trip and return
November 29th, 2012 at 10:01:18 AM
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I thought I would re-post my just completed trip observations and thoughts from another site, as I thought some may enjoy it. It is not strictly a trip report.
Last night, I returned from my final road trip of the year. It was combination blackjack trip, thanksgiving holiday visit with friends and family trip. It wasn't all about BJ play, so EV is low. I don't see much value in detailed trip reports, but I will bore you with a few thoughts and observations.
BJ EV: $2250, actual BJ results $1425. Non blackjack EV $350, actual return $30. Strictly EV-wise, the trip was not great, but I haven't figured out how to put a monetary value on the EV of spending time with family and friends, but it is way up there.
Pa Blackjack: I resided in Philly for 8 years, playing blackjack for a living for more than 5, playing mostly AC. I moved away just as Pa approved table games, so it is great for all my east coast BJ brothers to have decent games (compared to AC). I enjoy playing these decent games, but because they are so spread out, they don't fit well with my short session, hit-and-run style of play. I do play longer sessions during these occasional trips, but I don't think it would work well for me, if I was still based on the east coast.
Valley Forge: I will mention this one location by name. They are just sooo goofy. They are the El Cortez of the east coast. I have been backed off there twice during my two east coast trips this year, from a rather small amount of play. I returned two days after my backoff this trip. My partner played, I did not. I was tailed by a 18 or 19 year old security dude from the moment I entered. I ran him ragged through the building during my short visit. he was kind enough to wait outside during my visit to the men's room. lol Very strange. This place is too much trouble for me. I think I will skip them during future trips. Management must have attended the El Cortez school of table game management tolerance.
My playing and trip partner, who is older than me, in his early 50's, has mild type 2 diabetes, which is supposed to be controlled by diet. For some reason, he thought it would be ok to over-indulge during thanksgiving consuming several sugary deserts including a sugar heavy pumpkin pie. He spent two days in the hospital. He is fine. I bring this up, because of the discipline relationship of AP's. Talk about your lack of discipline. lol
Return to Vegas. I don't like to travel. I don't like the hassles of the airport and the hassles of moving money. I don't like sleeping in strange beds, whether hotels or staying with friends. But I do like the final 90 minutes of a flight back to Vegas. Flying over the Rocky's is just beautiful. Even at night the snow illuminates the mountains. It is breath-taking. And then there is Vegas. I love Vegas. The first time I saw Vegas, I knew it was home. It just took a couple of years to make that officially happen. I have lived in Vegas 3 years now, the first 2 and a half years, in a high-rise, a block off the strip, waking up to an amazing strip view each morning, but I still get so excited each time I return. When I see the lights off in the distance, my heart races like a kid at Christmas. Flying in at night is spectacular, especially is you are lucky enough to approach from the north rather than the more common, east to west approach along sunset road. Last night we approached from the north again. To quote Ned Beatty's character (Rudy's father) from the movie, Rudy, upon seeing Notre Dame stadium for the first time, "This is the most beautiful sight these eyes have ever seen". My partner says I must have neon gas running through my veins instead of blood. lol
Last night, I returned from my final road trip of the year. It was combination blackjack trip, thanksgiving holiday visit with friends and family trip. It wasn't all about BJ play, so EV is low. I don't see much value in detailed trip reports, but I will bore you with a few thoughts and observations.
BJ EV: $2250, actual BJ results $1425. Non blackjack EV $350, actual return $30. Strictly EV-wise, the trip was not great, but I haven't figured out how to put a monetary value on the EV of spending time with family and friends, but it is way up there.
Pa Blackjack: I resided in Philly for 8 years, playing blackjack for a living for more than 5, playing mostly AC. I moved away just as Pa approved table games, so it is great for all my east coast BJ brothers to have decent games (compared to AC). I enjoy playing these decent games, but because they are so spread out, they don't fit well with my short session, hit-and-run style of play. I do play longer sessions during these occasional trips, but I don't think it would work well for me, if I was still based on the east coast.
Valley Forge: I will mention this one location by name. They are just sooo goofy. They are the El Cortez of the east coast. I have been backed off there twice during my two east coast trips this year, from a rather small amount of play. I returned two days after my backoff this trip. My partner played, I did not. I was tailed by a 18 or 19 year old security dude from the moment I entered. I ran him ragged through the building during my short visit. he was kind enough to wait outside during my visit to the men's room. lol Very strange. This place is too much trouble for me. I think I will skip them during future trips. Management must have attended the El Cortez school of table game management tolerance.
My playing and trip partner, who is older than me, in his early 50's, has mild type 2 diabetes, which is supposed to be controlled by diet. For some reason, he thought it would be ok to over-indulge during thanksgiving consuming several sugary deserts including a sugar heavy pumpkin pie. He spent two days in the hospital. He is fine. I bring this up, because of the discipline relationship of AP's. Talk about your lack of discipline. lol
Return to Vegas. I don't like to travel. I don't like the hassles of the airport and the hassles of moving money. I don't like sleeping in strange beds, whether hotels or staying with friends. But I do like the final 90 minutes of a flight back to Vegas. Flying over the Rocky's is just beautiful. Even at night the snow illuminates the mountains. It is breath-taking. And then there is Vegas. I love Vegas. The first time I saw Vegas, I knew it was home. It just took a couple of years to make that officially happen. I have lived in Vegas 3 years now, the first 2 and a half years, in a high-rise, a block off the strip, waking up to an amazing strip view each morning, but I still get so excited each time I return. When I see the lights off in the distance, my heart races like a kid at Christmas. Flying in at night is spectacular, especially is you are lucky enough to approach from the north rather than the more common, east to west approach along sunset road. Last night we approached from the north again. To quote Ned Beatty's character (Rudy's father) from the movie, Rudy, upon seeing Notre Dame stadium for the first time, "This is the most beautiful sight these eyes have ever seen". My partner says I must have neon gas running through my veins instead of blood. lol
