Background- I have been visiting Las Vegas at least once or twice a year since the early 80’s. I usually travel with my friend Donna. We usually go out at this time of year because our other friends are also there for their timeshare week.

Flight and Hotel- We flew Allegiant Air out of Duluth, MN for the first time on a special 2 for the price of 1 deal. With this deal, you had to book a hotel package through Allegiant Air to get the airfare discount. We chose to stay at the cheapest hotel available at the time which was the Gold Coast. (downtown was sold out) It cost us about 250 per person for air and hotel.

I found that I liked not having comped room. I didn’t have to worry about “stiffing” the casino and not playing enough to be asked back. I also didn’t worry about daily averages etc. I just played where I wanted to this trip and had a lot more fun.

We really liked flying out of Duluth instead of Minneapolis. It is about an hour closer and a lot less traffic. Parking at the airport is 7.00 per day. We plan to take this route from now on whenever possible even without the special price.

The flight was approximately 3 hours and uneventful. There was no cab line and I told the driver to take us the fastest way to the Gold Coast which meant the tunnel. I didn’t really care about the 5.00 extra since it was a Saturday and I thought that the area around the strip would be congested.

We checked in right away on Sat. There was no line and we got the 2 bed non-smoking room that we asked for. The room at the Gold Coast was clean and adequate. There is a small tub/shower and toilet in a small room with a sink/closet just outside. The beds were soft (some kind of spongy material with no springs in mattress) and there is a coffee maker in the room. The plasma television was a nice touch. On a downside, a group of about 15-20 high school age girls also checked in on my floor. I think that they were some kind of a team. Judging from their behavior in the hall, I wasn’t happy to have them as neighbors, but they actually weren’t that bad. I just don’t know why groups of underage teens would be booked into a hotel with a casino.

I play .25 video poker almost exclusively. My favorites are Double Double Bonus and Deuces Bonus.

After check in, we walked over to Rio for the dinner buffet. We subscribe to Las Vegas Advisor and used our coupon book (POV) for a 2 for 1. It was a good buffet, especially for half-price. After the buffet, we walked back over to Gold Coast to catch the shuttle to Orleans. I hit 4’s for $100, and A’s for 200 but did a lot of losing also. Went to bed about even.

I agree with other posters about the number of kids at the Orleans. It seemed that I couldn’t walk anywhere without bumping into a stroller or a toddler. I almost brained a couple of teens who were
continuously snapping their gum right behind me while waiting for their parents in line at the cashier.

The shuttle from Orleans back to Gold Coast was an interesting experience. A homeless woman tried to board and the driver told her that she had to have a room key. She argued with him that there were seats available and that he should transport her without a key. The driver ended up telling her that she smelled and he didn’t want her stinking up his bus. She got off. I felt kind of bad for her. Then on the way, a young man (who appeared to think that we all wanted to hear him talk) made a few comments to the driver that he was going to sue for some water dripping on him from a window or something. The driver stopped right on the road and told him if he didn’t like it he could get off. The young man said he was just kidding and finally the driver started driving again, but I thought he was going to kick the guy right off the bus. A little while later, the driver apologized for being “snappy” and said that it had been a long night. The guy who almost got kicked off, started yapping again and telling everyone to give the driver a tip and talking about how he was nice guy for apologizing etc. I was happy when we finally got back to the Gold Coast. Yes, we both tipped.

We used our 10.00 off POV coupons for the Paris buffet on Sunday morning. It is regular breakfast prices early in the morning so we ended up only paying 3.00 each. I thought that the breakfast was very good. We also found the service to be excellent.

We were supposed to stay on the strip all day and see Elton John that evening, but the show was cancelled at the last minute. Donna heard from a bartender that it was Elton who cancelled. After breakfast, I stayed and played at Paris and got dealt 3 Jacks with a Joker on Joker Poker. Up popped the other Jack for 250. Good start to the day. I played at Bally’s and Caesar’s for the rest of the day. We had dinner that evening at the Stage Deli. We both had the corned beef sandwich and new york cheesecake. Both were good. I think that I ended up about 200 down for the day.

I usually get up early and go to bed early while in Vegas. I would lose at least 1 or 2 hundred before breakfast every morning. My morning coffee and Bailey’s was pretty expensive this trip. Other than that, I was pretty much holding my own. Winning a little and losing a little, but always within my daily allotment.

