Summer of Cal/Nev – Day 15
Today started out the earliest yet. I went to sleep around 6 PM last night and was up at 2 AM to get packed and checked out. When I got to the front desk a little before three, there were two clerks working and each of them was checking in two families of about six or seven each. I stood there for almost 15 minutes to check out. I could have just left my keys, but in order to get my Internet charges billed to my comp account, you have to do it in person.
So, I was off. I went through Bullhead to take advantage of their $3.24 per gallon gas station along with some fresh coffee for the road. I prefer driving at night or very early in the morning. For me, time goes by faster and there is much less traffic on the road—particularly 16-wheelers. I took the back route to Palm Springs, which is Hwy 95 to Hwy 62 to Hwy 177 to Interstate 10 and finally into Palm Springs. I’m still wondering “what was I thinking?” when I decided to go to Laughlin/Vegas before Palm Springs considering this is between my house and Nevada.
Hwy 62, this is one of those roads in the desert that is just one very long line of nothingness for a hundred miles. About two-thirds on the way I could see in the distance next to a mountainside a stream of lights that seemed to all alone out there. I didn’t have to wonder for long because I soon came up to Iron Mountain Rd. At that turn off is a corner mail drop, that a few people have been adding their personal items along the way.
Note the mailbox on the top. On Hwy 62 at the Iron Mountain turnoff
As I was approaching Palm Springs, the first stop is in Coachella where I stopped at my first casino, Spotlight 29. They opened their doors in 1995 and are owned by the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians. There are about 2000 machines and an assortment of table games. It was only 7 AM, and their slot club wasn’t opened yet, so I couldn’t get a card. I checked out the VP schedules and all the machines, including the high limit area, all had very poor schedules—except one bank which did have quarter 9/6 Jacks and 8/5 Bonus them. The place is empty right now. I took a couple of pics and headed on out.
The Entrance to the Spotlight 29 casino
Interior of the Spotlight 29 casino and its odd mascot
My next stop was off Golf Club Dr. called Fantasy Springs Hotel and Casino. As I approached this place, I thought I’d see a small, somewhat run down place; however, I was very surprised at how nice this casino is. It opened in 2004 and is home to the annual Playboy Charity Golf Tournament and has some great entertainment. There’s a bowling (it was closed when I was there), the usual assortment of restaurants you expect to find in quality casino/hotel. Their slot club was opened and I signed up for card, which came with $10 free play, which I used and walked away with five bucks. The pool area is really nice. I was impressed with this place. Unfortunately, but not surprising, there were only three of four banks of video poker machines in the far corner (I’m noticing this trend more and more as casinos seem to be downsizing their video poker in lieu of more video machines where they make far more money). All the VP schedules were abysmal.
The Fantasy Springs Casino. As you can see, it's not much on the outside
One wing of the interior of the Fantasy Springs Casino...note the cool bank inside a double hooded car
The registration area at Fantasy Springs
The pool at Fantasy Springs hotel and casino
Impressive entertainment schedule at Fantasy Springs...proof that Diana Ross is still alive!
My next and final casino for today is Aqua Caliente. This place opened in 2001 and renovated in 2007. There are 340 rooms and like the other casinos, they had a large selection of penny machines and the usual table games. I picked up my slot card, but this didn’t come with any free play, but they did give me a tumbler with their logo on it (I love it when casinos consider giving you free swag that has their logos all over it so you become live advertising for them). They said that if I put 1500 points on my card the first day, I get another “gift.”
It was time for breakfast, so I headed over to their café, and there were only about five people eating. I had a nice breakfast and enjoyed just relaxing and reading the paper.
The Aqua Caliente Casino
An interesting choice for the interior of the Aqua Caliente casino
It’s now almost 10 AM and the temperature outside is already over 100 degrees. I went to my hotel hoping they could go ahead and check me in. When I don’t stay at a casino on these trips, I try to always stay at a Holiday Inn Express. There was one in Cathedral City, so I made my reservations about a month ago. The clerk was able to find me a room on the 3rd floor. I really like Holiday Inn Express (not Holiday Inns, which are not as nice) as they are always well appointed with all the things you want: a pool, a business center, a laundry room, a fitness center, and free WI-FI. Breakfast is free every morning. I’m a Priority Member with them since my National Casino Run when I stayed with them a lot. I have so many points that I was able to get half off the rates (about $40 a night). My room is very nice—the bed is a little more stiff than I like—and comes with a microwave, refridge and coffee maker. I’m here for two nights as I plan on getting to all the rest of the casinos tomorrow.
I checked into my room, and not wanting to be in the heat, found a movie theater just down the street that was showing HEAT with Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock. I absolutely LOVED it. There were laughs throughout—not just the ones you see in the trailers. If you’re not put off by language (and it is rough), then I highly recommend this one.
This is the temp at 10 AM. By 4 PM, it was 123. I didn't bother to sit in the car for a pic of that.
For those of you who asked about how the car held up, and I can say it was great. No problems whatsoever.
Being that I was up so early, I thought I’d just go back to the hotel (no covered parking so I try find a tree to park under) and kick back, write this report and catch up on emails and answer some of your questions.
