Visitreno Forum Index Visitreno
Visitreno.com's message board
There's a lot of information on the
MAIN SITE
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Adventures in Reno
Goto page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Visitreno Forum Index -> Trip Reports
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
alphabeta



Joined: 14 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

PostPosted: Aug Fri 14, 2009 11:58 am    Post subject: Adventures in Reno Reply with quote

Greetings. I'm new, so be gentle. Very Happy

A short introduction. I'm from Michigan, no stranger to the gambling game, have been to Las Vegas several times, but never Reno. Until last month. I enjoyed my time there; indeed, so much so that I'm heading back in a few days. In the meantime, I'll let you enjoy this trip report I did. It was posted on another board, so apologies to those who have seen it before.

P.S. I like what I see from this board so far. Keep up the good work!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
alphabeta



Joined: 14 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

PostPosted: Aug Fri 14, 2009 12:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PREPLANNING

I had been intrigued by Reno for the past few years for their decent/good blackjack (single deck!) and good video poker, among other things. I always wanted to get a quick, inexpensive trip in, but LV was always cheaper.

Until now. I got the following specials:

* Orbitz special package price
* Orbitz $75 code off 3 night hotel package
* American/Delta flight from Detroit - $300 (equals the cheapest I've seen on Southwest, and at least $100 below normal)
* Room at the Peppermill for 3 nights, including a Saturday - $42 (far better than I could get on my own, probably around $200 for a room at a similar casino). Unfortunately, that didn't include their "resort" fees. I'll get to those a bit later.

In addition, the return flight on Delta would give me just enough miles to get me a free flight on Continental. They don't fly to Lansing anymore, but they have codeshares with both Delta and Deltwest, so I'll probably be able to get a flight sometime, somehow.

Staying at the Peppermill was something of a coup for several reasons. It had a reputation for being one of the better hotels in Reno (though I chose the Montego Bay room, their worst). The casino was good sized and seemed to have decent blackjack. It had good dining options, some of them inexpensive. It looked to be within walking distance of the Atlantis, which had similar characteristics. And it looked to be an easy bus ride to downtown, where there were several other casinos. Oh yeah, it has the bestest video poker game in the world - 9/6 JoB STP for quarters and 50 cents. I'll tell you more than you want to know about all these things. Just read on.

FRIDAY, 7/10

I reserved a Park & Fly rate at America's Best Value Inn in Romulus near the airport because (1) the forecast looked like rain later in the evening on Friday and into Saturday morning, (2) I don't like driving long distances early and in the dark - especially in the rain, (3) I could rest more before the flight, and (4) the parking rates at Detroit Metro are extortionate - $16-$20 a day. ABVI was better than I expected it to be. The bathroom was larger than usual for this class of hotel, which I'm sure the ladies who are reading will appreciate more than I did. The room came stocked with a refrigerator, microwave, coffee pot, and the usual hotel amenities. Unfortunately, that large bathroom took a chunk out of the rest of the room, which was a little snug. Or maybe I'm used to the Rio? The room was quiet, and curiously I didn't hear any planes until the morning of my departure. I watched the NASCAR Nationwide Series race and went to sleep.

SATURDAY, 7/11

Got the wakeup call at 4:30, cleaned myself up and went to the continental breakfast. Very disappointing - they only had juice and bagels. They might have had cereal, but I wasn't in the mood for it. I grabbed a cup of apple juice and checked out. The deal with the Park & Fly is that they gave me a voucher for up to a week's worth of parking at an exterior lot that was about a mile away. They would have shuttles there to take me to the airport and pick me up from there when the time came. The whole thing cost $79 - worth it, even though we didn't get any rain. I'd certainly consider doing it again.

I drove to the lot, followed their instructions and guidance, and took a shuttle to the North Terminal. American would be providing my flight to Reno. I'd never been to the North Terminal before; it's new and had replaced some other, older terminals that Deltwest rejected. It's similar to the familiar McNamara terminal in that it's a hike to get anywhere. The screening line was long but moved OK. I should note that this flight connected in Dallas. They were mostly eventless, but with a couple of notes. There were more kids on these flights than I expected - especially on the leg to Dallas. And the flight landed in Reno 20 minutes early. Nothing wrong with that.

