1. Welcome to VegasMessageBoard
    It appears you are visiting our community as a guest.
    In order to view full-size images, participate in discussions, vote in polls, etc, you will need to Log in or Register.

Last Kick at the Can: Encore, M Resort, and 40 hours of Driving with my mother 7/9-18

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by north east j, Jul 3, 2012.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. north east j

    north east j Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2011
    Messages:
    174
    Location:
    Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12

    My Trip Report

    Ok - let the countdown begin!

    I am from western Canada - doing one last trip to Vegas before a long hiatus ( at least a year or 2). After going 2 to 4 times a year for the past 4 years, my wife and I have a baby and are starting to slow down. However, we are going on one more Vegas vacation before budgets and child rearing get the best of us!

    We are low rollers - i golf, she does too when not with child - and we both play slots primarily. A little BJ, and I think I have entered 1 NLH tourney - finished one off last table.

    I am driving down with my mom (who will be our babysitter when we want to go out) and it is about a 24 hour drive each way. Breaking in the new Mazda....and hoping I will not have to crash my vehicle to put myself out of the misery of listening to her for that long. She was there a few years ago for a single night - hope to show her why we enjoy the town so much. Wife is flying down and will be meeting us there on the 10th....

    Staying 3 nights at Encore on an offer ($129/night, 3r4d night free, $200 FP) and 4 at M Resort (2 free nights, 2 paid). Looking to upgrade at Encore using $20 trick - here's hoping!

    Excitement definitely building - going to sleep the last few nights with dreams of hitting a jackpot at Wynn for big money!:evillaugh
     
  2. bighead1970

    bighead1970 High-Roller

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2006
    Messages:
    952
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    25
    M Resort

    Would love to hear if you try the $20 trick at M.
     
  3. Bruinfan1

    Bruinfan1 Tourist

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2012
    Messages:
    144
    Location:
    Alberta, Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    15
    The math is eluding me. 24 hours down, 40 hours total. Only 16 hours back with mom? Is Great Falls where you're dumping the body on your drive home? Or, more likely, is that where you're getting kicked out by your wife? :nono:

    Enjoy the drive, test out the stereo on the new vehicle (congrats!), and of course enjoy Vegas. If you need a mediator for the drive down, let me know. :evillaugh
     
  4. north east j

    north east j Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2011
    Messages:
    174
    Location:
    Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    hahaha...good question.

    I am picking her up down near the Canada/US border - about 6 hours into the drive....and my math isn't the best!...and I speed.
     
  5. north east j

    north east j Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2011
    Messages:
    174
    Location:
    Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    I have not before - even though I have been there a few times before. I have stayed in their 1 BR suite, which is nice. It's the only place where I have a host, so i never thought that I could. Might be an interesting idea though. My wife does love it out there!
     
  6. north east j

    north east j Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2011
    Messages:
    174
    Location:
    Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    Tomorrow is the start of the BIG drive - 6 hours tomorrow night, a nap in the vehicle overnight, then a leaisurely 17-19 hour jaunt along I-15.

    Maybe its the fact I know the drive ahead of me, but I am not excited as I was on past trips - but just relaxed and definitely looking towards relaxing a lot more!

    RANDOM GOALS FOR THE TRIP:

    - Use all of my Restaurant.com GCs AND all of the entertainment coupons I got (work colleague bought one and let me poach from it)
    - golf 4-6 times in places where I haven't played before (up to about 20 courses now up to this stage where I've played) NO REPEAT COURSES.
    - Try not to get caught in traffic jam....hahahaha

    GAMBLING GOAL
    - NO CHASING
    - NO 'REINVESTING' of any win over $100 - pocket at least half for the next trip
    - Poker tournament - probably not at Wynn - but would like to find a place where I can see how my skills match up.
    - At least 1 sports bet - never took the time to do it
    - Get a few entires into the Super * draw at Encore!

    ....ok, writing all of this down has made me excited now!
     
  7. Bruinfan1

    Bruinfan1 Tourist

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2012
    Messages:
    144
    Location:
    Alberta, Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    15
    Glad to hear you're excited now - please let us know how you enjoyed the various golf courses...in the heat. (Granted, it'll get up into the mid-80's back home, so not as much of a difference.)

    As for speeding, my rule of thumb:
    • 94 Montana
    • 84 Idaho, watching carefully around Idaho Falls and through the 65 @ Pocatello
    • 84 Utah, with a bonus 89 in those fantastic "test speed zones"
    • 84-90 Nevada
    And of course...as fast as the vehicles in front of me will allow in the Canyon, while preserving their right not to be shocked at a vehicle they never saw in their mirrors.

    Your passenger(s) may limit that on this trip, given your leisurely anticipated time to traverse I-15. Hope they don't ask you to turn down the tunes too! :peace:
     
  8. gongoman

    gongoman MIA

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2012
    Messages:
    577
    Location:
    Long Beach,In
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    15
    Good luck pal--Hope ya win big :beer:
     
  9. north east j

    north east j Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2011
    Messages:
    174
    Location:
    Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    I totally forgot about the speed limit flexibility in Montana. Thanks for the reminder!

