Hey You , Don't Watch That , Watch This !! This Is The Heavy Heavy Monster Sound The Nuttiest Sound Around So If You've Come In Off The Street And You're Beginning To Feel The Heat Well Listen Buster You Better Start To Move Your Feet To The Rockin'est Rocksteady Beat Of Madness ONE STEP BEYOND !!
Madness
One Step Beyond 1979
FRIDAY:
And Friday Night Bike Night makes its infamous return!! The theme of course would be St Patties and it wasn't just the ride or the emerald green costumes or the warmth of the evening , but it the ride was all about catching up with familiar faces and socializing along the route. The ride is a perpetually slow cruise and loads of bike lights brightening my hungry mind of creation and creative ideas. Approximately 70 riders attend the first ride of 2026. Excellent turn out with totally ideal temperatures for the evening. And no animals were hurt during the ride. Outstanding
SATURDAY:
Still can't stand the Mesa Theater but The Motet brought us the raw power of sexy A$$ funk. This current ensemble of The Motet is greasy with a hint of nasty. David Watts on drums and bassist Garret Sayers formed this band in 1998 and I have zero recall of how many times I have been in attendance for their live performances. Just recently caught them in P-Town , first time hearing Sarah belt out the vocals , during their harvest festival show. And now 6 months later , still bringing solid vibes. And I was beyond pleased by the GJ representation. Meaning , the place was well attended. Finally
SUNDAY:
Oscar Night and I still love the fashions on red carpet , I adore Conan , I am fond of those speeches , and I love amercing myself into an evening of Hollywood glam. Seriously !! My Oscar stories go way back to my college days and I could go on and on about it and have already blogged about it a few times. But this entry will already be a marathon as I lead you through my lead up to my Annual March Madness Adventures. Heee Heeeeeeeeee
Sunday started the day off with a clean up factor after an all night of 40mph / 64kph winds. So that is always fun. Was planning a long ride but the wind turned me off and The Dude and I scheduled an 11am disc game. One more practice before the three days of launching plastic. Yes
MONDAY:
Sure , worked all day. Whatever
TUESDAY:
Worked all day and wore dazzling forest green baby. Finalized all the packing , meal prep , and filled out my Bracket!!! Will I even be able to sleep with all the excitement in my third eye?? Just to paint the picture here , I slave away 6 days a week these days , Only Sundays Off , for over two years now. I am so in need of vacation and I absolutely love everything about Vegas during March Madness. There is nothing like hanging out a sports book with everyone in the theater sharing the same common denominator. College Basketball
If you head to Vegas in say August , folks are betting on the NFL , MLB , The Ponies , NASCAR , F1 , Cricket , whatever else is happening. But during those first 4 days of The Tournament , we are all betting against the house!! These sports books light up for who knows what. Halftime bets ?? First player to score bets ?? The over / under bets ?? The underdog bets ?? That last second heave from half court that means I covered my bet but all the Iowa St fans lost their bet by 2.5 points ?? Your badgers straight out upsetting a top dog team that means nothing to me but a whole group is losing their minds. Or simply dropping $5 bucks on Pittsburgh because of PittBrownie ?? When it comes down to it , it is never the money aspect , it is completely the bragging rights for me. You know me , I bet small for those bragging rights. Oh Baby
Here is my offering for our host couple. As you already know , I hit up construction sites , politely inquire about scrap would , and fabricate gifts for all. So our friends B&K now have their every own handmade with love serving try. What Do You Think
I simply rip the 2x4's on the table saw into 3/4 inch strips. Make that strip one and one half by 3/4 and I paint them in four different colors for a little pizazz. Cha Cha Cha
Chop those glued suckers at 30 degrees and then added the trim. The only cost out of my hot little pockets were those brass handles there. Oh , plus the glue and electricity. But other than that , its free. Oh , and the gas from driving around. But it's free. Oh , and my time. But it is all free. Oh , and the saw blades. But who is counting by this point ?? Free
THE MIGRATION:
Insert Pink Floyd's Money as a soundtrack here. Or , insert Willie Nelson singing On The Road Again!!! Yes , we were on the road traveling West by 9 AM. My Heart Smiled
Super smooth drive for a day after St Patties. A quick pit stop in Green River Utah , Refuel in Beaver Utah , and just shy of 7 hours later , Sin City Baby !! B&K offered up a crockpot full of veggie chili as they remembered that I was still doing the vegan dance from last years visit. Score & Very Thoughtful
Waking up in my own dark room is the cats meow. I love those security blinds outside of my bedroom window as they block out ALL the early morning daylight. All I had to accomplish was flipping on the switch for the coffee maker , open the back sliding glass door , crack the front door for air , and enjoy that fresh cup of Joe next to the pool. Who cares if its triple digits in the forecast when you're living large like this. Top Shelf
