ONLINE GAMBLING AND CASINO GUIDE

Looking for something fun and different for me to do last weekend, I came across the 1st Annual Gold Coast Charity Poker Run, a fund raiser benefiting the United Way. Believe it or not, I have never been to the Gold Coast before because it is a little bit off the Vegas Strip on Flamingo in Las Vegas.

The event started bright and early on Saturday morning. These poker runs are mainly for motorcyclists, but cars were allowed also at this event. I tried to find a bike to attach myself to, but didn’t have any luck, so I just drove it.

A poker run involved going to different stations, pulling a card, having it written on your scorecard and after you hit all the stations, you return to find out if you had the winning poker hand. The stations where you draw the cards are all over town, so you get to see the sights as well.

Station #1 was right there at registration at the Gold Coast Casino. Not too terribly difficult for Miss Lost, namely me. I drew a Queen of Clubs, so I was off to a great start! Or so I thought.

The time limit to get to Station #2 was 11:15am. I had started around 10am so I had plenty of time to get there. This spot was located out on Bonnie Springs Road and I needed to drive through Red Rock Canyon in order to get there. Actually, I think it was in Red Rock Canyon.

I putted along through the beauty of the place. Signs with pictures of burros were everywhere to warn drivers some wild pack of jackasses just might decide to cross the road at any given moment. So, I felt at home, it was just like being inside a casino.

I went all the way down the road like the map said, but the guy who was looking for a twenty dollar entry fee into the recreation area hadn’t heard of a poker run and didn’t know what I was talking about. He was real nice about it and let me drive in to the parking lot for this recreation thingy for free to look around for my Station #2. By the second time I had pulled down in there confessing I was lost more than usual, he suggested I go back up the road a bit to where the train loads to look for my station. Well, Station #2 wasn’t there either. Time was clicking away and I had to admit I just wasn’t going to find it. There was a cool little train there, by the way. It is a miniature and has an engineer driving it around on a track. You can buy tickets to ride it. If I had kids I probably would have, but I don’t, so I admitted defeat and moved on to find Station #3.

In order to get my next card (and hopefully my second card), I had to drive to Saddle West Casino which was 31.1 miles away. As it turns out, that is Pahrump. I have never been to Pahrump before. I sort of like the name of the place, though.

I saw more jackass signs and a little desert rat sort of creature ran out in front of me when I was going 70, thought better of it, then turned around and ran off. Yes, he was fast.

I knew I was in Pahrump when I saw a billboard advertising Heidi Fleiss’s book was being sold at the local bookstore, complete with the Hollywood Madam’s signature. You know you’re in BFE when there is a billboard advertising one local resident’s obscure book.

Pahrump was everything I imagined it to be, which is sort of not a lot. It is a bit of a billboard city, which I didn’t expect. There were huge signs everywhere, but not much in the way of actual buildings. Lucky for me, the Saddle West Casino was big enough for me to actually see and it was an easy pull in.

The nice ladies there allowed me to pull an extra card due to me being an idiot and not being able to find Station #2. I pulled a two of Hearts and a 5 of Spades for the third. Hmmm. I don’t know a lot about poker but I think I just abandoned my fine start at this game.

Station #4 was back tracking a bit from where I just came… thank God. This time it was the Mountain Springs Saloon on NV-160 S and Williams Ranch Rd. It sounded easy enough to find and it was. I wasn’t the only car there. There was one other car, the rest were motorcycles. I parked and got in line to draw my next fabulous poker card.

Now mind you, I’m standing there in my shorts, sandals, girly top and cute cotton hat along side guys with long braids, decked out in leather and their babes who are every bit as leathered. I looked like a dufus.

Everyone was nice to me though. In all rights, they should have sacrificed me to the Harley gods. I know you’re dying to know, I drew a 9 of Spades. Yeah, great hand, huh?

I didn’t hang around like the others did, I hit the road because I was getting hungry and I knew there was a barbecue waiting at the end. All hope of winning any of the prizes with my poker hand were lost with that last card draw. It was time to get a Coke and some food.

I zoomed on down the road back to civilization as I know it to get those eats at the Gold Coast Casino and pull the fifth and final card. That was an uneventful ride, except for the part where I thought I’d take a short cut across Valley View to avoided getting on the freeway. I went directly into a road block. Who knew? Well I do now, Valley View is a dead end between NV-160 S and Flamingo Road. Jesus. That cost me another hungry five minutes in the turn around time.

The barbecue was there but only about ten people were there for it. There were tables everywhere and the band was starting. I got some eats and sat with everyone else at the one occupied table. I talked with the fellows there and listened to the ,“Gee, where ever shall I sit?” jokes as each person arrived. The band was good, but I felt for them because they had to start before there were a lot of people there to dance. I think people must have lagged behind with the beer at the Saloon.

The sun was getting too much for me so I just headed home before the big prize was awarded for the best poker hand. What did I draw as the final card? I just know you dying to find out. The 6 of Hearts.

My final hand was: Q Clubs, 2 Hearts, 5 Spades, 9 Spades, 6 Hearts. I was anxious to go home and play with my parrot and forget about poker for a while.

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