After a bit of a rocky and delayed start to my ride to Las Vegas, I finally arrived at The Orleans Hotel and Casino. About 300 miles, over 5 hours, multiple stops, three States... it was an awesome experience!
It is hard to explain. When one is in a car/truck with four wheels, air conditioning, radio, power steering, etc... there is a subtle loss of awareness. I myself have experienced it. Four wheeled vehicles tend to track and self-correct; let go of the steering wheel and the vehicle tends to straighten out. Personal comfort provides a relaxed driving experience; seats with backs and head rest, environmental controls, and reduced noise.
Riding is much different!
Once learned and practiced, it becomes instinctual. For example, steering is counter-intuitive, I want to go right, I turn/press left. Every extremity is involved: right hand is throttle and forward brake, left hand clutch, right foot rear brake, left foot shift lever. And one's awareness of conditions is heightened. When I ride I am scanning everywhere! Ahead, to each side, and behind! I am looking for potential hazards up ahead and planning paths and escapes routes, while being aware of immediate hazards right in front of me, and keeping track of what is behind me, like those that don't notice my braking/slowing/stopping.
My dad actually said to me once, "There are two types of motorcycle riders... There are old motorcycle riders, then there are bold motorcycle riders... but there are no old, bold motorcycle riders." Now I appreciate that bit of wisdom; however, as a rider, I have come to appreciate the difference between offensive and defensive riding! Like when making a left turn on a green arrow, only to realize that someone is coming at you and about to run the red light... throttle up, scoot through a turn, accident avoided. The passing of a semi, or a sudden stop or road hazard. What some people may think of as an "offensive" riding technique, like a sudden lane change, or splitting the lane (i.e. riding the lane line) between cars, swerves, etc...can in reality be very much "defensive!" There are the idiots that just drive that way normally, they are the bold riders... they probably won't get to the old rider stage, if they keep it up.
I digress...
I arrived in Las Vegas, and more specifically the hotel around 5:15pm. A mere 5 hours and 45 minutes later! I was tired, a little hot, and all I wanted was a nap! However, working nights, I knew if I went to sleep, it would be for 7+ hours. So, waking up at midnight, then up all night, when I had an all day class the next day, was not an option! So I opted to meet my parents and have dinner instead.
I met them at there room and we talked for awhile. Discussed my trip/road experience, a few current events, etc. And then went down to a restaurant in the hotel for dinner. In retrospect, I should have warned/reminded my parents about the Las Vegas servings! We each ordered a hamburger, the size and quantity was such that not one of the three of us was able to finish/eat all of the burger! And I have a healthy appetite too! As my dad said... "At least the pigs will eat well."
A few people know, yet now more will too, Las Vegas is a big pig farming region. All of the waste food from the Casinos are brought to the pig farmers and fed to the livestock. A lot of the US pork is grown and raised in Las Vegas! So in about three months, when you have that bacon for breakfast, just wonder if it came from our left-overs! ;)
I calculated that I had to go to bed by 11pm that night, in order to arrive at my class by 7am to register, get the course materials, and enjoy the free breakfast. So, my parents and I finished dinner and walked around the Casino. Every now and then a slot machine would catch someones eye and a few dollars were wagered. Now it has been a while since I have been to Las Vegas, but almost every slot machine I saw was a $0.01 slot! Penny slots abound now! There are a few quarter and dollar ones too.
The catch is that there are sometimes multiple pay lines, and one can wager or bet multiple pennies per line... so yes, it is a penny slot machine, yet each spin might cost you $1.80! And people that are averse to wagering at a dollar slot, it seems, think nothing of the $1.80 bet just made at the penny slot! Psychology and marketing at it's finest!
So as the evening progressed, I had about $40.00 left of my daily bankroll, or the amount I was willing to wager. I am not a big slot fan. I used to play Blackjack, until the Casinos started to change the rules and increase the number of decks in play at a given table. Now my favorite game is Craps.
There were six craps tables at the Orleans, only three of them were open that first night. I sorta hover and watch a table before I buy in to the game. Not superstitious, I just want to get an idea of the play, the shooters, and whether or not the table is paying.
I bought into a game for my last $40.00. I am a conservative player, in that I don't make a lot of bets, side bets, horn bets, etc. I typically will make a bet on the Pass line, take the odds, depending on the point up to two Place bets on the 6 and 8. I will not explain the game to you, nor give you any rationale/strategy. However, after an hour, I turned my $40.00 into...
More than doubled my money! Time to walk away and go to bed!
The next morning, Wednesday, was the first day of my review class. I arrived in plenty of time to register/sign in, get the course materials, and enjoy the breakfast spread! It was advertised as a "complimentary continental breakfast," yet it was scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, fruit, pancakes, danish, muffins, coffee, tea, OJ, etc... An example of the Las Vegas "amp" to everything!
