Thursday, September 28, 2000
I woke up at 9am and quickly showered and packed up my things. I didn't have breakfast because I just wanted to get on the road.
By 9:45 I had called the belldesk to send someone up and by 10am they had arrived. This was the first time that I was hustled for a tip on this trip and I think the first time in the last several tips.
The guy put my bags on his cart and then handed me the receipt. He asked if there was anything else he could do and I said "No". He explained that I'd give my ticket to the people at the valet desk outside and then he paused for a minute or two. He bent down to adjust the tag on my suitcase and said, "You know that it won't be me that you'll see downstairs, but someone else." And then another pause. Before I thought about it, I pulled a buck out of my pocket and said, "Thanks" and he was on his way.
Closing the door behind him I started to think about it and it made me a little mad. Not mad at him, but mad at myself. Usually I say, "Okay, see ya!" and close the door, but this time I caved in to the hustle. That makes me mad.
I grumbled about it while I gave the room a once over and headed down to the lobby. It was more crowded this morning with people checking out. This time it was me who was tempted to say the nasty names as three people cut in front of me because of the lack of any sort of line or organization in the lobby.
When I did get up to the counter, I complained about the lack of a line to the belldesk. He looked nervous and snickered a bit at my lighthearted complaint. He said that they liked not having the roped off areas because it looks better, but when it's busy (like it was that morning) it can get out of control there. Whatever. I got a copy of my bill and headed outside to the Valet area.
Gave them my tickets for the car and for the baggage. They both arrived at the same time about 2-3 minutes later. I got everything into the car and strapped down. I put the faceplate thing back on the stereo, got out my book on tape, loaded up the CD player and was off to find a gas station.
I ended up at the Texaco across the street from the Rio that I always go to. I had planned on going down the strip to Tropicana because of the easy access to the freeway, etc, but ended up turning because traffic was bad on the strip. There weren't a lot of cars, but morons were driving the few cars that were there. :-)
I headed out of the gas station and got flustered by a big truck barreling down on me and I screwed up. I turned at the stoplight, thinking it was the freeway onramp, but I ended up on Industrial. Darnit! Another few minutes delay getting on the road.
I finally got on the freeway and was on my way home. My drive home was uneventful other than some road construction on the eastern side of Tehachipi and some guy trying to kill me while passing a truck going the other way on a two-lane road outside Bakersfield.
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I came over Altamont pass into Livermore during sunset. Then over one more pass and down into the fog that means I'm at the bay and home. I got home a little after 7pm. A mere 8.5 hours after leaving Las Vegas. |
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I really had a good time on this trip. It was much more slowly paced than usual, but that wasn't a bad thing. There were a few times that I missed Dan being around. Usually when something heavy needed to be carried around or when my feet were tired and could use a rub. :-) On the other hand, it was kind of nice to be there alone. I never feel really uncomfortable there on my own like I might in another destination. I enjoyed being able to set my own pace and to see the things I wanted to see without having to feel rushed or slowed down by another person. Seriously though, there were a number of things I wish that he could have been there to share. That great room at Aladdin, walking around the Desert Passage, the Shark Reef. I'm sure we'll be back soon though and he can see all those things with me.
