So here I am in Phoenix, with too long but yet not all that much longer to go, and I am at a loss for how to spend this coming weekend here. I guess I am really at a loss as to whether I should spend it here or not. I was thinking of going to Las Vegas. Then I checked the airfare and it was prohibitive (on only a few days notice). Then I checked a rental car and while the price was okay, the airport location which is open 24/7 only rents to people who flew in within the last 72 hours and the other nearby locations close so early on Sunday as to make it not worth my while to rent a car and then have to try to hurry back to get it turned in on time. Then there is Greyhound. I could not find a bus junket trip to Vegas from Phoenix; instead I found a few forum type posts complaining about how they are not available as they are from places like NYC to Atlantic city so I checked Greyhound. The web discount fare was about $88.00 round trip. Now get this, the regular fare is $59.00 round trip. Try to figure that one out. I double checked - those are the prices - or close to them as I recall em right now. I am tempted but then again I remember Greyhound from those days when I did not own a car and from days when my first clunkers were broken down wrecks and I had to go by bus. Greyhound buses often live up to their names, or did way back when, as they smell like kennels. Not nice but at least someone else is doing the driving. The trip is about 9 hours, I suppose I could catch the one tomorrow night and sleep until arrival sometime between 6 and 7 AM.
The only reasons I am thinking of going to Vegas is to get out of here for a weekend and because I have been watching Pawn Stars lately on the History Channel (no not Porn Stars but PAWN Stars, about a Las Vegas pawn shop). I would not mind visiting their shop but I heard they are on the outskirts of Las Vegas and the taxi fare could be prohibitive from the downtown bus terminal. I'll have to think on it.
Now, I also need to recheck the sights on my issued Remington 870. I did qualify with it awhile back but was shooting a bit low. Don't know if that was me or the sights. I imagine I could do this on a workday but I would rather take more time and enjoy myself shooting on a weekend when I do it - so that is another option for this weekend. Thing is - there is nothing else keeping me in Phoenix this weekend right now so a Vegas solo vacation (even if only for a day or two) looks promising. Then again, I just stopped by the Turf Accountant and had an enjoyable dinner. (I forgave them their rude treatment on St. Patrick's Day and started enjoying the place and the company and conversation of the nice people who work there (for the most part they are very nice as opposed to the 2 assholes there on the front door on St. Patrick's Day.) I was served by Natalie - a young lass who is definitely my favorite waitress west of the Mississippi, maybe even east of it. She is a great waitress, pleasant to behold and is just a really nice person. The Turf Account, and the nice folks who work there like Natalie (no I am not implying any hanky panky), are thus another reason for me to stay in Phoenix this weekend instead of making a long trip in an uncomfortable and possibly quite smelly Greyhound bus. That and the chances being I am not likely to lose hundreds of dollars in the Turf Accountant as I might be in a casino in Vegas.
I suppose, as often is the case, time will tell. If I do go to Vegas - I am hopeful I will keep my gambling to a minimum. I used to like taking trips like that but that was when I was younger, a bit more adventurous, and less likely to be uncomfortable while crammed into a bus seat for hour after hour after hour. I'll let you know how it turns out.
All the best,
GB
