The Track and The Valley

Here's your update, Richard! Thanks for the email reminding me it has been awhile... this doggone work interferes with the important stuff! Speaking of work, how about this for a job... all those suite windows have to be cleaned somehow ...

Ah, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway - let me put it this way - it was a different year! Last year things went well and it was fun. This year, we had a team leader with no people skills and a very sick and perverted sense of humor. I could give many examples but I will limit it to one: Mike and I report to work on the second day and ask "So, where do you want us to go today?" (the day before we had been assigned to two different areas) and his reply, said in a gruff nonsmiling way, "You can go straight to hell for all I care!" Great way to start the work day... By Friday, we were looking for the human resources department to file a sexual harassment complaint - can you believe the speedway doesn't have an HR dept. - seems each department is responsible for their own hiring and policing. I could go on and on but really would rather spend my key strokes on something more upbeat!

This is a pic of Bonnie and Barry - one day they work on the track (literally) in turn three inspecting RV's and checking them into the infield and the next, they are doing security at the owner/driver gate - not bad for your first year, eh?

As with all places we go, we met some great folks. Cathy and Bob are young fulltimers who have been on the road for 4 years. They do all kinds of workamping and were great fun to work with. Bob has a way with light wands that had the guests laughing and wondering just which way they should really go... Paul and Blanche were back from last year and so were Dennis and Louise. We were on different shifts but did get to spend some time with them. We will see them again at Phoenix (oh yea, we were hired there to drive/host on the trams) and again at INDY.
I ended up getting a bug and not even watching the race on Sunday but I understand it was a good one. Overall, work at LVMS this year was ... different!

When we left the track on Monday morning we headed up to Pahrump NV for a few days of R & R. Our Tucson friends are with us and yesterday we headed into Death Valley. Last year, we visited this remarkable area a few weeks earlier and all was dormant. This year, there has been some rain (only get 2 inches a year in Death Valley) and it was in bloom.

There is snow on the mountains in the background, a mirage, not really a lake, at the base of the mountains, and springs blooms in the foreground - what a place.

Here is Bonnie and Barry checking things out.

And those two fly specks on the top of the mountain are Mike and Barry; they definitely got their exercise!

Death Valley presents a unique photo op at every turn. Here is an Artist's Palette.

I could really see what it must have looked like back in 20 mule team days...

That's all for now. Our next entry will feature the great grand daughter - we are making a quick trip to MN to see family.

A side note: The Richard that asked for an update is our Louisiana friend and he is facing some very tough health issues right now. Those of you who regularly read the blog may remember seeing pictures of him (finally)catching a northern in MN last year. Anyway, please remember him and Debbie in your prayers.