Reno's terminal seemed large - not large like McCarran or Metro, but at least twice as big as Lansing. I'd imagine they have the traffic to justify it. They had plenty of slot machines, of course - including TPIR! I dooled as I saw Cliffhangers, I salivated when I spied Plinko, and my knees got weak when I glanced at the Dice Game. But I did not play. I guess there's hope for me yet.

One nice thing about Reno is that most of the major hotels had free shuttles to and from the airport. The Peppermill was not an exception to this. There was a group that was scheduled to leave at 10:45 which included the Peppermill... but they weren't there. They came a few minutes after that. The shuttle took about 10 minutes to get to the hotel, which brings us to 11 AM. They weren't ready for me yet, so I stashed my bag (only one carry-on with a small briefcase that I put inside the suitcase) and headed into the casino.

The first thing I noticed - lots of neon. Lots and lots and lots of neon. Sorry, no pictures - didn't take my camera with me. But trust me, there's lots and lots and lots and lots of neon. The second thing I noticed is that there's lots of mirrors around, which makes it look like there's even more neon. I found my STP machine after a bit of a search. They have three. The one I was on gave me four queens and I cashed out $23.50 ahead. I stopped at Saucy's, their barbecue joint. I had the chicken & rib platter. The total damage was about $27 with drink and tip. I thought this was a little better than Rub, but my eyes were bigger than my stomach in that this was far more than I could eat. I took the leftovers wtih me and ate them into the next morning. I did some more exploring, and by now it was about 12:45. I tried out their self-service kiosk and they were actually ready to check me in. The $20 trick is useless here, but I didn't care about that. I was offered a suite in their Tuscany Tower (newest and best) for $80 extra a night. Since I'm the last of the big time spenders, I declined the offer. The kiosk then spit out the key to my Montego Bay room, to which I went. The room was decent, about up to the standards of the Four Queens, only newer. It had a big plasma TV. Most prominent in the view was the Peppermill Tower.

After a short rest, I went back to the casino. I sampled NSUD Spin Poker Deluxe - up $18.75 in one spin. Good enough for me. I slid a short distance to their Breakout video slot game. There's a bit of a skill element in that the better you are at the game Breakout, the better the bonus will be. The good news is I got to the bonus game. The bad news is that I'm no good at it. I lost about $5, then moved over to Pong. No bonus here, but I scored a 390 coin (penny) hit for a $2.25 gain overall. Went back to STP. No great shakes, down $10.75 when I decided to quit. But the ticket got stuck and I had to wait for a technician to fish it out. Then I went to the high limit slot room for some $1 NSUD. A few hands in I got two threes and three rags. I discarded the rags and got two deuces and a three. That's 5-of-a-kind, good for $80. Score! I made some sports bets, because it's Nevada and I could. The bets I made were:

$10 on Cleveland +105 vs. Detroit (win $20.50)
$10 on KC +155 vs. Boston (lose)
$10 on Detroit to win the World Series at 12-1 (pending)

I was feeling daring, so I played 9/6 JoB 3 play, 10 quarters. The first hand was a whiff. I was dealt 2 pair on the second hand. One improved to a full house, which made a $35 gain.

I watched baseball and NASCAR and called it a night (sort of)

SUNDAY, 7/12

I should note here that it was a bit of a hike from the Montego Bay wing to the casino. There's a short tunnel to the Peppermill Tower, then to the elevator (it's on the 3rd floor), then to the 1st floor, then into the casino. It's times like these I wish I had a pedometer to measure the steps from my room at the Peppermill to the casino, or the room at the IP out the door (since there's nothing worth playing there), or my room at the Rio out the door (ditto).

