Living in the mid-west where winter is serious business, I have an even greater appreciation of warm weather than when we lived in Southern California. I own, but don’t like gloves, heavy coats, insulated boots, snow shovels, driveway de-icer, a snow blower and a hat suitable for an Antarctic expedition. As the temperature drops and the snow mounds up, casino offers take on a whole new enticing allure. I hear that little voice urging, “book me, book me.” Living in the mid-west also means that our travel options are limited. We usually have to connect through Chicago and can use either our local airport in Dubuque, Cedar Rapids or Moline in Illinois.
I do like the junkets that the Riverside in Laughlin offers- usually around $300 for a direct flight and a room. My brother-in-law (BIL) is living with us now and I am slowly (very slowly) converting him to a casino fan. We booked a four day trip out of Moline leaving on a Wednesday and coming back on a Saturday. We also contacted our wonderful host at the Aquarius, conveniently located right next to the Riverside but with far nicer rooms. Another plus is that even though we are in our early 60s, we feel incredibly youthful in the company of our fellow junketeers. They probably think the same thing looking at us.
We went “carry-on” only, our new preferred way to travel and actually arrived about fifteen minutes early. We then walked over to the Aquarius after picking up our room keys from the Riverside. My BIL unfortunately has mobility problems associated with knee replacement surgery so the walk took a while and was fatiguing for him. We finally got checked into a comfortable two bedroom suite on the 12th floor overlooking the river, and went down to the Outback Steakhouse for some dinner. Everything tastes good when accompanied by a 22 ounce Fosters draft beer.
My BIL also has a limited budget and had been practicing with VP for Winners software- so he tried some modest buy-ins on the full pay JOB at quarters. Unfortunately he was pretty fatigued so he pooped out without any wins and returned to the room- and Sonya and I went to the Cove bar which is now mercifully smoke free. They have some dollar 8/5 bonus poker and 9/6 JOB- two of my favorites. We see-sawed back and forth basically playing even until we too decided to head upstairs.
My personal clock was ruined in the Army- I used to be able to sleep late but ever since a huge drill sergeant came into the barracks at 4:00 am beating a galvanized trash can with a baseball bat, I wake up at that time- and that was a looooooong time ago.
So- I am up early, Sonya has adapted to my strange hours and we decided to wait for my BIL to get up to join us for breakfast. His clock is reversed so he is sleeping until 9:00 am Nevada time (11:00 am Iowa time) but do make it down to the buffet in time to enjoy the basics. BIL decides to go back up to the room so Sonya and I head over to the Riverside to check out our room there. The room is OK, tube TV, unrepaired hole in the bathroom door, super basic shampoo and a sliver of soap that looks capable of once around the body- maybe. I could stay there since I don’t go to Vegas or Laughlin to spend time in the room, but I know that Sonya is much happier at the Aquarius. (basic math: Sonya happy = Paul happy) I wanted to hit the dollar NSUD that is over by the gift shop and luckily several of the machines are open. We pounded away for a while with no big wins or losses. I had originally thought that we could perhaps see a movie and visit the auto museum however there was no way BIL could walk back over so we went back to the Aquarius.
We enjoyed dinner at the Vineyard Ristorante at the Aquarius that night courtesy of our host. The food is very good there and we had the lamb chop special while BIL had the chicken picante. We took BIL through the penny slots for some hit and run. (drop in a twenty and see what happens) There is more going on with some of these games than I can keep track of. They take little money (unless you play max bet) and provided some diversion for my BIL. No wins here but the modest buy ins last for a while. Heads were starting to nod somewhere between Wizard of Oz and Texas Tea so we called it a night.
Up again and at the buffet later than normal however I fortified myself with a Starbucks maxi-mucho-largo or whatever they call their largest cup. I like joker poker (actually- I like most video poker variants) and wanted to play the full pay JP that is in quarters. This pays five thousand coins for the Royal and I hit one in spades, holding the ten and queen. That was good for a $1250 and my first W2G of the year. Ever notice how the last hundred of a hand pay is provided in twenties? I always tip something but give it to whoever gave me the money and tell them to split it however is appropriate.
