Las Vegas for the 4th

If you live in Southern California, say Los Angeles, you are 270 miles on I-15 from Las Vegas and if you would like to spend the weekend prior to July 4th attached to a slot machine, you will have 75,000 others join you on the highway. This trek across the desert starting Friday afternoon takes 8 hours (about 33 miles/hour) and the last portion of the trip can be traversed at the more appropriate speed of 70 miles/hour. On large portions of the trip you are either stopped or crawling along at 20 mph. This trip is across desert with temperature commonly at or over 106 F. Gas stations and restaurants are often 60 to 70 miles apart so "comforts" are really appreciated when you get there. As one might predict, everyone wants to stay in Vegas as long as possible prior to going back to work after the mini-vacation, so the trip back is slower and I suspect the hangovers, lack of sleep and empty wallets make that a real fun trip for some. They really know how to have fun on the left coast, don't they?