Back in the Saddle (and in Remission) Again!

Well, it's been awhile since I blogged, so I hope this doesn't get too long.

I'm extremely happy to let you all know that my headaches have once again gone into remission.  I haven't had a headache for nearly 2 weeks now and am quite certain I'm back in remission.  Now that I am feeling good every day, I am trying to take full advantage of it.

I got a call from one of my nephews about 10 days ago or so, letting me know about a motorcycle he saw for sale in Canton, SD.  It sounded pretty interesting to me, (and within my price range taking into consideration that I was going to use poker winnings to buy it) so I cruised on the bike to Canton and was joined in Inwood, IA with 2 of my brothers and my sister-in-law, and the nephew who had called me about the bike originally also met up with us in Canton.

I took the 2003 100th Anniversary HD Road King for a little test ride and was pleased with the power and the sound of the bike.  It had Screaming Eagle pipes on it and I must say....  it sounded good....   It was black....with lots of chrome....and a few other extra's and I got a good first impression.
The bike had been in an accident so there would be some minor cosmetic stuff to take care of.
It had app 18000 miles on it, so I was pretty sure that I could ride it for many miles without having to worry about doing mechanical work.

I took a few pictures for my wife to look at and left the guys place letting him know that I would call him the next day letting him know if I was going to purchase it.
After visiting about it with Christine and showing her the pictures, and answering her question, "Is it shiny?" with a "Yes!",  I got the OK to purchase it, as long as I also purchased her a new vacuum.  Tough decision, huh?
I can buy the bike....and also have a cleaner house.... (not that the house isn't clean anyways) and everybody'd be happy.....  SO.... I called him the next day to let him know I was going to purchase it, and we set up a time for me to pick it up.

About 10 days to 2 weeks ago, I started to really feel quite confident that my headaches were again going into remission.  I was still getting an occasional headache, but the pain wasn't as bad....and they also were getting shorter.  I'm extremely happy to report that I have now gone at least 2 weeks without any headaches at all.  I'm so excited about that.....that sometimes I hate to go to bed at night because I just want to keep doing stuff....  Now, I'm to the point that I hope I can go at least another 2 or 3 years without headaches again.

Well.....since I was feeling better, I got more work done....and I also started reconsidering my decision to not go to the bike rally in Sturgis, SD this year.  After purchasing the new bike and not getting any more headaches that week, I decided to cruise out there by myself on Monday morning (after the Sunday memorial for Christine's uncle) and meet up with 3 brothers, 1 sister, and 3 nephews....along with wives, husbands, and girlfriends and a cousin with his wife.  I think with all the family & friends, we had about 20 people camp, ride the Hills, and just have a ball together.  I think I can honestly say that a jolly good time was had by all!

Sturgis is kind of like Vegas....where what happens there kind of stays there....so regretably, I can't share a lot....   lol 
I can talk about myself though.  I think that's allowed.
The rally seems to make people let loose a little bit and maybe do some stuff they wouldn't ever do back home...  I'm quite certain that there's some women who have body parts that never, ever, see the sun when they're at home....who for some reason feel quite comfortable flopping those said body parts out when they're in Sturgis.
In keeping with the spirit of things, I let loose a bit myself, and tried a cup of coffee for the first time in several years.  I think it's only the 2nd or 3rd cup of coffe I've ever had in my entire life.
A cousin of my wife told me that if you start with a 1/2 cup of coffee, and then put sugar in it until the cup is full....you can drink it....  so that's pretty much what I did....
It didn't taste too bad.  :)

We all did have a great time, especially sitting around the fire at the campground...and sharing meals together.  All of my relatives and friends got to Sturgis without any major incidents and also arrived safely back home this week.  (With the exception of one brother and his son who are still traveling home to Missouri, and one nephew and one niece who are in Sturgis yet for another day or two)

I also have to thank everyone who was accomodating to me, taking most of my camping supplies (tent, bedroll, sleeping bag, & blanket) in the camper.....so I didn't have to haul them on the bike, and inviting me to eat/grill with them on several occasions.  We have an awesome family & any of the nephews & nieces that have not yet made it to one of our Sturgis excursions, should seriously consider taking that first full week of August off from work so they can accompany us older folks some year.  Us old folks know how to have a good time!  (and we're more than happy to include the younger ones!)

So....now that I'm back home, I again have more work to do and plan on really getting a lot done in the next week or two.  I seriously have to make some time for poker now that I've spent the majority of the bankroll on that bike.

If you've been reading this blog, you know that I intend on going to Vegas next year for the World Series of Poker again, and if I'm going to play a few tournaments, and play the medium/high stakes cash games, I'm going to need to get down to some serious poker playing between now and then....to build that bankroll back up.

You all know.... I'll keep you posted....
If I get to playing more....I'll probably also be blogging more....
There'll be more to talk about!

Headaches!!!

Well, I've ben home now for nearly 3 weeks and there's not a lot to write about besides the headaches that have engulfed my life. 

I have been to my local Dr. and have an appointment with a specialist/neurologist the last week in August.  I told her that the end of August seems like a lifetime away for me right now, and her office staff said they are going to check into finding something sooner.  I have also checked on this myself without any success in finding anything sooner.
My Dr. was also able to write some new prescriptions for the medications that have had some positive effects for me in the past.  She also prescribed an injectable Sumatriptan (a shot in the thigh) which has shown to be effective on some cluster headache patients.  I have yet to see how effective they'll be on my headaches.

I am hopeful that I am on the downward slope, as far as this round of headaches go.
2 days ago, I had an extremely good day, waking up refreshed and feeling anxious to get some work done in the shop.  Days like that have been few & far between, so I relished this one.  I did end up having a very productive day and made the mistake of enjoying a cold beer after dinner that evening.  Alcohol of any kind is a known "trigger" for almost all cluster headache patients.  
I haven't had any alcohol at all since this latest "cluster" of headaches started, because I am/was well aware of it being a "trigger".
It didn't take long at all for me to get a severe headache.  If I was physically capable of kicking myself in the ass for having that beer, I probably would've.
I was awakened on 2 other occasions throughout the night with very painful headaches.

Normally after a bad day or night, like the one I suffered through that night, I am a waste of human flesh the next day.  I'm so exhausted, have NO motivation, and it is literally very, very difficult for me to accomplish anything.
Well, the day after these headaches was no exception.  I had a dull headache all day up until about 5:00 in the afternoon, at which time I started snapping green beans, podding sweet peas, and getting fresh broccoli ready to blanche & freeze.  I did end up getting something done that day (yesterday) so it was not an entire day lost.

Today, I am again feeling pretty darn good.  I went into Pipestone because there's a local rendezvouz going on, and I expected a person to be there, whom I could buy some sumac from for pipe stems.  He was there and I bought all the good stem material he had.