We then take a cab over to Harrah’s with my BIL where my reward credits were in danger of expiring. I am soon to be ex diamond and while I have enjoyed Harrah’s over the years, find that the inventory of playable video poker is sparse. They do have 8/5 BP in $5.00 however that is rich for my bankroll. I have a couple of hundred in reward credits that I will need to burn up sometime but at least I have another year.
We cab back to The Aquarius for another meal at the Outback Steak house, choosing burgers and fries this time. We waddle out and BIL is back to the room, so we go back to the Cove Bar. We cannot hit anything and our buy ins are all death spirals. A hundred in, briefly interrupted by a pair or two, and then time to put in another hundred. Such is video poker- so we call a halt to the bloodshed and retire to the room. Our flight is scheduled tomorrow afternoon so we figure we can have breakfast, pack up, and check out of both the Aquarius and Riverside. We could probably play a little as well.
We do exactly that the following day and take a cab to the airport across the river in Bullhead City, Arizona. Just to maximize the confusion, Arizona and Nevada are on different time zones so your cell phone time flips back and forth, depending upon what signal it picks up. I thought it was the Heinekens.
The airport is very quiet and there by the charter counter is a small sign announcing that the flight back to Moline is delayed with an estimated 10:30 pm or 11:30 pm departure time (Nevada/Arizona). Yikes, we head back to the Riverside to kill some time. Lugging even your carryon around is a chore so Sonya and BIL find a couple of chairs to camp out in while I return to do battle with the dollar NSUDs. The only open machine is between two tiny older ladies, both power puffing cigarettes. An acrid grey haze hangs over the bank and random ashes blow across the surface of the slant tops as somewhere, a door is opened and then closed again. I am down to $5 on my first hundred when I am dealt two deuces and the other two arrive on the draw for a cool grand. For some reason this means a hand pay at the Riverside. My seat mates congratulate me and the air is suddenly invigorating.
The delayed flight means that everyone is snoozing by the time the attendants run the drink cart up and down the aisle. The delay was not the fault of the Riverside and weather related however the Riverside passed out vouchers for a return trip for only $50.00 on a future flight- good for a year.
The vouchers are now posted on our refrigerator and I can see another trip in the near future. March is looking good.
I do like the junkets that the Riverside in Laughlin offers- usually around $300 for a direct flight and a room. My brother-in-law (BIL) is living with us now and I am slowly (very slowly) converting him to a casino fan. We booked a four day trip out of Moline leaving on a Wednesday and coming back on a Saturday. We also contacted our wonderful host at the Aquarius, conveniently located right next to the Riverside but with far nicer rooms. Another plus is that even though we are in our early 60s, we feel incredibly youthful in the company of our fellow junketeers. They probably think the same thing looking at us.
We went “carry-on” only, our new preferred way to travel and actually arrived about fifteen minutes early. We then walked over to the Aquarius after picking up our room keys from the Riverside. My BIL unfortunately has mobility problems associated with knee replacement surgery so the walk took a while and was fatiguing for him. We finally got checked into a comfortable two bedroom suite on the 12th floor overlooking the river, and went down to the Outback Steakhouse for some dinner. Everything tastes good when accompanied by a 22 ounce Fosters draft beer.
My BIL also has a limited budget and had been practicing with VP for Winners software- so he tried some modest buy-ins on the full pay JOB at quarters. Unfortunately he was pretty fatigued so he pooped out without any wins and returned to the room- and Sonya and I went to the Cove bar which is now mercifully smoke free. They have some dollar 8/5 bonus poker and 9/6 JOB- two of my favorites. We see-sawed back and forth basically playing even until we too decided to head upstairs.
My personal clock was ruined in the Army- I used to be able to sleep late but ever since a huge drill sergeant came into the barracks at 4:00 am beating a galvanized trash can with a baseball bat, I wake up at that time- and that was a looooooong time ago.
