Hit ‘em All Nevada – Day 29
On the final week of this trip, it seems to have just zapped by. One reader asked me if all of the daily hotel rooms constantly moving around ever gets to me and do I long to just be home. There are days that I think it would be so much nicer to just be home watching my saved programs on my DVR and microwaving popcorn; however, that could lead to such a trap and I realize that I’m lucky in that I can do these summer trips year after year in relatively good health and in a financial position to allow me to do this. I’m a “routine” person when I’m home and that can, at times, be a bit dangerous for me. So yes, I’d like to be home, but I also appreciate doing this. It’s been four summers now that I’ve done these kinds of trips and I do agree it’s getting more and more difficult to come up with ideas that not only give me a theme (which I always want) but also a challenge. The daily writing almost becomes like a “job” but it’s something I enjoy and need to do.
Just when I thought I was done with Hitting ‘em All, Mike (dbldown) mentioned a casino I may have missed called the Barcelona, which is located all they over on Craig, which is close to Nellis Air Force Base. That burns me a little because I was just there a day or so ago. So today after filing yesterday’s trip report, I got on the I-15 and began heading north. At first, I had passed the place and had to recheck the address, 5011 East Craig. But I turned around and see why I missed it. It’s changed hands and is now called Siegel Slots. I stopped in and looked around. There were no live games and no $1 blackjack so I couldn’t make a bet, but I did play some penguin penny game and then an old I Dream a Jeannie and actually left the place with a little profit.
Siegel Slots in North Las Vegas
As I left, I thought I should stop in at least one Dotty’s. For those of you who aren’t familiar with these places, they’re pretty much considered the McDonald’s of slot houses (they seem to be on every corner). And though I said at the beginning of this trip that I wasn’t going to worry about slot houses, I have visited a few along the way, so I can’t leave out Dotty’s. There is currently a lawsuit pending brought on by the larger casinos claiming that Dotty’s, who is operating on the much less expensive and regulated “Tavern” rules, when in fact are all just small casinos as they have no bars and sell drinks from bottles and cans. Dotty’s claims they offer a small safe environment of the mom and pops that don’t like the large, intimidating casinos. When I went into this Dotty’s, it had five or six tables and about 50 machines. They place desperately needed to be aired out as the smoke smell was all but suffocating. I didn’t stay long.
Dotty's in North Las Vegas
The inside of Dotty's
As I traveled back to town, I took Boulder Highway to make a last stop at Danny’s Slots, which another reader asked me to check out. I hate to you this, but the old Danny’s has been taken over by a—Dotty’s. So another old Vegas tradition is gone. Sorry.
Since I was in Henderson, I thought I might make up for a miss early in the trip. Though I had went into the Rainbow in the city of Henderson, I neglected to take a pic, so I made a stop there long enough to get the pic of this Peppermill property but to hang out for a little while in the air conditioning enjoying a beer.
The Rainbow in Henderson
I headed back to the South Point as today there was a competition going on in the equestrian arena and I wanted to catch some pictures for my friend in Arizona, Linda. The area is large and even though it’s in a wing of the hotel far from the casino, as you pass the long hallway to that wing, you can already smell the hay, horses, and dirt. The arena is very nice and because this was just the preliminary rounds of the competition, there weren’t many spectators. They were doing the thing where the cowboys on horses have to single out a cow from the herd. These cowpokes do take these things very seriously. It was fun to just sit and watch them—the horses were amazing. They exactly what they were doing preventing those calves from getting back to the herd.
Riders warming up before the competition
Get along little doggie
After a while, I headed back in the casino and donated some money to the light bill. I then took another stab at the live 2/4 poker. I did catch some hands this time and held my own but eventually got worn down by bad cards and bad beats. I finally called it a night, picked up a little dinner and headed back to the room for SYTYCD results show. For me the wrong girl was sent home, but even I (an old Broadway lover at heart) got tired of Jess.