On Monday we went to the Commander’s Palace for the martini lunch. I had the asparagus-artichoke soup, barbecued chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries and profiteroles for dessert. The soup was delicious, the sandwich and fries were okay and the dessert was good.
Donna had some kind of tomato salad, some kind of stew with pork and bread pudding for dessert. She liked the salad and bread pudding, but didn’t care for the stew. We both liked the martinis and left quite full and happy. I had the Commander’s Special, Lemon Drop and Cosmo. Donna had the Commander’s Special, Lemon Drop and an Appletini.

After lunch, we shopped a little in the Dessert Passage mall and worked our way back to Barbary to catch the shuttle back to Gold Coast. We were meeting our timeshare friends at Palms that evening. Played at Palms for the afternoon. I got A’s for 200 and played on that for most of the day. I think I ended up losing a little overall. We met our friends, and also met some of their relatives who live in Vegas. We all had dinner at Gardunos using our 50% off POV coupon. I had a shrimp fajita which was very good. The margaritas were excellent. Had a great time with everyone. FYI- They only let us use one POV coupon for all nine of us at the table even though we had 3 coupons.

Lost at the Gold Coast at their bar by the buffet that night. I like that bar because you can sit on low and comfortable chairs rather than barstools but couldn’t stay because it was wiping me out. Sat at a deuces bonus bank and was dealt 4 deuces for 250. Just couldn’t get that ace kicker to make it 500, but was happy anyway.

Tue.
Did my usual morning loss at the Gold Coast while waiting for Donna to come down so that we could go downtown for the day. Took a cab to MSS to use our 2 for 1 POV coupon for the breakfast buffet. Had kind of a bad start with some people from Hawaii. I think that they were there for some kind of basketball tournament judging from some of the shirts that they were wearing. When we walked into the buffet entrance, there were some in line and some standing at the entrance to the buffet and talking in a group. They all seemed to know each other, but were all paying in groups of two to four each. That didn’t stop them from budging in front of Donna and me though. They were loud, obnoxious and walked right in front of us in the buffet line. I guess that they thought that since they knew each other, they could just push ahead of us in line also. I didn’t even get an omelette because I knew that it would be more of the same. Donna braved the omelette line and said that they pushed in front of her and each other in the omelette line also. It wasn’t anything horrible, but just annoying for adults to act like that.

Main Street Station was my luckiest casino this trip. I got a royal dealt to me for 1000 on a slant top Game King playing deuces bonus. I also got A’s with a kicker for 500 at the bar. I really needed those two wins because I lost everywhere else downtown. Four Queens was the worst to me. I couldn’t get a four of a kind there no matter what I played. Met with our timeshare friends at the Freemont and played and drank at the bar for a while. Friends went to the seafood buffet at the Freemont and Donna and I ate at Binions Ranch Steakhouse. Donna had about 100 in comps that she wanted to use up and I gladly helped her. We both had an appetizer and entree skipping the salad. I had the Oysters Rockefeller, filet and garlic mashed potatoes and Donna had some kind of shrimp appetizer, filet and roasted red potatoes. Broccoli also came with the meal. Everything was excellent. The bill, with 2 glasses of wine, came to about 100. I highly recommend this place for an “Old Vegas” steakhouse.

Took a cab back to the Gold Coast for a little more gambling before bed. I sat down at a deuces bonus machine and was dealt two deuces. Up popped two more deuces with an ace kicker for 500. What a suprise. I’ve been playing this game for years and this was the first time that I’d ever gotten the kicker with the deuces. I wanted to stay up all night, but only made it until midnight.

Had to get up at 4:30 to get to the airport for our 7:00 a.m. flight. Smooth flight home. Had a great time. Ended up spending about 200 for the whole trip. Can’t wait for next Summer!!

**edit**
I forgot to add that someone tried to scam one of our friends at Bellagio last Sunday. A woman with a baby gave a sob story about not having any money to get home and all she needed was 40.00. My friend said that her tears were quite convincing, so be careful.

………..i’ll get to the pie at the end.
It was a good trip, just not very exciting. Hungry cab drivers, construction at the IP and LV Hilton were bothersome… This one was short ‘n sweet but more ‘ho hum’ than Christmas ‘ho ho ho’.

