Visitreno

[Mammothgambler]

OK, another wild ride!

My trip started out on Thursday, July 19. I ditched work early, came home and finished packing and was on my way. I was a little concerned because I only had about 500 dollars for spending and gambling money, but when you hit up multiple destinations, the funds can go quick, but that's part of the fun.

When I got to the interstate, traffic was clear for about 10 minutes. Then, it turned to a drop-dead stop. Looking up the interstate, there were a total of three 18-wheelers that were overturned, blocking all northbound traffic. One of them had made it all the way into the woods. For the next 2 1/2 hours, cops, firemen, EMTs, everyone was directing traffic through a path that had been created, most of it being on the grass median...what a ride. What was killing me was that after a while, I knew I was going to miss my flight...not good. This humdinger wreck was all my airport travel time with room to spare. When I finally reached the first Orlando exit, I was able to veer off and take one of the back roads to the airport. At this time I knew I was going to have to ask for a later flight, and when coming to Reno from Florida, that can be a problem because there aren't any nonstops (and multiple things always seem to happen with all the connections!) As soon as I pulled off the interstate, bizarre occurrence #2 occurred: A brand spanking new black Hummer H3 pulled off the road, exploded and became engulfed in flames. I called 911 on my cell and saw about 5 people stop. I knew there was a person inside so I had to at least do something, even though I was in a hurry.

Then it started raining. HARD. Here in Florida, the summer rain comes in sheets everyday and you can't see a foot ahead of you. Well, I'm already on this secondary road, but the rain caused the 1 mile per hour traffic to resume there as well. The thunder was very very close to the ground and you have to be careful...people have died getting struck around here.

When I finally got to the airport, my flight was scheduled to leave in 5 minutes, so it was a lost cause. The shuttle driver at the parking lot asked me when my flight was leaving and I told him I was already sure I had missed it, and was going to the United counter to get put on the next one. To my surprise, the airport was chaos...just about every flight on every airline had been delayed due to that thunderstorm. The lady at the United desk told me that I hadn't missed my flight, and it wouldn't be leaving for another 2 hours, so I was in the clear. Well, 2 hours turned into 5 hours, but it finally left Orlando at about 10:30. Apparently, they had to send another plane from Denver and that's the one we were on on the flight back out there. I got warned along the way that it probably wouldn't make it through to Reno that night but they would be more than happy to kick down for a hotel.

The plane arrived in Denver at midnight where there was chaos. United's service desk was closing and they were routing everyone to the main terminal, where everyone was told that all of Denver's hotels were completely sold out due to a rodeo competition going on. People were calling around on their cell phones to discover that this was true (Denver's a huge place, so that's ALOT of hotels). United didn't seem very apologetic but most of the people wound up sleeping at the airport. So, the Denver airport was the hangout spot for the next 10 hours...I was bummed because that was one less night for me at the Peppermill. Fortunately, they held my room and didn't charge me for the first night, which was awesome. I finally arrived in Reno at about 11:30 am the next morning, only to run into another issue with Hertz rent-a-car...I had cancelled my reservation with them for the night before, but apparently they had already docked my debit card before the reservation change went through their system. I was planning on going to Mammoth that day, but it took about 6 hours for their computer to reverse the charges, so I wound up going over to the Peppermill...needed some sleep so it worked out better that way in the long run.

The Imperial Suite I got was on the 4th floor, #454. The Imperial Suite rules! It was just like the one in the picture on their website. Earlier this year, ErininSD suggested to try to get a corner one because they're a little bit bigger, and you get windows on 2 sides. The view could've been a little bit better, it was one directly level with the roofline, but views aren't much of an issue for me so it was all good. Everything was in great shape, no wear and tear of any kind, looked just like what's advertised on their website. Besides the roofline, I got a good view of the rest of the tower and the entrance to the casino and the Montego Bay wing. Lots of good views of the new tower construction as well. Noise wasn't an issue at all on this trip. Some of the amenities here included a refrigerator, Robo-Bar, wet bar with sink, refrigerator and icemaker, big bathroom with a steam shower (those things get addicting), jacuzzi with very strong jets, dining room table, coffee table, and sectional sofa. It was awesome having some room to spread out. 3 televisions in the place, including a small one in the bathroom. The place was decked out in some 80's flowered wallpaper that reminds me of my mom's old kitchen. It was the exact same wallpaper! Then you have the signature Peppermill mini-lights that run along the walls. The place is awesome, very unique, I'm almost bummed that they're going to remodel those rooms! Thanks to Darlinerene and Alison, I was able to find out about the Best Rate Guarantee and get a competitor's third-party site rates matched. Everyone check gotorenotahoe.com, they have rates on some days where you can get a spa suite cheaper than a tower room!

