The Russian Experience…Literally

The original plan was to drive from Reno to Rancho Cordova and spend Friday night, but both westbound highways were closed due to snowstorms, so the decision was made to stay at the Ramada, walking distance from FG. The hotel is decent, inexpensive ($114 for a Friday night), and the rooms are good, but the reservation system SUCKS. Spent two hours untangling my reservation and getting bounced around to various agents all making promises that were not kept. Also, if you want to experience the ugliest gamblers in Reno, the associated casino is a study in “the bottom of the barrel.” OTOH, the burger bar in there is good, run by a cool dude, and inexpensive. Long wait to get the food and it is the only place to eat in the hotel. There is a good Mexican place down the way, but I didn’t want to drive anywhere in the weather.

Strolled over to FG about 7:30. No cover…yet. DEAD doesn’t begin to cover it. Past experience it doesn’t get rolling until after 9:00 anyway. Had a well bourbon for $9 and chatted with one of the local denizens, Larry. Said he used to work for Spice house 10 years ago and provided extensive details about what he would do to improve FG if he were in charge today. His qualifications were that he did some odd janitorial duties for Spice House for pocket money before spending a decade in prison for reasons that were not made entirely clear.