Day 4 (Wed 6/8/05)

Sorry again for the delay. No excuse. I'm back in NY, and have been since last Thursday. No more pictures, just text. I'll try to post the rest of the ride out and the ride back. Maybe I'll take time to synthesize some overall thoughts on the trip as well. Leave for Asia next Thursday (6/30). On that trip, I really really want to take more pics and notes. Make me do it, OK?

Day 4: Woke up in Beaver (for the first time in a long long time). Showered, shaved, checked out, and got on the road for the 200-odd miles I had left to hit Vegas. Got gas before I got on I-15. It was self service, but one of the attendants came up and started washing my windows and asking if I needed anything else. I'm pretty sure it was because of the car I was driving, because nobody at any of the other pumps got similar treatment that I could see. I really wanted to tip him, but the smallest bill I had was a 10. Now, I've given stupid tips before, but was well aware that I'm now unemployed. So I asked him if he had change (and apologized profusely, as asking for change while tipping is incredibly tacky). He said he didn't, and that I shouldn't worry about it. Were he a bellman in a fancy hotel, I would have taken that to mean "Give me the whole $10 you dumb fuck." But from this guy at a Utah gas station, it came across as sincere. So I didn't tip him, but made a mental note to stop back by that gas station on the return trip if it made sense to do so.

Had breakfast at IHOP in Cedar City, UT, home of Southern Utah University. My waitress was the nicest, sweetest girl ever. I left her a borderline ridiculous tip percentagewise, though not ridiculous in absolute dollar terms.

I had realized somewhere along the way that I was supposed to play golf both Thursday and Friday mornings, and had not packed a single Polo shirt (golf courses require collars). So I pulled off the highway in St. George, UT and jumped into Old Navy. It was like Village of the Damned. Except instead of frightening little children, every person who worked in the store (except the girl who eventually rang me up) was an identical beautiful blonde 17-year-old girl. They were hot. I know, they were too young. But they were hot. And there I am, thinking, "Oh my God, we're in Utah - I could marry ALL OF YOU!" So I bought 3 Polo shirts for $10 a pop, as well as a classic LiAps hideous short sleeve button down off the clearance rack.

St. George is basically right on the Arizona border, and after 29 miles in Arizona, you hit Nevada. And we all know what's in Nevada. Right, Area 51. But also VEGAS!!!! After missing the turn onto the Strip and pulling a u-turn (shut up!), I pulled into the Mirage parking lot, and was home. I say "home," because in my 4 days there, I contributed to the Vegas economy what most people who live there probably spend on 2 months' rent.

Here's the deal. I was in Vegas for the bachelor party of one of my oldest, closest friends in the wizzorld. We've already referred to him as Bruno in this forum, so let's go with it. There will be no detailed descriptions of the events of the weekend. Not that anything too scandalous went on. Suffice it to say I had a great time, I believe he had a great time, and I can't wait to go to the wedding down in Florida when I get back from Asia.

Posts about the ride home, probably less detailed and less exciting, will follow above.