Visitreno

[stan_allen]

So I can finally post a trip report. Talked Mrs. Allen into a spontaneous weekend getaway, booked two nights at the Atlantis, and took off from the Bay area right around 8 o'clock, arriving at the biggest little city a little after midnight.

A lot of work has been done on the "uphill" section of CA route 80 between Auburn and the summit, and now boasts, if not three lanes, at least a breakdown lane of sorts, such that one isn't quite so boxed in when passing trucks and whatnot. So this is a welcome upgrade.

Speaking of upgrades, we were given a "Bar suite" at the Atlantis, which was kind of cool, although, shockingly enough, guests are apparently expected to supply their own booze - the nerve! It looked good, though - marble-top bar, marble flooring, which extends throughout the foyer and into the bathroom. There's a second t.v. in the room, which hangs from the ceiling for easy viewing at "the bar", which also has its own sink, and such. One also gets a coffe maker, with two little coffee packs (replenished by housekeeping daily), which is interesting, considering the number of travelers to Nevada in general who are shocked - shocked! - to find that standard rooms don't have coffee makers! Again, the nerve! So in that sense, we lived as royalty for our little getaway. Oh, and I shouldn't overlook the nifty robes included in the room, which we forgot to don. Ah, well, next time awaits.

To avoid simply retreading old ground - which I love, but I had not only myself to think of - the mrs. and I took a little road trip to Carson City, which worked out quite well. I had driven through this burg the last time I was in the area - on business, unfortunately, so no time to even stop the car - and was determined to get a closer look. We arrived in the central downtown, where the capitol building is, and parked behind the Carson City Nugget.

Walked down the main drag, then went inside the Capitol building, which is open to tourists - a very bright spot indeed, in an age of declining government services. There's an exhibit on the second floor with lots of historical artifacts. If the term "Historical artifacts" starts you yawning, I quite understand, but it's hard not to feel some pride at seeing such a dignified building that's open to all, and at no charge - it's the kind of thing that stirs your sense of patriotism, even as your cynical side bemoans the sleaze that passes for modern politics.
Checked out some more local architecture, then headed back to the Nugget, and took a look inside.

As I suspected, the mellow-ness of the town is evident at the tables, where single-deck blackjack was abundant and cheap ($3). I don't think all the doubling and splitting rules were summarized on the little sign denoting the minimum bet, so I can't say that they were the best rules in the area, but having a table to oneself with $3 bets is good enough for me. Started with $15, walked away at $30 - the wife won three bucks at the machines, for a profit of eighteen dollars - if that sounds like utter low-roller action, it was, but at these levels, even a small bankroll can last a good while, so we were satisfied with our action.
Got back on the road, and headed out towards Virgina City, which is East on 50, then up to the minin' country on 341 North.

Those of you who read my posts without going to sleep may recall that a while back I acquired a record of a piano-and-percussion duet called the '49ers, who played at a place called the "Bucket of Blood Saloon" in Virginia City, NV. The record itself was a curiosity, and the venue was certainly noteworthy - with a name like that, who could resist?

So after a fascinating uphill climb through a series of once-mining communities, we arrived on the main drag of Virginia City, which is traditional city-square blocks, though it's pressed into the side of a steep mountain. The scenery is highly impressive by itself - one restaurant bills its perspective as a "100-mile view", and it's hard to dispute.

The town appears to have transformed itself into a tourist attraction, and I say, good for them - it's the kind of place which would simply have died off and returned to burnt sagebrush, but somehow avoided that by becoming a mini-carnival - it's not without a heavy kitsch factor, but it provides a fun atmosphere for both adults and children, which is no small consideration for those who would like to visit the area but have trouble justifying it as worthwhile for the whole family.

In any case, I was searching carefully, and lo and behold, it appeared: the "Bucket of Blood Saloon" was not only there, it was open for business, and seeming to do a good job of it, too. We stopped, and officially visited.
It's quite a historical spot; souvenirs of its past adorn the walls, and I was even able to find a copy of the very record I had discovered posted on the wall right near the change booth.

Thoroughly victorious, we emerged from the "Bucket of Blood Saloon", and strolled around for a little while. It's certainly a curious mix of gift shops, snack bars, bars, bars with slot machines, slot arcades, and a tiny casino or two - didn't see any table games, though.

There may be an actual hotel there, though I saw none, but I'd guess that most of the tourists were staying in Reno, and would still have to make their way back there at some point; it was nearing twilight by this point, though things were still quite lively.

I mention this because continuing on 341 to return to Reno is a spectacular but clearly risk-fraught drive - you're going down a substantial mountain, and the road does the ol' hairpin-turn deal - I don't think I've ever seen quite so many crosses and other such memorials by the side of the road, apparently in tribute to vehicular deaths that no doubt occurred after sundown, and quite probably involving a bit too much "fun" imbibed back in Virgina City.

Plus, the mrs. gets horribly car sick on such things, and the situation was deteriorating fast, but luckily, it doesn't go on for too long. Besides, the view on this mountain descent is incredible - the entire Reno area forms a giant panorama as you descend, further proving that after dark is the wrong time to do this.

