Since coming to America in May, I’ve ridden more than 8,000 miles. The states my partner and I raced through were: Nevada → Arizona → New Mexico → Texas → Arkansas → Missouri → Kansas → Colorado → Utah… And on July 13th, I finally returned safely to Las Vegas, Nevada.
It had been a while since I’d seen a big city— so lively and dazzling. Today’s temperature in Las Vegas is 43°C. Even without humidity, I’m sweating. It feels like I’m being roasted. The heat rising from the asphalt is intense. Truly the sleepless desert city…
I headed downtown to unload my gear from my partner. Hotels here are incredibly cheap. Apparently, it’s because the casinos earn so much that low room rates don’t hurt their business.
So once again, I checked into “Las Vegas Club.” One night: $39 + tax. I’ll be staying here for a while. I have absolutely no intention of going back to Japan yet (lol). After riding through vast wilderness, I’m going to fully enjoy riding around Las Vegas. And yes, I’ll enjoy the casinos too.
Today I want to do laundry, organize my luggage, and relax with an ice-cold Miller Lite, admiring the trophies I gained from the long journey. But first… probably the casino.
Rows of machines line the first floor of the hotel. Which one should I choose… I go with my intuition. I pick the machine that feels right and put in $50.
The machine was surprisingly generous, leaving me with $79. A good start.
Las Vegas is a place where “your travel expenses might even be covered.” Of course, the opposite can happen too. Some people come from other states, can’t win at all, and end up selling their car to try for one last comeback.
The truth is…
“Las Vegas has both glamorous and dark sides.”
The city shines brilliantly at night. I put the extra money into my wallet and walked away from the casino. It’s not good to keep playing when things are going well— eventually the house always takes it back.
Light always comes with shadow.
Now then… I want to wash my clothes and grab a light meal.
I headed to the laundry room of a nearby hotel. While waiting for the wash and dry cycles, I thought I’d get something to eat— but the pull of the casino was too strong, and I ended up playing again.
I found a Terminator 2 machine. I put in $2 and ended up with $28.69. Another win. But… this is probably how people get hooked. It’s a very addictive pastime. I need to be careful.
This area is always lively and full of traffic (lol). But still, these are things I can only do while I’m here. Do I gamble in Japan? Nope— for some reason I have absolutely zero interest.
In the distance I can see the Harley-Davidson Café. Apparently, Las Vegas once had pachinko parlors, but they closed quickly. Well, of course… because…
Cirque du Soleil’s “O.” I was moved the first time I saw it.
Downtown. Alright… time to enjoy this stylish city. I want to visit the Harley dealer and report my journey to the boss. “I made it back without any trouble!” I want to see the look on his face (lol).
To be continued…
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