Going back soon - I must really be nuts! (A semi Dec/Feb TR)

For reasons thoroughly beyond my comprehension, I'll be going back to Vegas in less than 2 weeks! (I was last there February 13.) Actually, it's Ms Gecko's fault, since she uses her 1 or 2 day business trips to San Diego as excuses to visit Vegas. (Or is that the other way around? Believe it or not, r/t air between Atlanta and Vegas, including a cheapie puddle jumper between LAS and SAN on Southwest, costs less than r/t between ATL and SAN. So, her Vegas detours are actually cost savings for her company! What a gal! The poor Turtleman, however, usually has to provide his own ticket.)

Without going into too many details, it was another fun trip, although not quite as good as December's trip where, among other things, we attended a wine and cheese party one evening in the Romance Lounge (top of the Stratosphere ), went dancing at Red Rock Casino (the Turtleman hates dancing as much as Ms Gecko loves it), shot craps on two occasions at Casino Royale (winning both times), and had the usual great time and meal at Ellis Island. On this month's trip, we returned to Red Rock and I surprised Ms Gecko with an early (Feb. 9) Valentine's Day present of tickets to Phantom. Great show! The rest of the trip was all gambling, eating, and drinking. All meals (with the exception of EI) were comped, and we came home with more money than when we started.

As with that trip and subject to change, we have reservations next month at MSS, Sam's Town, and the Fremont. (Or rather, I'll be at the Fremont alone (again) after Ms Gecko departs for SAN.) As is often the case, I'll try to meet up with her at McCarran a couple days later for the dreaded redeye return flight. I wrote "try," since we never quite connected last week; bad things happened on the last day. Up until reunion time, I had made almost enough to brag about, but that last day proved to be my undoing. It started out as "one of those days" where I couldn't win no matter what; and being "homeless" after 1 pm, I wasn't able to retreat to the room. Therefore, I kept playing and ended up giving back half my gains. Don't you just hate when that happens! (I played only BJ, although I had intended to play mostly craps, but that's another story.)

(Actually, ALL Boyd properties and most others are booked solid for my last night (March 11). Some big convention I've been told, so I'm currently booked at the Golden Gate of all places for way more than it's worth. (I've never even thought about staying there before, but can probably (?) survive anywhere for a single night.)

Things got worse on that last day. It seems that the wind picked up a "wee bit" and McCarran instituted a full ground stop. The grand and glorious plan was to meet back up with Ms Gecko around 7:45, have a nice (as nice as you can get at the airport) dinner, and try to survive until our scheduled 11:55 departure. But because of the strong winds in Vegas, Southwest kept playing the incremental delay game in San Diego, and poor Ms Gecko didn't know when or even if she was getting back to Vegas. For that matter, nobody in Vegas knew if their outgoing flights were going to take off either, especially if the plane had still to arrive. There were quite a few delays and cancellations, many diversions, and lots of anxious travelers and confused airport workers. My wonderful dinner consisted of a pack of peanut butter cheese crackers!

Anyway, after being jerked around for over 5 hours, Ms Gecko finally arrived in Vegas just as my flight was pulling back from the gate just several minutes later than scheduled. However, the "earlier" 10:55 pm flight had already had its departure delayed past my flight, so I thought she'd make that one for sure and that I'd only have to wait an extra hour in Atlanta for her to arrive. Nope. By the time she exited McCarran's C concourse and was able to wrangle a pass to get onto Delta's D concourse; she missed that flight too. Lucky Ms Gecko got to experience the joy of sitting in the airport until 6:30 the next morning! Meanwhile, she had the airport off-site parking stub with her.

Fortunately, the parking folks bought my story and allowed me to drive out without the ticket. Upon getting home around 8:30 and checking a week's worth of emails, the computer suddenly dropped dead. I replaced the power supply and got back on-line just in time to drive the 30 miles back to the airport to claim what was left of Ms Gecko around 1:30 that afternoon. If that wasn't enough fun, I then proceeded to come down with that nasty bug that's making the rounds. Yep, I had the whole thing – cold, soar throat, cough, temperature, zero energy, and total body aches. The good news is I don't get sick often, tend to recover quickly, almost back to whatever passes for normal, and have started back at the gym. At least the bug attacked AFTER I got back.

