Viva Las Vegas! The Adventure Begins.

On Monday, August 13, I made the decision to hit the road and head west for Henderson, Nevada, a suburb of Las Vegas. I tied up all loose ends in north Texas, turned the car north toward the Red River and began my Fall Adventure.

Here's the idea, as nutsy as it sounds: I'm going to work my way west toward southern Nevada, playing various poker rooms along the way, taking my time and enjoying the trip, with no plans other than to eventually arrive in Henderson before Winter sets in. I have no idea how long I'll be on the road. I'm in no hurry. If I run out of money along the way, I'll stop and find a temporary job.

I'm like the travelor of the early 1800s who packed up his wagon and ventured into the unknown, hoping to find a better life. If the wagon breaks down or you run out of food, you just settle down for a while. Then continue moving on westward, ever westward.

It's not the destination that makes life interesting, it's the journey.

So my Fall Adventure has begun. In planning for the trip, I Googled for casino and poker room information in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada. I looked at GoogleMaps, checked out a route that would take me along Interstate 40 west, and attempted to find decent poker rooms between southern Oklahoma and southern Nevada. This was no easy task. Anyway, I think I have an idea of where I'm going.

The first leg of trip has taken me to the Riverwind Casino in Norman, Oklahoma. I drove the 107 miles north to the home of Sooners football and the University of Oklahoma. The Riverwind is only minutes south of downtown and is a nice facility with plenty of slot machines (that I never play) and a poker room that is only adequate--not great--just adequate.

I like Norman, however, and wouldn't mind just settling here. Just 17 miles south of Oklahoma city, Norman has the looks of an enormous college town with all the trappings (and restaurants) of a modern suburb. The Sooners Mall is anchored by Dillards and Sears, and with the Olive Garden nearby, what else does one need to be happy in this world?

I'm not sure how long I'll stay here. Again, I'm in no hurry. I may stay a few days, a week, a few months. I have no timetable, no real schedule. So I'll have time to check out the infamous OU college hangouts, including the Fat Sandwich shop and the historic Campus Corner on Boyd Street.

The next leg of my journey will be the drive west on Interstate 40 to Aluquerque, New Mexico. I'll be checking GoogleMaps for distance and drive time, etc. For all I know, I'll be driving there tomorrow. Or maybe not. Interstate 40 will take me as far as Kingman, Arizona, just a few miles south of Vegas. At Kingman, I'll turn north on Highway 93 north and I’m there.

To read about my poker play you can visit my poker blog at http://www.7seat.com/.