I have had a great time with this blog, doing things I have long enjoyed, and getting to experience new things I had never tried previously. From great restaurants, to wonderful day trips, they have all been things that fit my personality and provide hours of entertainment. However, nothing I have done yet prepared me for what was by far the most interesting and unique experience I have had yet.
If I had to guess what is the last thing I would ever do for this blog, or just in my life in general, driving a bulldozer would have to be right at the top of the list. And if I had missed out, what a disappointment that would have been!
When the great people at Dig This contacted me about trying out their heavy equipment experience, I was more than reluctant. I am pretty much a girly girl, and running construction equipment is not something I had ever even considered. But that is the point! They give people the opportunity to try out these massive machines that they would never get to try otherwise. My husband told me how much fun it could be, so I agreed and the only thing left to do was decide if I wanted to run a bulldozer or an excavator. I choose the dozer.
We arrived at Dig This a few minutes early to check things out. I was pleasantly surprised to find out the other people participating in this were not unlike me. There were two old ladies who had been given this experience by their husbands as Valentine’s Day gifts! I thought to myself that is the most bizarre, strange, odd, and wonderful idea ever! Why give roses when you can give a memory like this that will last a lifetime?
The other two people who would be joining us were men who had office jobs, but had always wanted to be able to go play in the dirt, and this was their big chance. Never in my life would I have envisioned this is the type of people who would be doing this, but it all makes perfect sense now.
Almost everyone, from the time they were small children has been fascinated with heavy equipment. As we get older, most of us move on to different careers, but in the back of our minds, we always wonder what operating some of that equipment would be like. The bug never leaves us!
After spending a few minutes talking with the staff, we were ready to get started. We began with a rundown of what we would be doing, as well as a safety briefing. Obviously with a group of novices like this we had to be given some instructions! The people on the excavators were shown what was in store for them, followed by those of us on the bulldozer. We were issued our highly fashionable orange safety vests, and it was out to the dig!
One nice thing about this company is that they keep the classes very small. Only 5 people total go out at a time. That allows for a lot of personal attention, which is necessary considering the lack of experience most people have. Before we got started, they gave us a brief in-cab tutorial, telling us what all the fancy levers and buttons do. In my situation, I was very nervous at first, and since my English isn’t perfect, they even brought out an extra instructor to work with me individually. This was a great comfort to me and I really appreciated how willing they were to make sure I was safe and able to have a great time.
Now it was time to start tearing things up! I listened to my instructor through the headset they issued me. He expertly guided me on how to lift up the blade and get going. I won’t lie, I was terrified at first. The bulldozer is so huge and strong that I was afraid to touch anything. But as I slowly got going, the terror was replaced by a nervous laughter, and before long I was having the time of my life!
I went through a series of exercises that included things such as weaving through an obstacle course, pushing tires with the blade, pushing dirt, and even building up a mountain of dirt! Then, in what was the most fun for me, I even got to ride over that mountain! It was like I was on a roller coaster or something. The most important thing was that I always had the instructor in my ear helping me out with what I was doing wrong, or what I needed to do next. He made me feel like I was a pro in no time.
By the time it was coming to the end I felt I had really starting to get the hang of it. Everything was more easy and I felt like I was ready for a new career! Well maybe not, but I definitely had had one of the best and most unique experiences I could ever remember.
Reluctantly, I parked my bulldozer as our allotted time was up. We posed for a few pictures and headed inside to conclude our time at Dig This. But that is not where it all ended! It was time for our awards ceremony. They lined us all up, congratulated us, and we were presented with certificates of accomplishment. It was a fun way to finish off a great day of digging.
I started this website to try new things and share my experiences with people all over, particularly those visiting or living in Las Vegas. It is my goal to let people know about that there are so many fun things to do here besides just hanging out in the casinos. But even I had never thought that something like this existed here.
We have so many unique and exciting tings to do in this city that it is almost impossible to do it all. But Dig This is definitely something you need to put on your “must-do” list. Even if you are like me, and think this sounds like a crazy idea, you have to give it a try. You will likely never get the opportunity anywhere else, and you will really be missing out if you don’t. Don’t worry if you are as nervous as I was. They make you very comfortable and always make sure you are completely safe.
If this is something you don’t want to do on your own, they have you covered there as well. Talking with the staff inside, they said that a lot of friends or companies make a group outing out of it. You can use it as a team building exercise for your company, as part of a bachelor party, or just a bunch of friends looking to go out and have some fun. You just need to have at least 5 people to get the entire place to yourself!
When it’s all over, make sure you grab some swag to remember one of the best experiences of your life!
The best part was the shocked responses I got from my friends after I posted the pictures on Facebook! They all couldn’t believe that someone like me was out driving heavy equipment. And they were all really jealous that I got to go and they didn’t. So now of course many of them are planning to do the same thing, and I can’t blame them.
I want to thank all the staff at Dig This for showing me such a great time, and really taking care of me. I was so nervous going in that I almost backed out. However, they quickly put me at ease with their professionalism, knowledge, and willingness to show me how to have a lot of fun! I honestly can say that on this day I created a memory that will last a lifetime. Thanks and I will be back to try out the excavator!
Make sure to check out their website HERE and see all of the great things they have to offer.
DIG THIS:
702.222.4344 · 888.344.8447 · 3012 S. RANCHO DRIVE, LAS VEGAS, NV 89102
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