Highway To Heaven... Henderson... Laughlin? North Las Vegas??? 6/12-6/25

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Well after being absent from the Las Vegas since the summer of 2019 I make my return to Las Vegas. COVID and family commitments have kept me away. I'm finally making my return to my "Highway To Heaven". Why Highway To Heaven? I will be renting a car and intend to visit all reaches the valley and to the outer reaches of Clark County, yes including Laughlin.

I'm starting this early as I have a little downtime at work. Hoping it can be moved to Vegas Trip reports on Sunday the 12th. I plan on doing a live trip report as I'm riding solo and I tend not feel alone when sharing this with others. I use to post my trip reports on a poker forum but I don't play that much poker anymore and that sites Vegas forum is kind of dead. First week through Thursday will be working remotely and then off from Friday the 17th to my departure on Saturday 26th I'm on vacation. Originally had my wife coming to also work remotely Friday the 17th and Monday, Tuesday the following week. Had made several reservations for off strip restaurants (Main Street Provisions, Sparrow and Wolf, Esther's and bought tickets for Opium). She has since decided spending a long weekend working remotely several days with a hangover and 6AM start times in the middle of the summer in Vegas was a no go. She doesn't gamble but she gets my love of the desert and Vegas so I'm good to go solo. With her not making the trip I'll save my dollars for nicer restaurants with her back home in Houston or in Paris or Oxford, England which we are visiting at the end of the Summer.

What's on the itinerary.

- Binon's Apache Hotel 2 nights
- South Point 2 nights
- El Cortez Tower 3 nights
- Golden Gate Suite 3 nights
- Laughlin Riverside 2 nights
- Arizona Charlie's Decatur 2 nights

Yeah I'm a cheap bastard, AZ Charlie's is a comp and GG Suite is a partial comp. I'm hoping to possibly get some back end comps on some of these.

 

This will be me rolling into Vegas, rolling into to town to place a bet on me.



“What’s the odds on Nittyone?”

“Nittyone 20 to 1.”


“20-1 pal you’re the long shot.”



“I’d like to bet $3500 on me.”


“That’s what I call gambling.”

 

Gambling plans is to try to take advantage of some +EV or break even video poker plays around town and that’s before any back end comps or future mailers. Includes June promos at Binions and 4Q. SP June promos. Daily promos at places like Emarald Island in Hendtucky, sign up promo at Eureka etc.

Also will be coupon whoring to the extreme with my Las Vegas Advisor coupons, flight promos etc.

Live poker, lowest limits NL + will be trying dip my feet into limit Omaha 8 will all the cranky old timer locals. Might be too busy grinding VP though. Probably a few of the lowest limit craps sessions, maybe Downtown Grand, Jerry’s, Club Fortune.

 

Lastly I like to bet baseball. I bet primarily first 5 innings bets, sides and totals. I’m a dollar player, will usually 4-5 games a day at win $100. I’ve generally had good luck on these but I’m down about 9 units in the last month. Hopefully can turn it around in Vegas. I seem to be the guy that runs better after the all star break.

Todays lineup.

 

My gambling spirit animal.

 

Well in the coming week if you see a guy with a baseball cap and New Balance sneakers grinding VP at the Vue bar or in the book bitching about his blown under baseball bet and that guy looks like Micheal Landon and Victor French had a secret love child, come say hi.

 

Well you and I will both be Downtown during the middle of your trip; I’ll be on the lookout for Michael Landon, plus a beard and somewhat more burly, donning baseball cap and New Balance Best of luck for a fun and winning trip

 

Thanks you as well.

 

What a great itinerary! Starting the trip at Apache is hardcore. I need to stay there sometime, looks like a bit of the old West in the middle of a city. Enjoy your trip!

 

I’ve always wanted to stay there. I think the connivence of the place is unmatched, walk up stairs, I can probably get into the poker room at the GN before someone staying in the GN in a Carson room. Also price is one of the lowest, was recently remodeled/opened and in addition I get to use a 15% off LVA coupon that warms my nitty heart.

The crazy part is that I’ll be working from there remotely. Not much for a table there but it’s only 1.5 days of work. Do have 4 hours of conf calls Monday starting at 6AM. Luckily my bigger work day is at South Point which has a much better desk setup. If I knew my wife wasn’t coming would’ve swapped the suite days at GG with this reservation.

 

More baseball I hate betting for against the Yankees, they always let me down.

 

Don't expect much. Bring an extension cord and power strip and be ready to use your own phone's wifi. Those old hotel rooms are not set up for modern technology. I stayed there when it was the Horseshoe.

 

Yeah seems obvious but was hoping a newly opened hotel, even an old one would have acceptable wifi. Ok I might need to find an alternative option. I do have one somewhat important presentation at 9AM that I need decent wifi and a quiet spot.

 

It might have modern wifi, but IIRC the plugs were nowhere near where you would want them. But I don't think it's a business oriented hotel and I wouldn't really depend on them for business amenities. I remember the room being very small and very basic, like a motel 6. It might not even have had a desk. We stayed there probably in 1998 or so. I know that was a really long time ago, but the place has been famously financially troubled over the years so I would be surprised if they did much investment in upgrades that were more than superficial.

 

Thanks I'm going to look for alternatives, luckily I booked through them and should be able to cancel.

 

Make sure to roll a few games at the Riverside, after you’ve put in your bets on baseball, of course.

 

Binion’s is great to stay at when playing poker at Golden Nugget and when needing to make a quick restroom stop — much easier running up to the room.

The room location is my favorite because it’s so fast to the casino floor, and you can walk the back hall and pop out at Whiskey Licker Up while avoiding the casino completely.

But comfort isn’t the best. All wood floor where your shoes squeak. The small table and wooden chair isn’t comfortable. The small TV is perched high on the wall. The wifi is awful. The shower curtain hugs you like the ghosts on the third floor.

But it’s quiet and you get a big refrigerator!

 

We’ll it pains my Nitty heart but canceled the Apache room and booked at The Cal for my first two nights. Double whammy not only do I not get to use a 15% off coupon on a room that was less than half its price but I’m also not even going to attempt to play for a back end comp at Boyd these days.

 

More baseball in preparation of my visit.

 

More baseball bets in prep of my Nitty adventures.