08.31.2019 I want to take you

08.31.2019 I want to take you to, the City of Dreams*

Hey Now! Welcome back my friends. Let's have some fun shall we? I never would have suspected that following so closely on the heels of my Vegas by Daylight trip there was yet another trip on the horizon after only a couple of months. But here we are. Sweet Ti and I were talking about possible places to go after my return, and she said she wanted to see our friends Ziggy and Bo one more time in Las Vegas before they moved to Florida. That was all I needed to start the ball rolling. I booked Sweet Ti an award flight on Delta using my miles, and paid for my ticket with our Delta AMEX card to earn 2x miles. Plus I upgraded the entire trip to Econo+. Our host Linda is providing a suite for us comped up front for 8 nights at the Orleans. Full RFB. No Macy's gift card this time- missed it by that much.

tell 'em Max!

It's about an hour drive from the Mays Hacienda to RIC. Our flight leaves at 6 a.m. so we get an early start. It's all very rural and I took a cut through from Rt. 17 over to Rt. 33. I got onto Rt. 33 and there were flashing lights behind me. It's been seriously like 25 years since the last time I was pulled over. We get all our car info together and the dude walks up. He's a King and Queen County Deputy. He looks to be about 20. We have grandkids older than that. "Know why I pulled y'all over?". Well, I certainly wasn't speeding. "You slow rolled through that stop sign back there". Did I really? I usually am very good about coming to a complete stop. But we are on our way to Las Vegas and we were talking. And we are in the middle of nowhere. He runs my license and tags. "Just try to be a bit more careful out here, y'all gotta get to the airport before you get to Las Vegas. " Yes sir officer, very true. Laters. Park n Go once again lived up to it's name. Ultra quick service. Dropped our bags and the TSA line was manageable. We are behind this chick who I swear is wearing a shower cap. No shit. But it's maybe made of pleather. Strange. In short order we are at our gate. I score the obligatory Hudson News overpriced liter of water. There's no food options this early. We board and are pretty much the only people in Econo+. Empty window seat so I move over. The flying waitresses serve up tasty Econosnacks. We blasted into Atlanta and luckily went from B2 to B1. We had a quick turn around and they were already boarding first class. So we jumped in line and took our seats. This flight is much fuller. I small chick tells S.T. that she's got the window seat. Looks like lightning won't strike twice. We let her in and settle down. I asked Sweet Ti what she thought about that chick in the shower cap back at RIC. Her eyes widen and she elbows me in my stomach. What???? She leans over and whispers to me "That's the girl who is sitting beside you. Didn't you notice???". Damn if it isn't. Still wearing her pleather shower cap. She must have caught an earlier flight than us to ATL. I paid no attention when I let her go by.

she crashed the whole way.

so did S.T.

It was for the most part a smooth trip and even I zoned out after a bit. Listening to Welcome back my friends, a live album by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer.

cleaner head start.

Ron waiting for us at baggage. I would say Ron is pushing 80. I wouldn't let him lift Biggun. 47 lbs.

We have been Ron's customers before. He takes us via the strip. Ron hails from the Pinelands of New Jersey. Yo.

Rumors are that this kitty is toast.

And we are home.

The smell is the first thing that hits you is the smell. They really crank it up here is front. Over at Invited Guests May is awaiting us. She gushes over Sweet Ti and more or less ignores me. Typical May. Actually, she hooks us up with our room right away. Noice. Plus she loads up my FSP and tells us to just charge everything to the room and she's take care of it. I slip her a token toke of our appreciation.

Room 2052

I leave Sweet Ti busy aloft and proceed to the other end of the property. I very haphazardly jaywalk across W. Tropicana to the Budget Truck Rental. Every size truck in their fleet available, but never too many cars. The price I pay for convenience. Seeing as it's noon on the Saturday before Labor Day, there's even fewer than usual. I had reserved an intermediate 6 weeks ago, and with the AARP upgrade that meant a full sized car. "No upgrades on holiday weekends". So no Camry. "Elantra". Please tell me it's a light color. "It's black". Damn. It's 104º outside. We do the walk around and I step in to leave. This thing fairly reeks of cigarettes. "Just leave the AC cranked and you won't notice it". Right. At least the tank is full. She shall be Smokey Ella. Kinda of a Porn Star/Striper name. Get up Smokey El!

