After the 2021 IPMS/USA National Convention ended at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, 21 August, I started to head to McCarran International Airport for my flight home. On the way, I stopped by the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada sign. I had passed it on the way into the city the previous Wednesday morning but didn't have time to stop and view the sign up close. Now, I did.
There was what looked like a wedding party gathered there, but it wasn't too crowded for me to get fairly close to the sign. At least I could say I was there.
After this visit, I drove to the McCarran Rent-A-Car Center to drop off the Toyota Corolla at the Enterprise area. After parking the car and removing my luggage, I dropped the key off and thanked the Enterprise staff on duty for their work. I asked them to pass my greetings to my Enterprise colleagues in the Las Vegas area. They appreciated the gesture and said they would.
Then, I walked to the shuttle bus stop and waited for the bus to take me to the terminal at McCarran International Airport. After a while, the bus arrived to take me and other passengers to the terminal. It was just after midnight when I got to the terminal--over 6 hours before my flight. I found a seat and rested, while music from various artists who have played Las Vegas was heard over the loudspeakers.
Some two hours before my flight, the baggage check in opened at the Southwest counter, so I checked my bag and got into the security checkpoint line. Then, I made my way to the gate for my flight. While waiting, I bought ear buds for my smart phone from one shop and a deck of used Rio playing cards from another.
There were plenty of passengers on this flight, but I had no problem finding a seat and stashing my carry-on items. The flight departed early that morning and headed for a stop-over in Dallas.
The Boeing 737 landed at Dallas Love Field and taxied to the gate. Most of the passengers got off here, but I and others stayed in our seats waiting for the flight to resume to St. Louis.
There were no hitches and the flight landed early that Sunday afternoon (22 August) at St. Louis Lambert International Airport. After getting off the aircraft, I made my way to baggage claim, where I got my checked bag. Then, I walked to the curb to await The Parking Spot shuttle bus. Along with other passengers, I got on the bus and it headed to The Parking Spot 3, where my car was parked.
After letting off the other passengers with their luggage, the shuttle bus driver headed to my Corolla. I got off the bus and the driver got my bags off it to the pavement near my car. I gave him a $5 tip to thank him for his service, which he greatly appreciated. The bus drove off and I loaded up my car and drove off the lot. At the gate, I showed my Q code indicating my payment of the parking fee. This opened the gate and I was on my way home.
After stopping by a nearby Quik Trip for a snack, I drove home. Mom welcomed me back and I carried my luggage into the house. After unpacking, I rested at home--tired but happy for this trip.
The following Saturday (28 August), I drove to Liberty Christian Fellowship in Liberty, Missouri (northeast of Kansas City) for ModelFest. This was a contest and swap meet hosted by IPMS/West Central Missouri. I entered three models in the contest, neither of which placed. However, I enjoyed visiting a Region 14 chapter's event, shopping among the vendors, chatting with fellow modelers, and helping judge Figures and Dioramas. It was a fun time.
Speaking of scale modeling contests, IPMS/Gateway hosts their annual show--the Inaugural Region 14 Contest--this Saturday (11 September) at the Holiday Inn--Route 66 in Sunset Hills, Missouri. Hope to see you there!
Later.
Websites of Entities Mentioned in This Post:
2021 IPMS/USA National Convention: 2021 IPMS USA NATIONAL CONVENTION (natslv2021.com)
Las Vegas Tourism: Las Vegas Tourism, Official Site
Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino: Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Las Vegas | Caesars Entertainment - Official Site
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign: Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign - Wikipedia
McCarran Rent-A-Car Center: Rental Cars at LAS Airport (mccarran.com)
McCarran International Airport: LAS Airport (mccarran.com)
Southwest Airlines: Southwest Airlines | Book Flights, Make Reservations & Plan a Trip
Dallas Love Field: Dallas Love Field Airport | Home (dallas-lovefield.com)
St. Louis Lambert International Airport: St. Louis Lambert International Airport (flystl.com)
The Parking Spot: Airport Parking & Reservations | The Parking Spot
Quik Trip: QuikTrip Corporation > Home
Liberty Christian Fellowship: Liberty Christian Fellowship (lcfliberty.org)
IPMS/West Central Missouri: Home (webs.com)
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