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Stan's Lame Trip

 
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stan_allen



Joined: 19 Dec 2005
Posts: 1129

PostPosted: Feb Fri 07, 2014 1:56 pm    Post subject: Stan's Lame Trip Reply with quote

The title says most of it, but heck, the board needs all visits to be logged.

Went up for a one, count it, ONE night stay. Still recuperating from being sick, and couldn't leave until almost 3 in the afternoon, so a late start.

Got stuck in a little Sacramento rush hour traffic, but otherwise made decent time. The threatened snowstorm had yet to really hit, so there was snow falling up towards the top, but not in any substantial way.

Very amusing billboard for the Grand Sierra at some point along the way, it read: "We used to be old and tired. Now, the other guys are. Rethink your trip!" Interesting that their strategy now involves admitting to past failures.

Two speed traps on I-80; one right after stateline, at the approach to that little Terrible's; another a few miles later. Very common spots for such cops; drivers should always be on the lookout along this stretch, 'cuz it's such an easy thing to give in to the urge to floor it for the last twenty miles or so.

Got to El Dorado at 7:30, and one now has to sign one's initials next to each one of those stupid state and city tax/fee/whatever charges - but for an extra fifteen bucks (final rate $49.99), one gets a higher-level floor, and a night of free wireless internet.

Decided to place a to-go order with the Tivoli's coffee shop, but saw no such entry in the phone directory. So, okay, I went down to initiate my request - turns out "Tivoli's" is gone; the coffee shop has been rebranded into a "Coffee Shop", and there's been a total remodeling. Interesting, as I was still thinking of Tivoli's itself as being a remodel after whatever was there before...which was still a coffee shop.

Placed my to-go order, and approached the bar in that area, the one that has a zillion exotic beers - Sam Smith's, and such. Decided to play a little video poker, as the paytable appeared be full 9/6. Got a comped draft beer, and proceeded to win a little bit, then saw it whittled back down, then cashed out at my exact starting point, by which time my to-go order was already bagged up and ready to go.

So that was the extent of the gambling - total profit: one free draft beer. Told you this was a lame trip!

Exhaustion kept me from any further meanderings, and I retired to the room with my club sandwich. Enjoyed wireless internet and cable t.v. until lights-out, and the 7:00 a.m. rising time followed much too quickly.

On the way out of town, I noticed a fresh round of snow had fallen overnight, giving the scenery a very nice look - the trees on the sidewalk near circus-circus, for example, had that classy new-snow look on all the branches and such; a lovely few hours before everything turns to grungy slush.

Made my way to our Truckee office, and after the day's work, got on the road as quickly as possible to return, fearing chain controls and shutdowns, as the weather reports continued to call for a big dumping - and there was definitely accumulation; at the upper sections of the highway, the lanes were starting to disappear, and the stage was clearly set for one of those hair-raising drives - but I beat the worst of it, and emerged on the other side a bit after five p.m.

I'd had the foresight to ensure that my rental would be a 4-wheel drive, but I also noticed that Caltrans's current requirements specify "four wheel or all wheel drive, and snow tires on all four wheels" - how much you want to bet that the vast majority of Bay Area rentals of "Small SUVs" have no such tires, and one gets to the chain control area only to be told that one STILL has to put on freakin' chains??!!

No, thanks.

Well, at least I was there. I was able to observe the downtown, and note that it was still standing. But I sure hope I get a better trip up there next time around!
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BC Dave
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Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 1592

PostPosted: Feb Fri 07, 2014 4:19 pm    Post subject: Thanks Stan, Reply with quote

Glad you made a profit, even if it was just one beer. That little bar, outside Tivoli's tends to get overlooked but has, as you said, an amazing selection of beers. I hope they haven't changed Tivoli's too much - there's some great food to be had there. They're still showing off all those great cakes and pies by the cashier - I hope!? OK, I'll try to call it the Eldo coffee shop in the future.
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stan_allen



Joined: 19 Dec 2005
Posts: 1129

PostPosted: Feb Fri 07, 2014 4:31 pm    Post subject: "Tivoli" is "I lov it" backwards.... Reply with quote

I do wish I had more time to spend at that bar - it's been years since I've had a Sam Smith's - I briefly considered asking if I could have one of those as my 'comped' drink, but figured a 22-oz. draft was a better bargain!

