The rest of the Dream Foundation story
By John C. Dean
Saturday, February 10, 2024 – 10:30 a.m. – Charleston Yeager International Airport. My nephew, Ken Garrett, and I were on the plane! Woot! Woot. Vegas and Super Bowl Bound, baby!
We arrived in Vegas PDT at about 5 p.m., met the rental agency and drove to the South Point Hotel Casino Spa on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. Beautiful, spacious rooms, 25-story hotel, 2,504 rooms, 160,000 square-foot casino, 11 restaurants, bowling alley, movie theater and more. When I realized all there was to do here, I knew that Ken and I would never get to do even half of it in our 4-day, 3-night stay, but we’d try!
Sunday, February 11, 2024 – The Big Day and Big Game arrived! What can I say? Today is such a natural high and it’s only hours before game time. Ken and I arrived early to take in some of the sights and sounds of pregame celebrations – the aroma of burgers and dogs sizzling on a grill. The look on people’s faces, as they savored a big, ol’ Kansas City barbeque, was priceless. The music was rocking.
3:30 p.m. It’s kickoff time! I will leave out the play-by-play of the game since most of you probably know the end result by now. The following describes some of the feelings and emotions that I felt during this momentous experience:
Chills up and down my spine. Tingles along my arms. The hair on the back of my neck standing at attention. A natural high. Beyond belief. Is this really happening? You have to be here to truly take in the excitement. It’s unlike watching it on TV at home. A different world.
And an overtime Super Bowl topped all of my expectations.
Well, I guess that just about sums everything up. I had a great time . . .
But, no, wait, there’s more. What more could there be, you wonder?
A Mesmerizing Mecca
How about going to the Grand Canyon on Monday before flying home
Monday morning, February 13, 2024 – Beautiful sun-filled drive of about 90 minutes to the west rim of this amazing natural wonder. I drove there and let Ken take in all of the scenery. We spent most of the day walking around, doing a little shopping, taking in the views from the skywalk and more.
While photos are captivating and stunning, they do not do this mesmerizing marvel of a mecca justice unless seen with your own eyes. If you ever have the opportunity, spend at least a week at the Grand Canyon. My words and these photos will never be able to capture what it’s like.
And yes, rest assured, I am still smiling.
John Dean, writer and editor, is a Pocahontas County native, having grown up on-site at Watoga State Park for 16 years when his dad, Vernon, was a park ranger. These days, he focuses primarily on dealing effectively with his cancer diagnosis and highly recommends everyone get a second opinion. John is a member of the Watoga State Park Foundation Board of Directors.