Wasn't but a few moments in time and yogurt topped with organic apples from Hotchkiss and homemade granola was consumed. Off towards the Sam's Town Casino for placing my 10 bets. The Dude lit up the sports book with a perfect day going 7 for seven. I proudly went 9 for ten while hitting one of my three two game parlay tickets. Boom Shakalaka Boom
The Dude & I met up with Uncle Grubby by 10am for a round of disc golf at my favorite Vegas course. We all played well and I was able to mange three birdies on the round with another 4 or five putts that hit chains but fell to the ground. Sort of became the running theme to be honest with ya. Two separate times , my midrange Shark actually hit the steel pole that holds the basket. That is one sweet sound , even though it doesn't count because the disc technically didn't fall into the basket. For whatever reason , maybe it was the loss of Mr Chuck Norris , I was totally dialed in on the round. Couldn't Miss
I do love this course as the holes aren't all that long but numerous trees to navigate through or around. All the provided shade helps hide that piercing sunlight from my delicate baby smooth skin. Classic
As you will notice , I wore my UV long sleeve shirt. We chatted , we reminisced , and unfortunately we shared stories from our friends that no longer play any reindeer games here on Mother Earth. Tough Age Group
After The Dude and I whipped together a delicious meal for all , Mr B , The Dude , And Myself ventured on over to Area15 for a date with Meow Wolf. This would be my first Meow Wolf encounter and the building exceeded all my expectations. Like WoW
The art pieces out front of the building were full on Burning Man and super eye catching for sure. They have a DC 9 airplane , minus the wings , stationed along the parking lot for checking out. Imagine this if you will , Burning Man meets Mad Max on a Steam Punk platform.
Once inside , and I won't ruin it if you're planning on attending some day , full on visually stimulating. And Mr B and I went ape sh*t crazy inside the two separate music rooms. He , being at drummer , me being a bassist , we entertained a couple of tour groups throughout the evening. There were a number of times that we had an audience just hanging out watching us. For instance , one room was filled with red laser lights , once your hand breaks that beam of light , a sound was associated with that laser light. So yes , the two of us went off in that room and hints why we had a captivated audience watching the laser show while hearing our combinations of digit sound waves. Way Bitchin
The whole complex is worthy of the entry fee. And there was so much outside of the Meow Wolf doors but still incorporating other like minded business inside that massive building/complex. Again , ya just have to see it for yourself. Just Try
SPRING EQUINOX:
Needles to say , never slept better. I mean I crashed out hard. The next morning , flipped the coffee switch , opened doors for air flow , found my seat next to the pool , and made the decision to NOT place any bets for the day. After crushing my bets on day one , not all that interested in giving it all back. Now , this is so dang silly because I am placing bets on the pennies here. If I was dropping thousands of dollars , that theory makes sense. But ten dollars , why didn't I place bets??? Grow A Par
After cashing in my wins , bet $100 total to collect $198 , I will take that all day long ! Three of my wagers were part of a two game parlay that includes Thursday & Friday games. But still , it is all about bragging rights here my friends. Bet It Like Its Hot
This day , The Dude and I were totally on our game and met Uncle Grubby by 9am for a round of disc at course number two. And once again , I was on fire. The photo below was from my best drive of the day. I launched my driver off the tee pad and skipped to this makable putt just a few feet away for a choice birdie. My disc is the lime green one there and my photo captured The Dudes second layup skipping in toss with his red Shark. Oh Doctor
As you can tell below , yes , it really was 100F / 38C that afternoon. That is why we were highly motivated to started off early and why I wore my UV once again. Not one water bottle but two water bottles during the round of 18 baskets for me. I consumed gallons of water throughout the trip. This sissy Colorado Boy never quite acclimated to those Vegas temps. Dog Tired Hot
That evening , after another brilliant homemade dinner , The Dude and I were off for another field trip on the strip. We scored the free parking pass from our lovely host and drove to the Bellagio Casino. Free parking so totally rules. And from that point on it was walking , sitting , and people watching until just after 3am. Vegas time simply slips under the radar I tell ya. Yes Please
I so wish I snapped off better photos for ya. Through my viewing screen of this dinosaur iPhone , I thought I was van flipping go I tell ya. oops
Day three was a blanket of tucked-in roughness. That first Cup of Joe was luxurious indeed. I always prepare the coffee maker the night before , flipping the switch in morning was effortless , and sleepily waking up was a ok in my book. After the standard breakfast of yogurt , fruit , and granola , it was back to Sam's Town to collect on the previous parlay tix and place a few more wagers for the day. We then collected Mr B and headed towards Sunset Park for another round of Disc with Uncle Grubby. Chuck On
