challenge. Thus, we chose an Airbnb in north Las Vegas while our home-on-wheels was enjoying her mechanical spa treatment. Our cat, Nala, and dogs, Bo and Pinto, enjoyed the luxuries of a home while we explored the city.

We’d hoped to catch a show while in Vegas, and we were lucky enough to find tickets available for one of our favorite magicians. The show itself was a disappointment for me, and I couldn’t help but feel for the performers. Performing the same routine night after night, year after year would suck the humanity from pretty much anyone. While this specific show grossed over $180 million this year, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was worth it for the artist’s integrity.

The same could be said about anything in Las Vegas. The bright lights, the chance to make it and the opportunity to get rich are all illusions built to keep you sitting quietly at the table. You might have a great time on the Strip as long as you don’t look too close. Underneath the flare lies nothing but financial transactions and desperation.

“Up All Night (Vegas, Baby!)” is my take on these feelings. Maybe I’ve misunderstood what it takes to make great art at scale. Who am I to say that there’s anything wrong with making folks smile every night, even if the performance is played out. If given a chance to make millions of dollars performing every night, I’m certain I’d be doing just that!

As someone who would prefer a week in the woods over the chaos of a city, my views on Las Vegas are likely biased. Courtney and I both had a great time playing tourist and enjoyed some of the local folks we had the pleasure of getting to know.

Listen to the song: patreon.com/posts/31515090

“Up All Night (Vegas, Baby!)”

Maybe It’s the Progress of man,

Maybe it’s a dream, you didn’t understand.

But baby your a shining light,

Deep into the ears, fully amplified, living.

Up all night,

American Money.

Up all night,

American dreams.

Up all night,

Living in silver, and circling the drain,

In Vegas baby.

People when they come back to life,

I saw it on a stage, and illusion, a lie.

It makes you wanna be a star,

Wasting away on this old guitar, singing.

Up all night,

American Money.

Up all night,

American dreams.

Up all night,

Living in silver, and circling the drain,

In Vegas baby.