Sept Treasure Island, Green Valley, Ranch Score!

I was working Thursday morning and texed my wife about 1100am and said I was down in the dumps due to the rain. I also joked that we should go to Vegas for the weekend. Just kidding of course.

Got a text back saying "let's go". Thought at first she was kidding but no she wanted to go. Well that was all I needed and I got online and found a 1 way trip to Vegas via Alaska Air for 10k miles each. Then found a one way ticket for $236ea for the trip down from Seattle and booked that. Flight was for 900pm just about 8 hrs away. Then booked an intermediate size rental car via Alamo. Got on the phone and booked the TI for 3 nights via a comp.

Wife came home started packing and then surprised me again with first class upgrade for $50. Now we are rolling.

Flight into Vegas was fine and I treated myself to the internet via my Iphone for eight bucks. Wife had 3 gin and tonics so I became the designated driver.

Got to Alamo along with my $20 tip to the lot guy to upgrade to an SUV but wait, there are only SUV's or Mini Vans in the lot. I stuff my $20 back in my pocket and the guy tells me to take an SUV which I did. Score!

Got to the TI and asked for the 31st floor South Strip view which is the 1st stop on that elevator bank. Got the room without the $20 sandwich. Another score!

By now it is midnight and we are both tired as we started work that day at 600am. Usually when I arrive it's right to the $1 9/6 JOB video poker machines but if I play when I am tired I usually do poorly but the machines were calling..... Ended up laying down for a "quick nap" instead which lasted all night. Woke up refreshed and glad I didn't play. I then went and hit the machines for a while for a break even session.

Wife woke up came down and wanted to get her nails redone. Last trip I found a place just down the street called LV Salon/Las Vegas Nails 3049 S Las Vegas Blvd. figured I could score major points by taking her there so I did. She got her nails and also a pedicure done so she was happy.

During the nail project I went to the bank and pulled out our bankroll. We started with $1,500 each for the trip. We usually cash out any free play we get and use that as expense money. This time we had about $75 of that which we ran through and cashed out.

Played most of the day on the $1 9/6 JOB but no joy. At dinner I was down about $400 and the wife was almost even.

Ended up going to the M Resort for a Steak Dinner at Anthony's Steakhouse and Seafood Bar along with my local contractor whom I want to keep happy. My Ribeye Steak was outstanding as were the cheese stuffed Tater Tots (I know but they were done "tastefully"). Also my wife had an Austrialian Lobster Tail cooked perfectly. You also can order from the Seafood Bar which is top notch. The pan fry from the Seafood bar is excellent too. The food is on par with any Steakhouse on the Strip and the view is excellent.

Played a little .25 and $1 8/5 Aces Bonus Poker at the M with some free play and actually came out ahead about $100 so was happy.

Then went over to Green Valley Ranch and I played $1 9/6 JOB and lost about $900 and was down to my last $100 or so. I then changed to $1 DDBonus and hit a couple of full houses and then hit 4 dueces with a kicker for $800 when I was done I had $1,125 which was just slightly more than I came with. My wife was playing some kind of 5 play .25cent Bonus poker 7/5 I think which had a spinning wheel with free credits up to 2000 credits which is $500. She didn't get that but did draw 4 to a Royal on the main screen and then got a Royal on one of the other screens for $1000 so she cashed out ahead and we went back home to the TI.

The next morning we went down to the pool but the weather was overcast and not very inviting so back to the $1 9/6 JOB along with a cup of Starbucks.

Played pretty much even and wife wanted to go to Mandalay Bay to get some cosmetics at the Shops so I took her over there. We planned to eat at one of our favorites the Raffles Cafe but they close at 230pm now and we were there just after that. Wife then went and got her stuff at the shops upstairs. We then went to Hussangs Mexican restaurant where we have eaten before. They have a Mariachi Band that plays on the weekend nights that is hilarious. They play Lady GaGa, Journey, Johnny Cash all tongue in cheek. They were not playing though when we had lunch. I ordered the Tortilla soup and my wife ordered some kind of Encilada. The waiter asked us if we wanted cheese sauce and guacamole with our chips and we said yes. Meal was great but when we got the bill it was $3 extra for the cheese sauce and $9 for the guacamole. Guess we should have asked first... But it was good guacamole. I would order the cheese sauce again but not the $9 guacamole!