They were also selling Indian taco's at the Indian Center, so I went there for lunch...  The taco's were outstanding & I left there comfortably filled.
I saw my mother-in-law at the Indian Center and she looked good.  She said she's been feeling a little ill this past week. (probably due to the excessive heat)  I encouraged her to drink lots and lots of water & she assured me that she is/was.  It was good to see her again....and good to see her enjoying the company of friends and family at the Center.

We have an ambulance fundraiser/pork tenderloin feed at the park tonight, so in a couple of hours, I will go down there to help.  Today/tonight should be a good test for me as to whether I can take being outside for an extended period of time.  If not, I'll be taking one of those injections and seeing if it has a positive effect.

On another note, I did make it down to Inwood, IA for a day last week to work on my motorcycle with my brother.  I once again have my primary mode of transportation back and feel good about that.  It felt great to get back on the bike & feel the wind through my hair.  Thanks again to Dave for all of his help with the bike!  I wish I knew 1/2 of what he knew when it comes to mechanical issues!

I've had a tough time getting on top of all the weeds in our large garden after being gone the month of June, but when it's not too hot, I'll try to clean 1 row at a time.  It's been extremely hot here lately so I've been losing a little ground on the weed front....  We are however enjoying lots of great fresh vegetables out of the garden on a daily basis.  (sweet peas, green beans, onions, green peppers, jalapeno's, banana peppers, radishes, and soon we should be enjoying tomato's)
My brother says that as long as you plant enough of everything, you got a pretty good chance of having some success with the garden, even if you're not the greatest gardener.  :)

On good days, I try to get lots of work done on pipe orders.  We were losing ground daily, but we're close to having things in a manageable position again.  One thing nice about our little business is that even when we're on vacation, or if one of us isn't feeling well, the orders and the $$$ keep coming in.  That alleviates any stress on the financial front anyways....
Our customers have been extremely understanding of my headache situation also, and seem to be OK with waiting for their orders a little longer than they normally would.

My daughter, Kala is going to be visiting us again this coming week, along with our grandson, Jackson.... (who we don't get to see nearly as frequently as the other 3 grandchildren) so we're really looking forward to that!  When Kala comes around, we also see JD a little more frequently....as well as Heather's family....   It's so nice to have them all around.... (even though I sometimes act like I'm in agony to my wife, when she tells me that Heather's 3 grandkids are coming)  :)
I act (to my wife) like they're little terrorists & I can hardly take the stress....   lol
I'm just teasing her though and in reality, I actually love it when they come over!

That being said....There are occasions where... I'd like to smack that naughtiest one!  :)
I know that anybody who knows Heather's family... knows exactly who I'm talkin' about....   lol

Someday soon, I'll have to figure out how to put pictures on this blog....
When I do....I'll introduce you all to the entire family....

Home....Sweet Home...

I ended up sleeping really good that Thursday night in Lusk...and as it turned out, it was a good thing that I got a motel room.  I found out we were in severe thunderstorm watches and/or warnings most of the night.  I slept through everything!

I woke up probably around 10:00 and just laid around for another hour.  I then thought I better get cleaned up and get all my stuff together so that when Riley did get to Lusk, we wouldn't have to waste much time getting on the road again. 

I gave Riley a call around noon or so and he told me that he was in Rapid City....so that told me he'd be in Lusk sometime around 2:30 or 3:00 in the afternoon.  I didn't mind a bit, as I was still recuperating from the headache the day before.  I ended up going back to sleep and set my phone alarm for 2:30.  
I had everything packed and ready to go before I napped, so all we'd have to do when Riley got here was load the bike onto the back of the pickup.

Riley showed up around 3:30 or so I think...and we didn't waste any time.  Rich (The guy who'd helped me the day before) told me to stop by the shop where he worked and he'd help us load up the bike.  We did that, and I'd say within 1/2 hour or so, we were on the way....

I was a little concerned about getting a headache in the truck and warned Riley of what he might expect if I did...   After talking to my wife about this the other day, I began to realize how uncomfortable people may be when they see me experience a painful headache.

After being back home, and going out to eat twice....and having to leave the restaurant both times, before we could enjoy the meal... I told her that I understood how frustrating the whole headache thing is for her....    As I've explained before the whole headache thing makes life completely different for me...but it also affects her.
Christine explained to me that she wasn't so much frustrated by the inconvenience, but she was more scared....when she sees me in pain...and she can't do anything for it...and she wonders if she should call the ambulance.... 
I guess that makes perfect sense and it helped me to understand what others might see, when they see me having a headache.
That's one reason it's been so nice to be home.  When I get a headache, I can retreat to my "headache room" which is one of our guest rooms in the basement of our home.  It's nice and cool....and dark...and quiet..and about one of the best places for me to be when one comes on...  It's also in a place where other people can't hear me moan & groan, etc....

The ride home with Riley went really good.  He was tired...so I offered to drive for awhile from Newcastle, WY and he accepted.  He was able to get some much needed sleep.  We also had plenty of time to visit....and that helped make the trip easier...for both of us probably. 
He tried getting some dirt on his dad from me... :)  (since he knew we went to high school together) but I really didn't have any dirt to share with him....   lol
His dad & I didn't live real close together so we didn't spend a terrible lot of time together in high school.

We stopped to eat somewhere between Rapid City & Chamberlain....  I felt a headache might be imminent, so he ended up driving the rest of the way home.  I took one of my pills when I felt the headache coming on, and it was effective.  The headache never got really bad...

I think we arrived in Inwood, IA around 2:30 AM or so, and my sister/brother-in-law were kind enough to borrow me a car, and even have it waiting at Riley's house, so I could head straight home from there.

My brother Dave was going to worry about getting the bike unloaded with Riley and his dad the next day.

There are many people to thank for all the help given, & prayers offered on my behalf.  At the risk of forgetting someone, I need to especially thank my brother Dave for all the help with the motorcycle, Kala & Scott in KC for allowing me to spend 2 days while I wasn't feeling well, Rich in WY for the help given after a bad headache, (& help w/ the motorcycle) Riley for being willing to drive nearly 300 miles extra to help a guy in need, Sharon & Craig for allowing me to use a vehicle, (which I still have access to) my mom & dad for their unwavering prayers, and especially my wife for allowing me to go on an adventure like I did....and being her usual supporting self.  There are also others that helped me along the way....and many others that were praying for me the entire trip, especially after the headaches became persistant and bad.....  I sincerely appreciate everyones help & prayers!

I made the 45 mile trip home and was welcomed by my wife around 3:30 or 4:00 AM.  Home....Sweet Home...  It's great to be back...and enjoying family again....