More tomorrow.
Today started out the earliest yet. I went to sleep around 6 PM last night and was up at 2 AM to get packed and checked out. When I got to the front desk a little before three, there were two clerks working and each of them was checking in two families of about six or seven each. I stood there for almost 15 minutes to check out. I could have just left my keys, but in order to get my Internet charges billed to my comp account, you have to do it in person.
So, I was off. I went through Bullhead to take advantage of their $3.24 per gallon gas station along with some fresh coffee for the road. I prefer driving at night or very early in the morning. For me, time goes by faster and there is much less traffic on the road—particularly 16-wheelers. I took the back route to Palm Springs, which is Hwy 95 to Hwy 62 to Hwy 177 to Interstate 10 and finally into Palm Springs. I’m still wondering “what was I thinking?” when I decided to go to Laughlin/Vegas before Palm Springs considering this is between my house and Nevada.
Hwy 62, this is one of those roads in the desert that is just one very long line of nothingness for a hundred miles. About two-thirds on the way I could see in the distance next to a mountainside a stream of lights that seemed to all alone out there. I didn’t have to wonder for long because I soon came up to Iron Mountain Rd. At that turn off is a corner mail drop, that a few people have been adding their personal items along the way.
Note the mailbox on the top. On Hwy 62 at the Iron Mountain turnoff
As I was approaching Palm Springs, the first stop is in Coachella where I stopped at my first casino, Spotlight 29. They opened their doors in 1995 and are owned by the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians. There are about 2000 machines and an assortment of table games. It was only 7 AM, and their slot club wasn’t opened yet, so I couldn’t get a card. I checked out the VP schedules and all the machines, including the high limit area, all had very poor schedules—except one bank which did have quarter 9/6 Jacks and 8/5 Bonus them. The place is empty right now. I took a couple of pics and headed on out.
The Entrance to the Spotlight 29 casino
Interior of the Spotlight 29 casino and its odd mascot
My next stop was off Golf Club Dr. called Fantasy Springs Hotel and Casino. As I approached this place, I thought I’d see a small, somewhat run down place; however, I was very surprised at how nice this casino is. It opened in 2004 and is home to the annual Playboy Charity Golf Tournament and has some great entertainment. There’s a bowling (it was closed when I was there), the usual assortment of restaurants you expect to find in quality casino/hotel. Their slot club was opened and I signed up for card, which came with $10 free play, which I used and walked away with five bucks. The pool area is really nice. I was impressed with this place. Unfortunately, but not surprising, there were only three of four banks of video poker machines in the far corner (I’m noticing this trend more and more as casinos seem to be downsizing their video poker in lieu of more video machines where they make far more money). All the VP schedules were abysmal.
The Fantasy Springs Casino. As you can see, it's not much on the outside
One wing of the interior of the Fantasy Springs Casino...note the cool bank inside a double hooded car
The registration area at Fantasy Springs
The pool at Fantasy Springs hotel and casino
Impressive entertainment schedule at Fantasy Springs...proof that Diana Ross is still alive!
My next and final casino for today is Aqua Caliente. This place opened in 2001 and renovated in 2007. There are 340 rooms and like the other casinos, they had a large selection of penny machines and the usual table games. I picked up my slot card, but this didn’t come with any free play, but they did give me a tumbler with their logo on it (I love it when casinos consider giving you free swag that has their logos all over it so you become live advertising for them). They said that if I put 1500 points on my card the first day, I get another “gift.”
It was time for breakfast, so I headed over to their café, and there were only about five people eating. I had a nice breakfast and enjoyed just relaxing and reading the paper.
The Aqua Caliente Casino
An interesting choice for the interior of the Aqua Caliente casino
It’s now almost 10 AM and the temperature outside is already over 100 degrees. I went to my hotel hoping they could go ahead and check me in. When I don’t stay at a casino on these trips, I try to always stay at a Holiday Inn Express. There was one in Cathedral City, so I made my reservations about a month ago. The clerk was able to find me a room on the 3rd floor. I really like Holiday Inn Express (not Holiday Inns, which are not as nice) as they are always well appointed with all the things you want: a pool, a business center, a laundry room, a fitness center, and free WI-FI. Breakfast is free every morning. I’m a Priority Member with them since my National Casino Run when I stayed with them a lot. I have so many points that I was able to get half off the rates (about $40 a night). My room is very nice—the bed is a little more stiff than I like—and comes with a microwave, refridge and coffee maker. I’m here for two nights as I plan on getting to all the rest of the casinos tomorrow.
I checked into my room, and not wanting to be in the heat, found a movie theater just down the street that was showing HEAT with Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock. I absolutely LOVED it. There were laughs throughout—not just the ones you see in the trailers. If you’re not put off by language (and it is rough), then I highly recommend this one.
This is the temp at 10 AM. By 4 PM, it was 123. I didn't bother to sit in the car for a pic of that.
For those of you who asked about how the car held up, and I can say it was great. No problems whatsoever.
Being that I was up so early, I thought I’d just go back to the hotel (no covered parking so I try find a tree to park under) and kick back, write this report and catch up on emails and answer some of your questions.
More tomorrow.
