Trip Diary 8-17-06 (14 of 20)
Two of the things you need to know before you book a room at Main
Street Station are that 1) you're next to a freeway, and 2) you're
next to an active railroad, which means that if the traffic doesn't
wake you up, the trains at three in the morning certainly will. I'm
pretty sure there isn't a road crossing too near, so I've a good
idea that that the engineers get special kicks out of blowing their
horn when they run behind the hotel. I'm use to it, so I just roll
over and fall back asleep. That said, I got a pretty good night's
rest. I'm up at 8:30 AM (getting back to my work sleep schedule is
going to be a bear).
It's been well-documented about that shower heads in this hotel were
built for pigmies, so I won't rag on that. The rooms, which were
remodeled about two years ago, are nicely appointed with fresh
carpet and new furniture along with very comfy mattresses. However,
many don't like the shutters in lieu of curtains, the smallish
bathrooms, and the noise outside; therefore, I have to give it only
2 ½ sheets. I continue to stay here because I do like the hotel and
the offers they send me are still very reasonable.
After the morning rituals, I head out to a Starbucks to file
yesterday's reports. I read the comments from my last posting, and
I think I'd better make something clear. More than a couple of
repliers suggested I not "obsess" on the four-to-a-royal thing on my
50-play. I suppose I've overly made too big a deal about this, but
I really am not obsessing about it. I'm really just making a joke
of it. You see, last week while I was playing the game, a girl and
her boyfriend were playing a couple of machines down from me. She
was dealt four-to-the-royal and only got one royal from the 50
hands. She went ballistic, pounding the machine, cursing this and
that. It was then that I was thinking, at least she's getting the
chanceI'm not even getting that. So, that became the running gag
when, if ever, am I going to get that shot. It never came until I
played a single line game. By this time, it made for good fodder
and something to write about.
I've been playing these games long enough to know that getting four-
to-the-royal means little more than getting dealt any five random
cards. They rarely hit anyway. But since I made such a big deal
out of never getting it with the 50-play, it kind of got out of
hand. And, here's the kicker. Today is Thursday, which means it's
3X points day at the Palms. I head over and play the 50-play 9/6
JOB. I am FINALLY dealt four-to-the-royal. I take off the turbo
button to watch the hands slowly unfold. All fifty hands opened and
I did not receive one royal. It was a gutshot needing a Jack of
Diamonds, and none of them came up. I still hit a few flushes, but
that was all there was to itjust another hand. But I did think of
all of you when I got it and smiled. Thanks for your wonderful
support and comments.
Yesterday, I get a call from one of my best friends, Hugh. I've
known Hugh for over 30 years. He's a captain on the Oceanside Fire
Department and we met when I gave him guitar lessons when I was
partners in a music store back in the 70s. Hugh calls and says he's
coming to town with his girlfriend, Val. I suggest we meet the next
day (today).
I call him and he's at the Bass Store at the Silverton (Hugh's candy
shop). I suggest we meet for lunch. He says he's hungry, I
immediately think of Hash-Go-Go. They meet me there at 2:00 PM.
Once again, the portions are gigantic, both Hugh and Val laugh at
the sizes of their dishes. We eat (leaving a lot of it on the
plate) and all are happy with the meal (4 forks). It turns out the
hippie attire worn on the morning Martin and I were there must have
been something special going on because today all the servers simply
wore Hash-a-Go-Go T-shirts.
Hugh and Val are in town for his son's bachelor party. They have a
couple of hours to kill before they go to another son's house, Mike,
who is in the Air Force and stationed at Nellis AFB here in Las
Vegas. I suggest we go out to Red Rock Casino, so they could check
it out. They agree that this is a very beautiful casino. As we
pass one of those behemoth Wheel of Fortune machines, Hugh mentions
he doesn't understand these games at all.
I sit them down and tell Hugh to put in a twenty. I tell him that
with these type of machines, the experts always suggest you play
every line, but only one penny per line. With a maximum of forty
lines, this means that this game is forty cents a spin. I explain
how the lines work and that unless they catch a bonus round on these
types of machines, you'll likely lose the money. No sooner do I say
that when they hit the bonus round. The huge wheel goes around and
it lines up on the 5000X mark. Hugh and Val just won $50.00. They
cash out immediately and we run away. Hugh says, "Hey, these
machines are fun!" Yea
when you win.
We buy a couple cups of Java from Starbucks and head out. I take
them back to their car and then I head back to Main Street Station.
The portions at Hash-a-Go-Go were so large that I'm not going to be
having anything else to eat today. I settle in at the main bar and
the quarter 9/6 JOB and enjoy a couple of beers while watching a
meaningless exhibition football game between Kansas City and the NY
Giants. I'm playing up and down and just as I'm getting a little
frustrated at not catching any quads, I hold two deuces and get the
other two deuces with a three. Now I know that almost everyone on
this board can claim this, but I'm the one here right now, so I'm
taking the title! I am the King of hitting quad deuces on regular
poker games while hitting quad Aces on deuces wild games. It's not
selective memoryit's a fact. When I go back home, someone else may
have the titlebut it's mine for now.
I end up the session, which last almost an hour only $20 downnot
too bad considering I rarely play for quarters. I move over to the
short pay DDB progressives which are almost double the royal
winnings. Of course, I'm quad-less and have to stop after dropping
another $60. I then move over to the Super Jackpot Party penny
machine. I double my money (again, the penny games are winning, the
VP is losinggo figure). I consider taking these winnings and
giving the progression another shot, but think better of it and
decided to go to bed with a small winning sessiona needed moral
victory.
So, they day sees, yet, another losing day. However, it's been a
great day with friends and fine food and good drink, and it's all
part of the game.
More tomorrow