Days of Thunder part 2: of flapjacks and jackpots

West Wendover, Nevada. Two hours west of Salt Lake City. Where the sullied go to sin.


The city's slogan is "Wendover Will." As in, "Utah won't let you gamble? Wendover will." "Utah won't sell you full-strength beer? Wendover will." "Salt Lake City won't make you horribly depressed? Wendover will."

Between the discount liquor outlet and the porno shop can be spied the Ferris Wheel of the Damned.

I'm being hard on Wendover, I know. But seriously it's really crappy. And I tend to like things that are really crappy! Like old motel signs. Oh here we go.

Used to hear a lot of ads for the Red Garter. I don't remember the slogan though. "Play Smarter at the Garter"? "Study Harder at the Garter"? I don't know. All I know is cuartos disponinbles esta noche (!!!).

We went looking for food at the Rainbow Hotel and Casino. OMG it's a neon paradise!



I really love the smell of casinos. I don't know if I just like the smell on it's own or if I have good associations with it. A thousand years of cigarette smoke, fancy air freshening, the vague smell of scotch and money and cheap perfume. Ahhhhhh.

We ate at the Over the Rainbow Steakhouse.

Scott: "Is this place good?"
Hostess: "Sure."
Scott "Best in Wendover?"
Hostess: *shrug*

The restaurant was dimly lit with purple neon and had, as Lisa put it, "more fake plants than a fake plant store."

Loud Guy Who Has Auditioned for the Weather Channel Three Times: "No no, it's not too big. Not too big at all. If anything, it's getting smaller!"

"But I've had the same grip on it for years.""But really, it hasn't been the same since I started sanding it regularly."

A thuggish bald security guard got mad at us for getting mud all over the place. Like he could prove anything.

Did I win any money? I don't know, why don't you ask this ten dollar bill.

next time: this stuff is about to get real.