On To North Dakota! The Great Mid-West… (MN-ND) “DAY 59” – 9/1/10

September 2, 2010 - 1:37 pm - (MN-ND) “DAY 59”

Dark but you can see him.

I got up this morning knowing I had to write my post “DAY 58” and then head off to North Dakota (where I know nobody and have nowhere to stay!).

Hostel
I stayed in this Hostel since last Thursday and it was a great decision.  The staff was awesome, the people I met were even better (including the staff), the accommodations were satisfactory, and I even made a new animal friend before I left (a mouse). 😉

F.Y.I - Hey... mice are everywhere and I’m basically a homeless dude, so I have to make friends with them!

Anyway, the guy at the Hostel was cool and said I could stay past 11 am while I finished writing my

post.  Nice, I need the extra time because yesterday (Tues.) was a action packed day and it will take a while.

I finished around 3 pm, packed up the rest of my stuff, then said good bye to all the cool people I met while I stayed there.  I especially want to thank Dave and Rich.  Both of you guys were very good to me and I wish you nothing but the best in life!  Good luck and thanks!

Traveling
It was 3:30 pm now... time to go.  Before I got onto the road to nowhere, I stopped and filled up my gas tank ($14.23, I had some gas already).

Now, although I don’t know where I’m staying in North Dakota, I do know where I’m going.  I’m going to Dakota Magic Casino and Hotel (4 hours away - SE corner of N.D.)  About 1 hour south of Fargo, not that that helps much. 😉

As I just told you, the casino does have a hotel and there is availability, but it’s $50 a night and that is just to pricey for me currently.  Heck, $28 at the Hostel was to pricey for me. 😉

None-the-less, I headed off to Hankinson, ND.  This drive was truly 4 hours of nothing!!! When I drove from Wisconsin to Minnesota the road was basically... silo, cow, silo, horse, silo, cow, silo, etc...

I wish I had that much atmosphere on the road to North Dakota.  There was literally nothing but open field everywhere.  Well... every few miles I saw a silo.  🙂

Still, the drive wasn’t bad and I arrived on schedule (around 7 pm) at the casino/hotel.

Dakota Magic Casino & Hotel
The first thing I did when got there was the first thing I always do... get a players card and ask about

the current promotions.  The lady told me that if a current member signed me up.. we would both get $10 of free slot play.  Nice!

I looked behind me and saw an older lady waiting, I grabbed her and said this is who’s signing me up (as I told her she would get $10 free).

She was as happy as I was but didn’t want her picture taken because she said she doesn’t photograph well.  (That’s her walking away.)

Poker Room
Next, I went directly to the poker room to see what kinds of games they were running and if I could get a deal on a room for the night/week (whatever I could get).   There was only a tourney running but they said a cash game would start soon.

F.Y.I - The only games that go are: 2-10 spread limit Texas Hold’em and 2-10 spread limit “dealers choice” (either Texas Hold’em or Omaha-High-low).  (I don’t know how to play Omaha but I’ll talk about that later.)  Sometimes on Wednesday... a cash game doesn’t even go, they said.

I put my name on the list and asked if they had the ability to comp a room.  They said they didn’t even rate players in the poker room but if I went next door (cooperate office area) somebody in there may be able to help me.

Getting A Free Room
So, I went next door and pleaded my case for a free room.  I didn’t tell him about the website, just that I’m traveling and gambling.  I said... I know in Atlantic City, they give out free room Sun-Thurs, maybe you could do the same for me.

After a few minutes, he agreed and said tonight would be free, but he would he check my play to see if he would give me Thursday free as well.  Nice!  A free night! 🙂

I went to my room and it’s very nice, a standard quality room.  Two beds, a TV with HBO, free Wi-fi, a clean bathroom, and I’m sharing it with nobody!!!  Ahhh... I need a night like this.

I got my things settled into the room and waited for a poker game to start up. The poker room said they would call my room when if a game got started.  (I stopped back there and gave them my room number.)

Poker
I got the call around 8:30 pm so I headed to the poker room.  (My hotel room is literally 20 yards from the poker room, perfect!)  What a great set-up.

The room is small but nice (7 tables) and there are real cool pictures of cards on the wall (I want the Royal Flush in my living room... well... if I ever have my own living room ;)).

