Riders On The Storm...
Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Into this house were born
Into this world were thrown
Like a dog without a bone
An actor out on loan
Riders on the storm
There's a killer on the road
His brain is squirmin' like a toad
Take a long holiday
Let your children play
If ya give this man a ride
Sweet memory will die
Killer on the road, yeah
by The Doors...
Don't know why I quoted the lyrics from the Doors, maybe I was
channeling Jim Morrison on my drive to and back to New Mexico,
getting there last Thursday and arriving back in Vegas, last
Sunday. I think the song was inspired by an incident Jim
Morrison experienced when he was living in New Mexico as a
kid. I think he witnessed a car accident driving with his
parents outside of Albuquerque, NM. Anyway, let me digress...
Like I said before I drove to Albuquerque last week to meet
up with my GF. She flew into New Mexico for an job interview
she had with a company known for their "Angels". She still
lives in San Jose, but purchased a home in Albie earlier
this year.
Flights were kind of expensive short notice, so
I thought to myself, why not try driving out there. It would
give me a chance to see a part of America that I have not
driven through before. I also thought it would be a good
way to clear up things and analyze my "career as a poker
player" in my head. You can accomplish a lot of "soul
searching "when confined to your own thoughts". I make it
sound more serious than that it should be. It really isn't
that complicated. It gave me a chance to look at certain
hands that I have played on a "step by step" basis.
I won't reveal any new strategies or plays that I thought
over during the drive (for fear of it being used against
me, lol)...
I can say what of my shortcomings are at times, is playing
too cautious, when warranted aggressiveness will be the
key in winning pots. I guess the line from the movie
Rounders rings true, "You can't lose what you don't put
in the middle, but you can't win much either". I know
it's a process, but I feel that some of the people from
back home feel that I should be winning all kinds of
money out here or something. I've always been a winner
at the game, so I feel why should I change my style.
I've been winning essentially since I've been in
Vegas, but not to the effect where "retirement" will
come soon, hehe. There have been ups and downs, but
in Vegas and in Life I've never been "felted" (meaning
that you've lost all your chips, so you're down to the
"felt") - but have "felted" other players, hehe...
As I say, it's a process and should always utilize my
most prized skill "patience"...
Anyways, let me get back to the roadtrip. The drive
to Albuquerque is more or less 8 hours from Vegas.
I got a PT Cruiser from Thrifty Car Rentals near
McCarran International Airport in the city. I really
hate certain rental car agents. The rate for the
car was pretty cheap, just under a hundred bucks
from Thursday to Monday morning. The rental agent
asked me if I wanted to get the "extra insurance",
which would have added $22.00 more bucks a day to the
rental car. He tried to put the scare in me by saying
that if I didn't opt for the extra insurance that "I
would totally be responsible for any damages to the
rental vehicle". I told him that I used to work for
an auto insurance company and that my own auto insurance
would (AIG now, shit maybe not with all the stuff they
been thru the last couple of weeks, hehe..) provide
coverage for the rental vehicle as an additionally
insured automobile. He still says that I should take
the extra insurance, due to the fact that I worked
for an auto insurance company. Jeez, I said no
already! Plus my credit card would also provide
rental insurance coverage as well. Give me my keys
already! I agreed for the fuel charge though, at
$3.45 per gallon, as I knew that I was going use all
of the gas. All in all about at buck fifty for the
rental, not bad for all the saved up mileage/wear/tear
I would save Ms. Taylor (my Jeep Cherokee, if you have
been reading my earlier posts).
The drive all the way to Albuquerque was all good,
knowing at the end of the rainbow I would find my pot
of gold, meaning that I would be able to spend some
time with my GF. I haven't seen her for a couple of
weeks, since the time I was out there during Labor
Day week (like I have a real job). I didn't want to
make any unneeded stops, as I was going to drive back
Sunday, where I could make stops on a whim, as I didn't
need to return the car until Monday morning.
I left about 1000 am that day and made it to Albie, at
about 730 pm (Mountain time, I lost an hour due to the
time change). Kinda' weird not having to talk to anyone
in person for about 8 hours - but like I said, I wanted
to have some time to think to myself. My biggest worry
driving, would be getting stuck on the road where there
were no cell sites to get a signal for my phone (then I
would be totally cut off from the world). I think I'm
going to get a handheld CB radio, so when Armageddon comes,
I will be able to get helicoptered out of Hell.
I got to her house and we sat down for dinner. Thin Crust
Pepperoni Pizza, the bestest sometimes. She also baked
some Reese's Peanut Butter Cup cookies. I've never had
them before - they were real good. We basically chilled
that night at home as she had a morning interview the next
day.
Friday and Saturday was mostly shopping for the house and
more chilling at the home, which is good. Nothing like
relaxing at home, with the next greatest invention in
the world, RedBox DVD's - a buck a night, you can't beat
it. Yes, I actually enjoyed watching Made of Honor and
Sex in the City - do they make Manolo's for men?
Gay, huh?
Sunday, I took her to the airport for her early flight.
That sucked and I still had a long drive back to Vegas.
I made it to Hoover Dam in about 7 hours. That was pretty
good time, since I had taken three "number 2" breaks and
a half hour lunch/rest break, just past Flagstaff AZ.
I decided to be a tourist and snap a few photos at the
dam. I've never been there before, even though it's
only about 40 minutes from the Strip. I'll have to go
back again with the GF or friends when they come into
town. I'm curious to check out the museum and see where
you can go to do some jet skiing...
After staying there for about 15 minutes, I decided to
head back into the city.
Dropped off the rental at Thrifty's and headed back
home with a ride from a buddy of mine. It feels good
and bad to be back in Sin City.
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