I only played decently and pulled the veteran move. Because my arm was tired , all of my tee offs were basically second shot approach shots. I threw for more of a placement than an actual long distance drive. My second shots were more of a second "tee-off" drive but without muscling any of my throws. This means , I didn't hit any trees , I made some wicked A$$ layup throws , and dialed in my putts for pretty much an even round on this Saturday. I did make three birdies on the day but the other 16 baskets were pars or a hit basket fall out putts. Remember earlier in this post when I said the theme for me was hitting the basket but not technically making it. Yup , this was more of the same. One of my longer approach shots hit the very top of the basket with our group as a witness to the famous YES followed up with a quick Ah Rat Farts. What Could Have Been
Above would be a perfect photo from my best drive on the day. And wouldn't you know it , with everyone standing around to putt , they once again witnessed me missing my putt for a birdie here. My putter was on a direct line towards that basket and drilled that Yellow ring around the top of the basket. Of course it fell to the ground and the same sounds were shouted out ," It's In!!" Quickly followed by ," Oh No !! Not Again." and The Dude says ," That is unreal." Those Elusive Birdie Putts
Mr B graciously drove us down to the Airport airstrip to watch a few jets land , drove us down the strip , below is a shot of the new baseball team Vegas A's stadium were those cranes stand anyway , a shot of the New York New York Hotel & Casino , the new Hard Rock Casino , and then it was Korea Town for priceless shopping. Of Course
You all know me , if any Big City offers up an asian district , count me in. And the prices were unreal. Such as , coconut milk here in GJ is about $3.50 a can. I almost bought a case there because it was $1.89 a can for the SAME product. The sushi wraps that I really like , only $2.99 for 10 sheets. My cart was loaded up with Ginger Chew candies , two seprpeamte dipping sauces , and wacky dried mushrooms that I just can't buy here in GJ. And I definitely purchased other GMO free items as you really have to search out clean products these days. Damn You Genetically Modified Organisms
Fremont Street has become a seedy soft white underbelly with nudity , openly dope smoking , and other stereotypes , but I am choosing to share this story with you all. Susie was her name. The Dude and I were on our feet for hours walking between live musical acts on various stages while people watching. He made the boss decision to stumble on over the The Main Street Station Casino for a look see. Always a fan of Main Street and this would prove to be a wise move. Nice
We sat down in front of two slot machines and my lower back thanked me right off the bat. Sitting never felt so dang good. While we were joking and/or observing our surroundings , Susie walks up to us with a polite introduction of herself. Turns out that she began her career here in Vegas back in 1977. She went on to explain her various jobs over the decades and how she retired years ago. Her brother introduced her to this current part time job six months ago here at the Main Street Station were she "fixes" these digital slot machines that we were sitting in front of. Replacing paper rolls that print of the vouchers , resetting machine that froze up , or helping gamers crips up their bills so that the machine will actually take them. Customer Service
She was extremely helpful and totally authentic with her questions and answers. As we chatted away she began to share loads of history and artifacts regarding this casino. Now , The Dude & I are well aware of the Berlin Wall in the men's bathroom and it's a regular pit stop that we make during every trip to Fremont Street. But we had no idea about these fascinating archives that line this casino and hotel. Sensational
Thanx to Susie , The Main Street Station will never be the same to me. She shared with us that those street lamps above the bar were from the town square of Brussels , Belgium from 1870. How the stained glass from a Pittsburg Mansion was moved across American. How all of these flutter columns from the Windsor Barracks once supported the army guard thrones in London , England. Never would have guessed how the current registration desk was built from Mahogany wood that was removed from the company store in Covington Kentucky around the turn of the century. Brilliant
Back in the heyday of America's Railroad days , those massive front doors to the casino floor were brought here from Prairie Illinois when thousands , if not millions , of passengers once opened them as they stepped towards the loading platform. These exquisite bronze chandeliers were originally installed in the 1890's in the Coca Cola building in Austin , TX. And I was so glad that I asked Susie about the wild boar behind the bar. Now , I was not being a smart ass but I didn't really think that there would be a story here. But Susie , not missing a beat , explained that this brass boar originally served as a fountain in Nice France and was the replica of a renaissance period original in Florence France. And the one that completely blew my marbles was the 1927 or 29 Alcott Louisa. We have passed by this area tons of times and I had no idea. This Pullman car was one in a series of rail cars named for women authors and poets. This particular car has been refurbished to provide this elegant cigar smoking lounge. Unbelievable