Got back in the SUV and headed back to the good old TI.

This was going to be our last night in town as we were to leave at 700am back to Seattle. Well I ended up having another rough session and was down to my last $100 again playing the $1 9/6 JOB. Decided that maybe I should try another "Hail Mary" and go to the $1 9/6 DDbonus. That game is extremely volatile and I normally don't play it. Well played a bit and then got 3 aces and held them. Hit spin and got the 4th Ace to bring me $800! Now I was back in the game.

I kept complaining to my wife that I hadn't had even one 4 to a Royal holds which is a 1 in 47 chance to getting the Royal. My wife went away to play some slots for fun as I wasn't too cheerful.
Well, finally got the 4 to a Royal in Diamonds at the $1 9/6 JOB and needed a Queen of Diamonds to fill it in. Hesitated for a moment and then hit the draw button and the lovely Queen of Diamonds came up and locked the screen. Jackpot $4,000 it said. Called my wife and got paid in 40 $100 bills. Tipped the slot girl $20 and quit for the night.
Royal.jpg


Went upstairs and put the money in the safe and went and bought a fruit based Pina Colada out by the Pirate Show. I love Pina Coladas but only buy the Island Oasis brand aka Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville which is available only in a few places.

Headed home without incident the next morning and already have another trip to Mandalay Bay scheduled for Sept 26th. I also will be staying one night at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas for a Surfing competition.

 

A quick in and out with a Royal finish!!

 

Sweet ! Uh Surfing Contest in Nevada??

 

Packrat1: Your inspiration to hit Vegas was brilliant. DDB saved you with a couple of nice hits, then a royal to round things out very nicely. Congrats on a winning trip. You'll be back there before the leaves are off the trees.

 

Wakesurf

Should be kind of a big deal for a couple of days anyway. It's a lot of fun. They will have 2, 24ft boats with 3K worth of water in the boat weighing them down so they list significantly to one side. http://www.wakesurfchampionships.com/

 

Yes looking forward to the next trip. Seems like every time I am on the plane going back to Seattle I am trying to figure out how to get back to Vegas. We have two rental homes in Seven Hills Henderson but they are always rented so we never get to stay there. Plan to retire in 3 yrs and then will have a place to call my own in Vegas. At least that is the plan.....

 

Thanks for sharing the report, sounds like it was a blast. I like the spontaneity of the adventure!!! Great hit to end the trip up. I too am in the PNW and always enjoy a trip to LV, especially now that the weather is starting to turn. I have about 2 1/2 weeks before I go again so your TR helps tide me over.........

Tony

 

An 8 hour spontanious trip is pretty awesome! I thought it was pretty cool to book my 3 week spontanious trip.

I have never heard of this, looks like a simplier/easier way to wakeboard.

 

With regards to spontaneity, I have two Vegas trips that were equally spontaneous at least in my mind. First when we bought a home in Seven Hills Henderson, NV we had to fly down to sign the papers and review the title insurance. We flew down to Vegas from Seattle in the early afternoon and flew back that evening. Didn't get to play at all.

One other time when I had a lot of air miles due to my wife flying for work I got online at noon and booked a flight for us at 530pm that night.

We went to the airport and got bumped to a later flight and got 2 free round trip tickets back when they were giving those out.

My best score was on a return flight from Vegas to Seattle. It was a Sunday return flight which was overbooked so I got a free R/T. I stayed in Vegas that night and got a comped room from a friend. It was Casino Royale before the remodel so it was a bit sketchy. The next morning they were still overbooked and I got another free round trip and took a later flight that day.

All of those overbookings though seem to have dried up. We always check at the baggage but haven't gotten a free trip for about 2 years now.