From our home in Eastern Iowa it is a relatively short drive to interesting places in the adjoining states. Friends who live in Illinois had suggested a tour of the Lincoln Museum in Springfield over a weekend.
Once I saw that I could spend the night in East Peoria at the Par A Dice Casino, our plans were cinched.
It was but a three hour drive to East Peoria and the Par A Dice where we were quickly and professionally checked into a standard room. The hotel is located across a parking lot to the River Boat Casino moored on the Illinois River. This is now a Boyd Casino and we came in on an offer of $100 in free play, free room and $80.00 comp to the steakhouse. This is also a non-smoking casino which means we are able to play longer without having to go outside for breathable air.
They have $5 9/6 JOB on several uprights in the high limit lounge we like to play. Our rule is $500 in and cash out at $750 or more. We managed several “up” sessions and decided to retire to the third deck where I knew some upright 8/5 bonus poker machines lived near the table games area. Our plan of action here was $100 in and cash out at $150 or greater. We were probably about even between wins and losses when my wife said, “I want to play multi-line.” On the same deck were some variants in quarters up to dollars. The pay tables were not great but she sat down and fired up super times pay for quarters and I sat down at spinpoker. I decided on deuces and was dealt three deuces on several lines. I managed to fill one line with another deuce for a jackpot hand pay of $3,160. The slot tech had trouble figuring out what it was I won but then realized the call attendant message was blocking out the actual hands. In Illinois the passing of the Benjamins involves a slot tech, a supervisor and a security guard. I toked the three of them $100 to split and we headed off to dinner at the steakhouse.
I broke my one martini rule so my wife told me we had a great dinner and I made the waiter’s night.
It took several coffees to clear the cobwebs the following morning as we drove off to Springfield to meet our friends for breakfast at an I Hop. I decided the chicken fried steak and eggs would probably provide enough grease to counteract the residual gin molecules and we had a good time planning the day.
If you have any interest in American History, the Lincoln Museum is highly recommended. One particular presentation is called “Ghosts of the Museum” and is as good as anything I’ve seen as far as special effects. There is a replica of the log cabin Lincoln grew up in and the White House while Lincoln was president. There is also one room of nasty period political cartoons from Lincoln’s time in office as snarky as anything you might see on a political blog or the LVA free-for-all these days. Small touches make this also a worthwhile event; the white house kitchen wood stove was radiating heat.
Later we visited Lincoln’s actual tomb and a museum dedicated to the Illinois National Guard that has a long history of service to our Country. There was an impressive outside display of helicopters and armor along with military uniforms and weapons over the years inside.
We spent the night in Springfield at a Marriott Courtyard- reasonable accommodations but I struggle actually paying for a room (drink or meal).
My next trip is actually part of a larger trip. I will spend one night in the Isle of Capri in Bettendorf, Iowa prior to flying back east for a few days. May the mojo continue.
Once I saw that I could spend the night in East Peoria at the Par A Dice Casino, our plans were cinched.
It was but a three hour drive to East Peoria and the Par A Dice where we were quickly and professionally checked into a standard room. The hotel is located across a parking lot to the River Boat Casino moored on the Illinois River. This is now a Boyd Casino and we came in on an offer of $100 in free play, free room and $80.00 comp to the steakhouse. This is also a non-smoking casino which means we are able to play longer without having to go outside for breathable air.
They have $5 9/6 JOB on several uprights in the high limit lounge we like to play. Our rule is $500 in and cash out at $750 or more. We managed several “up” sessions and decided to retire to the third deck where I knew some upright 8/5 bonus poker machines lived near the table games area. Our plan of action here was $100 in and cash out at $150 or greater. We were probably about even between wins and losses when my wife said, “I want to play multi-line.” On the same deck were some variants in quarters up to dollars. The pay tables were not great but she sat down and fired up super times pay for quarters and I sat down at spinpoker. I decided on deuces and was dealt three deuces on several lines. I managed to fill one line with another deuce for a jackpot hand pay of $3,160. The slot tech had trouble figuring out what it was I won but then realized the call attendant message was blocking out the actual hands. In Illinois the passing of the Benjamins involves a slot tech, a supervisor and a security guard. I toked the three of them $100 to split and we headed off to dinner at the steakhouse.
I broke my one martini rule so my wife told me we had a great dinner and I made the waiter’s night.
It took several coffees to clear the cobwebs the following morning as we drove off to Springfield to meet our friends for breakfast at an I Hop. I decided the chicken fried steak and eggs would probably provide enough grease to counteract the residual gin molecules and we had a good time planning the day.
If you have any interest in American History, the Lincoln Museum is highly recommended. One particular presentation is called “Ghosts of the Museum” and is as good as anything I’ve seen as far as special effects. There is a replica of the log cabin Lincoln grew up in and the White House while Lincoln was president. There is also one room of nasty period political cartoons from Lincoln’s time in office as snarky as anything you might see on a political blog or the LVA free-for-all these days. Small touches make this also a worthwhile event; the white house kitchen wood stove was radiating heat.
Later we visited Lincoln’s actual tomb and a museum dedicated to the Illinois National Guard that has a long history of service to our Country. There was an impressive outside display of helicopters and armor along with military uniforms and weapons over the years inside.
We spent the night in Springfield at a Marriott Courtyard- reasonable accommodations but I struggle actually paying for a room (drink or meal).
My next trip is actually part of a larger trip. I will spend one night in the Isle of Capri in Bettendorf, Iowa prior to flying back east for a few days. May the mojo continue.
