Have you been to Las Vegas?
I traveled there many times back in the 90’s when I was a department store buyer. I happen to love the city and it only takes a few minutes in the city to understand its motto, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”
Seriously. It becomes quite clear just getting of the plane for the first time.
Good times are to be had in Las Vegas and I was no exception.
I don’t gamble and I don’t drink excessively, so my fun was fairly tame, but still quite impressive.
I’ve seen shows, such as Cirque de Soleil’s O at the Bellagio, comedian Danny Gans, and I sat in the front row of a Siegfried & Row show. I never want to be that close to a big cat again!
It was all fun, but still on the tame side, until the Statosphere.
I was having dinner one night with a large group of people and a gentleman in the group asked if anyone was interested in taking an amusement park ride ON TOP OF A BUILDING.
Without skipping a beat, I raised my hand and said “I AM!”
I didn’t even know what I was saying yes too, so I’m pretty sure that my glass of wine was doing the talking, but I was the only person (or fool, you make the call) to answer the guy.
About twenty minutes later, I was strapped in for the ride of my life.
The Big Shot
From the website,
Strap into the Big Shot and prepare to be shot 160 feet in the air at 45 miles per hour as you overlook the majestic Las Vegas Valley. In a matter of seconds, the Big Shot thrill ride catapults 16 riders from the 921-foot high platform up the Tower’s mast to a height of 1,081 feet and down again. Before you catch your breath, you’ll be shot back up again at forces unmatched by other Vegas thrill parks! Experience a gut-wrenching four ‘G’s of force on the way up, and feel negative ‘G’s on the way down as your legs dangle in the Las Vegas skyline.
Since this was back in the time before camera phones, my only picture (or proof) of my experience is the souvenir photo that you can buy after the ride. That’s why it’s a bit blurry. I’m the only female and the gentleman from my dinner is on the right. I have no idea who the other two men are and I can’t tell if they enjoyed themselves.
It was definitely a thrill and I still can’t believe I took the offer. Right after I was strapped in, I remember keeping my eyes open and the night time view of the city was breathtaking, but in an instant I was shot upward and the skyline became a blur. I was praying the ride would stop at the top and not shoot me across the city.
Who knows if I’ll ever make it back to Las Vegas, but I don’t think I need to be a Big Shot ever again.
To learn more about the ride, visit the website: Stratosphere.
Have you been to Las Vegas? Did you ride the Big Shot at the Stratosphere? Let us know about it in the comments.
This post is linked to Throwback Thursday Stories at The Mom Creative.
Brave girl! I’d like to think I’d so it but the older I get the more I turn into a big scaredy cat! P.S. I love the way this blog looks!
Paula – This was many years ago, so I don’t know if I would ride it again now that I’m “older and wiser”! Thanks for the comments.