When I've been feeling good enough, I've been working hard at trying to catch up on orders that came in while I was gone, and that have continued to come in since I've been back home.
I've had good days & bad with the headaches, but I'm surviving them....and they say that, "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger" so I should be mighty strong by winter...if this keeps up.

In all honesty, it is sometimes hard to deal with, but I know that eventually they'll go away....& I'm looking so forward to that....  In the meantime I do sincerely appreciate all the thoughts & prayers...

I have yet to make it to the new casino in Larchwood to play poker, but am looking forward to doing that soon.  I'll let you all know my thoughts on the room....and whether or not I'll be a regular visitor, after checking it out for myself....

One last note about getting home....  I mentioned to my wife how much I was missing her home cooking...  I told her that I had only had 2 home cooked meals the entire month of June....   To which she replied....  "That's one more than I had."   :)
Summer's usually pretty busy, so we do eat out quite a bit....but I DO miss that home-cookin' and I've been able to enjoy some since I've been home.
Life is good!

The Dream Turns Into A Nightmare....

After getting a great nights sleep in Fort Collins, I met my buddy, Rod for breakfast at Denny's.  We enjoyed a very nice visit talking about poker, family &kids, God, & other things...  I enjoy visiting with Rod as we seem to have a lot in common and have also experienced some similar challenges in life.  We met in either Reno or Las Vegas (at the poker table) about 15 years ago I suppose...and since then, our wives have had the opportunity to meet & visit also.... 

I suppose we ate and visited for about an hour.  He left to go play poker from there and I left for the 2nd leg of my journey home.  I was hoping to put a bunch of miles on again on Thursday, with my sights set on Rapid City, SD (or somewhere near there) as a stopping place.

I had mentioned, on Wednesday night, to my brother Dave (the bike mechanic) that I was starting to hear a noise coming from the bike.  We decided that it probably was the roller and/or cam and would have to be looked at when I got home.  He did bring up the idea of checking into it while I was on the road, if I could find a place, but I wasn't real concerned about it, because the last time I had this same problem on the bike, it rode fine for quite awhile before I had to get it fixed.

I got quite a few miles in before I had to stop for gas.  It was a good start to the day, however the noise on my bike, upon leaving town, was getting a little louder and more noticeable... 
I pulled out of Torrington, WY after putting on my leathers and helmet, due to an ominous dark cloud in the direction that I was going to be heading.

About 2 miles out of town, it started to rain, so I was glad I had prepared for it.  I stayed dry for the most part and it wasn't too cold, so it was pretty easy to put up with.  I rode through the rain for about 1/2 hour or so and by that time the clouds had moved to the East of where I was it.

The noise on my bike was getting noticeably louder and it was beginning to concern me a bit.  I was pretty much in the middle of nowhere between Torrington and Newcastle, WY.  There is a little town called "Lusk" which I knew was coming up....and I decided I better stop there to assess the bike.  Upon arriving, I made a call to my wife, Christine...to let her know where I was, visit, etc...and to Dave...(the mechanic) to discuss bike issues.  We pretty much decided there weren't any/many options and the only sensible one was to get as far as I could on the bike.  Rapid City, SD would be the closest place where I could have somebody look at it.  I told him I'd call him later to let him know where I was at & how things were going.

I no more got off the phone with David and I felt a headache coming on.  It came on very fast and very hard...  It turned out to be an exceptionally bad headache, and I laid out on a sidewalk, in the shade, with my coat as a pillow, on the North side of a gas station where I'd stopped.  Not unlike when I have had bad headaches before, I ended up falling asleep as soon as the pain got to a tolerable level.  (which seemed like forever that day) I knew I had laid there for awhile...when I woke up.
I looked at my phone to see how long ago I had talked to my brother.  Turned out I had laid there for a little over 3 hours.  The day seemed like it was pretty much shot... (It was about 5:00 PM by the time I woke up) and I hadn't hardly gotten any miles on.  I was exhausted from the headache but was determined to at least get to Newcastle, WY yet that evening.

Well, I went less than 1 mile and my bike was making noise...and it was a-grindin'... and in an instant, I had no power, in any gear.  I coasted to the side of the road and ended up pulling onto a side street in Lusk.  I was near a city park and thought I would probably end up throwin' my tent up and sleeping there that night and work on my other problems in the morning.  I did walk to the park (as there was a little kids baseball game going on) and asked a couple of people if they knew anyone in town that worked on bikes. 

No one did, so I started walking back to my bike (1/2 block away) to reassess that situation.  About that time, I noticed a guy unloading a dirt bike off the back of his pickup...in his backyard.  I walked over and asked him if there was anyone who could/would work on bikes in town and he thought there might be one guy... (a friend of his) who could take a look at it, but it turned out his friend wasn't comfortable tearing into a Harley.

I was still in major recovery mode from my headache. I asked Rich if I could push the bike over to his front yard.  I just felt that it would be safer there than anywhere else.  I asked Rich if there was any motels in town.  There was one and Rich would eventually drive me to it with most of the stuff off of the bike.  I really appreciated this guy's help that day...  He went above & beyond what anyone could've expected, trying to find someone to look at the bike...and eventually hauling me to the motel.  I ended up leaving Rich with some "going out to eat money" for him, his pregnant wife, and 2 children when I eventually did get out of Lusk.  I had a hard time getting him to accept the $$, but I wasn't about to give in.  I SO appreciated his help on Thursday.  In the exhausted state I was in that day, I can't even imagine having to walk to that motel, carrying as much of my items that I could.

Upon getting my stuff in the motel room, and securing that room for the next 2 nights, I collapsed on bed, to shut my eyes, even if it was only for a little while.  I then made a call to Dave, to let him know that I was only about 4 blocks from where I originally called him from...and my bike was about a mile in the other direction, and it was unrideable.

David must be simply awesome at networking, because he knows about a million people....and about that many people seem to also know him....  He got on his blackberry...and I'll be darned if he didn't come up with a young local IA guy, who was going to be leaving for Rapid City that very night, (like at 2:00 AM) to deliver a motorcycle that he'd sold to the HD dealership there.  Riley was his name...(and turns out his dad & I were in the same grade in high school) and he agreed to go the extra 150 miles or so to Lusk and come and get me the next day.

It was probably about 11 or 12:00 by the time I got to sleep that night....but I slept good!  I don't know if I've ever had my energy so depleted....due to the headache....and then the misfortune with the motorcycle.  I also knew someone was going to be coming to pick me up, to make what would hopefully be, the last leg home, at some point on Friday.

This story's getting a little longer than I anticipated, so I'm going to stretch it out over one more blog post.  In the next day or two, I'll tell you about the rest of the trip home....and what I've been up to since getting here.

The Ride Home: A Biker's Dream? or.....A Biker's Nightmare?

