Putting the D in The D 26-30 Dec: Unexpected Solo

Wait... where am I putting what??? As the title suggests I am heading to The D hotel casino right after Christmas. The unexpected part comes in because I expected to meet up with my best friend and his wife: turns out Christmas and associated mini crisis' were too much of a burden for them to make the trip. On the one hand I hope that I'm not victimized by the crippling vastness and emptiness a solo trip can inflict but on the other hand I am pretty excited to experience everything on my terms. I see other people attempt this feat and come out the other side singing its praises... I'll keep optimistic. I'm a 39 year old guy travelling from 3 hours North of Toronto. Flight and hotel paid for, passport in hand, and 2478 USD + $75 chips from 4 Queens from a blowout from 2012 (the fact that I had no idea I even had those should tell you all you need to know about last trip) in hand. I should have got the cash last month but foolishly thought the CAD would somewhat rebound: already losing at gambling! Speaking of which, you will not see pictures of food in this TR: does anyone want to see any one of 50 hotdogs I put away from The Mermaids Casino (going into Vegas one kind of body type, leaving another).... I didn't think so. Plans include:
- Complete tour of DT to find my favorite places to drink and gamble upon the initial stages of my arrival
- Drink and gamble til I have a close brush with a medical emergency
- Walk it off by touring the strip speed walker style (If you can believe it I am in pretty good shape)
- Rent a car one day and check out the Red Rocks (especially if things are a disaster in the gambling department)
- Take the bus to Sams Town.
If anyone else has a trip enhancing plan please let me know. If anyone is in town and wants to meet up (and can keep it together when hammered) please let me know. I look forward to updating this when I get back. I have a limited travel pack with FIDO so a live TR just doesn't make sense and I am not relying the D's WiFi nearly as much as their sunday morning Cesar bar....

 

Good luck. 3 hrs North of Toronto - North Bay ?

 

Close: good guess by the way. You know your nickle belt and surrounding area. Living in Sudbury actually! You can see why the insistence to get away even in the face of such a gruesome exchange rate!

 

While your downtown check out fremont street east after 8pm as that is when the clubs open up. I suggest checking out the El Cortez and the Container park with it's fire breathing praying mantis (just so you say you saw it). After you see it and head back up fremont you can a look at what the strip used to look like in the 1950's-60's with all the restored neon signs.

 

Hey Swimjim10, good luck.

You still have time to change those fifties.

Cheers

 

I HIGHLY recommend going to Valley of Fire when you have the car. GOOD Luck.

 

Good luck. Be sure to give Derek Stevens a high five.

 

I second that. Its totally amazing, some of the most beautiful landscape in the USA.

 

Third recommendation for Valley of Fire over Red Rock, although Red Rock is still great. One thing, wear sneaker that you don't mind getting red sand in, because that is what you'll be walking on and it will make a mess.

Also, stop at the Moapa truck stop on the way if you need drinks or food. http://www.moapapaiutes.com

 

I agree the Moapa truck stop is a decent place to get supplies. I stopped and got water and a cooler for my trip out and expected to get raped on the cost since it was the only place around but they were reasonably priced. A few strange characters hanging around but nothing note worthy.

 

Valley of Fire it is! How am I going to ignore that now??? As for the comment about the 50s, are they being phased out? Perhaps I'm falling for one of those "Go get the wood stretcher" or "go get the boss 4 bags of compressed air" type gags.

 

That is good to know! I will keep that in mind and feed them to the bar vice the tables! In my first game of craps I yelled out "NOOOO SEVEN!" .... At least I didn't have to learn this 50 thing the hard way so thanks for that!

 

Yeah, $50s are considered back luck, especially in the asian world. I am not sure if your aware, I deal at a locals casino and I have seen a BJ table full of asians and someone walk up with $50s and buy and and they have scattered like roaches when the lights are turned on.

For your viewing pleasure, here are some albums from my June 2015 visit to The Valley of Fire. Some were with my DSLR, some were with my iPhone.

Processed photos in photoshop: https://www.flickr.com/photos/131734729@N08/sets/72157654261372806

 

Haha... I will keep the 50's thing in mind. It might actually be in my best interest to use the 50's trick on the Asians if I am trying to find a table (and hopefully put on physical display that the jinx is all in their heads). Nice pics btw, thanks for the link. I particularly like the bottom right picture as there is a path to traverse. Thanks again.. maybe I'll come across you at a locals casino: I intend to cover a lot of ground in my 4 little days.

 

I have a ton more photos from there, the albums are all private though due to theft of my unwatermarked photos. You wont run into my out there unless I am on vacation, I live about 1600 miles or so away, thinking of moving there though.

 

1600 miles is a day trip right?? Wait... I"m from Canada and that is NOT kilometers! I say just move to Vegas: our time on this planet is a lot shorter than we can all imagine! But first read: https://www.thrillist.com/lifestyle/las-vegas/this-is-what-its-like-to-live-in-las-vegas-life-in-sin-city

 

That had me laughing. I was explaining the game to the girl next to me and I said NEVER say the number between six and eight, and she yells out 'you mean seven!'.

 

SwimJim,
Wife and I will be downtown on the 26th probably. We'll meet up if we can.
Get some damn good beers at MSS.

 

Haha.. I feel her (and everyone's within a 7 casino radius') pain!