And this photo below is a classic. Shot this at about 2am and it was a group participating in a photoshoot. The photographer ( in the left of the frame ) was telling this group to stand there and look amazed. That was his word , amazed. So they held their circular space while he slowly rotated around them firing off digit stills. These here actors/models only moved their eyes. So funny , their body language never wavered , just their tiny little eyeballs. Bam
DRIVE:
The drive back was beyond smooth. However , the morning itself , not so much , as you could imagine. The flow of traffic was exactly how it should play out. Seven hours of driving felt like grandmas cooling fresh apple pie in the window. Simple Luxury
Above is the photo of my only two tickets that were big fat losers. The tix on the right was painful for me. On that $10 bet , would have collect $60 and my original ten back. Both Iowa St and Miami covered but UCLA and VCU laid an egg on my over/under prediction. Both teams average 80.2 points a game all season and the combined 150ish was a no brainer. Nope
But I did hit another two game parlay and my $20 dollars placed paid out a cool crips $91.40. Telling ya , bet ten bucks a pop is the way to play. It doesn't hurt when you lose , feels like a million dollars when you collect , and the bragging rights are talked about all day long. Like The Dude and I tell everyone , What happens in Vegas is talked about all year long. Kid You Not
Now I still have three tickets floating out there in the future. I placed $10 on the Denver Donkies winning the Super Bowl for a $150 payout. I placed $10 on the Buffalo Bills for a $200 payout. And then I placed the UNDER for $10 on my Padres because I know they suck. So I will happily update you in October as the over/under for The Padres is 81.5 out of 162 games. Yes , I believe that they are a sub .500 club. New Skipper , Same Ol Padres
And when we do well in Vegas , we pop in at the Indian Reservation for purchasing a few fireworks for the 4th. This year was my best ever run in Vegas as I went an eye bulging 15 for 17 this trip. I have never done that well. I have never looked a the board in the sports book and said , " Houston by ONLY 2 and half?" I danced with a true rain man like run. Only choked twice ??? I will take those odds every trip !! Sure , I wish I was betting thousands at a time but I smile proudly knowing that I was the one that got the best of Vegas this time. Even if it was only pennies on the dollar. Fifteen For Seventeen Baby
Reflecting a bit , this trip opened my eyes to a few aspects of what I appreciate about GJ. There is so much trash in Vegas. Doesn't matter where you look , discarded fast food wrappers littered the gutters. Turn a corner , evidence of man. The zombie factor !! We have loads of homeless here in GJ but we don't have the zombies walking around. Numerous times we rounded the corner and walking towards us would be these shell of humans. Filthy dirty is an understatement. Those sunken eyeballs are so weird and they are literally skin and bones. The fact that folks still wave to each other back here in GJ but everyone in Vegas treats you like a criminal , so bizarre. GJ definitely oozes problems but I have this sense of a renewed satisfaction. A joy of ownership if you will. I know that I can't control the uncontrollable but I know that I am offering a good human projection. Vegas Restored My Optimism
PINK FLOYD:
And to cap off an amazing week of March Maddens , more free entertainment my friends !! I fortunately attended the hands down best show at the Avalon Theater to date. I had never heard of the Black Jacket Symphony before. All I knew was that I was spotted a comp ticket and these musicians were covering Pink Floyd's The Wall in its entirety. Thumbs Up
This band is beyond talented , the bass player was the main vocalist , and I forgot how much I love The Wall. That album carries many memories for me , I know it by heart , it's precisely the intensity and rawness of those song's feelings that gives the album its depth. I haven't played that double LP in its entirety in ages. Like back when I was hosting radio shows at KAFM. I Miss Those LP Nights
Those string instruments rule , the drummer was spot on , and the visuals were magnificent. All those videos were impressive and the laser lights brought a whole new element to the theater. After The Wall , the band performed Have A Cigar for an encore. Well , that morphed into Wish You Were Here. They all walk of the stage for a second encore. They entered and belted out Great Gig in the Sky with the famous Wizard of Oz tornado on the big screen and then closed out their show with none other than MONEY. Phuc Me
So this post encapsulated the week between St Patties Bike Night , St Patties itself , The Wednesday through Sunday Las Vegas experience , and Wednesday Night's Black Jacket Symphony. I thank you all so much for reading through this entry. I appreciate each and everyone of you. And yes , I am already planning next years trip to Vegas as St Patties will be on a Wednesday and we will be there. Must purchase new costumes , wigs , and jewelry for sure.
Spread Love & Keep Collecting Those Karma Coupons ,
Cheers