Well, I headed out of Vegas on Wednesday morning about 5:00 AM just as it was getting light out.  I wanted to be well on my way before it got super hot out.  The week prior to my leaving, it was not uncommon at all for the temps to be reaching 115 to 120 degrees daily.

I did chalk up another win or two before I left town and ended up the Vegas portion of the trip financially ahead.... but not by much.  I certainly would not call the trip a success from that standpoint.  The trip was probably unlike any I've ever had, in that I had some very large wins and some very large losses.  I just had a real problem stringing any of those large wins together.  It seemed like if I would have 2 good days in a row, then I'd have a real big loss the next day that would wipe out the profits from those days...and that's kind of how the entire 2-1/2 weeks in Vegas went.

I really enjoyed the motorcycling both to & from Las Vegas and will probably do it again next year if it works.  If all goes well, it will be on a little newer motorcycle though....  :)

I made really good time that Wednesday that I left, averaging over 125 miles between stops for most of the day.  My first bout with a headache was in Green River Utah.  It was starting to get pretty warm out and it was also extremely windy, so riding the bike was somewhat of a chore by that time.  I ended up going into a gas station/Arby's, ordering a sandwich, and finding a booth where I could stretch out a bit. I believe I was there for about an hour before I felt good enough to get back on the bike. I then rode to Grand Junction, CO and stopped for gas and had a root beer float which really hit the spot.

Got back on the bike and started working my way through the Rocky Mountains.  It was a gorgeous ride and could be any motorcyclists dream.  If you can imagine some of the best riding out in the Black Hills with the roads that go up and down and around hills/mountains and then multiply it by about 10.  Riding through the mountains was basically a good 300+ miles of winding roads with spectacular scenery. 

I got quite a ways through the mountains and started getting another headache.  This one turned out to be a pretty bad one.  I stopped at a rest area, drank a couple of waters, and....laid myself out on a slab of cement under a nearby tree and fought my way through the headache.  I believe I was laying there for about an hour and a half.  When I get a bad one, I will lose track of time. Sometimes, I can faintly remember talking to someone... (If that happens) but rarely can remember what that person told me...or what we talked about.
A typical bad headache will leave me completely and utterly exhausted and once the headache gets to a bearable point, I will usually fall asleep.  That's what happened at this rest area.

Upon waking up, I was tired, but had my sights on getting through the mountains and making it to the Denver area.

It was still very warm out, but I did go ahead and put my leather jacket on, because I was getting pretty high in the mountains and I knew it could cool off fast.  Well, it did....  Not long into the ride, it started to rain.  I was glad I had put my jacket on.  It wasn't a super hard rain or anything, but it was a cold rain, and my jeans were soon soaking wet....and I was cold...  but I was kind of stubborn too...
I knew I was near the summit and once on the other side, the weather could easily be much more bearable....so I kept going.

It didn't take long and I'll be darned if it didn't start to snow!  It was snowing enough that there was a little bit of slush on the road, but as long one was careful, there shouldn't be a problem.  I rode through snow for about an hour or so...before it pretty much stopped.  I pulled over...and I was super cold... 
My jeans were wet and my teeth were chattering....  I pulled out my chaps after I was somewhat warmed up and dressed for the remaining 50 miles or so that I thought I needed to go to get to Denver.

I finally did make it to Denver and stopped at a restaurant and had a french dip sandwich....
They had wi-fi, so I took my computer in and checked emails, etc...
Also, at this time I gave a poker friend of mine a call.  He's from Fort Collins, CO and we made a breakfast appointment in Fort Collins.  So, I decided to get back on the road for another hour or so and go to Fort Collins. 

Before I left Denver, I was behind a vehicle and noticed that my head light wasn't working.  So, I had to stop and tear that apart....and did get the light working again.

I think I pulled into Fort Collins around midnight or so and was very fortunate to get a room.  I had called a motel from Denver and they had told me they were full, but when I went by the place, there wasn't a "no vacancy" sign out, so I stopped.  The kid in charge told me that he had 1 room left...
It ended up to be a room that someone had been in for 2 days...and had paid for 3 days....
They had left early and the room was clean.
However, he couldn't get the computer to accept another guest, because according to the computer the room wasn't available.
It took a little time, but I wasn't about to give up so easily...  I ended up giving this kid $25.00 cash and told him I didn't care what he did with it....as long as he gave me a key to the room.  I assured him, I was just there to sleep and guaranteed that I wouldn't do any damage/steal anything, etc....
He took me up on the deal and I had a place to sleep.

I had gone nearly 850 miles that first day, had survived 2 headaches, had ridden through extreme weather conditions, (heat, wind, snow, & cold) and was very happy to shower & crawl into a warm bed.

The next day would prove to be just as challenging....the major difference being that I would go less than 200 miles...and find myself on a motorcycle that wouldn't move....  :)

I'll blog about that within the next few days....and let you all know what I've been up to since I've been home....

The Roller Coaster Ride Continues....

Well, I've now been in Vegas for 2 weeks.  It has been a true roller coaster ride.  I've had big wins, but I've also had big losses.  Each time it seems like I break through with a nice win or two, I've followed it up with a big loss.

Last night I played 40-80 Hold-em and ended up losing about $2500 which isn't a huge loss for that limit....but it ended up putting me a little down for the trip.  Financially, the trip hasn't been a success, but I'm still glad that I decided to come out for a few weeks.  I still feel very good about the way I've been playing.  Like I told my wife, with the way I've been running, instead of being stuck a little bit, I probably could've easily been stuck 10 grand....

What I've described is somewhat typical for every poker player.  You simply don't win all the time, no matter how good you are.  You need to be prepared for the down-turns like I've had lately...and in fact, you should be prepared for much worse results, because they'll invariably come.

I'm looking forward to an extended good run though also....   Those periods of time happen also, especially if you can keep playing good, disciplined, poker....

I have not been able to put in the hours that I'd have liked to the last couple of weeks due to the headaches I've had.  It's pretty important to me that I feel good...refreshed...and anxious to play cards...when I do decide to play.

I had considered playing a 3-day no-limit event at the World Series of Poker this weekend, but have since decided against it.  A couple of things went into that decision....one of them being the financial aspect of this trip...and that I'm no longer ahead, and the other being the headaches that I've suffered through.  It wouldn't be good for me if I got a bad headache during the tournament.  I would have to leave, get a room, and wait for it to pass....

I am going to plan on coming out again in 2012 and I'm going to plan on playing at least 2 or 3 WSOP events.  I will be brushing up on my tournament play between now & then.

I am planning on leaving for home very early this coming Wednesday morning.  I want to get out of here as soon as it's light out (or before) and try to be well on my way before it gets really hot.  I'm having some anxiety about the trip home right now, due to my headaches.  It would be murder to have a bad headache in the middle of the desert, if it's 120 degrees out, like it has been lately.

