Leavin’ Las Vegas
by Dana Fruend with Karel Ancona-Henry
Moonbeam Publishing, LLC, $24.95, 272 pp.
www.moonbeampublishing.com
A couple of things about this book grab you immediately. First, it’s small and spiral-bound—just perfect for its utilitarian existence as a quick reference book, meant to be kept in the pocket of a leather jacket, in saddlebags or in the storage pouch inside a fairing.
The second thing is that it starts out with the “Ancient Irish Code for living a happy, fulfilled life”—a code that includes such wisdom as “one must possess spiritual fortitude and thanksgiving,” “your word must be your oath,” and “have courage, honor and bravery.”
Those things work together to make for an easy guide to cool places on a motorcycle—places that will presumably add to those feelings of living that “happy, fulfilled life.”
This first volume of this guide helps us to find the biker-friendly nooks and crannies of Nevada.
Now, I know a lot of you might be thinking that paper reference materials are extinct. In this age of GPS tracking devices, mini-sized laptops, iPhones, iPads and all the rest, why would I need another map?
Well, this isn’t a map. And it’s not strictly for reference. It’s something to look at before you head out on the trip, not just while you’re on the road. It’s a friendly and entertaining “conversation” with someone who feels passionately about their home state; sharing the best places and fun spots that they have found, know and love. It’s a guided tour without the guide, without the annoying sign or flag to follow, and without the bus. It’s a neat introduction to the Silver State. And with the way I now feel about venturing outside the borders of the good ol’ U.S. of A., if you haven’t experienced things like the Bucket of Blood Saloon in Virginia City or the magnificence of Lake Tahoe, see these places first before you get any more stamps on that passport—and Irish Flame’s Biker & Travel Guide to Nevada will help you do just that!