Back to the Peppermill, I returned to the casino slightly after midnight. I lost $38 playing various video poker games - NSUD Spin, STP, NSUD 3 line. Then I went to the blackjack tables - only $10 minimums (and higher) were available. I chose a single deck table.

The casino has roughly even amounts of single and double deck tables, with a few shoes available for those who like them. The single deck had Reno rules (h17, d10, no das). Double deck allows doubling on any first two cards, but not after a split. The shoe allows DAS. All blackjacks paid 3:2 no matter how many decks they used, so you 6:5 fans need to head elsewhere. The single deck is the best game, but the limited doubling cuts most of its edge. Most of these rules are posted on the sign that holds the limits. The print is small, so you'll probably need to sit at the table to see them. The single and double decks are all hand shuffled and you can enter in the middle of a deck.

I got ground down and posted a $87.50 loss. I picked up a few bucks at my favorite NSUD in the high limit room. Then I settled in at another blackjack table - this one with a $5 minimum, double deck. My chips were slowly melting away, then caught a hot streatk with the sub dealer. I cashed out $55.50 ahead. I checked my account at one of the kiosks available to do so. I just started accumulating points (it's about $50/point for video poker; no, points aren't displayed as they're earned). They offered me a $5 sports book matchplay. I could've really used this the day before, but I was sure I could find some opportunity.

After some rest back in the room, I went back down to play some more. I won $3 at STP; filling more than my share of 4 flushes helped. And so did a dealt full house (no multiplier, alas). I won $9 at JoB, then played some nickel NSUD spin poker. Lost, did better, then lost some more. I waved the white flag down $48. Back to STP, this time for 50 cents per. I cashed out up $8. Burned through $40 at various other video poker games, then gained $30 at my favorite high limit machine. Then I played some more blackjack. I really shouldn't have done that, since I couldn't get much started and ended up $53.50 down.

By now the sun was rising and the day officially starting. To paraphrase the old Army ads, I did more gambling before 9 AM than most people do all day. And there was much more to come. After getting cleaned up, I made a quick stop by the sports book to pick up my winnings and place another bet. I put $10 (my $5 plus the match) on the Tigers -230 vs. Cleveland. Verlander was pitching against some schmoe at home, so I felt good about the bet. My only worry is that since Jason was an All-Star, they might pull him early and leave it up to a somewhat shaky bullpen. No worries as the Tigers jumped on the Indians 10-1. But that was later. Now I hit the exit and walked to the Atlantis. It was about a 10 minute walk down Virginia through a mostly commercial area. There were all kinds of businesses here - of most interest was the 7-11, the Walgreens, and the fast food outlets (Wendy's and Arby's). I'd compare it to Las Vegas' Boulder Highway between Boulder Station and the Eastside Cannery, except there was more foot traffic here.

Atlantis' layout was confusing, even with a map that I picked up. That may have made the casino look bigger than it was. I eventually found their club, Club Paradise. They offered a "spin" for signing up - $3 to $500 in free slot play. I'll give you three guesses as to how much I got - and your first two don't count. According to vpFREE2, the place has lots and lots and lots and lots of full-pay video poker - pretty much everything but FPDW. I didn't check every game on every machine, but I could confirm that they had lots of good games. One of their worst ones was Good Times Pay.

This is a new game, so I'll take another aside to try to explain it. It's a three hand game and each coin beyond 5 up to 10 will buy a shot at a multiplier from 1x to 7x. The more coins risked on the multiplier, the more and bigger the multiplier that can come. Each hand has its own multiplier. Which multipliers come is exactly proportional to the coins risked - in other words, if I risked 10 coins, the average multiplier would be 2x. It's a lot more fun than it sounds; sometimes you root against one hand (that has a small multiplier) in favor of another (which has a bigger one). You can play the free version at VideoPoker.com.