After a session in the Jacuzzi, it was downstairs to start the gaming action. I started out upstairs in the Slots That Rock section, and lost about $150 between a Hoot & Loot, Blazing 7's and a Tabasco machine. Back upstairs to get some more money, and the good luck started, even topped out my last run in January...I just started charging it...maybe it was the 48 cans of Red Bull I smuggled from work and the Absolut Mandarin to go with it (Hey, beats paying $10 a pop for them at the bar!)Energy drinks are bad for you, so don't get started! Worse than soda...

I decided to check out a small group of traditional, 3 reel dollar machines that were over by the center bar. Most of them didn't strike me as appealing because they were all the 5 credit type, so I found a traditional Double Ten Times Pay (2 coin) and gave that one a stab. A lady was complaining that she had lost $5000 on one of those 5-line machines (don't people get up anymore?) About 4 or 5 spins into it, I hit a 10 Times Pay, a cherry, and a 2 Times Double which gave me $450. The lady who lost all that money on the machine next to it was really mad! A little here, a little there, but not alot after that, so I went back upstairs.

Woke up at 4 am and decided to go back down and check out the Dino Dollars area which consisted of mostly 3 reel traditional dollar slots. I found a machine called Diamond Line Frenzy that's similar to the Bonus Frenzy penny machine, but it was a dollar model and had a Blazing 7's Diamond Line feature built in. I've never had much luck with the Diamond Lines in the past, but decided to give this one a try. Good thing. About 10 spins into it, I formed a diamond out of 3 blazing 7's and a wild symbol...$1000 jackpot! Finally, that was the "now I have money to play for a while" factor, so I pressed on.

Next was over to the penny multiliner area around Oceano, where I had very good luck on my trip in January. I found a new, very unique penny machine called "Super Happy Fortune Cat". I didn't understand it entirely, but the idea was that the cat can run in multiple lines and 3 or 4 of your reels can be covered by only him, which can lead to some really big payouts. I triggered a bonus feature where 4 of the reels were completely covered up by the running cat and the credits really racked up. Somewhere along the way, his friend, the good luck hamster, pops up at random and gives even more bonus credits. There are also a few random fortune cookies, bull heads, and other objects mixed in. The hamster is a riot - it looks little and shriveled and dead. His eyes are X's, for god's sake! Being a graphic designer, I really dig some of the artwork and themes of these new machines, so that keeps me playing 'em more than anything else. Well, on this round, the dead good luck hamster appeared about 5 times, the Lucky Cat kept running and running, and at the end, I had about $425.

Next, I found a Pharoah's Fortune machine that was by the entrance to the Island Buffet. About $20 into it, I got the bonus round, but only had about 5 or 6 free spin blocks with a 1 time multiplier. It turned out to be an easy $100, and the Pharoah's Fortune never gets boring. I've had better luck on Pharoah's Gold, but I didn't see one in Reno anywhere.

After that, it was time to hit up the new Hot Hot Penny machines that I quickly grew fond of earlier this year. Great things can happen if you play max with the Hot Hot Super Jackpot feature enabled. I sat down at a Reels of Dublin model, where the graphics are harps, pints of Guinness, bag pipes, etc. The best thing about these machines is that it only takes 2 bonus markers to trigger a bonus...most of the multiliners require at least 3 consecutive reels to trigger a bonus feature, but the Hot Hot Pennys make it easy. My first bonus triggered from 3 bonus markers, and I got 15 free spins which ranged anywhere from $5 to $100. On the 9th spin, ANOTHER bonus feature got triggered, which resulted in another 11 spins. It's fun to be able to sit back and watch the credits rake up like that. At the end, I had accumulated about $375. And the bagpipes kept playing and playing...

Back in the Dino Dollars area, I found a machine I hadn't seen before, the Wild Times Pay. It apparently has a bonus feature where the center reel is a Wild, and it randomly picks a multiplier at the top once the bonus is triggered. Something like you'd see on a Top Dollar or a Pinball machine. I got a 25x4 for a total of $100.

All this, in about 6 hours time! I couldn't believe the duration of that lucky streak. Called it a night (or morning?) since I was going to Mammoth the next afternoon.

Next day, I decided to snap some pictures of the construction, and check out the pool. I hadn't been to it yet, but noticed that the mountain and waterfall are gone. Not sure if they're coming back when the construction is done, but it's gone for the moment. The pool and hot tub were awesome, and I happened to notice that the pool had a very unique feature...underwater speakers! Yes, you can literally swim underwater and hear the music. That was pretty cool! I know they're doing it with iPods & MP3 players, but I never thought someone would invent something like that for a swimming pool. Bumped into a <HOT> group of women who were attending a bachelorette party. One of them mentioned that they weren't used to seeing too many surfer dudes in Reno. "I'm from Florida, but I'm a snowboarder too!" I exclaimed. Just when she started the "oh I just love your long hair" thing, they had to leave. Oh well, it was worth a try...!

