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More antics in this crazy place…

 
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Mammothgambler



Joined: 25 Dec 2005
Posts: 619

PostPosted: Aug Thu 30, 2012 7:42 pm    Post subject: More antics in this crazy place… Reply with quote

Hi, hope everybody is doing well! Unfortunately, there hasn't been a single Blazing 7s hit since last Friday morning, so wanted to share some other adventures we've experienced over the past week in this crazy place we're now calling home.

Here's a bunch of random hits I got in those couple of days after my last trip report, along with a couple of evening shots of downtown mixed in. Lady Luck, please come back! Stop hiding. Where'd you go this week? haha



























































Just so everyone knows: Harrah's Reno (and it seems like ONLY Harrah's Reno) has a rule where you can't stay on a single comp offer for more than three nights, even if you have a coupon or offer that tells you different, without having to check out and follow a 3 day wait period. Last week, I was able to gang three offer codes together and stay for 8 nights, checking out twice, and I can usually get comps without an offer code. So, before they change their mind or the rooms become unavailable, I booked rooms yesterday in three day increments all the way up to the beginning of October. So that's a good 18 days of comped nights etched in stone for the upcoming month, just for being a member with no offer code needed, not including what's coming in, so definitely can't complain about that! Like I said, I don't need no stinkin' apartment!

Got a chance to try out the hot dog special at the Little Nugget. This was literally the best hot dog I've ever had, and the fries lasted a good two days! Those "Get Your Ass Kicked" T-shirts for sale inside are awesome, I'm snagging one next week for sure.



Not sure if I mentioned it in my previous TR, but although this is downtown and there's always going to be one or two, I was approached by a whopping 57 (that's right, FIFTY SEVEN!) panhandlers and homeless people within a 24 hour timeframe last Wednesday! After about a dozen, it really got old! The worst is when they don't let up…I was asked for 30 cents by a lady in the Eldorado that I had seen wandering around for days. I politely told her no, and at the same time, I hit a $385 bonus round on the Quick Hits. She simply stood there. I asked her if she needed something else, and she said she still needed 30 cents. When I explained I had already told her no, she said, "But you just hit a bonus round!" AAAARGGGHHHH!! I will say this: security within the casinos deserves to be commended. They're really good about keeping the areas safe. Ditto for the Reno Police Department's bike patrol. Surprisingly enough, many of them don't hesitate recommending carrying around a stun gun (believe me, the pawn shops are full of them), but I took a different, more humane approach: I designed an iron-on T-shirt design that pretty much says it all. What do you all think? I haven't been stopped nearly as much (or gotten my ass kicked, for that matter!)



Saw an awesome guitar/ukulele combo in the pawn shop window across the street. Not a bad idea to set up a little side show under the arch if things suddenly go bad!



Had what had to be the best lunch buffet at Flavors at the Silver Legacy. I could really get used to this: prime rib for an appetizer, pizza for lunch, and baked beans and a slab of bacon for dessert!



I'm sure some of you already heard, but right at around 5:30-6 am on Friday morning, the most unusual occurrence happened. I had just gotten through walking Tessa directly on Virginia Street, and we re-entered the casino through the covered Plaza entrance's revolving door. About ten minutes later, I'm back up in our room, and saw the news flash:



"A mountain lion has just been spotted under the Plaza stage at Harrah's Reno. It tried to enter the casino through the revolving door, and once it couldn't negotiate it, made its way under the stage. Wildlife officials are tranquilizing and trapping the animal right now. He's about the size of a German Shepherd and a half."

Go figure, my German Shepherd had just been out there - not even ten minutes beforehand. It's a good thing SHE didn't wind up IN HALF!

I raced back downstairs to check out the scene…fire trucks, cops, wildlife people, and news crews were out. Puddles of water everywhere in the Plaza, as they had to take a fire hose to the mountain lion before tranquilizing him. Close one for sure!





Friday began my breather away from downtown, but only for 4 nights. Comps were completely blacked out on Friday and Saturday, so Tessa and I went over to the Motel 6 on South Wells Avenue across from the Livestock center. Got an unreal online rate which turned out to be cheaper than even the cruddiest motor lodges on the north end of casino corridor, and after I figured out how to get across Wells Avenue without winding up swimming in the Truckee, we were there. Pretty quiet part of town, and only about 3/4 of a mile to the Circus Circus. Looks like this is probably going to be one of our stopoffs during those blackout days. Only thing to make note of is that the 24 hour Denny's next door seemed to have really bad, disorganized service on both my visits - management seemed animate about making their employees clock out on time without even a minute to spare, and I had to talk to 4 different people to get a to-go order placed. On the second visit, the cashier literally ran out of the restaurant and chased me down in the street to inform me that she accidentally forgot to charge my debit card, and I had to go back inside. OK, that Denny's might be off the list for a while, but it's the only place to eat on the block…

Beforehand, I had my first Basque experience at Louis Basque Corner. They put on quite a spread for sure.



After my checkout on Sunday, it was back off to the Grand Sierra Resort. I stopped into a McDonald's along the way, where there was no place to tie Tessa up, so I once again pulled the "she's a service animal" line and brought her inside. Next thing you know, she's chomping on a free Big Mac. Why didn't I think of this years ago? haha!