So- I am up early, Sonya has adapted to my strange hours and we decided to wait for my BIL to get up to join us for breakfast. His clock is reversed so he is sleeping until 9:00 am Nevada time (11:00 am Iowa time) but do make it down to the buffet in time to enjoy the basics. BIL decides to go back up to the room so Sonya and I head over to the Riverside to check out our room there. The room is OK, tube TV, unrepaired hole in the bathroom door, super basic shampoo and a sliver of soap that looks capable of once around the body- maybe. I could stay there since I don’t go to Vegas or Laughlin to spend time in the room, but I know that Sonya is much happier at the Aquarius. (basic math: Sonya happy = Paul happy) I wanted to hit the dollar NSUD that is over by the gift shop and luckily several of the machines are open. We pounded away for a while with no big wins or losses. I had originally thought that we could perhaps see a movie and visit the auto museum however there was no way BIL could walk back over so we went back to the Aquarius.
We enjoyed dinner at the Vineyard Ristorante at the Aquarius that night courtesy of our host. The food is very good there and we had the lamb chop special while BIL had the chicken picante. We took BIL through the penny slots for some hit and run. (drop in a twenty and see what happens) There is more going on with some of these games than I can keep track of. They take little money (unless you play max bet) and provided some diversion for my BIL. No wins here but the modest buy ins last for a while. Heads were starting to nod somewhere between Wizard of Oz and Texas Tea so we called it a night.
Up again and at the buffet later than normal however I fortified myself with a Starbucks maxi-mucho-largo or whatever they call their largest cup. I like joker poker (actually- I like most video poker variants) and wanted to play the full pay JP that is in quarters. This pays five thousand coins for the Royal and I hit one in spades, holding the ten and queen. That was good for a $1250 and my first W2G of the year. Ever notice how the last hundred of a hand pay is provided in twenties? I always tip something but give it to whoever gave me the money and tell them to split it however is appropriate.
We then take a cab over to Harrah’s with my BIL where my reward credits were in danger of expiring. I am soon to be ex diamond and while I have enjoyed Harrah’s over the years, find that the inventory of playable video poker is sparse. They do have 8/5 BP in $5.00 however that is rich for my bankroll. I have a couple of hundred in reward credits that I will need to burn up sometime but at least I have another year.
We cab back to The Aquarius for another meal at the Outback Steak house, choosing burgers and fries this time. We waddle out and BIL is back to the room, so we go back to the Cove Bar. We cannot hit anything and our buy ins are all death spirals. A hundred in, briefly interrupted by a pair or two, and then time to put in another hundred. Such is video poker- so we call a halt to the bloodshed and retire to the room. Our flight is scheduled tomorrow afternoon so we figure we can have breakfast, pack up, and check out of both the Aquarius and Riverside. We could probably play a little as well.
We do exactly that the following day and take a cab to the airport across the river in Bullhead City, Arizona. Just to maximize the confusion, Arizona and Nevada are on different time zones so your cell phone time flips back and forth, depending upon what signal it picks up. I thought it was the Heinekens.
The airport is very quiet and there by the charter counter is a small sign announcing that the flight back to Moline is delayed with an estimated 10:30 pm or 11:30 pm departure time (Nevada/Arizona). Yikes, we head back to the Riverside to kill some time. Lugging even your carryon around is a chore so Sonya and BIL find a couple of chairs to camp out in while I return to do battle with the dollar NSUDs. The only open machine is between two tiny older ladies, both power puffing cigarettes. An acrid grey haze hangs over the bank and random ashes blow across the surface of the slant tops as somewhere, a door is opened and then closed again. I am down to $5 on my first hundred when I am dealt two deuces and the other two arrive on the draw for a cool grand. For some reason this means a hand pay at the Riverside. My seat mates congratulate me and the air is suddenly invigorating.
The delayed flight means that everyone is snoozing by the time the attendants run the drink cart up and down the aisle. The delay was not the fault of the Riverside and weather related however the Riverside passed out vouchers for a return trip for only $50.00 on a future flight- good for a year.
The vouchers are now posted on our refrigerator and I can see another trip in the near future. March is looking good.
