9th
Well the weather has certainly changed. Yesterday was warm and windy. This morning its close to 5 degress and its raining. The route i am taking will take me through Zion National Park. Last time i was there the weather was cold and wet. Looks like it i will get the same. Heading along the highway we gain some altitude and guess what, its starts to snow. Only small flakes, but its snowing. Anyway its raining all through Zion, but i still enjoyed the drive.
Next stop is Leas Vegas where i am staying for a week. Managed to get some really cheap accommodation, so will bum around here and do some hiking

10th, 11th
Time to sit back and do very little

12th
Today its a hike at White Rock Canyon. Its 10k round trip and descends 300 metres down to the Colorado River. So i arrive at the car park which is about an hour out of Vegas. Its around 30 degrees c and sunny. So the walk is easy going down, through canyons along a river bed. The scenery is pretty cool and i am the only person on the trail, as the car park was empty. Doesnt take long to get to the river, which looks impressive. I sit by the river and enjoy some fruit and the peace and the serenity. The river water is very cold, so no swimming for me. There are a few ducks that look hungry, but i have no food for them. A few power boats go past. Now its time to head back. Well this turns out to be a problem. The river bed is mainly sand and pebbles, which when walking downhill wasnt a problem, but walking uphill is a problem.
So i am plodding along i realise that i will run out of water, oh ****. So i take many rests along the way in the shade and conserve what little water i have. I am about 2 kilometres from the car park and have run out of water. There is no shade any more and its hot. By the time i get to the car i am feeling very light headed, disoriented and of course dehydrated. And i am also kicking myself for being so stupid and dumb for not taking more water.
Anyway the air-conditioner cools me down and i head straight to the nearest shop for fluids.
A lesson learnt here that wont be repeated.

13th
Spent the day at Mt Charleston. Had lunch at the lodge and did some short walks. Its a lot cooler in the mountains, and i had more than enough water with me

14th
With the weather a little cooler today i head off to an area called Lovell Canyon. Its a wooded area in the mountains, and ideal for hiking. Its an hour drive from Vegas. I arrive at the car park and i am the only person here. The 10k hike offers up some very nice scenery, clean pine scented air. On the way back to the car i come across another hiker, young fella with his dog. We spend the next half an hour or so sharing travel stories.
Driving along the back road towards the highway, i hear some funny noises and it sounds like some things wrong with the car. Sound is a pop,pop,pop. I am looking around and next i see out the passenger window some guys shooting pistols. Yep just off the side of the road, shooting aimlessly into the wilderness. Unbelievable.
On the way back to Vegas i take a detour to the scenic drive past Red Rock Canyon. I love the views along this scenic drive. The pictures just dont do it justice. A quick visit to Bonnie springs to see the old town. Then i spend quite some time at the overlook at Red Rock taking in the stunning colours of the rock formations. Plus there is a police helicopter there doing some sort of training exercise.

15th
Now today, according to the news this morning, is going to be unusually cold here in Vegas. Its only gong to be around 16 degrees instead of mid 30's. So its off to do another hike in Red Rock Canyon.
Tomorrow its off to Breckenridge, Colorado.