“But I Can See It”: Again

2020 was a year of inconsistency in my life. Every turn seemed to bring a new challenge that got me off of my path of working out, DYI on the house, Bible reading, or eating right. So, I made a commitment that January was going to be about routine. Like my friends @theswolesociety I started getting up at 4 am to hit the gym; and because I like to check a box, I made a calendar to hold myself accountable to lifting and running. But… I hate running on a treadmill, and I hate running on cold days…. And February proved to be stupid cold in Texas. I had an awesome run in January, but February was like 2020 had a baby.

All that to say, I haven’t ran in like 4 weeks because I’m a wimp in the cold, but that was going to change in Vegas; I love running the Strip. But I may have made a mistake the previous year that haunts me… I might have decided to run to the Stratosphere from the Mirage because, well, I could see it. The problem is that it’s 2 miles one way to the Strat, and honestly it’s a hard run because there isn’t any shade. Plus, the Strip gets real sketchy real quick on the other side of the Encore. My problem was that my stubbornness and pride would not allow me to turn around early despite the number of homeless I passed or the exhaustion I felt. At each intersection, I reminded myself “just one more to go and you will be there” or “it’s so close, just keep going” until I finally make it. But then, I still had to come back.

This trip was going to be no different, except for the fact, I had a secret goal. Mr. SJ is always up extra early in Vegas as he loves to take money from those who are still playing poker despite being exhausted and drunk. I’m up a little bit after him. I change into my Lululemons because they make me feel like I can run anywhere (and look cute doing it) and Nikes. It’s 7:20 when I start my journey and text Mr. SJ my route to “run towards Mandalay Bay” (which unlike the Strat, you can’t really see from the Mirage). 

The invitation to run with me is always open to anyone, but so far none have chased after me in this experience. So, off I go on my own. Down the sidewalk past Caesars and Bellagio and then over the first sky bridge towards the New York New York where I stop to update Twitter. To the Tropicana where I cross back over, and here is where working escalators become a thing of the past. Chasing tip: Never go to Vegas post knee/foot/leg surgery…and for that matter wheelchairs and baby strollers can be super difficult to navigate. I pass Excalibur and Luxor. I’m feeling pretty good after some encouragement from MGM security. The morning is cold, but the sun is out and my Lulu’s make me feel unstoppable. I arrive at Mandalay Bay, and decide to just keep going…

I have been visiting Vegas for a decade and have never made it to THE Las Vegas sign. It’s always on the list, but for whatever reason we just don’t get to it. The sign is located half a mile past Mandalay Bay, and I look at my watch: 7:56… I have 20 minutes before Mr. SJ will ask for my location. So, I press on pass Four Seasons and the Las Vegas Police Department and a few other odd and end places. My progress slows because the crossing sign wait times do become much longer the further down the strip.  But I know I am close because for the first time EVER I see signs pointing me to THE sign.

It’s literally in the middle of Las Vegas Blvd, but there is a designated crosswalk for it, so the odds of getting smashed by a car are pretty low. There is also an area to park, so driving or using rideshare is an option. 8:10, after waiting for a party of like 12 to finish family portraits, I finally am able to take a selfie with the famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign. And yes, it was worth it… But I have learned from past mistakes, so I decide it would be best to rideshare back. I pull up my app, and wait for the 5 digit code to verify it’s me… and it never comes. So I start running back. At the Four Seasons, 8:22 I get the first text “ETA babe?” followed by a group text from Mrs. PointBreak_Dave “what’s breakfast looking like” and then Pointbreak_Dave “we’re ready whenever the ladies want to come down.” Crap… I send back to Mr. SJ “on the way back” and he responds “where u at?” Dang… I call him as I wait at the first Mandalay Bay intersection to confess.

Even though my pride was saying “you can do it” my stomach was arguing otherwise “girl, you need a pancake and coffee.” So, I cut through the Mandalay Bay and ask for a taxi to take me back to the Mirage. I always get the best taxi drivers and this guy was super supportive of my distance run and he shared his experience of being a famous photographer in LA, Vegas and NY and quit the grind to drive taxis… Is this true? I don’t know but he was a nice guy with a great story of chasing a dream. If visiting THE Las Vegas Sign is on your “to-do” list I recommend that you go early in the morning as it will get busy. It is walkable (but keep in mind its ½ a mile from Mandalay Bay) and pretty safe with plenty of crossings and signage. There is parking at THE sign so driving or doing a ride share/taxi is an option. So, how far did I chase for this sign? The one way distance is around 4 miles which leads me to the Chasing Tip: Carry a credit card because taxis and rideshares are always available if you make the mistake of “but I can see it”. Remember to drive carefully, come back soon… and #chaseme (literally) down the Strip of Fabulous Las Vegas.