Of the pay schedules I checked, the best on this machine seemed to be 8/5 Bonus, so I played that. I whiffed on the free play, but quickly won $13 overall. Off to the STP machine - the Atlantis had 7, but I only played the three in the non-smoking area. I cashed out a whole buck ahead. Next I stopped at the 100 line 9/6 JoB. I was dealt trips, then the draw - 83 didn't improve, but I got 11 full houses and 6 quads. Nice. I went down to one hand, one cent for the fun of it and I was dealt a full house. Isn't that always the way? I cashed out here ahead $13.

I had other places to see, so I boarded the bus downtown. The Route 1 goes up and down Virginia. The base fare is $2, a 24-hour pass is $5 (I chose this one), and there were other discounted ride options. There was only one other person on the bus when I boarded, but we picked up about a dozen more on the way. The neighborhoods got rougher and rougher the closer we got to DT. First stop, Harrah's. This place seemed a notch downscale from the Las Vegas version, in keeping with the rest of the neighborhood, I guess. I pushed on dollar 9/6 JoB (full-pay JoB doesn't exist at any LV HET property for less than $5) and won a buck on some video slot. I earned a point or two, which was the goal.

I exited Harrah's near the famous arch. No camera, so not much point in lingering. Besides, the neighborhood discouraged that. I thought it was as seedy as most Strip people THINK Fremont St. is, but really isn't.

Next stop, the Eldorado. I thought it, the Silver Legacy, and Circus Circus were more alike than they were different in my quick look at each. They all had confusing layouts, all had slot machines on both 1st and 2nd levels (Circus less so, because they had other stuff) and all were connected by a 2nd floor walkway. I signed up for the club at each place. Silver Legacy is owned by MGM Mirage, but I don't even thiink they know they have it. They didn't take the MGM Players Club card. And Circus Circus we know MGM doesn't want anything to do with (other than collecting $$$ from the cash cow), but this version didn't take either the MGM card OR the CC LV card. They used the old One Club card, but they didn't have me on file. Curious. I made some token video poker play at each - +5 at the Eldorado, even at Silver Legacy, down $20 at the clown house.

Last impressions: The casinos in downtown Reno are OK, but the surrouding area could use some serious scrubbing up. Fine to see once, but not really worth a special trip, since their VP and BJ aren't any better than the Peppermill.

So I said goodbye by taking the bus back to the Peppermill (the trip took about 15 minutes each way). I flung some more money into my favorite high limit machine and paid off again - another $20 win.

After another break, I went back into the belly of the beast. I won $5 at Spin NSUD, then yet another $5 at my fav HL game. A quick session of double deck blackjack led to a $69 win, which probably didn't amuse the folks that kept track of such things. Then I blew about $20 in loose bills playing NSUD 3-line. At this point I had finally gone through the meal from Saucy's and was hungry again, so I stopped by El Pollo Loco. You West Coasters probably know all about it, but we don't have any here in Michigan. They had a 8 piece dark meat special for $6.99. I got the BBQ version of it and a drink, which set me back a little less than $10. The chicken was good.

At this point it was about 3:30, and I spent the rest of the day relaxing and watching TV. I guess I'm not such a degenerate after all.

MONDAY, 7/13

I got up early again and headed to the casino. I took a look to see what offer they had for me today. Interesting - a 2-for-1 hotel room offer. It had to be used by October and I had to call them, as opposed to finding the best deal elsewhere. Probably marginally worth having, but I forgot to print it out. Shame. I then hit the STP machine, this time for 50 cent stakes. On the final hand I was dealt a high pair - one didn't improve, but the other two exploded into full houses. Nice, even though there was no multiplier. I ended $46 ahead. I won a bit at NSUD Spin Poker. Then on to my favorite high limit machine, now for $2/credit. Slurp! You should have seen how fast that $40 went. Back to STP. I won $57 thanks to 8x and 5x multipliers that didn't whiff. It seems like the worst thing in the world to get a big multiplier that doesn't pay. Ten times nothing is still nothing.