My Sunday SOUTHWEST flight left right on time out of Oakland California…7:10AM, and I was at the GOLD COAST registration dest at 9…couldn’t get into the RIO until Monday (RODEO)
I requested a 9th floor room, checked my bag w/ ‘Bell’ and walked around the casino. They always decorate the registration area for Christmas and Rodeo…more Rodeo than Christmas. A large ‘corral’ set up next to the ‘tree’ with Rodeo info, hats, vests, baseball caps, jackets, gloves, belts, boots… …all displaying the gold and red ‘GOLD COAST’ logo. Seemed like every well dressed Cowboy had to buy a black souvenir vest…they were everywhere…along with cases and caSES and CASES of every kind of BEER on the market. Stacked in every vacant space around the bars, piled 5 feet high on hand trucks…Bud, Bud Lite, Miller Genuine Draft, COORS… longneck bottles and cans loaded one on top of another like haybales all through the GOLD COAST’s ‘Pit’ area……….navigating through was like being in a Pole Bending or Barel racing competition just to get to the elevators.

Didn’t play much at the GOLD COAST…the casino just doesn’t do anything for me…I’m more at home across the street at the PALMS and headed over there for breakfast. Steak ‘n Eggs at the newly re-modeled SUNRISE CAFE always works good. Played some ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘WOF’, then settled in for $Bonus Poker and quarter Double Bonus. With my good ‘Change’ buddy Connie looking on, I had lots of good play and laughs, but no Royals. I’ve known Connie from the first
day the PALMS opened and she’s always on top of the better Pay Schedual machines. New info to me…(and I’ve never noticed him), but Connie tells me Bob Dancer has been an almost daily visitor lately…Dollar TriplePlay Duces.

Pulled my bag across Valley View Monday morning and in the West enterence of the RIO. Another good friend, Patty, at the Platinum registration counter was waitin’ for me. We talk as my trips get close and she keeps her eye on my favorite room. Saturday it was unoccupied when we last spoke, but late that night (dispite the request in the computer) an unsympathetic or…not too bright (…I like that) supervisor on the nightside gave it away. It set worse with Patty than me and she said she’d find me a good compromise…AND DID! She gave me one of the newly decorated Cariocas suites…very sweet, but I still prefer my normal corner room on the 13th floor.

Not much to report on food…I pretty much eat on the run. Show times conflict with dinner times but I did squeeze in my Steak, Lobster and Shrimp up-top in RIO’s VOODOO CAFE. I also tried (for the first time) the VENETIAN’s GRAND LUX CAFE after BLUE MAN GROUP’s new Show. I always seem to be in the mood for pasta after a Show, and their ‘Rustic Lasangna’ is WONDERFUL

I grew up with Rock ‘n Roll and love all types of music. December…because of the Grand Nationals is a great, once a year, opportunity to catch Country Music in Las Vegas. I saw LYNRD SKYNYRD, PHIL VASSAR, and LeANN RIMES this trip…all at LVHilton, all great Shows! Too bad I can’t say the same thing for the casino. The re-modeling is going on EVERYWHERE! The main ‘Pit’ is intact, but the slots and VP machines, from the front door to the Sports Book are upside down! All new natural Maplewood finish machines to match the new carpet are still piled up in groups waiting to be set up. I was there Sun. and Wed. and they
hadn’t made any progress in getting the gaming up and running. I found an old row of 8/5 Bonus Poker machines in the Sports Book to play which were good fun until Showtime. The escalators at the IMPERIAL PALACE are being replaced too so if you need to get to the 2nd or 3d floors for Shows or Buffets, you need to use the elevators…BIG DRAG! I’ll put some thoughts on the NEW BLUE MAN GROUP, AVE. Q’s Showtime change and FAB FOUR in shows/Entertainment.

now…………………………………about MOOSE TURD PIE.

