Visitreno

Shooty · Joined: 22 Jan 2006 Posts: 182

Just found a car on a lot in Reno I'm going to buy. So in two weeks, I'll fly to Comstockton, spend a few days, then drive it out.

I get to Reno once a year, if that. I'll never do all of this, but I'm hoping to:

I'll get there on Saturday the 8th. Happy to meet up with any other similarly-fortunate visitors.

BC Dave · Site Admin Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1594

I'll have to admit that about half of the things on your "to do" list are either unknown to me or are things I haven't tried.

I have only stayed once at Harrah's ( in 2001 I think) and that was in one of the front buildings. I was near an elevator and could hear the thing rattling up and down and down all night.

Sports betting is a complete mystery to me. I must admit that I admire those who were willing to do a little research to improve their odds - seems like very rational endeavour. The Peppermill''s sport lounge looks like a cool place to watch a game or bet on horse races. I haven't been a sports fan since the 60's, when I was a big fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. I also enjoyed watching the Tour de France during the Lance Armstrong years. That whole tragic affair still leaves me unsettled. I do have some unconventional views on the whole sports doping thing though. Alla JD, details upon request.

I think I love all the bars at the Eldorado. I have found that as long as you're playing video poker and tip appropriately, the Patron Silver is poured freely.

I love Virginia City and usually stop there for a few hours each trip. Some pretty cool shops with unconventional stuff and some really cool old bars with fascinating relics and pictures from the a Silver rush days. The Gold Hill Hotel just outside VC is worth a visit. You can tour the hotel but it's little, cramped bar is just the best!

After some 50 to 60 trips to Reno, I'm still intimidated by craps. I think I'll put it on my bucket list. I like to be part of that enthusiastic crowd yelling around the table. I imagine there's some good craps training apps available.

Davidson's Distillary looks and sounds like a bar with an edge - can't wait for the details.

I've done the bus thing to Sparks. Pretty good service as far as JA's Nugget goes. Getting out to the Western Village Inn can be a bit more trying.

Wish I had thought of McDonald's for wifi on my last trip. Although Circus Circus was supposed to have free wifi, it let me down after the first day.

Awful Awful! Oh, ...... Baby!

Grover Hot Springs eh? Sound like a great get away.

Love the Fireside's Happy hour especially on Tuesday. $1.50 imported beers.

Rail City is unknown territory to me. Another one for the bucket list. Ever been to Baldini's? I haven't. Is it worth the trip?

Good luck with the car. Have a great trip!

stan_allen · Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 1129

Agreed, great list!

Which one is "Vito's" in the El Dorado? I've spent a lot of time there, but I've never really noticed the names...

Virginia City: Bucket of Blood, baby! If you can only make one stop in Virginia City, let that be it - look for the memorabilia display towards the back, and admire the "49'ers" LP, of which I have an apparently signed copy...

You can double up on some of that stuff: while watching NFL games on Sunday, you can be making sports bets with your app thingy...

Good luck on the car; if you wind up buying it, don't gamble it away!

JD · Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 956

IN VC: Bucket of Blood only if David John is playing..(usually Sat or Sunday.

Otherwise: Red Dog Saloon, MArk Twain Saloon and Ponderosa

Next door to The Little Nugget....Siris (formerly Golden Phoenix, Flamingo Hilton, primadonna) Try the chicken & waffles at their snack bar in the back. Do NOT get suckered into the $ 10 for $ 20 promo. And Siris also has a Sports Book....AND a brass pole behind the bar for SOME bartendresses. (see my trip report written by John)

Have a bread bowl clam chowder at Atlantis oyster bar. Say hi to Tony

CaSwede · Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Posts: 866

That is an impressive list and it will be interesting to see how much of the list you will complete. I always like your trip reports. I guess now we have to put in an official request to get information on trips, so this is an official request.

I wonder if you can mooch a wi-fi signal from McD's from next door at Shooters? Worth a try.

I hope the car deal works out. Way back in the late 1960's my dad and I found a 1958 Edsel Ranger at a car lot on S. Virginia at a resonable price. We were sorry we did not buy it, so called a family friend in Reno who went down and bought it for us....and he was nice enough to deliver in the dead of winter. He informed us the heater did not work and almost lost some toes to frostbite over Donner Summit in single digit temperatures.

If you plan to buy an Edsel in Reno, check to see if the heater works.

BC Dave · Site Admin Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1594

So be careful driving your Edsel through the Sierra Nevadas in winter - it can have you down to a few less digits. Couldn't resist ... Sorry, I should have left this one for Stan.

Shooty · Joined: 22 Jan 2006 Posts: 182

A few thoughts.

