Street Vibes from far away

A little gold panning operation in Virginia City.

DATELINE SILVERADO CASINO PARKING LOT, FERNLEY, NEVADA --- Apologies for not checking in sooner. No real reason other than there hasn't been a lot to share. We landed at the Silverado and the management team and staff have been really nice. It took a couple days to set up, another to post signs and posters in Sparks, Carson and Virginia cities and various other spots. The rally officially started yesterday but we likely won't see any traffic until Friday or so. It's a good thing we aren't paying to stay here because there's a chance our first skunking could occur. We have twice daily radio ads running and friends coming to visit who have spread the word but this location may be just a little too far from the action. I'll let you know how it goes. In between cleaning the trailer inside and out and other chores, we've popped inside the casino a few times to watch really bad Bronco football, play the slots and eat some good food in Jake's Restaurant. Whoever is cooking over there does a great salad bar, homemade soups (beef and barley and a cajun sausage one), huevos rancheros, and more. Since we're abutting the north side of the casino near the kitchen, some of the cooks and waitresses and other casino staff come outside at night for smoke breaks and chat with us. They really like our T-shirts so I've been giving some away and selling a lot more. We've met a nice local named Tom who Ding was able to help with his fueling system (he paid us in cold Sierra Nevada beer and an invite to his home for BBQ.) Another fellow named Don who was headed to Wyoming to hunt antelope broke down in the parking lot so he came over with his dog to visit. Tom Hoynes, a good friend of Ding's buddy Al, helped us set up one night and has been delivering our tires and mail because he lives locally too. Al and his wife Kim will arrive today from Nor Cal, and our buddy Dragon we met in Laconia drove over last night from the bay area and will surely be around to collect the bags of beads we've hauled across country for him as well as sip some Balvenie scotch with Ding. When we went to Virginia City to post signs, I recalled for Ding my visit to that old mining town many years ago with my buddy Shank. I showed him the very slot machine at the Bucket of Blood Saloon where I made a killing back then. Before we left, I sprung for two very fancy high ball glasses for his sipping time with Dragon. Tonight it's buffalo and barbecue wings on the grill with fresh carrot and celery sticks and dips. I've got some ribs marinating for when company arrives and Ding and I are thinking about an appetizer dinner night for everyone for which he will make his awesome jalapeno poppers wrapped in turkey bacon, and I will dish up some potato skins, garlic shrimps and some seasonal roasted veggies. Spread the word we are here everyone - we need the business! Bob and Thumper are well, as are Ding and I. Happy Fall and we miss everyone a bunch.

The Bowling Hall of Fame in Reno.

The BFT's first bath since starting tour, minus the rainstorms from the east.

The Bucket of Blood saloon in Virginia City.