Corvette Road Trip - Vettes in Vegas

If you prefer action on the track instead of on the gaming tables, the Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch lets you really spin some wheels. The upscale facility features a challenging road course and skidpad, where we were able to evaluate the wet traction of this Grand Sport's (non-stock) Michelin Pilots. We noticed a distinct improvement over the factory Goodyears.

This roadside stop, west of Las Vegas, is on the Old Spanish Trail, which was originally linked by available water sites. The artesian springs of Las Vegas, still abundant to this day, made it one of the most dependable stops on the journey through the desert in the 1800s. Today, a number of modern highways follow the same routes of these early trails. And visitors still consider Las Vegas to be a good watering hole.

South of Tonopah, we came across a tribute of another sort, to Earnest Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea, but in vehicular form. Note the nautical bric-a-brac on top of the...well, we're not quite sure the make of this conveyance.

Death Valley is as different from Las Vegas as you can possibly imagine, yet its utter bleakness offers a respite from the sensory overload of the Strip. In some areas, the mineral deposits are so tough and unforgiving, the roadbed had to be built on top of them.

What would a trip to Vegas be without posing in front of its historic welcome sign? And don't forget to get a quickie marriage while you're at it. You can even get an Elvis impersonator to conduct the ceremony.

The Rio offers a non-stop Carnivale atmosphere, with an eye-popping Show in the Sky gliding hourly over the casino area.

Old Dinah, a steam tractor with ore wagons, was introduced to replace the 20-mule teams, but it was supplanted by a railroad.

Parts of Death Valley are well below sea level, while Stovepipe Wells barely stays even with it.

A gravesite of a '49er who attempted to cross the valley of death. Top off your tank and pack plenty of water if you want to avoid a similar fate.