• Noon : Fly into Vegas
• 1pm : Hop into rental car and drive one hour to Valley of Fire State Park
• 2pm : Hop out of car with camera to take a picture of the Entrance Sign
• 2:01pm : On-rushing Pacific storm blows closed the LOCKED car door
• 2:02pm : Realize I'm locked out of my running car in the middle of the desert - in the rain :: No cell phone. No cell service. No hat. No NOTHING. Just me, a camera, and the rain and a locked Nissan Altima....with its engine running.
• 2:30pm : Manage to hitchike a ride to the Interstate : 20 miles behind me
• 3:00pm : Finally manage to call someone who'll "pop" the lock
• 5:00pm : Larry The Locksmith arrives - while I *stress* about picking-up friends at the Las Vegas airport for 7:30pm.
• 5:30pm : Arrive at car - still running - Rain begins to POUR down
• 5:40pm : Larry manages to open the car after trying three different "tools"
• 5:41pm : We part ways - but I quickly discover all roads are flooded [Rain + Desert = Instant Flood]
• 6:40pm : Finally find a non-flooded roadway back to the Interstate
• 7:15pm : Park at airport. Run to Baggage Claim.
• 7:20pm : Find friends - they're flight had arrived early.