S: As it happens, one of our other favorite things to do is going to the drag races. We only get two per year in Sonoma County, so an additional treat on this vacation was a side trip to Las Vegas Moto r Speedway for the second qualifying day of their first national drag-racing event, the Summitracing.com Nationals.

S: One thing worth mentioning is that the girl at the Holiday Inn on (I believe) Craig Street off I-15, though they had no vacancies, called around and found us a cheaper room at the Best Motel nearby. I thought this might be standard Holiday Inn prac tice, and that they might even have some arrangement with Best and other motels. If that was the case, it wasn't reciprocal -- while we were checking in at the Best, a weary traveler came in and was told there were no rooms. The girl at Best did not off er further information. Next time we pass that way and need a place to stay, we'll certainly try for that Holiday Inn.

S: Jeeze, I keep finding myself plugging products and services. For some reason, maybe partly because we were sweaty and grungy and dirty, the referral just hit the right note for me. I wrote a letter to Holiday Inn, hoping they can figure out who sh e was and reward her suitably...

S: Not much to say about the races, as I'm fairly dazed by the preceding days' events, the longish ride into Vegas, a scramble for a motel room, finding the track, and then sitting in 90+ heat most of the day. And I've written about the drag races elsewhere. Suffice to say, as always, we enjoy the sheer spectacle of it, without caring a whole lot who ultimately wins or loses. The racing complex is huge. The track is nice, with good sight lines and blessed shade in the afternoon.

T: The races are pretty good, with the smoking tires and smell of nitro I've come to enjoy. It's dreadfully hot, which makes us uninclined to spend time near the starting line for the full sensory experience. We're treated to a bit of it, however, wh en Dale Creasy's Mad Magazine funny car bursts into flames in front of us (referring to the NHRA site to get details here; you can read the full story at the NHRA pages). A couple or m ore runs over 300 mph, always exciting. A few wheelstands in the stock classes.

T: The track at Vegas (the "Strip", as they like to call it, har har) is pretty nice; very new and modern. Lots of shade to be found under the stands, though less in areas to actually watch the races. The ladies' room is huge...what a change from wai ting in line at the dingy little thing at Sears Points (thanks!). The crowd is a little different than what we see at Sears Point here in Sonoma County; seems like a lot fewer kids, but actually more women. Some of them seem very "Vegas" to me. I'm sur e the beauty in the hot orange bikini w/sheer mini sarong "skirt" was enjoying the races quite a bit (and the applause that ensued when she walked by; if I didn't clap myself, I should have), though it's difficult in a first impression to understand why s he was accompanying such an ugly dumb-looking fellow. Well, must be the personality, he at least seemed very jovial about the applause himself.

T: Though the shade eventually reaches our seats, we're pretty ready to head back to the hotel and find dinner when the last round of top fuel and funny cars is over.

T: One thing that stands out about this trip for me is that we meet some really nice, helpful people along the way, something we've learned by experience NOT to expect. The Holiday Inn clerk Steve talks about above is one. Another is the pool attend ant at DV, who seems happy to see us, is genuinely friendly without any need to "impress" us in any way, just wanting to know if we enjoy the pool, saying he's glad we returned. There's "Coffee Man" at the Furnace Creek breakfast, with the boring job of refilling our coffee cups several times, but always with a smile and ready with refills and without idle chatter. The maid at the hotel in Vegas, who's able to get our room ready a little early and cheerfully points the way as we get out of the elevator. The park ranger, who gives us good, succinct info about the Titus Canyon drive. Truly, it's a little sad that these are unexpected treats. But, in fact, they are...

S: Yes, the lady at the Furnace Creek store, too: I'm wearing my "Red Devil Records, Petaluma CA" T-shirt on the first day, and it occasions several comments on the trip (as I know it will); when the sales lady at the store mentions Petaluma, I suggest she come visit and I charge her ten dollars for a six-pack here. It's meant in good humor -- though I realize as the words come out of my mouth that it could sound bitter and mean -- but she laughs and takes it precisely as I meant it. Bravo!

S: Also the waiter at the steak house. We have a brief, four-line interchange, wherein I acquire that instant... not dislike... not aversion... but a lack of connection with him. You know, he says something that doesn't sit quite right with me, and t hen I attempt to reply good-humoredly but it comes off not quite right, and he attempts similarly, and I reply similarly... He comes back later with a line that makes us chuckle, and we are friends. THAT's a good waiter - retrieving an off-color situatio n.

S: After the races, we ask the girl at Best where we can find a decent salad bar:

"Buffet?"

"Salad Bar."

"Buffet?"

"Okay, buffet."

She recommends the Texas casino, saying it's better than the Fiesta, which is right next door. So we go to the Fiesta, which has a fine buffet, including a decent salad bar...

T: Of course we have to walk through the casino to get to the buffet...the most depressing trek we've done on the trip. Luckily, gambling has not been among my vices, and observing the casino environment makes me want to do anything but drop a quarter in a slot machine.

T: For entertainment at the buffet, there's a pigeon hiding up in the rafters. I suspect being a pigeon trapped in a buffet room makes him the luckiest one in Vegas.

S: Yep! NObody in this sad casino wears a smile. Ever notice that? Determinedly pulling the one-armed bandit lever, repeatedly, on into the night, that's them, and their wasted vacation. I somehow escaped this particular addiction as well. Let's Ho neymoon in Vegas! Ai Yi Yi!

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