Visitreno

Mammothgambler · Joined: 25 Dec 2005 Posts: 619

What's up everyone,

Well, the time has finally come...tomorrow, I am finally hitting the road for Mammoth!

Good news so far, you know how the U-Haul trailers all have those advertisements on the sides of them with pictures of various cities? Well, guess which one I got stuck with?

RENO!

This could only be a good sign hopefully. That and the fact that I'm finally moving up in the world, I got my first official PAPER MAILER offer from the Pep a few days ago. Still nothing free, but better than nothing!

I was so incredibly happy to be done with my job on Wednesday. The ungrateful idiots decided to deny me my 2 weeks vacation pay and final bonus money. I guess that's the price you pay when they have to hire TWO people to replace you...oh well, on to bigger and better things...once I get out there, one more trip to the Pep and who needs money? Hahaha.

I'm buying a laptop on my way out of town tomorrow so I'll keep in touch while on the road. Maybe I'll do a little mini-trip report if I find any casinos on the way out there, this is going to be an adventure for sure!

Meanwhile I have asked John to get his feathered assistants to permanently switch my screen name to "Mammothgambler."

Hope everyone is doing well!

florida (oops I mean the hell with Florida!) gambler

Dave · Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 212

Let the adventure begin. Goodluck and have a safe trip. What a neat experience! The mountains and Casinos are calling!
Dave Very Happy

jerry · Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 759

I am happy for you with the move. Drive safely. I wish I was on the way to Reno myself.
I am 6 hours away by road but don't have the right vehicle to drive it this time of year.

Good luck in the new job/location/life.

garyandsharon · Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 75

Hey Mammoth

A new year and a new life. Happy Trails!

Best to you!
Gary and Sharon

ErininSD · Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 265

Have a great trip MG and kudos to you for following your dream!

alison · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 1152

Mammoth,
have a safe journey back to Reno. Sorry about getting screwed with your paid leave. Bastards!! Oh well, screw em!

Ali

Mammothgambler · Joined: 25 Dec 2005 Posts: 619

Hey thanks everyone...right now I'm in San Antonio, Texas...so far so good...drove like 900 miles yesterday. My German Shepherd is tripping out on all the scenery, I still don't think she know's what's going on...

Well, here's a little trip report: going along I-10 day before yesterday, I came across the Reno/Tahoe/Vegas of the south - Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi. I had always heard about it and seen ads so decided to check it out...well, no luck, $300 down BUT the area is laid out awesome. Harrahs, Imperial Palace, Boomtown, Hard Rock and the Beau Rivage (another MGM property I think) all laid out in a row on the waterfront. Kind of reminded me of Atlantic City without the boardwalk.

I was wondering if they were all Indian-style casinos but apparently not, everything was legit, real reels! Lost my a$$ playing the Monopoly Once Around. Also found a 25 cent model Pinball, didn't know they existed in that denomination, but still no luck!

There also appear to be a whole bunch of little casinos scattered throughout Louisiana but they looked shady...little hole in the wall places that were behind gas stations and stuff. Through this area, it appeared that even the truckstops had 'em.

Well, that's about it for now...first thing in the AM I am turning north to snowboard in Colorado, then it's through Vegas and off to San Diego and Orange County from there to surf up the coast before heading inland to Mammoth.

Hey, Erin - is Harrah's Rincon worth checking out? I think I recall you mentioning it in the past but couldn't remember.

Talk to you all soon
Mammothgambler

(PS - the Red Roof Inn now has free WiFi nationwide!)

RenoLady · Joined: 23 Feb 2006 Posts: 316

congratulations and safe driving!

By the way, I don't know how Florida's labor laws are, but "sic"-ing the labor board on them might be a way to go. Here in Cali, they're tough on employers who try to screw employees our of their last pay. The main catch here is, you can't be an independant contractor, not sure if that was your status there or not. Sometimes you can do these things via internet or mail. The employers usually cough it up when they see the hearing notice.

Just a thought....

Bama · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 89

Your right they are not Indian casinos. They are a loophole of the riverboat gambling. If you noticed all the casinos with reals slots/table games etc on the water somehow. Some right on the water some on the backwater. When you are inside if you pay close attention you can see where the gaming starts and it is all over the water ( as parts of the casino are not )

Glad to see those casinos are back - most were completey destroyed by Katrina as it is a nice play to visit - especially in the spring as you get warm weather also.

remano · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 717

Bama · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 89

Makes sense - thanks Remano.

My father retired there from Alabama and is a "full time texas hold em player" I really enjoy visiting - those casinos are fun.

ErininSD · Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 265

Mammothgambler · Joined: 25 Dec 2005 Posts: 619

Hey thanks everybody! Made it to Colorado earlier today and just got done riding at Keystone...waist deep powder in the back bowls!

Renolady, thanks for the advice...a couple of my friends got so ticked off when they heard about the ordeal (more ticked off than I was actually!) and called the FL dept. of labor! Apparently, there's a rule where if an employee leaves right before vacation (in this case it was only 3 measly days!), it's basically up to the owner...they treat it more like a "fringe benefit" and of course these guys are always taking the cheap way out! Maybe they'll come around, but I doubt it...it was good just being able to get out of there!

Bama & Remano, thanks for the info about the Miss. casinos...I thought I had seen some pictures of the area years back and swore they were riverboats or at least part land/part water. Then came Katrina as we all know...we had just gotten through with our 5-direct-hits-in-a-row hurricane spell in Florida (STILL waiting on my insurance settlement on that...last I heard they were still taking care of all the Katrina victims first!) That's very unique about the 800-foot-from-water rule. I guess everybody has their own thing, I know that where I just left in Florida, the only gambling that could be done was 3 miles off the shoreline where "international waters" officially began! I also noticed once that the Harrahs in Lake Tahoe has a very tiny sliver of the poker room that is on the California side, so gaming can't go on in that one corner! There used to be a sign saying so...

Erin, thanks for the info, I'm not sure which way I'm coming in yet. I was wondering if Rincon was like Cherokee (North Carolina) which is horrible! I think I may pass over them, depends on how I do in Vegas...I lost my ass so bad that last Vegas trip I'm almost scared to go back! And lost enough in Miss too. So waiting to hit Reno might be the call.

Talk to you all soon
Mammothgambler

john · Site Admin Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 1181

I'm getting pretty excited for you, MG - but not as excited as you are. It's like a dream come true. I felt the same way when I moved up here 26 years ago. Maybe we can get together again after you settle in.

I'm going to meet Jerry at the Pep this afternoon. That's always a fun treat. We'll have to cause some real havoc so he can have something fun to talk about in his trip report.

ErininSD · Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 265

Hey MG, I'm really enjoying your trip report. It sounds like you're having a great time!

If you're going to Vegas, you shouldn't waste your time coming here for the gambling, IMO (unless you were planning on coming to San Diego anyway).

Where are you staying in Vegas?