Avoided serious carsickness, and made it back to South Virginia street. Stopped at the Raley's across the street from the Atlantis for some in-room supplies, then returned to the Atlantis for dinner. Had to wait a bit at the Oyster bar, but considering it was Saturday night, this wasn't too bad.

The Mrs. had the Cioppino, but proclaimed the Peppermill's version to be better. Steamed seafood that's not strictly fresh can't be covered up with pungent tomato sauce, no matter how much is heaped on. I ordered fish and chips, figuring it to be the safer bet, and had no complaints. Also tried an oyster shooter, which I'd never had before, and found it quite hearty.

We then tore up a little of our profit at the machines, me losing five dollars, and the mrs. two or so. However, I liked the graphics on a machine called "Max Action" it's got a '50s-beatnik theme, of all things - didn't win me anything, but it looks great!

Collapsed in the room, watching t.v. for a while, and that was Saturday. Checked out the next morning using t.v. checkout, which appeared to be stuck, but then went through. Phew! I'll do whatever I can to avoid standing in line at the end of a hotel stay.

Went over to Peppermill for a bite to eat, which is arguably not the best strategy; I probably should have held out for a plain old coffee shop somewhere on Virginia Street, but that would have involved searching, looking, and evaluating, which one doesn't always care to do when on vacation.

So here's our mini-side trip to Peppermill: New parking garage seems a welcome addition. It's got parking spots with decent width, unlike the ones in the downtown, where you're risking a shredding with every visit.
The entryway to the main building houses the non-gambling arcade, which offers plenty of the latest high-tech and carnival games.
The joint was jumping on a Sunday morn, though the coffeeshop wait was not even the five minutes we were told. Food's a tad pricey, but not unpredictably so, and the omelet the Mrs. ordered was of a most generous portion. Coffee is $2.50, but they bring you the whole pot.

As to the construction, well, it's apparent. They're putting up a whole new tower, plus what looks like more room for casino space, restaurants, and so on. What a contrast with the downtown, which seems to be struggling to even spread its wings! However, this is why I didn't wish to stay at the Peppermill; it isn't clear to me that one can get a room which is assured not to be exposed to construction noise. Yes, you can probably ask to be put in a room which faces away from the construction (though who knows if even that will be sufficient), but we all know that those are 'request', and subject to availability. My general sense is that one can probably stay at the Peppermill and not notice any of the construction, but that's a gamble I'd rather not take.
In any case, it looks as though it will all be most lovely when it's completed.

Having had our fill, we got back in the car, and headed up Virginia Street to the downtown. I hadn't yet witnessed the completed train tunnel, and was looking forward to it. Drove by, verified it, didn't stand around and gawk as I kind of wanted to, but instead headed for the Cal-Neva parking garage for a last fling with gaming.

Cal-Neva was reliably Cal-Neva, and thus I easily found single-deck blackjack with $3 minimums; a welcome sight on a weekend day. Started with $20, walked away with $32. I think the wife lost a couple of dollars, and we threw away five on Friday and five on Saturday, so I think our net for the trip was a profit of twenty bucks or so. A small profit, to be sure, but I always prefer such a thing to a loss.

Made our exit, drove out of the downtown and past the keystone and fifth location, just to try and visualize the casino that's planned for the intersection. Boy, it's hard to picture at this point!

As for the downtown in general, it's impossible not to feel that twinge of regret at seeing so many shabby looking people in one area - it's the first thing cited by visitors, especially first-timers, and it's especially annoying because it's impossible to dispute. Sure, there's casinos, restaurants, and shops, with plenty of pedestrians walking around, which is probably the most hopeful sign of all - but there are still just so many lost souls, which is most unfortunate. I'm still rooting for the team, but it's more of an effort than ever!

Left the area, and enjoyed the always-dramatic Sierra mountains on the way back. Uneventful return, and mission accomplished. Thanks for reading! If you made it this far, I suppose I owe you a prize of some kind.

-Stan

[alison]

Thanks for the report Stan.

Yeah i am goign to be risking it with my stay coming up. I am definetley goign to make sure that i have a room on the other side of the construction, thats for sure! i better get on my request now actually.

Alison

[garyandsharon]

Nice report. Felt like I on the tour with you. The Carson City Mint is worth a trip inside. The second floor features antiques. Appliances as time marched on. Some nice trivia antiques, that make you think. It even has an antique button display. Quite interesting. Thanks!

[stan_allen]

Alison, I'm sure you'll have a good time; it looks like there's still plenty of rooms that face away from the construction! And the Pep itself, of course, continues to be a cornucopia of futuristic neon-pink-and-purple, garnished with a sensory overload of hue-infused bacchanalia. Whoops, there I go again - but the Pep is still undeniably cool.

Gary&Sharon, good point about the mint - I'd seen it in the pamphlets, but failed to make it all the way there; as a casual numismatist, I really should give it a closer look.

Well, one point I forgot to mention in all this was that for all the convenience of our lovely digital camera, we forgot it, and it stayed in the hotel room the whole time we were enjoying all this new scenery. An irritant, make no mistake about it - but at least it provides an excuse to go back!

