Working again this week end, gotta make up for having that one day off last month. A real logistical challenge today for a lot of reasons and it rained and folks were trying to drive on their roofs and such. I'm home now, got some dry socks on, the 2nd Captain & Coke at hand and Clapton on the player and dreaming about the Big Show at the Riv ya know. Eric never makes the cut for the drive down to Vegas, just doesn't seem like road music. Dylan and Neil Young know the road and yes, I've been in Mobile With The Memphis Blues a couple of times. Me and Bobby McGee ("...every song that truck driver knew...") is essential Janice Joplin of course, and her Summertime always gets turned up way past 11.

So what's this all about? This morning I made my convention/Riviera/chipper goodness reservations and pre-regers and bought in over there at that Palms Thursday night Hold'em dealie. Got Reno squared away for the trip home and that took an slight wobble that will be revealed later.

My habit is to work a light day on the Monday before the convention, take a nap and hit the Interstate about midnight. Top off the tank and coffee cup at the Pilot in Stanfield 188 miles later and head for the next Pilot down at the border in Ontario. Just across the line into Idaho I'll note the spot where some guy hit our tank trailer about 100 mph that one night. (9-1-1 Operator: "Is that the victim moaning?" Me on a cell phone: "No ma'am, there's a cow watching us and she's just trying to help too.") Used to be aother Pilot just a ways more at Mountain Home but it burned down one day back when I was taking that juice to the fighter base there. Tighten my seatbelt and my jaw and head into the nasty morning rush hour in Boise and steer off the SuperSlab at Twin Falls and head into The Silver State!

First up in Nevada is gonna be Jackpot. Probably take a picture of Casino 93 and the Horseshu since I never see tham posted here on TCB. Everybody's seen Cactus Pete's haven't they? Jeez, where else ya gonna catch Jerry Van Dyke. Pocatello?

Turbo on down the road to Wells. I actually spent a night in Wells once. It was about 0100 and pretty doggone dark when I wheeled into Wells. I was running 48,000# of phosphoric acid over to the bay area from one of those towns in Idaho that don't show on the Rand McNallys. I saw they had trucker rates down that little road at Rancho Villa and Donna's Place but I decided I'd get more rest in my day cab. If you're going to sleep on your Mack's steering wheel, better to do it just beyond the 4-Way at the Flying J than out there hammer-down on I-80. I'll pull off onto Front St. and park in front of Johnny's Club again and see if'n they've continued to "spruce" the place up any more. Sigh. Hope those guys run outta paint before they chase the ghosts out of town.

Now the run south to Ely and the Hotel Nevada. I like to play a lot of Lou Reed out here. Debbie Harry too. New York smart alecs in eastern Nevada is an irony that appeals to me. Sandinista! coming out of my Sedan Deville speakers on the Strip in front of Caesars pegged the meter one day back in 2000. So...Charlie Don't Surf, eh you lot?

Ely.

Park out on Aultman St. and tote my bag into the Hotel. Usually time it so that I have to wait for the beer guy to stow his delivery into the only elevator for the trip to the cooler in the basement. Guess Beer Guy figures folks make the trip to Ely just to watch him handtruck sweaty kegs of Coors while we're a sittin' on our Samsonite. Hit the room, snag some meat 'n potatoes in the resturant and take a tour of the town. Guess I'll hunt down the address for The Pit and the Mustang Club. Seems like everything else either got burned down or remodeled into oblivion. Just around the corner a few blocks I've learned is Big 4. Few months ago I ran across a website for the operation. They've got ladies there. Looking at the website pics of the ladies, I figure I know where the "Big" part of the name comes from. In Ely, the gradeschool is two blocks the other way from the Hotel. Different kind of place, Nevada. Back at the Hotel, a little table time to snag some of those famous Chipco snappers for the trade session after the banquet. Climb up on that big old Hotel Nevada bed and lights out on Day 1.