Fun in the Sun

Laughlin from the River

The final days of our winter retreat to warmer climes last week did provide some warmth and rest. We spent them in Laughlin, NV.

Davis Dam

It’s a casino town on the Colorado River by the Davis Dam and a destination for Snowbirds – which refers to retirees who go south for the winter, usually in transient homes like 5th-wheel trailers or campers. The more affluent snowbirds will own condos or homes in desert communities that are only used when the weather is mild from October to March. This means there is no off-season as the summer months are busy with surrounding recreation at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.

The Colorado Belle looks like a riverboat inside and out but was not built to be on the water. It’s a Faux Yacht.

While I adored the whole Laughlin experience, and the great friends we were with, and the wonderful meals we shared, every time I looked at the name of the town I kept thinking of a silly show from my childhood called, “Laugh In.”

Laughlin, NV is a desert oasis resort I recommend and will return to as a remedy for winter blues. It’s got a unique flavor that blends into a tiny reflection of the Lucky Luxury of Las Vegas and the tropical atmosphere of Honolulu, with dashes of rugged American history and industrial innovation. This is why I think of “Laugh In”, a random variety show that was a mash-up of culture and color for easy entertainment.

The Snowbird-retiree lifestyle has been promoted to me as much as the Work-From-the-Beach lifestyle is advertised by the latest technology product. Laughlin-”Laugh In” sort of calls to me as a siren song of Be Free and Wild. Yet it quickly fades with, yeah, but what would I do next week?

Dis-attachment is the message from some residents within the acres upon acres of RV parks in Nevada. They are people seeking disconnection. Many have no permanent home address and are deliberately off-the-grid, content in their isolation, and proud of their plan of survival. This lifestyle fascinates me because it is so alien to me. I’m all about being connected to home and family even if it means paying utility bills and taxes.

There is a big difference between surviving and thriving. Thriving requires innovation, change, and growth. That relates to another delight in Laughlin, NV – the automobile museum.

Regardless of our opinion on the use of fossil fuel, cars are part of our culture. They were the latest technology in their time and they are now art. Call it industrial art – it was innovation, baby. And 90 years later it is both nostalgic, fascinating and shiny.

Laughlin, NV is only 90 miles south of Las Vegas and it wasn’t until Ed told his mom about our trip that we learned his parents had also stayed there and preferred it to Vegas though it was many years ago.

On our final day of vacation we  took the river cruise.

And now we are back in Oregon though some of our luggage is still in transit, in the back of our friend’s truck. Be warned that if you book a flight on Spirit Airlines there is a $50 charge for carry on bags that do not fit under the seat. The additional $100 required was only posted at the airport and a surprise but as that was the only glitch to the whole trip, oh well. We’re glad we didn’t have to pay it twice though the clothes in the suitcases may be a bit ripe by the time I get them into the washing machine…

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