Adventures in Vegas (from the non-poker side)

As I haven't had much of a chance to post recently (mostly because getting any kind of reasonable price on internet is difficult), I thought I'd give you a heads up on the recent happenings. Cory, Tomiko, and I took a trip up the Stratosphere tower. Although they opted out, I chose to take a cruise on the three extreme rides at the top for a measly $14 more. Anyhow, the view was at the same time vertigo-causing and awe-inspiring. The rides, dubbed Insanity, X-Scream, and Big Shot, are very cool to the ride enthusiast. Rather than attempt to describe the rides, take a search on youtube for them... There are many examples. Very, very high. Thank goodness for engineers. My brother, Zach, also took a trip out to Vegas this week. Our first order of business was yet another park: The Circus Circus Adventuredome, a complete amusement park indoors (similar to the Mall of America). There was a roller coaster with a couple of hoops, several "4-D" movies complete with water squirts and pokes in the back, tons of arcade and carnival games, and a water ride that will soon be torn down to make way for yet another roller coaster. All in all, visits from family and friends have been a very good time.