Since I was that far ahead, I decided to take a stroll on down to the Atlantis to play for a bit and keep their offers coming. I had only been there in January, played my $15 free play, and started getting room offers, so I basically just wanted to keep my card active. I found a couple of Monopoly machines and played max bet on them for a while...only to realize that they were NICKELS instead of PENNIES and they maxxed out at about 6 bucks a spin. Well, the Atlantis got about $275 from me on that little session, so I'm anxious to see what the offers will be like, if any. I talked to John and made plans to meet up the next day, after I got back from Mammoth.

<OK HERE'S THE FUN PART>

Mammoth Lakes, CA. The funnest playground on earth, almost like Tahoe. I practically lived there this winter snowboarding and am considering relocation soon. When I got to town, my friend who is a bartender there was participating in a rib cook-off that was going on in the Village among various bars and restaurants. Well, it turned out that their "secret recipe" was a few bags of those pre-made, pre-cooked, pre-seasoned ribs that you can microwave. So what did they do? Pulled them out of the package, threw them on the grill, added a splash of Jack Daniels, and viola, Jack Daniels Ribs! Well, they didn't win the contest. Hell, they didn't even get an honorable mention, just a couple of blank stares! The winner of the contest came up with a teriyaki-type glaze on baby backs, and they got $500 first prize. Better luck to everyone else next time, I guess.

Next up was to my friend's house for a little game of ping-pong before hitting the bike park. Something bizarre happened. My friend was killing it with the ping-pong paddle, backed up into a glass table, and BROKE HIS HAND from the impact! I'm talking he had to push his finger back into the socket and deal with a couple of torn tendons. What a way to start the day in the bike park. Turns out, our friend works with ski patrol and had all the necessary goods to splint him up!

I hadn't yet checked out the bike park in Mammoth, and it was unreal! Lots of fun riding the gondola to the top and checking out all the terrain...some of it being very extreme. Things were all good until my fourth run.

About 200 yards down, I was on a narrow section of trail. Hit a rock and went over the lip of the ridge, crash, crash, crash! Slid about 20 feet down on my butt and the impact of the initial crash cracked two of my ribs! First my friend breaks his hand, then I crack my ribs (and butt!) My main concern at the time was rescuing his 5000 dollar mountain bike as it narrowly missed being gone from the rock slide. But man, I got worked! Just got back from the doctor and I'm going to be out of commission for six weeks! Right now I don't know which is worse, the ribs or the skinned butt! But at least I can say I didn't do it playing ping-pong!

Back down to the Village, cleaning up blood, etc. Decided it would be a good time for the liquor to start flowing, and so it did...until about 4 the next morning!

Woke up at 8, and hit the road for Stateline. Besides wanting to go check out the recent damage to South Lake from the Angora Fire, which was pretty drastic about 10 miles down the road from the casinos, I wanted to play a few dollars at Harveys and the Horizon so I can get my coupons coming again for the upcoming snowboard season. When I got to Harveys, I blew about $75 on the Wheel of Fortune Super Spins, the penny $4 max bet model that is lifelike in size. They have one at the Atlantis I believe. It's alot of fun to play since the wheel is so big and lifelike. Get a few people in there playing with you and it's always a good time. No luck though. Next, I tried a few quarter machines here and there, then found a dollar Big Times Pay machine. About 3 spins into it, I got 2 Big Times Pay symbols, a triple yellow bar, and a 5x multiplier for a $250 win. That was cool, I saw it as my payback for the incident with the Monopoly machines at the Atlantis. Got back what was lost.

I went to the Horizon next and found a Monopoly Big Riches machine. It never happens enough, but I stuck a 20 in, and hit a Once Around Bonus on the very first spin! I wound up with about $185 because I hit Park Place, then passed GO, so I was able to make it twice around the board. Not bad at all. Hit another $100 on a Double Diamond Haywire, which was 2 blue bars and a Wild. That was a nice little session in Tahoe, and I came out ahead, which is a rare occurrence there these days!

Back to Reno for the final leg of the trip - back to the Peppermill. By this time, I was ahead about $2800, not bad considering I only had a couple hundred to start out with when I first got there. Since the mishap in Mammoth occurred, I was unable to make it back to the Pep the night before, where I had planned on using my Tower Room sizzle coupon. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to meet with John that day. Oh well, even though I got worked, I saved some cash. I scoped out a few machines and formed the plan of attack for my final couple of hours at the Peppermill.

