Getting Even With Vegas... Kinda
The ride into Vegas was lively, the jeep was filled with stories of travel and other good times. We made a stop at the Hoover Dam on the way to shout with excitement and throw coins holding our silent wishes for the future. Coming up over a bump on the road the lights of Vegas hit you all at once and the music gets cranked up in anticipation for what the weekend will throw at us.
We drove down the strip to soak in the lights, I was the first to get dropped off over at the Excalibur. I checked in, dropped my light weight bag in my room (left half my stuff at Larry's in Phoenix), and headed down to the Casino. I thought I had $150 in chips waiting for me, it turned out to be $150 in slot free play, which I quickly translated to "fuck". Basically I had 150 dollars in credits at the slot and had to play until it was done, so at the end up 3 coronas sitting in front of a one armed bandit, I was left $113 dollar bills, good old fashioned cash, so it worked out decent.
The next day I took a walk down the strip for memories sake, stopping at margaritaville for some volcano nachos, the kind I haven't had since going to school in orlando. Accompanied by a beer, I had more than a couple people ask me if I really intended to finish the whole plate, I told them I would, I didn't, but I came close.
Back at the Excalibur, I turned my $100ish dollars into $200 at the craps table, then took $55 to bet on the Lakers game. After futzing with the hobo site in my room for a bit, I came down to the floor and watched the Lakers take an 8 point lead into halftime against the Clippers, I needed them to win by 11 to cover the spread, they were on pace. I thought craps would be a good idea during the half, so I went and lost all the money I had, bummer. Now it was up to the Lakers to be sure I wasn't broke. I came back to watch them go up 20 or so points by the 4th quarter, and headed back up to my room confident they hold strong. Shortly after I confirmed they won online, and passed out prematurely from what I thought would be a quick lay down on the bed.
I was up early that morning, it was Sunday now, I'd be leaving around 3. I futzed more with the hobo site, showered, and was checked out by 11. I collected my Laker winnings to put a total of 150ish bills in my pocket, then proceeded to lose most of that in my last go at the excalibur crap tables, but only after a shot of tequila and a couple coronas. I came to Vegas with a 10 dollar bill, and now had 17 bucks, so I felt ok.
After a bit I got the phone call that Jon and Angie, couchsurfers who I rode with to Vegas, were ready to go soon and were at New York New York (casino). I went there to meet them, and saw a craps table I liked, put $12 on the 6, hit in 2 rolls, and cashed out. That put me at a profit of $21 for the trip, and considering I had to pay $10 a night for 2 nights plus a $1 "phone fee", I broke dead even for the trip.
The ride back to Phoenix was quieter than the ride up, almost silent, I think we were all reflecting on our respective trips and letting our minds wander where they wanted, Angie even caught some Zs in the back seat.
Tomorrow's another day of unknown. I left a couple things in Tucson at the girls' place, not of the most importance, but being that it's on the road back east and they're all pretty awesome anyways, I'm thinking I'll stop in another day or night here pretty soon to see them and pick those things up. My mind's wandering about the hitch back to NYC, how long it'll take, when it might get cold, the people I'll meet, the cities I'll see, and what it'll be like once I get there. It'll be great.
We drove down the strip to soak in the lights, I was the first to get dropped off over at the Excalibur. I checked in, dropped my light weight bag in my room (left half my stuff at Larry's in Phoenix), and headed down to the Casino. I thought I had $150 in chips waiting for me, it turned out to be $150 in slot free play, which I quickly translated to "fuck". Basically I had 150 dollars in credits at the slot and had to play until it was done, so at the end up 3 coronas sitting in front of a one armed bandit, I was left $113 dollar bills, good old fashioned cash, so it worked out decent.
The next day I took a walk down the strip for memories sake, stopping at margaritaville for some volcano nachos, the kind I haven't had since going to school in orlando. Accompanied by a beer, I had more than a couple people ask me if I really intended to finish the whole plate, I told them I would, I didn't, but I came close.
Back at the Excalibur, I turned my $100ish dollars into $200 at the craps table, then took $55 to bet on the Lakers game. After futzing with the hobo site in my room for a bit, I came down to the floor and watched the Lakers take an 8 point lead into halftime against the Clippers, I needed them to win by 11 to cover the spread, they were on pace. I thought craps would be a good idea during the half, so I went and lost all the money I had, bummer. Now it was up to the Lakers to be sure I wasn't broke. I came back to watch them go up 20 or so points by the 4th quarter, and headed back up to my room confident they hold strong. Shortly after I confirmed they won online, and passed out prematurely from what I thought would be a quick lay down on the bed.
I was up early that morning, it was Sunday now, I'd be leaving around 3. I futzed more with the hobo site, showered, and was checked out by 11. I collected my Laker winnings to put a total of 150ish bills in my pocket, then proceeded to lose most of that in my last go at the excalibur crap tables, but only after a shot of tequila and a couple coronas. I came to Vegas with a 10 dollar bill, and now had 17 bucks, so I felt ok.
After a bit I got the phone call that Jon and Angie, couchsurfers who I rode with to Vegas, were ready to go soon and were at New York New York (casino). I went there to meet them, and saw a craps table I liked, put $12 on the 6, hit in 2 rolls, and cashed out. That put me at a profit of $21 for the trip, and considering I had to pay $10 a night for 2 nights plus a $1 "phone fee", I broke dead even for the trip.
The ride back to Phoenix was quieter than the ride up, almost silent, I think we were all reflecting on our respective trips and letting our minds wander where they wanted, Angie even caught some Zs in the back seat.
Tomorrow's another day of unknown. I left a couple things in Tucson at the girls' place, not of the most importance, but being that it's on the road back east and they're all pretty awesome anyways, I'm thinking I'll stop in another day or night here pretty soon to see them and pick those things up. My mind's wandering about the hitch back to NYC, how long it'll take, when it might get cold, the people I'll meet, the cities I'll see, and what it'll be like once I get there. It'll be great.
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