Vegas November 2017

Day 1 - Drive, Aria

Last Updated: 2017-11-09 10:31:28

As usual a pretty easy drive out. For several years it seemed like there was just endless construction going on for a lot of the trip. But the last couple of years it's been a lot less. Only spot that could have been bad was around Richfield Utah (40 or so miles east of the I-70/I-15 interchange) where they were down to one lane in each direction but there was very little traffic when I came through. The only other major projects didn't require lane diversion. They're doing bridge work in Glenwood Springs and a major widening project in St George, but the bridge work is bridges for the town going over the highway and the widening project is happening on the outside of both sides.

Hit the In-N-Out in the St George area for lunch and was running early enough that I decided to do my liquor run before checking in.

I had gassed up at the aforementioned Richfield and I had in the back of my mind that I should be able to make Vegas so I didn't bother topping off when I stopped for lunch. When I got to the liquor store I was 12 miles to "E", down to 6 when I rolled into the Sam's Club that usually has the cheapest gas on the north side of town.

Never in doubt!!!

If I hadn't stopped for lunch I would have made it in a little over 10 hrs. Thanks Utah for those 80MPH speed limits!

I had planned to stock up a little more at the liquor store but I only picked up a few things including my Christmas present :-). Macallan No. 3. Don't tell me, it's a secret...

Checked into the room and it stank. The pyramid at Luxor is getting close to "Imperial Palace" status. Inclinators are old and clunky ("elevators" run at an angle on the outside of the pyramid) there are things in the rooms that have been used for so long they're showing wear in ways you might not expect...etc.

Being blunt, it's on the ghetto side. But just the pyramid.

My theory is that someone was smoking in the room and they spray something to try and mask the smell because you can't get rid of it. But what they're masking it with is awful if I'm right. I call to complain, they tell me they'll someone up to freshen the room. I have poker to play so I head out.

In my planning BLOG I said something about being happy to get in the extra walking staying down here, right? Careful what you wish for...

The bridge is closed between Excalibur and NYNY so I have to go all four corners. Up the stairs at Excalibur, back down and up again at Tropicana, back down and up again at MGM and finally over to NYNY. At least I worked off that shake I had at In-N-Out.

On the June trip Joann and I discovered an air conditioned walkway between Aria and Monte Carlo. Actually we knew about it, we just forgot about it. It was real nice in the 110 degree heat in June, but even tho it's beautiful out here now it's still a nice shortcut between the buildings and it comes out very close to the poker room.

This is where I hit a construction delay. The food court you walk through in Monte Carlo to get to the walkway is walled off and being rebuilt. I get lost trying to get around it. Eventually I figure it out...

I did pick up my new 2018 Gold M-Life cards. Free parking and no standing at lines at restaurants for another year! And better hotel rates. See the June 2018 BLOG over there on the right if you haven't already :-)

As far as poker, very little to talk about in the 7pm at Aria.

Flop a set of 7s, get the absolute minimum for them with all the straights and flushes on the board.

Get aces cracked by a short stack who reraises me all-in with QJ of clubs. Flop 9-T-Q with a club. 8c on the turn, I'm drawing dead. He didn't hit the straight flush on the river but didn't need it either...

Get the minimum with QQ when I go over the top of a loose raiser to limit the field but even he goes away.

Into break at 7100 from my 10K starting stack.

Didn't get much better after break, eventually I get in with 10-10 and lose to that loose raiser's A6 when he flops an ace. Of course he does...

Back to the room and let's just say it doesn't smell very freshened. I head down to the desk to ask for a new room.

This time the very helpful person at the desk is glad to assist me and upgrades me to a room in the new tower. I'm supposed to get minor upgrades like that automatically since I'm gold anyway, not sure why the person who checked me in didn't do this in the first place.

I really like M-Life in general, but there does seem to be a pattern of luck-of-the-draw where most of the time I deal with people who go out of their way to help me out but every now and then I get someone who just doesn't want to help me out at all. Very little in the middle. But there are definitely more that want to help me out...

Night and day. The tower rooms are much newer and don't stink. I get a good night's sleep...

Saturday it will be the 11am at Aria. The 7pm ended up with about 65 players, not bad, the Friday 11am had 110 so I'm optimistic they'll get a decent turnout for Saturday.