Learning Omaha On The Fly
Anyway, I was sat in a 2-10 spread limit- dealers choice game (the only cash game running).  I actually like the limit (2-10) but I don’t know how to play Omaha-High-Low... Oh No!!!

When I say I don’t how to play, I actually mean I don’t know what a good a hand is or the nuances of the game.  The difference between Omaha and Hold’em is in Omaha, you get 4 cards to start with and there can be two winners per hand (a high winner and a low winner).

The confusion comes in because with 4 cards, the game changes completely... I have no idea what a good hand is... 🙁  Plus, for at the first 30 minutes, I didn’t understand when a low hand qualified for the pot.

F.Y.I - A low hand only qualifies if the board had 3 different cards on it 8 or lower (including a Ace).  I found this out the hard way. 🙁

Anyway, I bought in for $200 (table max.) and played for an hour in that game,  I didn’t to bad as I caught on after a while and there were some regular Hold’em hands splashed in.

F.Y.I. - It was dealers choice so you could choose Hold’em, but 8 of the 10 people at the table were choosing Omaha.

Luckily for me, another table was starting and it was a 2-10 Texas Hold’em game.  Whew!  I will at least know if I have a good hand or not now.

Texas Hold’em
I actually left the dealer’s choice game up $23, so I sat down in the Hold’em game with a $223 buy in.  The game wasn’t full but there were 8 players (good enough).

I played real tight and tonight... my good held and my OK cards hit!  It’s about time!  Like I said, the limit was 2-10 so I couldn’t double up on any one hand, but the pots got big enough as I nickled and dimed my way to plus $220.

Unfortunately for me, the game broke around mid-night, so I left the room instead of getting back into the “Dealers choice game”.  (It still had a full table.)

Slots/Blackjack
I hate playing slots (never win) and I even though I love playing blackjack... I know how that always turns out but... I needed to play some casino games so I could get rated and earn more free rooms.

First, I used my free $10 I got for signing up in a poker slot.  As expected... 15 minutes later it was

gone.  Then, I put $100 in a slot and played for a 30 minutes (this should be good for comps).  I cashed out at even.

Then, dun... dun... dun... I sat down a blackjack and bought in for $200.  It was 12:30-ish and I didn’t know it then but the casino floor closes at 2 am on Wednesday.  Really???

I played blackjack until the pit closed at 2 am and... I left the table up $10.  Whew!  I did what I wanted to.  I played for a while and didn’t lose anything.  Nice!

Poker Again
As I was walking back to my room I noticed the poker game was still running.  I asked what time they shut down and they said 4 am if the game goes that long.

Now, I don’t like Omaha but like they say... When in Rome... So I bought back in for $200 and sat down.  The table was much looser now as two younger guys were pushing the action.

I played until 3:30 am when the room closed and ended up down $24 on the session, not bad... I am learning though and will be better tomorrow.

Funny Quote
While I was playing poker, a gentleman at the table from Oklahoma said a real funny line.  Mind you, this guy was every bit of 6’4, 250+ lbs and a cowboy from Oklahoma.

Let me set the mood first... It was storming outside with thunder and lightning when this guy took a bad beat on the river.  Mr. Oklahoma then stood up, all 6’4 of him as he said “ I’m only scared of two things in life... Lighting... And... The River Card!”  Priceless! 🙂

Slots Again
It was late now but I wasn’t tired as I still wanted earn more comp dollars toward the possibility of another free room.  So, I put another $100 into a Wheel of Fortune machine.

About an hour later, I cashed out with $60 of it.  I don’t mind as long it helps me get another room, we’ll see if it was worth it.

Food
It was after 4 am and I had realized I hadn’t eaten yet today so I went to all night food place and got breakfast and dinner all at once.  I got it togo and ate it in my room before I went to sleep.  It wasn’t great... but it was good enough. 🙂

My Mind Set
I currently can’t be any happier 🙂 (well... unless a super hot blonde joins me;)).  I have my own room

free, I won some money, and the fact that there is nothing to do for miles (at least 80) is very relieving!

I have been so busy and haven’t had a moment to do anything relaxing so this week I’m gonna enjoy a little vacation from my vacation! 🙂

Trust me though, it won’t be a boring read as a band named “ The Roosters” is playing here this weekend.  I will be singing with them on stage!  Trust me on that!  Also there is a televised Rodeo event happening here this Sunday.  That should be interesting...

Thanks for reading!