At this point Kenny was calling my name. Kenny Rogers did a video slot machine several years ago, in the early era of such games. I always take notice of it and sometimes give it a play. In Las Vegas, you can find it many places - including Main St. Station, El Cortez, and Gold Coast. It's often multi-demoninational, from pennies to dimes. I played for pennies on this day and was slowly getting ground down when I hit The Gambler bonus round. Brief explanation - pick one of three chips to determine how many picks of hands you'd get. The chips had 3, 4, and 5 under them. I got a 4. In the bonus game itself, you're "dealt" some poker hands and you have to decide whether to hold 'em or fold 'em. If you fold, you get to choose again. If you hold, you get the payout for that hand. The better the hand, the better the payout. For example, a single pair was worth 30 coins, and a royal flush was worth 300. I tossed the first two hands and came up with a full house - 210 coins. Good enough for me, and good enough to put me a teeny bit ahead. I gave it back at NSUD Spin by playing one line at 2 cents each. Then I lost $20 at JoB, up $3.75 at NSUD 3 line quarters.

I stopped by a single deck blackjack table and couldn't get anything started until I was way down. I ended up losing $57 overall. I took my frustrations out on the nearest STP machine (not so near, but you know what I mean). I got $21.50 back, which made me feel a little better. By now the morning was coming, so I went back to the room to freshen up and prepare.

And now it was time to head for Atlantis again. I was still learning my way around, but it was still confusing. For some reason I headed for the video slots first. I eked out a minimal gain at Cops & Donuts, then I saw JAWS!!!! This was high on my list to play, and I couldn't find it anywhere until now. I slipped in a ten and that thing got wolfed down faster than a great white can wolf down a swimmer's leg. The guys on either side of me got bonuses, and nice ones. I didn't get a bonus. Onward.

I won a couple of bucks at Megabucks before moving to video poker and GTP. This time it gashed me for $35. When the hands don't come, this can eat your money really quickly - even faster than STP, even at quarters. I went to the non-smoking section and bounced around between machines - +3 at STP, +3.35 at 100 line JoB, -40.25 at a different STP. I then tried the third STP machine. This one didn't make any noise. On my first hand I got a 8x multiplier with a dealt two pair. No improvement, but a 240 coin payout is still pretty nice. I left up $55.50. I found a NSUD machine that I played for 20 nickels. I was dealt AA, then got the other two aces and a deuce. This only paid 16-for-1; I'm sure there are games that would have paid a whole lot more for that combination, and for a moment I wish I had played one of them, for bigger stakes. Left that one up $9 and bounced to another 100 line machine, retired up $6 on that one. Then to STP again, up $13. Then last to quarter NSUD, up $7.50.

One quirk of the Atlantis is that when you put your card in the slot, a voice would say, "Welcome to Atlantis" and a few other things I don't remember. I'm not sure whether I was more amused or annoyed by it. I guess after awhile I got used to it. Anyway, I'll remember Atlantis fondly, but will they remember me at all? That remains to be seen. I only got about 25 points (it's roughly $40 per point, but they don't tell you directly).

On the way back, I stopped by 7-11 for a Slurpee and apple danish. Three bucks and it hit the spot.

Back at the Peppermill, I gained $5.50 at STP, lost $23.50 at NSUD Spin, lost $7 more at STP, and another $30 at JoB. Then came the true degenerate portion of the program. Back at STP and was hitting some nice hands and multipliers, but usually not at the same time. Several times I was going to quit if I gained just a little more, but I never could. I should never have gotten started, since I lost $118 before I waved the white flag. Then I went to the craps table - a sure sign I was degenerating. I stayed there awhile playing one or two pass/come numbers with single odds ($5 minimum with 3/4/5 odds). No big rolls came and I finally walked back to the room down $21.

That little degenerate act took me from being up a little to down a little. I refused to accept that, so I rested up, grabbed some more of my stash, and went down to get what I came for. First, blackjack. I got way down (thanks in small part to those three dealer blackjacks in a row - a pretty neat trick at double deck), but caught a nice run to finish up $25. Then STP went my way for $22. Then some more craps.

