Into the east…

I got to pack the BIG bag. Not the little carry-on, but the big-ass BIG bag. You see, that’s the great thing about traveling by car. I could load the big bag with half my closet, the hair dryer, curling iron and the full-sized containers of shampoo and cream rinse. Not to mention, my bottle of scent, more underwear than I require for four days, small can of coffee, creamer and my “white-noise” fan.

My bag was a full on fuck you to the patriot act and all the corncob-up-their-ass TSA agents who’ve made it their mission to save the free world from terroism by confiscating flattened tubes of toothpaste and bottles of moisturizer that are one ounce over the limit.

I love road trips.

It was cold and gray when I got underway this morning. The roads were 98% clear, however a few upturned trucks and semis served to remind me to maintain caution. While my area had been hit by Ice Storm 2007 (cue the wind sound and ominous music), it was nothing compared to the eastern part of the state – some of which is still without power.

On into Arkansas the temperature warmed up a couple of degrees to around 28 and the ice disappeared.

I made good time. The new ride cruising at around 80 and the iPod cruising on the playlist. I rolled into Tunica around 5pm. After checking in and unpacking some of the Big Bag, I put the search out for Jason Spaceman. He was at the Grand, working the Bluff radio show covering the final table of the WSOP Circuit Main Event final table.

I drove over and my parking karma afforded me a good spot. I pulled in, satisfied there was plenty of clearance between my shiny new wheels and the vehicles on either side of me.

I found Jason and the Bluff Magazine crew in waiting mode, filling time on the radio spots while the last two players were on dinner break. I quickly learned that this dinner break was an ill-timed insane decision.

There were 57 minutes left in the level and, heads-up, the stacks were 600K vs. 3.2Mil – in other words it was most likely going to be over in a few hands. At the very least, the level should have been played out before the break.

The hour break turned into nearly and hour and a half. Jason and Nick Geber filled time until play finally resumed. I scrounged a piece of paper and took some notes in a vain attempt to pretend I belonged on “media row.”

The players returned at last and play resumed. Four hands later, Dennis Perry bested Gioi Luong’s pocket sixes with his pocket kings and won the championship, receiving the coveted (yet butt ugly) ring and $563,402.

After the players and the crowd disappeared, I joined the “Bluffsters” for dinner at the buffet. I enjoyed a nice brisket with green beans, mashed potatoes, a roll, a slice of chocolate cake and a peppering of raucus tales of the road from the Bluff boys.

Jason and I headed back to the hotel. Upon getting in the car, Jason reluctantly called my attention to an apparent mishap on the passenger side of my shiny, new, one week old vehicle. Oh, hell, some fucking dipshit asshole smashed his door into the side of my car leaving a sizable dent and scraped paint.

TILT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unable to do anything about it, I entered zen mode and put the matter to the rear of priorities. I’m on vacation, dammit, the dent will be dealt with when I get home. But, godammit, I hope that asshat’s karmic punishment rolls around real soon….

The evening wound down with an insane group session with the rest of the Bluffsters on our respective lap-tops in the lobby of the Veranda. Logging on to Full Tilt we joined a couple of micro-limint deep stack 90 seat sit-n-gos. I ended 0 for 4 and called it a night.

Day 1 Vacation Tunica filed and closed.