Day 37 - Reno, Baby

All -

As I remembered, the drive from Salt Lake to Reno was arduous. I am planning to get up early and head up to Tahoe so this will be quick.

I peaked into Salt Lake City, walked Temple Square, and even went into the Visitor Center. The LDS Visitor Center is like the Knotts Berry farm version of Disneyworld's 'The Vatican'. Yep.

SLC is the 7-11 and Arby's capital of the world. They seem to have been on every other block. 7-11 is the home of the slurpee and Arby's is the home of the meat that tastes oddly familiar. Johnny Depp eats Arby's. I don't know who the 7-11 celebrity spokesperson is except that guy on the radio ads that would say 'True'.

I pulled out of Salt Lake around 11AM. It is a long and empty ride. Crossing from Utah to Nevada is culture shock. The first city over/on the line is Wendover. In SLC, everyone was very starched, very clean, and very white. In the Nevada side of Wendover, everyone looks brokedown, out of luck, out of money, and on their last stop. My first stop, Arby's, was a combination Love's Gas Station, Pete's Smokeshack, Super Schlock Store, dingy casino, and, of course, Arby's. As I am pulling up into the parking lot, an old man slouched over in a trenchcoat wearing yellow cowboy boots and a Jim Beam ball cap shuffles out of the casino with his oxygen tank in tow to get a smoke. Seriously.

I pulled into Reno about 7:30PM (and moved from Mountain to Pacific time somewhere before then). I was thinking about crashing at another Best Western but it was not easy to find so I just rolled right down the middle of downtown Reno, under the 'Biggest Little City in the World' sign, and into Harrah's Casino.

I wanted to check in quick but the lady at the desk insisted that I sign up for the Total Rewards card. By signing up for the card, I immediately saved $25. I am also sure that I just got added to every mailing list in the nation. The $25 I quickly gave back at the $1 slot machines. However, luck turned fast at the video poker machine so I am now staying for free, had dinner for free, and will ski for free tomorrow. I like 2009!

Tomorrow I head to the North Shore to do a little more skiing.
Hank