I got ground down slowly. During this, a guy came in who bought for several hundred and started playing the field and hardways. This is usually a recipe for disaster, but the rolls went his way, and one of his payouts was over $1500. He tipped the dealer in $25 chips, which was darned nice of him, and they said so. He didn't stay long, but he left with quite a bit of the Peppermill's money. Good for him. I bet the Peppermill would like a sequel.

Anyway, soon after that, we got a nice roll - I'd say between 20-30 numbers without a 7-out. We were all betting pass, so we all did well here. I went from being down, oh, $130 or so, to being up $16.

For dinner I went down to the coffee shop for a burger melt. This was one of the items on their special menu for $5.99. With drink and tip the total damage was about $13. Good food at a fair price.

After watching part of the Home Run Derby (I was thinking about betting on Brandon Inge at 10-1 to win the thing; that would not have been a good idea) and the Bachelorette, along with some rest, I went down for the last time.

I stopped by the NSUD Spin Poker for nickels and won $1.50. Not much, but it was a good start. STP was full, so I went to a random double deck blackjack table. I got hot almost from the start and cashed out up $75.50. That meant I would go home a winner if I didn't go degenerate in the next 12 hours or so. Triumphant, I hit the hay.

TUESDAY, 7/14

Up and at 'em about 4:30 to see what freebies they had for me today. The kiosks weren't working so I immediately went back to the room. I went back down about 5:30. They still weren't working, but a friendly floorman said they were scheduled to be back up in about another half hour. So I went to the coffee shop for their steak speical. It was OK; I've had better elsewhere. The hash browns tasted a little funny in a way that I can't describe. The total damage was about $14.

On the way back to the room I checked at the kiosks. I now had 253 points. This was very interesting because my points really started to zoom once I gave up the video poker and started playing more BJ/craps. Did they confuse me with Mr. Hardway? Well, anyway, I estimate about 70 points of that came through VP/slot play and the rest from BJ/craps. The next level, "Bronze", was at 500 points. If I had an extra day or two, I would have hung around the craps table to try for it. But for now I was pretty much out of time and happy to get away with a victory.

Today's coupon was either entries in some drawing I didn't care about or a free $2 bet at the roulette table. You know I love my coupons, but this was too small for me to bother with. I went for the entries.

I spent the rest of the time watching DVDs and preparing for departure. Finally it was time to leave. I checked out by TV, which went smoothly, except for one thing - the Excess Neon charge was taxed, so instead of $10 per day, it was $11.30 day. Grrr, but whatever.

There were only four people on the shuttle; I thought there would be more, since it was 11 AM, the official check-out time at the Peppermill. Reno seemed to have their ticket counters and such under construction, so they were under what looked like big tents. The hotel had a table where you could print out your boarding pass, but I couldn't get it to work (not their fault), so I did it here and now. I had a Northwest codeshare with Delta so I could get miles on Continental. Got it?

Screening was routine. I noticed there weren't many people here for the size of the airport. I'm sure they had busier times. Fortunately, I didn't pass by those TPIR machines. I didn't need the temptation.

Finally it was time to board. I would like to say the flights were eventless, but a few things did happen that I want to highlight:

* We hit some major clear air turbulence low over both Reno and Salt Lake City. I don't know why and the flight deck didn't bother to explain.
* Normally I get flight attendants who have been around awhile and, um, look it. But on the RNO-SLC flight, there was a major hottie working. Based on a guess at her age, the flight, and the fact that she was in cattle car class told me she probably didn't have a lot of seniority. I wonder how her future will go.
* The terminal in Salt Lake City was ridiculously busy. It was hard to maneuver through the crowds and there wasn't enough seating for the size of the planes they moved in and out of there, so I and many others had to stand.
* They showed a movie on the SLC-DTW leg, "Duplicity". I didn't watch. I slept through more than half the flight.
* The flight landed in Detroit about 40 minutes early.

