As the boys in Swingers say "Vegas Baby"
My annual pilgrimage to the desert starts tomorrow, a four day weekend, to catch part of the NCAA tournament and too participate in acts of debauchery. After today's no post until next Monday or Tuesday . When I return there will be plenty recount, while still leaving the Vegas filter in place with the old Vegas adage of what happens in Vegas . . .
Before I head out, I just wanted to give you a short story about my one of my first trips to Vegas with my buddy Brad. The year was 1988, and because we had more time than money we decided to drive from the San Francisco Bay Area to Vegas. We left after work and drove most of the night stopping in some of the Central Valley's best towns: Fresno, Bakersfield only stopping for beer and snacks. Brad's friend Neil worked at the Old Aladdin Hotel (now blown up), the site of Elvis and Priscilla's wedding, and he got us a deal on a room. Neil even got us into the Penthouse suite for a night because some Whale did not show to use the room. The views of Vegas were intoxicating, or the Jacks and Coke. One or the other.
We gamble, had 25-cent breakfast, ate 10-cent chicken wings and visited some of Vegas' lesser known spots. A good example was Larry's Villa. Larry's is a bar and strip club in a strip mall next to a laundry mat. The strippers were bad, but the pitchers of beer were $4 and they had microwave burritos if you got hungry.
Our journey home was just as adventurous. Instead of going the traditional route through So Cal and up I-5 or 99, we headed up Nevada's I-95 towards Reno, cut over at Tioga Pass through Yosemite and back to the Bay. The four days had eaten up most of our cash, so we filled up in Vegas and the tank was hitting empty in Yosemite, we wrote a bad check for the last bit of gas and a 12-pack, since there was no money in the account anyway. Some how we got back home in one piece.
Good Times. (Speaking of Good Times: Jimmie Walker is from Vegas)
Over the years the trip have gotten more elaborate and more expensive, but like many things the first time is the best. Will try to have a good time, and will double down even if it is my last $100. Because I'm Money Baby.
