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My alarm clock went off at 6:30 AM Sat. Morning. I had probably only gotten to sleep about an hour earlier because
I had to work Friday night. I was really tired and didn't feel like getting out of bed, but I knew I had to in order to beat
the traffic to Vegas. Made it to the Circus Circus in time to grab an hour or so of sleep before the big tourney.

That was before I found out that It would take a half hour to find the hotel registration desk in the maze that was the Circus.
Then when I saw the 40 people waiting to on line to check in I knew sleep was not going to be an option. I blew off getting
a room and headed over to the Poker area, where I met up with Tommy and Tally, and then the rest of the crew.

Well I got blown out of the first tournament quick but I got a nice consolation prize from Chicago Jim.
It was a statue of a Monkey with a huge mouth. (kind of reminds me of a president we have).

I did better in the second tournament, and my favorite moment was right at the beginning when Roland went all in,
I was watching him and thought he was bluffing so I answered back by going all in as well, a hush fell over the table.

I was putting it all on the line and my heart was racing. If I lost this hand it would be another quick exit from the tourney
and I would have to sit around and watch the rest of it. Turns out I was right and raked in a huge pot, and got to live on.

I was way ahead until I got burned by Larry on another hand where I had a pair in my hand, then on the first 4 cards
that came up on the board were  2 more pair. Now I have 3 pair and hoping for a full house on the last card. Larry was
raising and I was raising back. I didn't get my full house, but I was hoping Larry didn't have it and I was already in deep,
so I threw in to call him but he had the full house.

I lost about half my money on that hand and it was just a matter of time and attrition with the ever increasing blinds until
I was almost broke. I went head to head with Bart on one last hand but he beat me when he had a higher flush then i had.

After the tournament we went back to Jim's room at the Luxor and got to check out the view from way up high in the pyramid,
we had some appetizers and some other treats, then headed over to Quarks at The Hilton where everyone drank and had a good time.

We watched some girl hypnotizing people, and making them do strange things. After the party broke up I hung around the Hilton
for a little while longer then around 2 AM decided against driving back to L.A. that night and went out to look for a room. Since I
was just going to crash and head out of town as soon as I woke up I ended up at this cheap joint out near the airport. Little did I
realize that it had no heat or hot water. So after freezing my ass off and not being able to take a shower in the morning I headed home.

Just my luck on the way home, my car starts overheating in the middle of the desert and I have no water. I'm 100 miles out of Vegas
with 170 more to go.  I was stranded on the side of the freeway wondering what I was going to do. I decided to sit on the back of the
car with an empty water bottle and hold out my thumb. Thousands of cars are flying by me but no one is stopping. I thought to myself
"I know Tommy and Tally, and Roland and Deb were also driving back today, maybe one of them will come by and see me and stop.
Yeah right - what are the odds of that happening."

I continued to hold my thumb out for a few minutes then I hear "Hey Rick" I turn around and theres Roland and Deb,
They were driving by and saw me and stopped. Bartcoppers to the rescue, the coolest people in the world.

They gave me some water and I was able to get the car started. Turns out the car wasn't driveable but thanks to my AAA premier
membership I was able to get it towed all the way back to LA for free. So in the end it was definitely an adventure, but I had a great time.
It was worth it just to get to hang out with all the Pokerfesters again. A great group of people to party with anytime.

LA Rick