I wasn't very sharp, so I apologize to my shuttle driver and to those people who encountered me on the drive between Romulus and Lansing. I arrived home a bit past midnight, and thus ended another casino adventure.

RANDOM COMMENTS:

Peppermill Pros:

+ Plenty of good video poker
+ Friendly and efficient staff
+ Decemt table games, both quantity and quality
+ Good food options
+ Montego Bay room not half bad
+ Self-service options very good

Peppermill Cons:

- Spin Poker and especially STP could get full at times
- Montego Bay wing a bit of a hike to the casino
- Ho hum video slot choices

Overall I enjoyed my stay there and would consider returning.

Atlantis Pros:

+ Video poker heaven
+ Less busy than the Peppermill
+ Non-smoking section with good games

Atlantis Cons:

- Not enough ticket machines for the size of the casino
- Casino was very confusing

Overall I would consider staying here if the price was right. I preferred the Peppermill, but I could be bought into changing my mind.

* The weather - highs around 90, lows in the 60s. No rain. I bet Las Veags was much warmer.
* Downtown Reno was disappointing - not very nice and the casinos were the same ol' same ol'. No reason to go there ever again unless I happen to stay there.
* Overall I won about $60 - not much, but in the right direction.
* JAWS can bite me.
* Next trips: Reno, August, Peppermill; Las Vegas, late October, hotel TBA and Gold Coast (comp).

Thank you for reading. I hope I was entertaining and informative.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
steve



Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 47

PostPosted: Aug Sat 15, 2009 9:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow what a great trip report.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger
remano



Joined: 20 Dec 2005
Posts: 717

PostPosted: Aug Sat 15, 2009 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very entertaining TR. Thanks for taking the time to contribute. Hope to see your next one about this month's trip.

RNO can be a rough airport to handle, I think because of the updrafts from the mountains. That would explain Salt Lake City too. Another one is Phoenix when it's hot, which really stirs up the winds as well.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
garyandsharon



Joined: 17 Dec 2005
Posts: 75

PostPosted: Aug Sat 15, 2009 3:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great Report. I'm from Lansing too. Relocated to North Carolina in 1984. Still go up to North to visit family and friends.

Reno is our choice of gambling spots. Glad you enjoyed it. It's not Vegas but that's what makes it unique.

Our next visit to the Peppermill is the end of the month. I'll post a report.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
john
Site Admin


Joined: 17 Dec 2005
Posts: 1181

PostPosted: Aug Sat 15, 2009 7:50 pm    Post subject: Holy mackerel Reply with quote

Hey alphabeta,

You must have taken trip report writing 101. You should be teaching it. Very detailed and almost nothing left out. Welcome to the board with a kick-butt start!

John
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
alphabeta



Joined: 14 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

PostPosted: Aug Mon 17, 2009 12:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you, everyone, for your kind words and warm welcome.

remano: Thanks for the airport heads up. It slipped my mind that both RNO and SLC are at elevation and that could have caused the turbulence.

garyandsharon: Good to meet another Michigander. I think I'll be leaving Reno just as you're arriving. I certainly look forward to your report; I think it will be very interesting to compare notes.

john: What can I say? I've always had a knack for telling interesting stories and hanging out on the Las Vegas Advisor (LVA) boards helped hone my skills.

OK, so it's about 24 hours until I leave for my second trip to Reno. Burning questions:

* Will I see that hot stew... er, flight attendant again?
* Will I make Bronze at the Peppermill?
* What surprises - good and bad - will I find at the Peppermill and Atlantis?
* Will I hit it big with my $25 of freeplay at Neon Central?
* Will I hit it big at all?
* Will I like what I find at the Pep's other restaurants?
* What adventures will I have that I can share with my friends?
* What adventures will I have that I can't share with anyone? Twisted Evil
* Will I come home a winner again?