I made a couple of pit stops and nestled our ward on the 3rd floor of the Orleans selfish- park. After I finally got the gate to recognize my Emerald, the Shiny Green Card card. It's last year's model. Plus, thanks to the new and bottom line improved BConned system they have thoughtfully added some sort of prefix to the account numbered. I vow not to get a new card until my old one completely dies. Aloft, we decide to hit the Copper Whisk for lunch. I still liked the place better before the changes. I especially miss Yen the keno runner.

Room comp

Looks like a fresh start.

I had mentioned to May about the kiosks still not working correctly. She said to just ignore them. I can't believe they still haven't gotten the kinks out of the BConned system by now. Obviously the Boyd Bean Counters just don't give a rat's ass about the players. Onward.

We find Hank Bonefish at the Crawdad Bar and I see that our shorty machines are being used by the Keno Couple, so we employ the Emergency Backup Machines. Sweet Ti grabs her lucky Cherry Popper. She got her one and only royal here a few years back. Hank is presently busy attending the Keno Couple. The lady hit for 8k. just now. He says that happens all the time. She hit the lottery last year and ever since pretty much does nothing but play keno here. Too bad she doesn't tip better. Hank fills us in on his latest adventures around the Valley. We can't scare up and screen shot worthy scores on VP. Hank goes to lunch and we wander around looking for likely suspects. Ziggy calls and we make plans to have them over for dinner on Monday. He just got off the phone with his sons Thomasz and Sebastian, who live in Boca Raton, Fla. We are all concerned about the impending Dorian. Hopefully everything will work out. We donate a few hundy around the NS section. It's Saturday evening and the crowds are inhaling their fair share of cancer vapors. No thank you.

I finally ran out of hundys and downloaded 50. FSP and hit these. This is the last machine on the last row of machines in the NS area right beside the west side doors. Near the buffet. This particular machine will pop up again during our adventures. Stay tuned.

We take a break and order some B&R ice cream. I use bconned points as this isn't one of their outlets and won't be covered on the room. As we sit to enjoy our treats, we notice a gentleman in a souped up walker/chair waiting in the B&R line. He is also tending a gold metal case on rollers. He and his lady then join us in the food court dining area. I mention to him that we were admiring his gear. The next thing I know him and I are at one table and Sweet Ti and his lady are at another. He's today's local, Franklin Jones. Franklin is from none other than our very own Fredvegas, as in Fredericksburg, Va. About 75 north of us on Rt. 17. He moved here from there back in February. He is coaching his son who is a fledgling MMA fighter. Franklin retired from the Air Force and was stationed at Langley AFB which is near where Sweet Ti works. It's a small world after all. I inquire after his spiffy case. It's a Suzi Orman Protection Portfolio. Talk it up Frank...

shiny!

Franklin

We had a fine conversation. This is one of the things I love the most about coming to here. There's a million new people to interact with. All the best Franklin. Sweet Ti is toaster strudel and I put her to bed after graciously rubbing her feet. It's the least I can do seeing as she was game enough to make the long trip here with me one more time. I don't think Sweet Ti will be up for any more Vegas journeys after Ziggy & Bo move to Fla. But the good news is that their son Sebastian works at Coconut Creek Casino. So there's that..... Jim????

I went vulturing on these Scarab machines like I learned on the interweb, but had slim pickings. I'm still not too sure about investing 37.50 in order to see a return. Methinks this machine needs to be played only when the BR is a bit more flush than it is right now.

sign of the times

Gotta love the way they sneak these things in on the customers ever so clandestinely. That's a rendering of a martini glass. And seeing as it's lit up, I guess I've made quite enough 3.75 bets to have earned said martini. Now all I need is an actual CW to show up. Right.

I am looking for my old standby Buffalo machine. You know- the one that plays 10 coins instead of the usual 5? Over the last 10 years I have had a variety of hits and misses here. But it's moved. It now sits against a wall under this video screen. Buffalo Jackpot. Any Bet. Any Time. Except when it's me playing. But I can tell by the various scars upon the buttons I have found my old machine. Hit it Jimmy!!!!