Vegas, Baby!
I have just returned from a long weekend in Vegas. It rocked. Just what I needed. The getaway got me recharged, relaxed, and refocused on a few things.
First of all, let me say that vacations are a good thing. One should periodically vacate the mundane and branch out into the novel. Recreation allows one to re-create oneself. This is important. This is growth.
Having said that, I drove out to Vegas on a whim on Friday night. Gas is cheaper than it has been in a long time, so for less than $30 I could get there and back again. The cheap-ass in me loves that. Also, this weekend between the Superbowl and Valentine's Day had hotel rates at rock bottom prices. How could I say no? So I drove out, and was met with a lovely rainbow along the highway when I got out past La Verne. This would be a good trip.
Indeed it was. My first night out, I already had eaten well, drank for free, and was $5 ahead of the game. Yes.
Date Night, USA
By Saturday, I had been introduced to one of the KUMA-LV-affiliated locals, Rickey. He knows Free and we hit it off and spent much of the rest of the weekend together. We had lunch and cocktails at the FreeZone on Saturday - a great place where the soda is more expensive than the booze. Later it turns into quite a dance club. We also went off to a new gay bar in town called the Fun Hog Ranch. How can you not have fun in a place like that? So I met some of Rickey's friends - a fun leather guy called Greg and another interesting fellow called Mikita - yes, a drag queen of some local celebrity. Good times.
Non Star Tours
Sunday was a clear day, so I took off to the strip - so much has changed. Old hotels gone, new hotels in their place. And some strange coffee houses, as well. I didn't go in, but I was tempted. I mean coffee is good, so can you imagine?!? Can you??? I walked most of the way down the strip until my tired legs gave out, and I took the Las Vegas Monorail back to my hotel. It was kinda cool to be riding something so sci-fi in the real world.
And then back to my hotel and more gambling. I was doing pretty well, down only $20 after two days of gaming. I was determined to get it back, and was doing well, too. Until some jerkwad stood on an 8, yes, he had eight and he didn't take a card. Because of that, the dealer had 21, and the deck was screwed up for the rest of the deal. I was now down a total of $60. Bastard. I was going to go to a drag show at the Gipsy on Sunday night, but was feeling like I needed a bit of pampering to make up for the loss - so I stayed in Sunday night. Ahem.
The Cold Road Home
And then Monday I had to come home. I checked out around 10am and hit the highway. It was an amazing drive home. Sunny but cool when I left, then it got snowy. Awesome. I resisted the temptation to pull over on the highway and jump in the snow, so just took pictures while driving. And I have to report another bit of sad news. Bun Boy is no more. It's true. One of my favorite giggles on the road to Vegas has been replaced by a Bob's Big Boy, which, while admittedly funny-ish, is not the same as Bun Boy. And now I'm home, ready to wash the smell of cigarettes from my clothes and get ready for the week ahead.
