From Yosemite to Lost Wages

Our drive takes us through the craggy mountains,lush green vegetation and clear lakes of the Yosemite, past the arid dessert and desolate lonliness of Death Valley and to the glittering lights and large scale commercialism of Las Vegas. I don't think you can pack more into a single day.
At the risk of being repititive, Yosemite is awesome! There are numerous hiking trails that will need weeks and weeks to explore. Calvin tells me that the total length of all the trails in Yosemite exceeds 800 miles and I believe him. He is almost seven years old - he knows everything! We drive right across the park from west to east on SR 120. The exit on the east side is at 9500 feet! It gives new meaning to the word panaromic. (This is only one of many words that have taken on new meaning - desolate, deserted, arid are a few others).
We continue into Death Valley. From 9500 feet the road dips down to -260 feet - the lowest point in the United States. One would expect this place to be flooded with an abundance of water - it is not; instead it is the dryest and dustiest of deserts. The car has a guage for outside temperature so we are constantly reminded of how lucky we are to have air conditioning. We stop a few times anyway just to get out and experience the heat. It is not called Death Valley for nothing - if our car had broken down and we had to walk, I suspect that Pat would right now be loading up my TV into his truck.
It's a long drive to Las Vegas. 540 miles according to the map, but with our 'short cut' through Death Valley, we have cut it down to 450. Las Vegas is impressive in its commercialism. People hurry about with a gleam in their eye. They don't have time to hold the door for you or nod a Hi - they are on their way to win their first million and don't you dare stand in their way! I am surprised at the amount of smoke everywhere. After not smoking for almost a year, I find that the smell of stale tobacco irritates me. And it irritates me that it irritates me - I have to become more tolerant. I know from first hand experience that the most irritating thing to a smoker is the person who has successfully quit and I make a silent promise to myself to become more tolerant.
Our room is on the 21st floor and Calvin is excited. This is the highest he's ever been (we were just at 9500 feet this morning, but that doesn't count, I guess). It's a nice room, but there is no coffee; Geetha and Calvin are still asleep and I am contemplating rum at 7:30AM. Yesterday I was thinking about getting a tattoo. Is it Las Vegas or my mid life crisis?