Dawn in Vegas is always an interesting time. It’ll be more interesting two weeks from today (on October 2nd) when my book-writing friends Chris Orwig (author of Visual Poetry) and David DuChemin (author of Within The Frame) lead a pack of 20 lucky photographers onto the Magical Boneyard Bus – at 6:30am! Yes. According to the Naval Observatory, that’s seven minutes before the sun goes to work that day. I just love Vegas in the morning.

The occasion will be the Peachpit Press Photowalk (say that three times fast) to the Neon Museum Boneyard. If you’ve ever wondered where the neon lights of Vegas go after retirement, this is the place. To wander the outdoor aisles of these nocturnal artworks during the daylight borders on the surreal.

Perhaps even more surreal is that you can join the adventure for free. If you’ll be attending Photoshop World in Vegas, then enter a neon photo in the Peachpit: Neon In Your Neighborhood contest. If it’s selected by Chris and David, you’ll be on the Magical Boneyard Bus.

You have five days to enter – until Sept 22nd. That’s next Tuesday. So, don’t wait, click here for contest details.

A number of other Peachpit authors will be attending, including : Matt Kloskowski, Russell Brown, Frederick Van Johnson, Jeff Revell, and Rick McCleary. I hear there’s a bookie who’s taking bets on which of these guys will be getting on the bus after a long night of… well you know what they say about what happens in Vegas.

Oh, and if you’re on the bus and see a guy with crazy, red hair, come up and introduce yourself. If you’re a Canon shooter and want to see how high-speed sync works or how to shoot high-def video on an HDSLR, find me in the Boneyard.