I am really looking forward to the ride through the CO Rocky Mountains.  It's something I've always wanted to do on my motorcycle and I will finally be doing it in a few days.  Hopefully that will be a fun "roller coaster ride"....without any more motorcycle problems....

As I'm writing this...I can feel my left eye starting to twitch...  It's a sign of another headache coming on...  (2nd one today)  Time for me to crawl into bed and try to find the most comfortable position I can to try and fight my way through another one....

If you're reading this & you're someone who prays....  I could use some intercession....
These headaches suck!

Next blog post will most likely be after I am back home in MN.

Vegas: The Poker Capitol of the World

So, without any more real exciting/entertaining incidents like the one I talked about in my previous blog post, I arrived in Las Vegas a week ago from this past Sunday.  I got myself a little apartment, got settled in, and got my laundry done.  This was the first time I've done laundry in at least 10 years and I was able to get it completed without wrecking anything.  (with the help of a phone call to Christine)

I figured I'd hit the Bellagio card room on Monday, play some hold-em, and find out where the best games and all the action has been in town. 
I found out that the Rio is crazy busy because of the World Series of Poker tournament being held there and the waiting list to get in a game I'd be looking to play in could be (& usually would be) extremely long.
So, I've found myself playing at the Bellagio every session to this point.  They also have a nice wide range of games, varying from $1 & $2 No limit games to $4000/8000 limit games.  Millions of dollars are changing hands on a daily basis!

I can sum up my first week pretty quickly and easily.  I find myself playing extremely good poker, but not running very good for the most part.  I have been able to win every single day, with the exception of one, but up until today couldn't really break through with any real decent wins.

I'm exceptionally happy with the discipline I've showed, after time and time again, getting my big pairs and other big hands drawn out on.  I just keep trying to play the best that I can and hoping the cards will eventually break my way.  I consider myself very fortunate to only have the one loss and to be money ahead for the trip.

Today ended up hopefully being that breakthrough day.  I finally chalked up a nice win that was a little over $2000.00 
Anytime I win over $1000 in a day, I consider it a pretty darn good day.  I just slowly built up my winnings to around $1000 and then got on a nice little rush.  I won another $1250 or so in about 10 minutes....  I then got drawn out on in a couple of hands and went back down to about a $2000 winner for the day.  About that time Christine called to get some information she needed from me to ship a few packages, so I told her I'd play one more round, and if I didn't win any pots, I'd head to my apartment and call her back with that info. (and that's pretty much what happened)

I've thoroughly been enjoying myself, meeting people that I haven't seen in years.  Some of these people didn't even recognize me, until I called them by name.  (I do find that I am unbelievably good at remembering the names of people I haven't seen in over 10 years)  Some of these people are also amazed that I can call them by name.  They kind of remember playing with & seeing me....but don't remember me by name.  My looks have changed a bit, as my hair is much, much, shorter than it used to be & my beard/whiskers have turned from black to gray/white.
I have been asked at by at least 4 people if I was going to.... or if I had played the Senior Tournament at the WSOP.  I guess it's time for me to shave again, because I won't be eligible to play in that for another 5 years!

I attended Grace Valley Church here in Vegas on Sunday and seen more people that I hadn't seen in awhile & that was very enjoyable.  This is a small church that our family was a big part of when we lived here.  I played guiter there on a regular basis and Christine & I also helped out with the youth group.

Since arriving in town, I have experienced several pretty bad headaches, which isn't a good sign for things to come this summer.  I suffer from something that is called "cluster headaches" and they are very sporadic, but when they come, it virtually changes my life completely for the period of time that they last.  I've been very fortunate to not suffer from these headaches for the last 3 years which is the longest I've ever gone.  They keep me from attending family functions & other events, because I simply don't want to get caught in a bad place (where I can't find refuge) with a bad headache.  On one or two occasions, when I have had bad one where I can't find any good place to curl up, I've actually had to go lay down underneath a parked pickup truck, and try to survive until the headache goes away.

The headaches always start behind my left eye and as time passes, they get increasingly painful and longer in duration.  At best, I go 2-3 days without one, and at worst I get 2 or more of them every day/night.  They completely wipe me out.  I can do virtually nothing, but try to find the darkest room, with absolutely no noise, (including background noise from another room) and just suffer through them.  The room cannot be to warm....or to cool.... 
Any of those things (light, sound, temperature) seem to intensify the headache.
Right now, the headaches seem to be lasting about an hour or two.  In the past, as they intensify, they can last up to 3 or 4 hours....and then when I'm finally able to move, I am so tired from fighting it, that I still can get very little if anything done.
The best way for me to describe the headaches, is that it feels like someone sticks their finger in my left eye & rips the eyeball right out my head.  My eye gets all bloodshot and waters to beat heck.  The main thing I can do is to cover my eye to let absolutely no light in, and to try and gently massage the left temple area.

These headaches invariably go away about the time late fall or winter comes.  This leads me to believe it may have something to do with the air I'm breathing....(some type of allergy or something)
I'm thinking that they quit, as soon as we have a good hard freeze.  So, if my headaches persist, I will anxiously be awaiting fall/winter this year.

Back to poker....  I honestly do believe that I'm playing close to the very best poker that I ever have...and I'm looking forward to continuing to do some traveling (hopefully with my wife) and playing more as time passes.  My 2 biggest decisions over the next year or two will be:
(1) Decide if I really want to pursue and concentrate on playing no limit hold-em. (which is really a completely different game that limit poker which I've been playing up to this point) and
(2) Decide if I want to concentrate more on tournaments, and put in the time to figure out how to play them the way you need to play them to win big

I will probably be forced to concentrate and play somewhat on no limit games, because that's what they're offering at the new casino in NW Iowa, that was built close to where I live.

The tournament thing is something completely different & at this point, I really don't know if it's something I'll actively pursue or not.  I have done fairly well in the past in the few tournaments I've played in, but they can also be very frustrating.  The only way you're truly pleased after playing one, is if you win the whole thing.... (That's the way I am anyway) and that doesn't happen very often.
It's so frustrating (and final) to get knocked out of a tournament.  You can't buy back in....  You can't go after someone who put that super bad beat on you....  It just can be frustrating....

It looks like I'll probably leave here this coming Sunday at the earliest....or the Thursday after that, at the latest....and in the meantime, I'm going to be trying to play the very best poker that I can, and to keep building that poker bankroll.  On this trip, I've decided just to concentrate on the live games and maybe next year I'll commit to playing a few WSOP events.  If I decide to do that, I'll be brushing up on my tournament play between now & then....  :)

"Reggie"

I call Reggie to see if he still has the afternoon open to help me change the wheel bearings on the bike.  He had assured me earlier when I'd talked to him that he would have any tool we might need and it's a pretty easy fix, so we shouldn't have any problem.