Trip Totals: casinos visited 182; bets balance +$98
More tomorrow
On the final week of this trip, it seems to have just zapped by. One reader asked me if all of the daily hotel rooms constantly moving around ever gets to me and do I long to just be home. There are days that I think it would be so much nicer to just be home watching my saved programs on my DVR and microwaving popcorn; however, that could lead to such a trap and I realize that I’m lucky in that I can do these summer trips year after year in relatively good health and in a financial position to allow me to do this. I’m a “routine” person when I’m home and that can, at times, be a bit dangerous for me. So yes, I’d like to be home, but I also appreciate doing this. It’s been four summers now that I’ve done these kinds of trips and I do agree it’s getting more and more difficult to come up with ideas that not only give me a theme (which I always want) but also a challenge. The daily writing almost becomes like a “job” but it’s something I enjoy and need to do.
Just when I thought I was done with Hitting ‘em All, Mike (dbldown) mentioned a casino I may have missed called the Barcelona, which is located all they over on Craig, which is close to Nellis Air Force Base. That burns me a little because I was just there a day or so ago. So today after filing yesterday’s trip report, I got on the I-15 and began heading north. At first, I had passed the place and had to recheck the address, 5011 East Craig. But I turned around and see why I missed it. It’s changed hands and is now called Siegel Slots. I stopped in and looked around. There were no live games and no $1 blackjack so I couldn’t make a bet, but I did play some penguin penny game and then an old I Dream a Jeannie and actually left the place with a little profit.
Siegel Slots in North Las Vegas
As I left, I thought I should stop in at least one Dotty’s. For those of you who aren’t familiar with these places, they’re pretty much considered the McDonald’s of slot houses (they seem to be on every corner). And though I said at the beginning of this trip that I wasn’t going to worry about slot houses, I have visited a few along the way, so I can’t leave out Dotty’s. There is currently a lawsuit pending brought on by the larger casinos claiming that Dotty’s, who is operating on the much less expensive and regulated “Tavern” rules, when in fact are all just small casinos as they have no bars and sell drinks from bottles and cans. Dotty’s claims they offer a small safe environment of the mom and pops that don’t like the large, intimidating casinos. When I went into this Dotty’s, it had five or six tables and about 50 machines. They place desperately needed to be aired out as the smoke smell was all but suffocating. I didn’t stay long.
Dotty's in North Las Vegas
The inside of Dotty's
As I traveled back to town, I took Boulder Highway to make a last stop at Danny’s Slots, which another reader asked me to check out. I hate to you this, but the old Danny’s has been taken over by a—Dotty’s. So another old Vegas tradition is gone. Sorry.
Since I was in Henderson, I thought I might make up for a miss early in the trip. Though I had went into the Rainbow in the city of Henderson, I neglected to take a pic, so I made a stop there long enough to get the pic of this Peppermill property but to hang out for a little while in the air conditioning enjoying a beer.
The Rainbow in Henderson
I headed back to the South Point as today there was a competition going on in the equestrian arena and I wanted to catch some pictures for my friend in Arizona, Linda. The area is large and even though it’s in a wing of the hotel far from the casino, as you pass the long hallway to that wing, you can already smell the hay, horses, and dirt. The arena is very nice and because this was just the preliminary rounds of the competition, there weren’t many spectators. They were doing the thing where the cowboys on horses have to single out a cow from the herd. These cowpokes do take these things very seriously. It was fun to just sit and watch them—the horses were amazing. They exactly what they were doing preventing those calves from getting back to the herd.
Riders warming up before the competition
Get along little doggie
After a while, I headed back in the casino and donated some money to the light bill. I then took another stab at the live 2/4 poker. I did catch some hands this time and held my own but eventually got worn down by bad cards and bad beats. I finally called it a night, picked up a little dinner and headed back to the room for SYTYCD results show. For me the wrong girl was sent home, but even I (an old Broadway lover at heart) got tired of Jess.
Trip Totals: casinos visited 182; bets balance +$98
More tomorrow
