Pre-TAM8 Activity Ideas: Falling from the Sky, and Other Stuff

Wowbagger

The Infinitely Prolonged
Wowbagger
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I figured I would start a thread to get the ball rolling on possible activities to do the day or two before TAM8 starts.

Here are three things I would like to consider doing. Anyone want to join me?

* Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis. It got moderately mixed reviews. But, I am willing to give it a shot. I generally like Cirque shows.
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/viva-elvis/default.aspx

* Indoor Sky-Diving ( http://www.vegasindoorskydiving.com/ ). I wanted to do this a few years ago, but got no other takers. Maybe I will acquire some, this year?

* Real Sky Diving (involves jumping out of a real airplane)

Feel free to add some other ideas to the list!

I may rent a car, this year, so I can provide transportation for a few people, anywhere within reasonable driving range.
 
I might be willing to try indoor sky-diving. It has a nice preposterous ring to it. Or at least tag along and watch so I can say I was there when Wowbagger became the infinitely flattened. ;)

I plan to get in on Wednesday. I haven't booked the flight yet but it'll probably be fairly early in the day.

Or I could use the time to get a tattoo or marry an Elvis impersonator.
 
I have been trying to get with the Atomic Test Site (a little more than an hour drive north of Vegas) to try to arrange a group tour on the Wed prior to TAM. I say "trying" because the Test Site employee who is in charge of setting these things up is totally unresponsive to my emails. In the increasingly unlikely event that anything comes of this I will post it on the forum. Otherwise, I think that the indoor skydiving thing sounds really cool, and not too expensive, especially by Vegas standards.
 
Craps tables at Casino Royale ($2 minimum, high odds bets). Wednesday afternoon thru Monday morning, with small breaks to attend TAM.
 
I'll be landing Tuesday, and not too interested in indoor or outdoor flattening potential.

Was searching vegas.com to see what other sorts of 'entertainment' there might be...

Saw "V" and thought it might be a lizard alien filled musical, but sadly not the case.

Not interested in most of the Cirque de Soleil shows and not really tempted to see Lance Burton or Criss Angel. Maybe the Amazing Johnathan... not a whole bunch of things on there that really say to me "Yes! Spend $100 for tickets to this!" :)

Though, there is a Haunted Vegas Tour and Seance... hmmmmm....

Maybe we can talk Penn into a tour of the Slammer?
 
TsarBomba said:
I have been trying to get with the Atomic Test Site (a little more than an hour drive north of Vegas) to try to arrange a group tour on the Wed prior to TAM. I say "trying" because the Test Site employee who is in charge of setting these things up is totally unresponsive to my emails. In the increasingly unlikely event that anything comes of this I will post it on the forum. Otherwise, I think that the indoor skydiving thing sounds really cool, and not too expensive, especially by Vegas standards.
Click to expand...

I used to have good connections with several of the health Physics people who worked for the contractor who ran the site, but that was quite a few years ago. I'm willing to make some inquiries however. (Dr Buzz0, who was banned from the Forum, also tried to arrange a tour and got nowhere.)
FWIW, I spent several days doing radiological training at the NTS and a tour would be really impressive- The houses that were built and destroyed in 1950s tests are still there, along with rail cars, bank vaults, and such. Plus intriguing signs like the one that says, "WARNING: low clearance ahead-45ft clearance-WARNING". And the giant Sedan Crater alone would be worth the visit. (When I was there no foreign visitors were allowed on site. Don't know if that still holds. No cameras either unfortunately.)
 
I will keep plugging along bugging them. If I don't get anywhere in the next couple of weeks, I will PM you to see if you can use your connections. The crater created by Operation Ploughshare would be a sight worth seeing.

Sedancrater2.jpg
 
Well, if you do get anywhere with the test site tour, and they'll let evil foreigners out there where they could steal secrets of large craters, I'm in.
 
Hamradioguy said:
I used to have good connections with several of the health Physics people who worked for the contractor who ran the site, but that was quite a few years ago. I'm willing to make some inquiries however. (Dr Buzz0, who was banned from the Forum, also tried to arrange a tour and got nowhere.)
FWIW, I spent several days doing radiological training at the NTS and a tour would be really impressive- The houses that were built and destroyed in 1950s tests are still there, along with rail cars, bank vaults, and such. Plus intriguing signs like the one that says, "WARNING: low clearance ahead-45ft clearance-WARNING". And the giant Sedan Crater alone would be worth the visit. (When I was there no foreign visitors were allowed on site. Don't know if that still holds. No cameras either unfortunately.)
Click to expand...



I toured the site during a conference in 2008. They let the foreign visitors on, so that shouldn't be a problem. However, this tour was organized by the people who run the Yucca Mountain Depository site, so I have no idea if anyone else could get such access.

The tour guide for the Testing Site side of the tour was also on the board of the Atomic Testing Museum, so it might be worth calling them up and seeing if he can arrange a tour. If you can get him as a guide, he had some really great stories to tell!
 
Any recommendations on actives to do outside of Vegas? I am leaning towards a nice hike northwest of Vegas, but have not spent much time in the area and would welcome suggestions.
 
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