I *think* what they did with the cake-and-pie display was to move it over so it's become part of that long bar area - now, the cashier stand is really just a stand, rather than a big display - which makes me wonder if something else got moved out of the area, and if so, what was it?

It's these kinds of details that leave me scratching my head, although for some reason, I can actually remember where I am in a casino, no matter how much I've had to drink, and am never lost. Selective memory is a truly amazing thing.
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BC Dave
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Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 1592

PostPosted: Feb Fri 07, 2014 5:48 pm    Post subject: Re: "Tivoli" is "I lov it" backwards.... Reply with quote

stan_allen wrote:


It's these kinds of details that leave me scratching my head, although for some reason, I can actually remember where I am in a casino, no matter how much I've had to drink, and am never lost. Selective memory is a truly amazing thing.


I can still find myself lost in the Eldorado and Peppermill. But as far as selective memory goes - I almost always know where the nearest men's room is.

In regards to ""The Coffee Shop", I think I'm going to have to have a look. Next month maybe .....
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spdmrcht



Joined: 12 Oct 2012
Posts: 498

PostPosted: Feb Fri 07, 2014 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Were heading over the 21st. I'm guessing the Keno lounge is whats missing
up stairs, it was all blocked off, last trip. It was the closest gambling to the
a mens room. LOL All the the rest of them are a painful hike!
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CaSwede



Joined: 28 Feb 2006
Posts: 866

PostPosted: Feb Sat 08, 2014 7:47 pm    Post subject: thanks for the report Reply with quote

That was a super quick trip. Usually if I am not feeling well and get close to a casino my body kicks into a reserve mode and I am off and running.

You are right about those speed traps. The worst place is near Boomtown. There is a great place for the NHP to hide and you can't see them until it is too late. I never see them for the traffic heading out of town. Maybe they figure after visiting Reno no one has any money to pay a speeding ticket?

Try a Sam Smith Oatmeal stout. That is a complete meal!

I am sure your 4 WD rental had snow tires. Almost all tires now are mud and snow. You can tell by looking at the sidewall of the tires. It will have M + S or M/S. The Cal trans snow chain checkers never look to see if you have the proper tires. They will make sure you have AWD or 4 WD. I recently bought new tires for my sports car with special rims and low profile tires....they were mud and snow tires. I also own an old van that averages 3,000 miles a year and never leaves town. I asked for cheap tires and they were mud and snow. Check out you tires on your vehicle. There is a good chance they will qualify as snow tires for the CHP.
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stan_allen



Joined: 19 Dec 2005
Posts: 1129

PostPosted: Feb Mon 10, 2014 10:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, that's very good info to know about the tires. I assumed that the tire-specific requirement was just a method of forcing more vehicles to buy chains, but it makes sense that the majority of SUVs would have tires that pass muster.

I think my cynical view was reinforced by a chains display that was in the parts section of the local Toyota dealership recently, where we had some service done - the display was proudly showing off truck-level chains, and I was thinking, "the whole friggin' POINT is to NOT have chains!!!"

Mr. Speedometer-Cheeto (Sorry, that's the first thing I came up with when trying to fill in vowels), I think you might have hit it on what's missing - it seems very distantly familiar that the Keno game might have been right there, and the men's room was indeed right around the corner.
So that's the new home of the cakes, pies, 'n coffee-to-go dealy, and I guess I'll have to find out where the keno game has been moved to next trip..when you're not a Keno player, you tend to pay little attention to such details...
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spdmrcht



Joined: 12 Oct 2012
Posts: 498

PostPosted: Feb Mon 10, 2014 8:43 pm    Post subject: Keno Reply with quote

The upstairs keno counter was the first one I saw when I started
going there. but they added a bigger one downstairs on the north
end of the building nearest to the Virginia st. entrance.
They kept both of them open for a while but only had one person
running up and down the escalator, making tickets at both. They
did away with about half of the staff, and I have even seen suits
making tickets so the on duty could have a break.
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