During Rodeo, Cowboy Hats, Giant Belt Buckels, and Cowboy Boots are everywhere and so are the stories you over hear… The GOLD COAST gave me 2 of their FUN BOOKS at check-in. The only thing I like in ‘em is the 2 FREE scoops of ice cream from their ICE CREAM PARLOR….. COWBOYS seemed to LOVE ICE CREAM TOO and the Parlor was like a meeting place for swoppin’ stories of the day and was always full. I found a vacant chair at a table with a couple of Cowboys…real friendly guys, talkin’ stories, where ya from, what ya do, etc. Bill Morgan…the senior Cowboy of the two was talkin’ about what he did before he started workin’ Rodeo. How I remembered this I’ll never know, but he was such a wonderful charactor and his smokey old voice just stuck in my memorybanks I guess. His story went something like this…

MOSE TURD PIE:
“Before I worked the Rodeo, I went down and got a job with the Rural Electrofication Co. on the Navaho Indian reservation……..runnin’ electric power lines into the Navaho ‘outhouses’. I was one of the first people to wire ahead for a reservation! I’ll tell ya about the worst job I ever had in my life. Worst job I ever had in my life was workin’ for the Santa Fe Railroad south of LAS VEGAS…out in the desert. Now the job was ‘Gandy Dancin’. ‘Gandy Dancin’ used to be (in the old days)………..’Gandy Dancin’ was when the Irish were buildin’ the railroad. The first transcontinental railroad was built by Irish laborers, and they used these long handled shovels called ‘Irish Banjos’ that were made by the Gandy Shovel Co. of Chicago. Now the Irish laborer would take the wide end of the shovel (when he could find it)…….and he would jam it in under the rail or a tie……..crawl out on the end and do a little ‘jig-step’, and this would level the rail or tie up so they could shovel gravel in underneath it, tamp it down, and this would level the
roadbed see……..that’s what ‘Gandy Dancin’ is, levelin’ the roadbed so the damn train don’t fall off when it goes by which is just a big drag for everybody.

Now they don’t do ‘Gandy Dancin’ the normal way any more. Now days, they run 3 cars out on the line. They run a boxcar out there that’s a ‘Bunk Car’…you sleep in it. They got beds and they’re 18″ apart. Then you got a ‘Tool Car’ with your camping irons, your tongs, and your
double jack hammers, spikes and all that sort of equipment ya see…AND then you got the ‘Cook Car’. See, theres no restaurnants anywhere around, so you gotta do your own cookin’.
It’s got pots, pans, coal or wood burning stove…long table down the middle that you eat at…Only thing they don’t hire is a cook………..that’s cuz they’re cheap…saves ‘em money. Rule is…they’re supose to pick from their own crew who’s going to cook. …………..and they don’t decide to do it sensibly like draw lots or see who the best cook is…What they do is wait and see who whines and cries, pisses and moans the most about the cookin’, and they say…….. “all right wise guy, you think you can do better, you get to be the cook”. ……………………….well that was me see. ‘Ol alligator mouth. New man on the crew. And that was the worst food I ever had! I mean it was dogbottom pie, pheasant sweat, foder water……comes out of an utter (terrible stuff)
So I complained! and they said…”OK wise guy, you get to be the cook”. THAT MADE ME MAD, cuz I didn’t want to cook, but I know if ANYBODY COMPLAINED ABOUT MY COOKIN’…that they were gonna have to cook.

ARMED WITH THAT KNOWLAGE…I sallyed forth…over the muddy river. I was walkin’ around among the cheat grass there…I looked down, and there was just a hell of a BIG MOOSE TURD. Biggest damn Moose turd I…….. …it was a real steamer! I looked down at the ‘meadow waffer’ and I said to myself….I said, SELF, I’m gonna bake up a big Moose Turd Pie. Cuz if anybody complains about my cookin’, they’re gonna have to cook.

So I tipped that ‘Pasture Pastry’ up on edge (I got my shit together so to speak)……..and I started rollin’ it down toward the old Cook Car. …baroomp-baroomp, rolled it down there and leaned it up against the side. I climbed up into the Cook Car and I baked up one hell of a big pie shell and I baked that Moose turd in just as slick as you please. I crimped the edges with my thumbs and laid strips of dough across it, garnished it with a sprig of Parsley, alittle Paprika……it was BEAUTIFUL… POETRY ON A PLATE…and I served it for desert, just waitin’ for the first hint of a complaint.

Well this giant dude came in…..5 foot 40…..I mean he was BIG! Throwed himself down like a fool on a stool…picked up his fork…took a big bite… Well he through down his fork. And he let out a bellow, and he yelled…..

MY GOD!!!

THAT’S MOOSE TURD PIE!!!………………………………….it’s good though.