Went back to the area around Oceano and got another $250 on a Hot Hot Penny Reels of Dublin. Found another Pharoah's Fortune, but lost about $70. My final machine before I left to go the airport took a little nerve...it was one of the dollar versions of a Blazing 7's multiliner...$15 per spin! Miraculously, the very first spin yielded a $175 win, 4 black bars on the 7th payline.

What a great trip, even with cracked ribs and a skinned butt! This was one of the best gaming runs ever. I left Reno with $3075.42. The Peppermill upgraded me to Bronze level, and I was able to apply $50 in comps towards the 2 nights in the Imperial Suite. Got another California Veggie Burger and Hash Browns at the coffee shop too before I left for Mammoth which was also comped. The plane ride home was alot smoother than it was getting out there, although the connection to Salt Lake City was delayed and I narrowly missed getting stuck in Vegas. Now THAT would've been dangerous! Got home at 6:30 this morning and went straight to work. Saw the doctor this evening to get some meds, but I was STILL determined to finish this trip report! It's 2 am here now so I'm calling it quits!



floridagambler

[Dave]

Hey Buddy Great Trip report as ALWAYS! Sure glad you had fun and did so well. You must drink those energy drinks cause I got tired just reading all the fun things you managed to do in a short period of time. Wow! Obviously you never made it downtown and I can see why! Thanks a lot for taking the time to give such a fun detailed trip report. Glad you had such great luck!
Dave

[john]

Damn. Quite a trip repport. I think you did more on your Reno run than I did all year. Definitely won more money. Glad you had a good time, ribs and butt notwithstanding, and hope to meet you next trip.

[alison]

Sorry to hear about your butt and ribs! Ouch! You should have gotten one of those girls at the pool to baby you.

What a bummer about all the delays. I woudl have been stressing out big time! Seriously i would have been going nuts!

Glad to hear the Pep treated you so well. That does not always happen as we all know. So good for you! I will be hunting down your machines to clean them out.

[Mammothgambler]

[CaSwede]

What a trip. Now you and your buddy could have come up with some great stories for the hot tub girls, but your timing was off on that.

I can't believe your luck! Wow. It was just your time. Looks like you got a good stash for your next trip.

[RenoLady]

What a trip!

All those obstacles in your way at the beginning, the "owies" during the middle, all overcome by the wins!

Now you can visit again sooner....

[garyandsharon]

Great trip report. I'm gonna read it again and take notes on the machines at the Pep you had good luck at. We're going back for OMG got 5 days in Sept. Hope we have half you luck.

Makes you wonder when they redo the Imperial Suite what they will do to enhance it?

Hope the ribs and butt heal fast

[Mammothgambler]

Hey thanks everybody, sometimes you have to get beat up (literally) to have fun...

alison, I guess you're getting really amped by now. I'm wondering what's going to happen to that ticker in 2 days? Will it explode with chips and dice? hahaha

garyandsharon, best of luck on your upcoming trip. I think I mentioned it in another post, but I am from NC too. My folks in Greenville just got back from Harrah's Cherokee and lost...again, so they were really envious! Reno is so much better. I seemed to have the best luck at the Peppermill where the penny machines and bar are around the Oceano. There's a cashier's cage there that starts that "section" where everything turns blue. The Dino Dollars area was really good too. The area by the center bar was also good (by the doors and restrooms opposite the Island Buffet), and I had luck on one of those few traditional dollar machines on the opposite wall, but I didn't see much action anywhere in the new sportsbook area. I was almost thinking they can get away with it, since that area's new and people are luring in. I remember reading your last trip report and you were right, the place seems to be swarming with kids these days!

Regarding the rooms, I had seen on their website that once the Tuscan Tower is done, they are remodeling the Tower rooms and suites in early 2008. It appears that they are going to be the same decor as the new Tuscan Suites. I hope they keep at least SOME of the rooms the old way because they're cool! Whatever they do I hope they at least keep the jacuzzis intact because those are the strongest indoor ones I think I've ever been in.

Be sure to try the Sports Deli if you haven't already, the hot dogs and pastrami are really good. Be sure to post another trip report when you get back!

floridagambler

[alison]

yes i am definetely amped! Hopefully i will be able to sleep tonight!

[ErininSD]

Sorry I haven't been on the site for awhile, but thanks for posting the great report.

I'm going to stay at the Pepp on my next trip to Reno. I want to get back into their good graces now that they're getting ready to open the new tower and are remodelling the rooms.

BTW, I think you have a great attitude. Between the major flight delay and crashing your bike you never bitch and always seem to stay positive, though I wouldn't expect much else from a laid-back surfer dude...LOL

[Mammothgambler]

hey thanks Erin, good to see you back, we were wondering where you went! I took a bunch of photos from that trip but it dawned on me I moved 'em again so I'll update those links when I find a place to re-upload them.

floridagambler