I can't really say I'm overly anxious to go back so soon, and it usually takes 2 or 3 weeks at the gym to counter buffet damage and get back to pre-Vegas condition. However, since Ms Gecko needs to make another trip to San Diego … Oh well, the main reason for going back so soon is the best one – because we can! We just hope it's not windy again.

 

Wind sucks. When they cancel flights for wind, you don't want to be landing in that crap. It's a white knuckler. I thought we were going to land on Sunset one time as the wind blew us what felt like was off the runway and clear out of the airport. The pilot gunned it and we took off again from just off the ground and we went around to do it again. The worst half hour of my life, it was so bumpy and people were scared and gasping at the jarring. One flight attendant said "this is as bad as it gets, I'm wondering why they just don't send us to Phoenix?". That's what I got for asking.

Obviously, we made it. Next time, if it's like that. I hope they cancel my flight. Having said that,
I'm a vegasholic so under few circumstances would I feel that way.

I enjoy your trip reports and am looking forward to your next one! I love Red Rock!

 

sympathy

Turtleman,You have my deepest sympathy for having to go back to Vegas so soon.... God Bless peanut butter cheese crackers...

 

I was on a plane to Vegas that windy night. They closed LAS and our plane had to land in El Paso (yuk). At 9pm everything in El Paso airport is closed, and we were stuck there for 5 hours! Finally made it to LV at 2am.

After all that craziness and losing my bankroll over 6 days, I'm still ready to go back... right now!

 

Grounding the planes is not a bad thing when the wind blows. We flew into Vegas a few years ago and hit a wind shear. We fish tailed down the runway and it was very scary. If could have been alot worse. All in all it sounds like you had a great time. I feel real bad for you to have to go back again.

 

Thanks for everyone's sympathies; it's a dirty job, but someone has to do it! Yeah, I know the wind and whatever can't be controlled, but it can sure wreck havoc. It's just part of the game!

Wow! Whatever the heavy equipment convention is all about has really driven prices up and availability down starting on my last night – March 11th. I now have an overlapping reservation at the Cal. Just wondering – has anyone actually stayed at the Golden Gate? For some strange reason, I think I'd feel more comfy at the Cal for a little mo money; and hopefully, I'll be able to get it comped instead of paying the casino rate.

 

We were there the night the winds blew into Vegas and they had a ground stop, however we flew the next day. Oh how we were hoping that we would be cancelled and could stay another night!!!!!

 

Turtleman,
After reading your TR, I'm definitely looking forward to hooking up with you for a buffet circuit. I could relate to everything you had to say.
I know how fiscally-dangerous it can be to not have a room and be dependent on the casinos for "shelter".

One suggestion - always leave the parking stub in the car.

 

So its the heavy equipment conference huh? Wondered why several places were booked on the 11th. We will be in Vegas March 9-12th. Right now we have overlapping rooms at TI and Sunset because they were free. :banana: I can't get TI for all 3 nights but could do 2 with 2 free buffets and $150 in free play so decided to take it and finish out the stay at Sunset.

 

Chef: Yes, you can bet the parking stub will be left in the car from now on. And despite hating redeye flights and Ms Gecko's desire to "do" Vegas on the tail end of her business trips, next week's trip is almost a carbon copy of the last one – just a little shorter. I'll also be alone and homeless again after checking out on the last day. It just sometimes works out that way.

CHECK YOUR PM

 

Several years ago we landed in heavy winds at McCarren--I've flown a lot, but I never heard a jet make sounds like that one did. I still have my wife's fingernail impressions on my forearm, and I can still taste the airport carpet from kissing the ground with numerous other passengers when we got off. I do remember seeing the strip to my left on the way down and wondering if that was going to be that last thing I see.....whatta way to go though.....

 

Great TR Turtleman...and I for one will not join in on this sarcasm game....I soooo dislike you for going back so soon :Þ

 

angel81chick: Hey, there's no reason to hate me with only 31 days 'til your next trip. Save the hate for when you have over 90 days to go! At the rate my addiction is heading, I could be back there again before you.

 

LOL Turtleman...I miss my once-twice-three times a month to vegas...but oh well, I must stick to my self-imposed ban!

You are right...I will hate when I come back from MMV and have to wait until July to go back again

 

ummm Angel....when did you start sticking to the ban on Vegas ...I must have missed something....

 

Sunni...remember, at the beginning of this year...only 2 or 3 trips for 2008 :evillaugh