Zen and the art of birdwatching a pastime, passion, and, for many, a lifelong obsessionKATHY KLEIN HAD an epic 11-hour drive ahead of her. She was meeting family in southern Idaho for the holidays in December. But her friend Nate Hutt was on the phone, trying to entice her into taking part in an early-morning Christmas bird count survey at Lake Mead National Recreation Area’s 33 Hole Overlook.Six hours of birding before an 11-hour drive across the length of Nevada? Without missing a beat, Klein said yes. “I’m greedy,” she says. “I want it all.”“The best part of that story,” Hutt recalls, “is our friend said to meet there at five in the morning, and when I arrived, Kathy had already been there for an hour. We birded until nine or 10 in the morning, and then she drove to Idaho.” Klein says she arrived at her destination around 11 that night.Klein’s devotion to birdwatching may sound exceptional even eccentric but it’s typical among avid birders in Southern N
Las Vegas Weekly
(Left to right) Lake Havasu’s London Bridge; Bryce Canyon and Death Valley
Within One Hour
Distance from Las Vegas: 30 miles.
The largest reservoir in the United States, boasting 750 miles of shoreline, is our very own aquatic playground. Desert dwellers find year-round fun in the country’s largest national recreation area, where swimming, boating, hiking, camping and more await. Walk the Historic Railroad Trail for some of the most majestic views of the lake, then find yourself at Hoover Dam, an engineering marvel that never ceases to amaze.
Must-do: For a different view of Hoover Dam from the water book a kayak tour with Evolution Expeditions (