For those of you who don't know me real well, I am not what you'd call a "Master Mechanic".  I'm always willing (and anxious) to help when someone's working on the bikes, and I relish the mechanical learning opportunities that riding and owning an older Harley present.  That being said, unless it's a pretty simple fix, that I'm somewhat familiar with, I'm not real comfortable unless there's someone there that really does know what they're doing.  (Like both of my brothers, David & Brian)

Back to Reggie....  After making the initial mistake of not throwing that napkin with his phone number away as soon as he left the O'Reilly's parking lot, I give him a call...  He gives me some pretty simple directions to his place about 6 miles away and I limp the bike in that direction.  He tells me that he doesn't have much going on, so he'll be happy to help me fix the bike.

I see his old Chevy and I pull into his yard...  It's lookin' a little spooky so I give him a call again from the from the front yard.  The guy's got 3 gnarly lookin' horses on his little 2 acre plot & they're looking like they might be really happy if they could make their escape....  (Just like I'd be feeling later in the day)  lol
He answers the phone & a minute later I see him at the front door... He says to me.... "C'mon in and grab a chair" and I do...
He's got a 6-pack of beer on the coffee table in front of his couch and he's finishing off the last one....as he explains to me that he hasn't had a 6-pack of beer before 1:00 in the afternoon for a "long time".

I'm thinkin' he'll finish his last beer & we'll get to work on the bike.  He's a talker....and he lets me know all the important people he knows....and all the different types of work he's done...and the different businesses he's run, etc.... and all the while, I can see he probably would have a hard time finding 2 cents in a pinch...  He's layin' on the couch, rubbin' his eyes....and yappin....

1/2 hour later, I see movement on the couch...
I'm thinkin'... "YES!"  let's get this show on the road so I can get outta here....
He stumbles outside and we go around back and get all the tools we'll need.  He's got about 3 other old vehicles back here and he explains to me that he could've had 3 "jobs" today, but his pickup needs the brake pads replaced.

Reggie does help me get the bike jacked up & on blocks, so that the work can be done.... (as he's telling me about all the times he's been stabbed and shot)  We get the front tire off of the bike and Reggie heads for the door of his little pad.  He says to me..., "Well, you're on your own now."

I'm not likin' this.... I'm feelin' pretty darn uncomfortable and as I explained earlier, I'm not the master mechanic that I'm wishing I was right about now....  but with the tire off and the bikes on blocks, there's not really any lookin' back at this point.

I give Dave a call and he starts walking me through the process of changing the wheel bearings....  I'm putting the phone down, while I'm pounding on the bike.... pick the phone up to ask more questions, etc...  I'm really feeling that I wished I'd never have come on the guy's property....  Reggie seems to be getting a little more spooky every time I have interaction with him....

I have to run into the house a few times to ask Reggie if he has this tool....or that tool.... and every time that I open the door after knocking, he wakes up....  He's laying belly-up on his couch getting every last wink of sleep that he can....

I had asked Reggie if he had grease for the wheel bearings and he had assured me on our first phone call that he did.  With the help of David, I eventually get to the point of needing that grease, so I again go wake Reggie up.  He stumbles back into one of the bedrooms and comes out and says.... "I must've used that for somethin' else".  So, I ask him if he'll give me a ride into town to get grease....assuring him that I'll pay for gas.... (Thinkin' to myself that he might have all my money and belongings anyway by the time this is done... )   :)

He tells me that he'll give me a ride....and he needs to buy a C-clamp anyways so that he can finish fixing his brakes.  I immediately offer to buy that for him....for all the "help" he's given me....

Now, maybe part of why I was a little uncomfortable might be that I have a fair amount of cash on me....and I have my computer and expensive camera.... and if this guy had any idea of the value of what was on my person and on my bike.... he'd think he'd hit the lottery....
Probably was a good thing I looked as rough as I did also....
I'm unshaven.... My face is about is dark as a white guy's face can get, from ridin' in the sun every day...and I'm dirty...  I got grease everywhere....   If Reggie was someone that I had been feeling comfortable with... I probably would've had him take a picture of me... (and the bike)  just because I don't look as rough ever....as I looked that day...

The ride into town is quite an adventure in itself...  I'd say about half of the time we were driving on the right side of the road....and the other half we were on the left-side of the road...or somewhere in the middle....   But without fail, he seemed to get back in the right lane whenever he'd see a vehicle coming.  I'm tellin' ya.... If I'd have seen a cop... I'd probably have tried to non-discreetly wave him over...   I'm gettin' more uncomfortable all the time with my new friend....

We safely make it to O'Reilly's, get the stuff we need, and head back to the house...
I call David again and tell him I've got the wheel bearings packed and I'm ready to get the wheel put back together.  I'm wanting him to kind of walk me through it as I'm doing it to make sure it goes back together like it's supposed to.  I also tell him I only have 1 bar left on my phone....so if I lose him...that's why...  I also get the message across to him that I'm very uncomfortable and he WILL be hearing from me if and when I get out of there safely.

David gives me a crash course on getting things put back together correctly, in the event my phone goes dead.  I'm thinkin' I want to save enough juice to at least make a 911 call if I need to...  lol

I gotta give some major kudo's to my brother Dave....
After this was all done, I said to him... "I bet this is the first time you've ever changed the wheel bearings on a bike, via the telephone..."   We had a few good laughs over the whole deal, once I did eventually get out of this guy's place..

So....I do manage to get everything put back together and the wheel turns the way it's supposed to...so things are lookin' up.  I go back into the house to wake Reggie up again and let him know that I would sure appreciate his help getting my bike off the blocks.  This is virtually an impossible task for 1 person.

Reggie briefly sits up on the couch....only to recline back into his belly-up position.  He tells me to go ahead and wash my hands...and grab a glass of lemonade out of the fridge and sit for a bit.  I oblige....and am not surprised to see that the pitcher of lemonade in the fridge...is the ONLY thing in the fridge...  Not even ketchup....   lol

Another 1/2 hour goes by & I'm just chompin' at the bit to get away from this man...
He finally rouses again....and throws his slippers on and heads towards outside.  I follow and I'll be darned if he doesn't head into the back yard.  He starts working on the brakes on another one of his old pickups.  Another 1/2 hour goes by and I finally say to him, "Reggie... I'd sure to like to get on the road, and if you'd just help me get the bike down I can do that..."  He says, "OK..." and continues working on his brakes until they're done.  Now he has to put the wheel back on the truck & thank the good Lord, he needed the jack that I had on the bike.  He realizes this and cussin' under his breath, says, "Well, I guess we better go get that jack".

On the way to the front yard, he stops to feed his starving horses....pets them all.... and says sweet nothings to them.... 