    Alas, I believe that the tunes will be quieter than usual. I actually mix music with audiobooks (comedy live performances and biographies) and am bringing my ipod touch this time so I will be downloading podcasts as well. I like to listen to local talk radio to hear what different people are talking about as well...but not for long.
     
  10. MNVegasgal

    MNVegasgal Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2003
    Messages:
    416
    Location:
    Twin Cities, MN
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    40
    I cannot imagine that drive.. You are a SAINT!
     
  11. Reed

    Reed High-Roller

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2008
    Messages:
    580
    Location:
    IL
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    13
    Wow, that is a long haul. Good luck!
     
  12. ButterflyMtn

    ButterflyMtn High-Roller

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2012
    Messages:
    674
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    16
    I'm not much if a road tripper so hats off to you making a long trip like that! Safe travels!
     
  13. VegasDiva

    VegasDiva VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2009
    Messages:
    3,104
    Location:
    Calgary , Alberta , Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    16
    I'm originally from Lethbridge, Alberta and back in June 1973 ...we did a family trip down to Disneyland by car...... Dad drove to Brigham City, Utah the first day , and we hit Vegas , by 2pm the next ......that was my first trip to Vegas...one night :)

    The drive wasn't bad altho it was in a 1964 Pontiac Strato Chief , with armstrong steering and no air conditioning was HOT in the desert

    I'm sure the highways have improved muchly since then lol
     
  14. unomas

    unomas High-Roller

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2009
    Messages:
    800
    Location:
    South Jersey
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    The things we do to get to Vegas! Enjoy your time!
     
  15. cloudi63

    cloudi63 MIA

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2012
    Messages:
    294
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    50
    I hope you have an awesome time! Most of all have a very safe drive!
     
  16. north east j

    north east j Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2011
    Messages:
    174
    Location:
    Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    Thanks everyone! Leaving here in 6 hours - should be able to post something tomorrow night when I get to Vegas - have no place to stay for Monday night - am going to expedia/total rewards it when I get to Salt Lake City to make sure I don't book and not get there!
     
  17. Bruinfan1

    Bruinfan1 Tourist

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2012
    Messages:
    144
    Location:
    Alberta, Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    15
    Couple of comments about "the drive" for those who have never tried it:

    1. With the exception of the bathroom, it's really not much different from an overseas flight. Plus, you can pack as much food as you want - I've had the back seat alternately with a 6-pack softside cooler, a full-size hardsided cooler, or a plug-in fridge. (Buddy needed his chocolate milk apparently.) Flight: 1 hour to airport, 2 hours at airport, 7-8-more hours in the air, 1 hour through Customs, an hour to get to your destination. Total: 12-13 hours. Drive from Lethbridge to Las Vegas: 1175 miles, 14.5 hours plus whatever brief fuel stops you choose.

    2. If you've never driven for hours on an empty freeway, your favourite audiobook/show/tunes keeping you entertained, there is absolutely zero stress in driving. Different in winter, but summer is easy. And all daylight driving this time of year.

    Dumb story - one on ultra-long-haul to Vegas, my friend introduced me to the World's Worst Symphony on a comedy CD. I was laughing so hard I didn't see the Michigan cop come across the median and follow me down the highway...you can guess the rest. :wink2:
     
  18. north east j

    north east j Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2011
    Messages:
    174
    Location:
    Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    Hi everyone! We are here and checked in at Encore...

    a few things - drive was long. new vehicle made it better.

    Golfed Angel Park today - $21 on golfnow. nice. Played the mountain course. Nice track - would recommend. But there is no actual mountain on the course just the view.

    You know its hot when the locals keep saying ''man is it hot'!

    $20 dollar trick FAIL at Encore - got exact room on reservation. $20 less for gambling...

    Will update tomorrow morning - the resort fee includes wifi so I have access!
     
  19. veovis23

    veovis23 Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2012
    Messages:
    264
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    3
    A couple of things:

    -I live in FL so it would be a similar drive, maybe a touch longer for me. Either my mother or I would be dead by Texas if we attempted this, less time on the road if it were my mother in law (she can't stand anyone doing more than 3-5 mph over).

    -For a good daily NLH tourney I would give PH a try. They have a $65 buy in that apparently has a good structure (didn't get a chance to play in on my trip but a couple of friends recommended it to me). $2k guaranteed prize pool with $1k to the winner.
     
  20. north east j

    north east j Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2011
    Messages:
    174
    Location:
    Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    Might try that! At Starbucks at fashion show mall. Wife and I met songs friends at mirage last night. Funny text from her was 'we'll meet you at the front of the casino' . Hahaha. We asked for a more specific place than that.

    Encore beds are super comfy. Room was cooking hot so wife and I were up at 5am. Tons of runners out on the strip at 6am. Wish I could join them! But I am out of shape...well, round is a shape. Brought rollerblading to skate the strip tomorrow am.

    Gambling has been a snooze and lose fest. Primarily penny slots and don't think I have won more than 10 bucks with hits. Maybe I will do better today by not gambling!

    Encores super 8 contest is up to 11 k today. Winner wasn't present at draw yesterday! That would be sweet....

    Took pics of the strip waking up this morning. Will post later!
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.