The River Walk, Laughlin

Each morning I take a walk along the Colorado River on the "River Walk" that winds its way along the river's edge behind the casinos along the strip. Each casino has an entrance to the River Walk, and some restaurants have patio seating available on the water. A "water taxi" also will transport you up and down the river, each casino having a dock to receive you. I walk from my room at the River Palms upstream to the Golden Nugget where a Starbucks is located just off the River Walk.

Yesterday morning I took some photos during my walk.

The above photo is the walkway just outside the entrance to the River Palms.

As you walk toward the Golden Nugget, you see these very weird "apes" holding lamps between their legs. The lamps are lit at night, and provide an eerie scene as you walk by. I have no idea what these figures represent. They remind me of the monkeys on "Planet of the Apes." A Water Taxi moving upstream (north) toward the casinos located there. You will also see private boats and jet skis moving up and down the river.

The Starbucks I visit each morning is just inside the door opposite the ramp. There is no seating, but at least I can get my GSCDL ("grande skinny cinnamon dolce latte").

One of the prettiest locations is just outside the Pioneer Casino. The landscaping is among the best you'll find, and it's usually clean of the trash you find elsewhere. Ducks are playing on the grass and often you'll see tourists feeding the birds. This is one of the nicest spots on the River Walk.

The Pioneer Casino also has a breakfast buffet that's pretty good, for a casino. It's only $5.99 and it has everything from pastries and fresh fruit, to pancakes and omelets.

Day 248 on the road.
Firehouse Coffee Co.

I'm drinking some coffee, surfing the net, catching up on some writing, and just trying to catch my breath after 17 straight days of poker. I'm sitting at the roomy tables in backroom area of the Firehouse Coffee Company, my favorite hang out since arriving in Laughlin.

The Firehouse is actually across the Colorado River from Laughlin in Bullhead City. The Laundromat (at the Gretchen Inn) and Safeway store I frequently use are nearby, too. After three weeks in this area, I'm beginning to settle into a routine. Since I've been on the road, and visited many towns and cities, I've noticed it takes me about three full days to aclimate myself to a new place. Once I find a Starbucks (for coffee and internet access), a Safeway store, and a Laudromat, then I'm ready to settle in.

But I'll be leaving for a short trip on April 24, as my free room at the River Palms will be taken over by a bunch of Harley bike riders. The Bikers are coming to town next week for a big party and they have booked every room on the Strip. So I'll head out of town for a few days. I'll actually check back into my room on Sunday, April 27. I've reserved my room for that following week. Therefore, aside from a short weekend trip somewhere, I'll be here in Laughlin until the first part of next month, probably checking out May 3.

For my group of Omaha players, I must homage to "the Shark." The poker room at the River Palms ran a promotion in March featuring a "tank" full of toy "sharks." When playing either Texas Hold'em or Omaha, you got to catch a shark from the tank each time you received a full house. Each shark had a number on it, and the number was related to a cash prize, most of which were $10. We had so much fun during the promotion yelling out "Shark!" every time someone got a full house it kept our group playing for hours each day. I placed my collection of sharks on top of my TV stand in my hotel room.

Day 246 on the road.
Firehouse Coffee Co., Laughlin, Nevada

Nothing much happening this week...just the same old routine. I sleep late, then play poker for six or seven hours, afterward catching a nice meal before watching "Mission Impossible" reruns on TV. Some nights I might venture down the strip to another casino or watch a movie at the cinema located in the outlet mall.

Tonight I'll be visiting the Lounge at the River Palms to see a fellow poker player perform his Neil Diamond show. Steve is from Palm Springs and is an entertainer who imitates Neil Diamond, performing for trade shows, conventions, private parties, and casinos. During the day he plays cards.

One afternoon recently I took the Water Taxi upriver to the Riverside Casino to play some cards in their poker room. See the video clip below. The Water Taxi's operate each day and will drop you off at any casino along the river for $4 one way.