Proof that I actually was taking a class...
This was a class/course for preparation to take the CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse) exam. There were about 100 attendees from all over the US. A two day, eight hour/day review of not only basic concepts, but advanced rationales for why certain things are done/how/and why they present themselves.
A great review, that I would recommend to any fellow Emergency Nurse! Today, three days after the course, I took an online practice exam cold... no review, no reference to the materials provided, and I passed the practice exam! I bit of review and study before I take the actual Certification Exam, and I know I will pass, and even do better on my score!
On the evening of day two of my Las Vegas adventure, I went back to my room after the end of the class and took a 'power-nap.' It was one of those naps that you quickly fell into sleep, to the point you would jerk/jump and wake yourself up! Brief dreams and yet when you finally woke up and got moving, felt rested and rejuvinated! I met my parents afterwards. We took the free shuttle to a sister hotel/casino. We all walked around again, just experiencing and seeing the Casino. A few stops to "drop" a few dollars here and there in slot machines.
Back at the Orleans and I was once again faced with a next morning wake-up time, knowing my sleep-cycle, an 11pm bed time. So after my parents retired to their room, a few hours at the craps table. After my "surveillance," I bought into a table for $100.00...
Not a bad walk away!
However, as I mentioned in my Interlude, this was not about the class, nor the gambling/wagering. I signed up for a class to help me prepare for a specialty Certification in Emergency Nursing. It just so happened to be in Las Vegas. Close to where I am, easy to get to, etc. Also close for my parents to meet me and have a quality experience/time together! This became my focus for the trip!
The class was a great review, I even learned a few things!
However, I will always remember this trip for the time I spent with my parents! My dad joked about me getting a shoe (boot) shine, as we were walking out of the Orleans, as we passed a Shoe Shine Stand. You know, one of those elevated, throne like, shoe shine stands... I said, if I win tonight, I will get my boots shined...
As we got back to the hotel, and as I had won some more playing craps, my dad called me on it! And I got my boots shined! The posted price was $10.00. At the end, I handed over a $20 bill. It was early in the evening for me, so I stayed up and played some more. My boot shine was a lucky stop, as I could not lose for the rest of the evening!
I ventured to the Craps table, wagered $100.00 and walked away with...
I met my parents each afternoon for lunch. There were multiple restaurants and a food court in the Orleans. On the second day of my class, as I was now ahead, I bought them lunch! And I treated myself to a premium sandwich as well! Only 4 more hours and I would complete the course. I told my parents that I wanted to go ride the LV Monorail. Not a big thing, really. Just one of those, "I did it!" things.
So after my class, I met my parents in there room. After a while, we ventured out to the Casino and took some pictures, to share with close family. Then my dad and I ventured out to catch the shuttle, down to the Las Vegas Strip. Mom stayed back, to play the penny slots and have some alone time. Father/son time vs. mother alone time... this is actually a good thing!
My dad and I disembarked from the shuttle stop across from Bally's. There is a monorail station/stop there at Bally's, so we started to walk down the street. As we got to a light and pedestrian crossing, the light started to change, and we had a bit of a race across the street to beat the light! I was impressed with my dad's performance, as we started about 20 feet back from the actual crosswalk... yet he was one step back from the finish line, that is stepping onto the actual sidewalk after the crossing! Like father, like son... we were both saying/yelling out the countdown of the crossing signal!
We walked through Bally's to the Monorail Station. For those that are unfamiliar, the LV Monorail runs behind the Hotels on the North side of the LV Strip. And to get to the Station, or disembark from a Station, one has to walk a bit of a distance. I have a few ideas and comments, however, I will withhold them at this time.
Dad and I rode the monorail to the most Northern stop, then an automatic reversal back to the Southern end. We talked about railroads, trains,the Chicago EL, his father (my grandfather), riding a local Illinois rail, Stations being closed, rail lines shut down... We stopped and departed at the Southern most stop of the Monorail.
We stayed at the platform for almost an hour! Now this monorail is a non-conducted train. There is no person, no individual, no one operating the train. Everything is automated. We walked around the platform and noticed the details of the monorail... like a 750+ Volt electrical supply, the main wheel (suspension) track, as well as the two stabilizing wheel tracks. [Tracks are the black stains on the concrete. As a monorail, there is no "steel" track. The weight of the train (cars) keep it on the route, with a little boost from the stabilizing wheels.] Things like the expansion joint between concrete "rails," the "third rail," or the power supply for this electric train, the concrete spooling that was apparent!
So there is more to say about Vegas. Perhaps an interlude is in order...
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