[alison]

Stan,
Good job on forgetting the camera. WHats up with that???

It funny becasue everyone always mentions how the Pep is sensory overload. Maybe something is wrong with me but i dont even notice it anymore. It definetley is a differnet atmosphere though in there.

Did you notice the expanded slot section? HOw was it?

Alison

[stan_allen]

Well, look at it this way - if I'd taken a bunch of pictures, I'd have posted them somewhere, and then my trip report would have included an exhortation to go look at all the pictures on line, and you'd have had to sit through them all!

I don't claim to have noticed the 'new' slot area; my knowledge of the Pep is quite limited (compared to my extensive knowledge of the Silver Legacy - ha!) - from the new entryway, we turned right, past the sports book (which might be new; it certainly had a grand look to it), past the players club area, past the table games (lots of blackjack tournaments on the weekends, both at the Pep and the Atlantis), through the big (cavernous) slots room with the swanky Italian restaurant (when they don't show decimals on the prices, they're guaranteed to be on the high end!), and then on to the coffee shop area. We retraced our steps on the way out.

That reminds me of another interesting detail at the pep - I used the men's room in that big area I mentioned, which is done up in a style that seems designed to complement the swanky Italian place (can't recall the name) - in each bathroom stall, there's a mirror on the back wall. Fair enough, though why you'd need a mirror while facing the toilet is not entirely clear; one usually waits until the post-toilet washup sink for inspections. Not only that, but these mirrors are very, very high - far higher than even the tallest human being. Imagine a mirror that starts at waist-level, but then stretches so far higher than the level of your head, that you could practically hold a man on your shoulders who would also be well within the borders of the mirror's reflection.

The reason for this was entirely unclear until I noticed that there are security cameras in the ceiling, although they are not positioned directly over the stalls. When actually sitting on the toilet, you may feel as though you have privacy, but by clever placement of these very high mirrors, you are actually quite visible to those monitoring the cameras, as they can see down into your stall via the reflection from the high mirror.

That may be a bit "too much information" in the slang of today, for which I apologize, board members, but it is an interesting insight into the current nature of security monitors in modern life.

As for sensory overload, who's complaining? Frankly, I wish casinos tried harder to achieve this kind of atmosphere - Atlantis gives it a shot, but it's not as intense. Fitzgerald's has a little bit of that feel, but it's a bit worn. The pep is defnitely in a league of its own, and I, for one, have no problem with it!

[alison]

Stan oh good, im glad you dont have a problem with it. Otherwise we might have a big heated debate...lol Just kidding.

Please dont tell me there are cameras in the restrooms, I am just going to have to double check on that one. I don't see how they could do that. Invasion of privacy!!!

I guess the new slot area is right before the Sports book, It uses to be a wall of slots and that has been torn down. You just need to vist there more! I will convert you from a legacy lover in no time.

[stan_allen]

Alison, don't worry; I would bet real gambling money that the security situation I described doesn't exist in the ladies room, though you may want to check it out next time!

It's usually the menfolk who are doing the kind of things that inspire these often-absurd measures, sadly enough.

And believe me, if it would result in more visits to Reno, I'd renounce the Legacy and swear undying allegiance to the Pep in a heartbeat!

One more thought: How about a Catholic-themed casino? They could call it "The Silver Papacy"...

[Dave]

Great trip report as ususal Stan. Did your wife have a good time? Glad to hear you checked out the Cal Neva. That is one of my favorites!
Dave

[CaSwede]

Glad you were able to get away and enjoy the charms of the Reno area. The Bucket of Blood saloon is aways a must stop for me. They didn't have live entertainment playing on a weekend?

I learned something also about the upstairs at the Mint in Carson City. How could I have missed that one? Next trip I will check it out for sure.

The rest rooms mentioned at the Peppermill are known at the "million dollar restrooms". I was told by one of the Peppermill people that they spent a million dollars on those babies. I have never seen the cameras....but I never look up in a casino (or restroom). I always have my head down looking for dropped money.

Thanks for the report.

[stan_allen]

Dave, I couldn't agree more about the Cal-Neva; it's just the exact right place to play, for many reasons. My favorite is the upstairs area for Blackjack.
The mrs. enjoyed herself, despite the fact that she doesn't love Reno quite as I do - so I try to spoil her a bit in return for indulging me.

CaSwede, I concur that it's better to keep an eye out for loose change than have one's head in the clouds - but the height of that mirror sure seemed odd to me, until I stopped and thought about it.
Glad to hear you are a "Bucket of Blood" fan, too - in fact, a live music act appeared to be in the initial stages of setting up, as it was probably not quite even five in the afternoon at that point - but I knew they wouldn't be as cool as the '49ers - do me a favor, and look for that record cover next time you are there - I think it's right in the change booth cage, on the left - or possibly on the wall right around there.

[alison]

wow! million dollar restrooms? Thats crazy. They are nice i must say. I will be checking the ceilings this trip. I cant wait!!! Might have to give them a show...lol