I honestly am starting to get very nervous by this time wondering if I was going to get out of there.  While he's feeding his horses, I go to the bike & gingerly try to start jacking it up, holding the bike up, and removing the blocks....  I was to the point that I would NOT let Reggie walk behind me, because I was afraid I might get the old MN bullhead treatment.  (which is a knock on the head)

I was also getting to the point, with the back tire of the bike on the ground, if I needed to I would start the bike & just give 'er hell and somehow get off those blocks.

About this time Reggie sees me working on getting the blocks out, he comes over and gives the jack a few pumps....  It's all I need to get the remaining blocks out & get both wheels on solid ground again...

I had the bike completely packed up and ready to go before I had alerted Reggie to the fact that I needed help....so that once I got off those blocks, I could make my escape.

I had finally made it to that crucial point....  Reggie started to saunter into the backyard and I hollered over to find out of he wanted me to close the gate behind me...  He told me that I could just leave it open...and then he asks me..., "Oh... you takin' off already?"  I casually said "yeah.... I better get a few miles on yet tonight".....as my heart's racin'...  I thank him for his "hospitality" and start the bike....
I know I'm close now.... lol

I make it to the gate.... open it....ride through.....and I'm home-free!
I had survived the ordeal....  I rode into town, stopped at a gas station & called David again to let him know that I had gotten out alive....   We did have some good laughs....   I sure appreciate him taking the time to help me get through a few interesting incidents on this trip.  He's always willing to help (especially with bike issues) and it's SO nice to have the expertise available of someone like him.....

I ended up driving to Albuquerque and did find a very nice hotel, very attractively priced, (no sarcasm here) and very close to a good poker game.  I decided last night to spend an extra day here just to relax and count my blessings....and that's what I've been doing today... 

That brings us to the present time....  I hope to arrive in Vegas early Sunday....
I will try to keep you posted on the adventures yet to come...    :)

Biking Across the Good Ol' USA

Just to follow up on my last post....
I ended up having a very good weekend playing cards in Shakopee a few weeks ago.
They started a new 20-40 1/2 Hold-em and 1/2 Omaha 8 or better game which was exceptionally good.  I ended up having one small loss and 2 nice wins and it all equaled out to a very profitable weekend.

I then returned home and worked my tail off up until the minute I left on my little trip to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker.  My trip was delayed for several days, just to give me additional time to get everything in order.

For those of you who don't know, I am riding my '91 Harley to Las Vegas from MN.
The first day, I got to Kansas City and stayed at my daughter's house.  I ended up with a stomach bug of some sort and decided to stay there for an extra day....to recover.  I was very glad that I did, as I was a very regular visitor to her bathroom facilities all day long.

So....I cruised out of KC on Tuesday morning and hit the Kansas turnpike.  (This is a toll road) The turnpike, if you haven't used it has sporadic "service areas" where you'll find a Mc D's and a gas station.  When you exit the turnpike, that's when you pay your toll, so I generally don't exit until I have to.

Cruisin' along the turnpike, I noticed that my speedometer was acting a little goofy.  This was the first sign of trouble....  I pullled into a service area and filled up with gas.  To my surprise, the bike just 'clicked' when I'd try to start it.

So....I call my bike mechanic...who just happens to be my older brother, David....  I explain to him what's going on, and he has me get my tools out.... pull the primary cover off and "smell" inside it.  It did kind of smell like something had crawled into there and died.  I relayed that to him and he diagnosed the problem from afar.  The stator had gone out in the bike, which is a unit that charges the battery as you ride the bike.  He told me if I could get a charge on the battery, I'd probably be good to go for awhile.  I found a young air force guy traveling who was kind enough to let me throw jumper cables on the battery and let it charge for 15 minutes or so.  I was back on the road....

I went as far as Wichita and stopped at a Walmart to buy a battery charger to charge the battery up again and made some calls while I was there.  I located a HD dealership, talked to someone in the shop and they said if I could get there soon....they'd probably be able to fix it yet the same day.

That's exactly what happened and about 4 hours and $400 later, I was back on the road.  It was evening and I went to Dodge City, KS and spent the night.  I had talked to some guys at the dealership who had told me that there was a new casino there with a poker room, so I thought I'd maybe be able to make a few bucks...

However, once I found a piece of crap room for the bargain price of $80.00  (being sarcastic here) I was so pooped out from the day that I just ended up sleeping.  Morning came and I got the heck out of Dodge.  :)

I had a decent day of traveling that next day.  It stayed relatively cool and wind-free until about 2:00 in the afternoon...  Then it got super hot...and super windy...  I was totally exhausted by the time I got to Santa Fe, NM.  After the room I had the night before, I was thinking I would just camp.  I did stop at one normal looking hotel and asked about rates.  They had a "manager's special" of $90.00
I went to the KOA.....pitched my tent, and got a good nights sleep.

I've met some great folks along the way and the past 2 days were no exception.  I'm havin' a ball....  You ride through (and stop to eat in) some of these little towns in Kansas, Oklahoma, and NM with the bike all weighted down with the luggage and every once in awhile you have a pretty girl wave at you....  It's all good....and it's a lot of fun....

So....I leave Santa Fe with kind of a strange feeling about the bike...  I just sensed that something wasn't going to go my way on Thursday.  Shortly after hitting the interstate, my speedometer stays on zero.  I was nervous about shutting the bike down, but every time I did...it started back up, so I thought to myself...  "Well, if this is the 'problem' that I had the strange feeling about, I can deal with that".  I've gone 2 years without a speedometer working on the bike, so it wasn't a big deal to me at all.

But...unfortunately, that was the least of my problems that day....  :)
I started hearing a noise from the bike that was coming from the front end.  I rode for awhile, as the bike seemed to ride OK and the noise stopped for awhile.  When it started back up, the noise was louder and I knew I better pull over and see what I could see....

I pulled into a gas station about an hour away from Albuquerque and tried to diagnose the problem.  The front fender was bolted down good....  No problem there.  I checked that first, because I had problems once with that in the past.  It occured to me that front wheel bearings might be going out and I called the mechanic to see what he thought....
Once again, he diagnosed the problem from afar and I limped the bike along the side of the interstate 10 miles down the road to the nearest town.  The front wheel was making an awful noise going down the interstate & to put it bluntly....  I wasn't comfortable...  I was uncomfortable enough that I was wearing my helmet and holdin' onto the handle bars pretty tight...  :)

I find an O'Reilly's auto parts store.  They tell me they don't have what I need. 
While I'm there, I meet "Reggie".  I don't really know how to describe Reggie...  He's driving a '67 Chevy pickup I think, with plywood in the place of a topper.  The back windshield is totally shattered and the front windshield isn't much better.  The guy's got a beer belly that looked like it would constantly be getting in the way of everything.  He's unshaven, wearing his pajama bottoms and a t-shirt that doesn't cover that beer belly.  I don't know if this would be the definition of a redneck...but I think it might be...