Thanks for the tips about Virginia City. Been there 4-5 times, but can't ever remember getting out of the car. Was usually just a side trip going between South Shore and Reno.

Davidson's Distillery is a real biker bar on Fourth between Lake and Evans, in the shadow of the Bowling Stadium. I've only been there a couple afternoons and it was scary enough. The emaciated barkeep is the daughter of the owner and plainly has something wrong with her. I had a hell of a lot of fun loading the internet jukebox up with obscure 80s punk and watching the drunks kvetch.

With the new car (2015 Golf TDI SE), I'll be itching for a drive on Sunday the 9th. I love listening to sports on radio, so, unless the weather's lousy, I'll spend the day in the new ride, listening to NFL games on Sirius, starting with the morning's Niners-Saints game. I'll start by heading east towards Fernley, then south to lunch in Yerington, don't think I've ever been there. Then up over Monitor Pass through Markleeville to Grover Hot Springs, a dinky California state park with a couple small pools.

Then, up to Carson City for the best tamales I've ever had, a hole in the wall called Ladies Tamales. I'll polish off a few of those, then head to Virginia City to see what interest it holds. Then, finally, back to Reno. Should be about 230 miles total.

Craps is easy, really. 90% of the board should be ignored, just focus on how the pass line works, then figure out the come line, and then odds. Beyond that you can ignore everything else (unless you're an actual gambler).

Baldini's is a small place, I've never felt the need to go back. Same for Bonanza and Gold Dust West. I do find some divey-charm in Diamond's Casino at the Ramada. Something compelling about a casino populated mostly by people who walked there from their nearby trailers.

At Eldorado, Vito's is the bar near the showroom, closest to the door by the railroad trench.

I am curious about Siri's, but I can't imagine there's much to it. Sucks that Siri's gets a brass pole but Shooter's can't.

john · Site Admin Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 1181

LilyJDragonfly · Joined: 03 Mar 2009 Posts: 425

I would also try and work in the following:

[/list]

JD · Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 956

LILY !!

Never going to let me forget my comfy 9 hours behind the wheel duds , are you? (at least you didn't mention my moccasins)

It was the CAL NEVA for Gods sake! I was STILL the best dressed GUY at the bar. And I just got out of my car.

Where are you guys now?

LilyJDragonfly · Joined: 03 Mar 2009 Posts: 425

I'm in Marysville for a few more weeks then by Christmas, it's beach time!!! Yeah, that other place is only five hours from San Diego, but Reno will still be our home casino....

LilyJDragonfly · Joined: 03 Mar 2009 Posts: 425

and interestingly enough, I just noticed that your post was Number 666. Hrm.

Shooty · Joined: 22 Jan 2006 Posts: 182

Ice skating at the rink
Think it'll be running before Thanksgiving? Seems early.

Scoping for hookers
Yeah, not my thing, I mostly just feel bad for them.

Scoring new bungee cords from all the casinos
I do have an extensive slot club card collection, hundreds I'm sure. But I always decline the cords, maybe I've made a mistake?

A visit out to the Mustang Ranch to see the "museum"
Nah. I will be going out that way though, I bought some wheels for the new ride from Tirerack.com and I can save $160 in shipping by picking them up at their distribution center in McCarran, a quasi-town like Mustang east of Sparks.

Building as many less-than-a-buck cashout tickets as you can possibly muster
I like it!

Wearing a tan velour track suit at the CalNeva SkyBar
Geez, I like being good looking, but I don't want to be THIS good looking!

Using the phrase "Let's get it on!" as often as every other sentence when playing craps (ala Mills Lane, former TV judge & Washoe Co judge)
I once walked over to the courthouse by the river just to see Lane, I did spy him in the lobby of the building

Picking up a silver fox for dinner at one of buffets
Wow, you're really looking to hook me up!

Becoming totally shitfaced before 8:45am one morning
That's a little early for me, but I should manage to do it by 2P at least once. Probably on Monday, making it even more pathetic/fantastic.

Posting a live trip report (ala JD)
Nah, but I will write up something after I get back.

LilyJDragonfly · Joined: 03 Mar 2009 Posts: 425

Hey! Where'd ya score that fine pic of JD? He had removed the sunglasses when I found him slapping down deuces at the SkyBar, but that's a damn good likeness...

BC Dave · Site Admin Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1594

Velour is under-rated. I can see myself in a royal purple suit, with a large pair of dice or a royal flush stitched into the back of it. That would be a huge hit at the Sky-bar. I've always been a slave to fashion. Wait, I'll need something to cover my big shiny head - a Walter White boler perhaps.

As per live trip reports - how about one of those head mounted cameras setup to do time lapse? Washroom breaks and sleeps would preferably be edited out. We could watch a four day Reno adventure in say 5 minutes.