1. First time with Mike James - Circus Circus / The Sahara

• Somewhere between Barstow and Stateline on the drive over, Mike and I saw this incredibly bright glow behind the mountains to our right. We thought, "What city could that possibly be? Vegas? No, that should be in front of us. It's got to be a city; it's just way too bright to be anything else. Phoenix? Well, Phoenix would be in that direction, but could we see it from here?" Finally, we passed behind the mountain and saw what it was: the moon.

• I learned craps, though not very well; I was playing one dollar on the don't pass at Circus Circus, and as the stickman turned to go on his break, he said to me, "Kid, split."