Paris Cowgirl

Can't sleep...

So much going through my mind right now. This tragic happening. How do you not let this effect you when you don't even know these people? You feel like you know them because you follow their blog. You do know them, because you read their blog. Praying for them and their families.

So, what do you do when you can't sleep? You blog! So here's the story of the Helicopter ride.

These aren't my pictures, but you get the idea. They never told us what we were doing. Just be up at the crack of dawn and be in front of the hotel. That's right, they didn't put us up in Motel 6. Nothing but the best for The Peddler! There was a car waiting for us. We all piled in and we ended up at the airport. My first thought was cool, we're meeting some other lucky people that get to come to Vegas and go to another Rodeo. WRONG...We were getting in a helicopter and flying to the BOTTOM of the Grand Canyon. Totally not my thing. Planes require a certain little pill that helps me get from point A to point B. A helicopter, no little pill, NO WAY. By the way, it took several little pills to get me to Paris. That's a long flight! Anyway, saying no was totally unacceptable. We were with the V.P. and there were certain things you just don't do, like say NO. I sucked it up so hard I think I gave myself a wedgie...is that possible? I started out in the back of the helicopter. As we left Vegas it was really quite boring. You all wear headsets and chit chat back and forth. It's very flat and all desert. Along the way the pilot has everyone switch seats so that you all get a chance to sit in the front. I stayed in the back for as long as I could.
It's amazing how they choreograph this whole production. Just when you get to the edge of the canyon they start playing Star Wars music and the helicopter just kind of hovers at the edge. When the music reaches the DA DA, DA DA Dun part you drop right into the canyon. Really impressive. (Mike can you insert music here?)

Anyway, they fly you around, land at the bottom, and lunch is brought to you by the Indian tribe. And it was cccccccold! So, you eat lunch, take pictures and climb back in the helicopter. I was the only one who hadn't sat in the front, so guess what, it was my turn. I thought, nothing to it, we're going back. Oh, think again! I climbed right in, right beside Fabio. Who, by the way, looked nothing like the Romance Novel Fabio. As we were leaving the canyon there were two, I'm going to call them fingers, fingers of rocks sticking straight up. Fabio asked me if I thought we could fly in between them. There was no way (and that's putting it nicely). Well, he did it. Did you know that a helicopter is skinnier going sideways instead of up and down! Yep, he tipped that baby on it's side and flew right through those rocks. Where are my pills? Better yet, I want my blankie. my bed, my safety net.

After that little shocker we flew around Vegas, buzzed the roller coaster that's at the top of hmmm, don't know the name of that hotel, but we buzzed it. We landed, I kissed the ground, we got in a car and headed back to the hotel. Thank God for Vegas being a 24 hour party. Can you say give me a drink at 10:00 A.M.? Rick was asked by theV.P. to join him (without me) in the other bar. After a little while I started to wonder what was going on so I headed down to THAT bar. There was The Peddler sitting at the table with his head down on the table. It was either some very good drinks early in the day, or......what....

We have to move to Arizona or...no job...no perks...no income...what, no helicopter rides with Fabio.

Another suck it up moment. Arizona here we come!