The answers to these and many more questions will be answered in my trip, and my trip report. Look for it sometime next week.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
alison



Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 1150

PostPosted: Aug Mon 17, 2009 2:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi and Welcome to the board. Enjoyed yoru trip report. Flying into reno can be scary! One time when my husband and i were flying in, it was really bad. There was a young child 4 or 5'is a few rows ahead. I just remember him saying "weeee, were going down". Here i am afraid of flying and this kid thought it was great! lol

Looking forward to your next trip report. I think you will make bronze for sure. Smile Does the Pep now tell you how many points you have earned on your trip at the Kiosks? They have always been so secretive with that.

Was the Montego Bay room pretty decent, minus the walk? At least you get your exercise in right? Kinda like when i stay in the Tuscany Tower. Its a hike.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jerry



Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 759

PostPosted: Aug Mon 17, 2009 10:36 pm    Post subject: he knows his A's and B's, but not his C's. Reply with quote

Thanks AB. I too will chime in my compliments.
Enjoyed the detailed report. Keep em comin. Sometimes this board gets a little bit dead.
I don't seem to ever have anything new to report from my trips.
so if it aint interestin', I don't choose to report it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
alphabeta



Joined: 14 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

PostPosted: Aug Tue 18, 2009 1:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you, alison and jerry!

alison wrote:
Does the Pep now tell you how many points you have earned on your trip at the Kiosks? They have always been so secretive with that.

Was the Montego Bay room pretty decent, minus the walk? At least you get your exercise in right? Kinda like when i stay in the Tuscany Tower. Its a hike.


I'm not sure they tell directly how many points were earned during a trip, but they did tell how many extra tickets I had earned for their various drawings, which come periodically. From that I could get a rough guide of how many points I had earned in the previous week/month/whatever.

The Montego Bay room was fine. It suited my purposes well. It had obviously been recently renovated and everything worked well. Perhaps one day I'll get into Tuscany, but that's for another time...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
CaSwede



Joined: 28 Feb 2006
Posts: 866

PostPosted: Aug Tue 18, 2009 8:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That was a very nice report. How in the heck do you remember all those details? When I get home it is all just a big blur to me.....including how many beers I drank. Smile

I have never got squat swipping my card at the kiosk at the Peppermill. I try it every time, and all I get are a couple of drawing tickets for a drawing at a time when I will be home.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
remano



Joined: 20 Dec 2005
Posts: 717

PostPosted: Aug Tue 18, 2009 11:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

CaSwede wrote:
...
I have never got squat swipping my card at the kiosk at the Peppermill. I try it every time, and all I get are a couple of drawing tickets for a drawing at a time when I will be home.


Once in a while I will get a restaurant discount, usually $5 off, or a match play coupon. Maybe the best coupon was a $2 free spin on the roulette wheel, which I played straight up on a number and hit for $70.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
alison



Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 1150

PostPosted: Aug Tue 18, 2009 11:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah i usually get free hotel night, or a free desert ect. Nothing to exciting. I want the free mr money play. Never get that!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
john
Site Admin


Joined: 17 Dec 2005
Posts: 1181

PostPosted: Aug Tue 18, 2009 3:39 pm    Post subject: ...and you never will Reply with quote

Ali, they no longer give the Mr. Money coupons on the swipe. You now have to accumulate 1,000 points to get one. Is that the pits or what? That means winning $26 on the Mr. Money machine costs about $6,000. Oh boy, sign me up.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
jerry



Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 759

PostPosted: Aug Wed 19, 2009 11:30 am    Post subject: Mr Money Honey Reply with quote

And I thought Mr Money was the fully- bearded hip guy with the birds on his shoulders.
No, wait, the Bird Colonel was an Army guy. Forget it.

I no longer go to the Pep for gaming. I go simply to have the cocktail waitresses fawn over me as I pretend to play the penny slots and suck up free beer for the quarter tips I generously bestow upon them.

Come to think of it now: Perhaps the waitresses are not really "fawning". They may just be awaiting a more appropriate tip.
Ah well, it's better than pumping money into the slot/shredders.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Visitreno Forum Index -> Trip Reports All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group