Upon arrival and check-in, I was notified that I had just been upgraded a tier and am now a Platinum member. I've mentioned it before, but the GSR has to be the leader of all Reno's casinos for tier upgrades and comps - this is the third upgrade I've had since March, and yes, I still haven't even given them $700 of my own money. No complaints here!



Four of my friends from Mammoth arrived just a couple of hours after I did, and we had a blast. Got a free ticket to the Cirque 84 show, which was pretty interesting. The only hit during that two day visit was a $300 triple reds hit on the Blazing 7s, which got played back gradually.



7 am on Tuesday morning, and me and 2 of my friends exchanged phone calls (and a few wall punches too!), unfortunately realizing that we were all once again in the same boat: The California EDD (the unemployment people) ONCE AGAIN had a goof-up in their system, and nobody's much-needed insurance payments posted on time. In the end, they were a full two days late this week, but I still had to pay my pet fee at the GSR and come up with some cash for a room deposit on our return to Harrah's. For the second time this summer, those nickel Double Jackpots pulled through for me - got a few double hits and about $75 in cash after all was said and done. I'm getting tired of living this way - it's the "Monday Night Heart Attack," we call it - waiting on the EDD to do their thing, hoping and praying they won't goof it up. Hopefully soon I'll be back in the workforce full-time and won't have to deal with them anymore.

Back at Harrah's on Tuesday, and we're checking out tomorrow. Fortunately, much fewer "little yipper dogs" on the dog floor this visit, so it's much quieter.

This morning, we were approached by a panhandler asking if we had any crack or weed, to which we obviously said no. However, something unexpected happened: He pulled this lucky wishing stone out of his pocket, said he was passing it along to me because the world was going to end today, wished us good fortune, and went about his way. I guess I'm going to start saying my prayers at about 11:45 pm tonight. Classic!



Looks like the rib cook-off at the Nugget might be the call this weekend; haven't really heard about much else going on.

Damn, I love this place!

Mammothgambler
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JD



Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 956

PostPosted: Aug Fri 31, 2012 1:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So THAT'S what they mean when they say, "Got any rock?"

Did Tessa alert on:

1. The Mountain Lion?
2. The Hot Dog?
3. The pizza leftovers?
4. The panhandlers?
5. Louis Basque scraps?

Take that Platinum GSR card with you when you go to Siena & show that to the slot club host....might be good for a double diamond card.
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LilyJDragonfly



Joined: 03 Mar 2009
Posts: 425

PostPosted: Aug Fri 31, 2012 5:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am simply jealous of your ongoing Reno adventure....

Can you transfer your EDD stuff to Nevada, being as how you moved there to find employment??? My little brother moved from Idaho down to FLA and I think he managed to get FLA benefits when he moved...
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Mammothgambler



Joined: 25 Dec 2005
Posts: 619

PostPosted: Aug Fri 31, 2012 6:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks everyone! JD, yes, Tessa stays pretty alerted on everything, and she's getting quite mad because I haven't brought her a single doggy bag from the buffet yet. Dogs know these things! I'm dying to check out that Siena promotion, I saw another offer on their outside signage, something on the order of "The First $200's on Us" if you sign up for the club, so I'm on that for sure. Regarding that point transfer program, let's say I go over there with my GSR and/or Pep card. Will the points/tier level at those two places stay the same? I guess more importantly, do those other casinos have some way of finding out about the point transfer?

Lily - yes, I can get the EDD transferred without a problem, but, similar to how I'm handling my casino accounts, I'm not letting EDD know I moved just yet! I did find out that the benefits are bit better in CA, and transferring it to NV is not only going to reduce the number of benefit weeks, but possible monetary amounts as well - in addition to taking lots of extra time as it will involve completely re-filing in NV. I've actually got two more pay periods before my original claim period expires, at which time I'll be notified about the extensions. Although Obama made those messed up rules, it shouldn't be a problem, but it's a situation where I won't be notified until a couple of days before it happens, where the extension is automatically filed for you off of your original claim. It's so messed up how it works. Another factor is that I can't get a PO Box set up here - not even at the third party places - until I have a permanent address within town AND a utility bill or lease to show them, so for the moment, I'm getting all my mail forwarded to my parents' house in North Carolina and they're shipping it to me as needed. Staying incog for sure, and hoping something will work out soon on the full-time end. At this point, I'm almost tempted to jump back into the kitchen - I was in the restaurant biz for almost 18 years before I turned into the computer geek!

Mammothgambler
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Zydeco



Joined: 03 Sep 2008
Posts: 302

PostPosted: Aug Fri 31, 2012 2:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Loving the photos, keep 'em coming!
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LilyJDragonfly



Joined: 03 Mar 2009
Posts: 425

PostPosted: Sep Sat 01, 2012 7:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Regarding mail - during my trip down to Las Vegas, I went into the downtown LV post office to pick up stamps and noted that they still have general delivery! You know:
Mammonth Gambler
General Delivery
Las Vegas, NV xxxxx

There was a notation that you could only pick up your general delivery mail between 11am and 1:30pm at the third window or something....
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john
Site Admin


Joined: 17 Dec 2005
Posts: 1181

PostPosted: Sep Sun 02, 2012 5:26 am    Post subject: Another idea Reply with quote

General delivery could work...or you could use my address until you find a landing spot.
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