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The chip is on my "Someday..." list and an example went for $375 in the Bruce Landau club auction. Glad to see they've removed Flying J billboard that was planted at the backdoor last visit. Flying J - skip their Thanksgiving buffet and eat your shoe instead.
Took off from Portland, OR. at midnight and rolled up to my bed stop about mid-afternoon, 880 miles on the clock. I'd stopped in Jackpot and Wells for a walkaround and some pics and figured to do the same here after resolving some camera issues. Downstairs to recon the 21 table and noted some interesting chips in play. Up to the room and checked it out, fixed the camera and headed for the street with a page of addresses to look up.
I'n noticed this place in past visits and scored the matchcover just the week of my visit. in the '40's it had gaming and the sign said Commercial Club. Without looking again, I believe in 1954 the place burned up according to one source or burned down according to another source. There have been many fires in Ely over the years. Headed back towards the Hotel and past Collins Court, still visually vibrant but closed tighter than a drum of arsonist's fuel. Jaywalk in front of the City Kitty at the Jailhouse block and consider this place.
Not my best The Pit chip, but certainly my favorite. I'm claiming that's lipstick on the chip... probably matches up with the red on the rim of an ancient empty Hamm's can out at the town dump. Make up your own story on this one. 
Gratified to find the building lives up to the image "The Pit" conjures.
Notice the context in the pics. Pretty important when you consider the town of Ely. People there for sure, but the place is very serene. I've lived in small towns and I think I'd like this one. But it's Nevada and Nevada is a different place. Indeed, just head up the street past The Pit and that vacant lot (wonder what burned up/down there?) and look to the west:
More context. End of the road. Truckers get free coffee...they say.
Wait some more for the elevator and head up to my room. Well the Hotel Nevada is quaint and has lots of that "patina" they're always looking for on Antiques Roadshow. Don't worry, everything is spotless and freshly painted but, I don't know. I'm not fussy but this trip the place is also becoming kinda quirky. Everybody in the place is like everyone else in Ely, small town friendly and respectful. Okay, there was some drama I noticed in the resturant when I sat down for a meat 'n potatoes dinner. The manager and a waitress had some unhappy dynamic going on. Sheesh, just like a Waffle House w/o the grits. Takeout pizza is a specialty and locals leave with about three pies while I' eating. Afterdinner free-with-coupon margarita (ummm, buzzy!) and a seat at the blackjack table. Only player in the whole basement. Another 21 table and a poker table, both covered. The "eye in sky" was the relief dealer wandering around emptying ashtrays and watching. The gal dealing confirmed the bingo concession folded about a year ago. So here's what you could find in the rack:
The red chipco was something I hadn't seen on the table before. They'd always used the snapper and I liked to havest them for the trade session after the banquet. I said to the dealer, "Well, dug these out of the vault I see" "Those are our new ones!" she says. Yeah, new in 1996. The regular redbirds with the cowboy burro are pretty beat but I was still surprised to see these Chipcos. I can't lie, I tell the gal, I'm a chip collector and drop $10 worth into my shirt pocket. She grins and I get that "look" we chippers get. I start in on how I've got all the cheques ever from '31 on we're talking about the days when the Kennicott mine was running full blast and everyone had money and the casino used to be jumping. She's not old enough to have been around when the Bank Club was going so I don't get to ask her if teens used to be able to gamble there (well, only if they knew you and you were "ok"). I finish up, tip and color up. Slide over a doggy snapper and the relief dealer picks out another minty $2.50 for me. Nice. http://www.hotelnevada.com/
Up at 0600 outta that big 'ol bed (you gotta see those babies!), breakfast and tank up on Starbucks down at the coffeeshop. Taking Hwy 318 out of town for the first time. They run the Silver State Challenge down this road. Buncha Richy Richs run Lambos and Ferraris on this road in a once-a-year special closed highway event. I'm aghast to find that the highway is comprised of miles-long straightaways so that explains why the odd dentist or leathergoods guy blows a Firestone on his Bad Ride and endos for 15 or 20 minutes every year. I'm annoyed to find that my right side front door window pulls away from the weatherstripping and makes a chirping noise when you go past 110 mph. Nice and quiet at 100 however. First stop in Las Vegas is this place again.
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