Reggie is kind enough to offer me a ride to his house and help me fix the bike.  "We can throw the bike in the back of the pickup".  (as I'm rollin' my eyes)  I tell him I haven't even been able to get the parts I need...but thanks for the offer.  He pulls out a napkin from his truck and writes him name down and a phone number.  (Looking back, I don't know if it was his name or an alias)  lol

David (the bike mechanic) tells me via the phone that the bearings are not unique and they probably have them, but I just have to find a parts number.  I go to a travel center where they let me use their wi-fi and try to get the part number I need.  I get a HD part number and a JP Cycles part number. (neither of what do me any good)  David calls later with the part number I need.  He had called a local bike shop and they got him the numbers I needed.

I go back to O'Reilly's and they do in fact have the parts I need so I think I'm in luck.
I hee-hawed a little bit deciding if I wanted to try and limp the bike to Albuquerque and find a bike shop....or if I should call "Reggie" and take him up on his offer to help me out with this.
The bike had been making such an awful racket that I wasn't comfortable driving it any further than I absolutely had to.....  So.....

I made the mistake of calling "Reggie"....   That's what my next blog post will be about....and it will be written before the day (or night) is over....

Can you all imagine how Jeffrey Dahmer's victims must've felt before they met their end?  I'm thinkin' that they kinda felt the same way I was feeling when I was at this guy's place....   Check this blog post out later today....  :)

Poker, Poker, & More Poker!

Well, I meant to write this after the last time I played cards for a long weekend, but the site was down and I never got back around to it.
So....I'm finally getting around to it.

We went to Shakopee a couple of weekends ago to relax and get a few hours in at the poker table and hopefully make a few bucks...   Didn't quite work out that way!

The first night I played things started out bad right away and never got any better....and I lost my limit for the night.  I played good disciplined poker in my estimation but the cards simply weren't going my way.  Sometimes that's the way it goes for a night...   Sometimes it goes that way for a week....  and it can go that way for a month and even a year.  That's why it's so important to have a bankroll that can handle the ups and downs.

Over the course of the next 2 days, things didn't go any better and by the end of the 3rd day I was stuck about $5000 for the weekend.  I was still happy about the way I'd been playing but realized it was especially important to really be disciplined if I was going to play again....

I'll try to explain to you how this can happen.  One of the days I was playing 30-60 hold-em because it was simply an outstanding game.  I sat and watched the game for awhile and saw it for myself.  It also was confirmed to me by a couple of players in the game that I have a lot of respect for.  There was one exceptionally loose player in the game who had a ton of chips and would more than likely lose all or most of them before the night was over.

I won a huge pot the very first hand I played and proceeded to win a few more over the course of the first hour or so.  I found myself $1800 winner and new there was a good possibility of a real good night.  I didn't come there to play for one hour....so I decided to keep playing and go for a really big score. 

The loose/wild player in the game had about $8000 or $9000 in front of him.  He had gotten exceptionally hot and started winning almost every pot he was in.  He ended up beating me in a few big hands and before you know it I was no longer a winner in the game. 

I decided to tighten up a bit and wait for him to "cool" off a bit and start dumping off chips.  Well, it simply didn't happen....  He just stayed hot and 4 hours later, I found myself about a $2000 loser.  After taking a beating the first couple of nights, I thought it probably would be best if I just called it a night and try again the next day....   So.... I ended up having about a $4000 swing in that game alone.

The next day, I talked to a guy who ended up playing in the game until 7:00 AM who told me that the loose player eventually left and cashed out for $2700 so he did end up dumping about $10000 but unfortunately I wasn't there for my share.  :)

The last day that I had to play I really didn't even feel much like playing after being treated like the ugly step-child the last 3 days, but I knew in my heart & mind that I was playing good cards, but had just been unlucky.

That 4th day started out just like the first 3.  I was playing 15-30 and lost the first couple of pots and found myself stuck $500 before you know it.
In my defense, the first big pot I had 3 jacks and was beat by a straight on the river.  The other big pot, I started with 2 aces and flopped 1 so I had a huge hand.  I ended up getting beat by a flush.  I just quietly mucked my big hands and didn't say a word.  I told myself to just buckle down and keep playing good cards....which I did....

I bought another $500 worth of chips and continued to play good cards.  I played for about 5 hours or so and managed to get $1200 winner.  I now told myself that no matter what, I needed to book a win just for my morale if nothing else.....but I also wanted to give myself an opportunity for a big win, so I kept playing.  I ended up losing a couple of small pots and winning a couple of small pots...and then I was dealt another pair of aces.  I raised 'er up and started to build a big pot.  To make a long story short, the aces ended up getting beat and I was a little over $1000 winner.

I decided to quit for the night, even though it was early....
I had finally booked a win and that was important.  I went back to the room and Christine & I drove around trying to find a good place to eat....

Financially it was a bad weekend, but over-all I felt pretty darn good about it.  I had been beaten up and kept playing good cards....making good judgement calls.... and just being unlucky.   You just can't do anything about that, except keep playing good.  If you have a few bad days like that and start playing bad, a bad weekend financially can turn into a horrible weekend (or week or month) financially.  I had perseverence and ended up ending the week with a decent win...
Overall, the bankroll took a hit, but I was OK with that.....

That brings us to this week...   I had my appt at Mayo clinic in Rochester this morning and that went exceptionally well.  There were no changes to my exam that was done 2 years ago, so the Dr is quite confident that there is no cancer and not even any need to do biopsies, etc....  That was great news!

After going to Mayo, I find myself in Shakopee for another weekend of cards.  I am intent on playing great this weekend and hoping for better results.  I planned on playing today/tonight, but after taking a nap, I'm still pretty tired, so I think I'm just going to get well-rested and start tomorrow.

Once again..... I will keep you posted....

Whatever Happened to Aging Gracefully?

Went in to refill my prescriptions this past week and was told that there wasn't a refill, so I'd have to make an appointment with the Dr to get a new prescription.

So.... I call the Doc & she writes a prescription for 2 weeks to get me by, until I can get lab work done to make sure everything's looking OK.  I currently take medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  I stop at the clinic to get some blood work done and at the same time I figure I can pick up my prescriptions in Pipestone.

Well, the next day, the fun starts.
I get a call from my Dr.'s nurse who starts going over "numbers" with me.
I'm a little familiar with what some of these "numbers" should be, due to the fact that I'm a volunteer EMT and have had emergency medicine training.
The nurse starts by telling me that my blood sugar is high and they want to test me for diabetes.  I ask her what the number was, and she tells me.... and it's a little higher than optimal, but nothing to make me get super concerned.
However, I have to get tested for diabetes later this month....and in the meantime I'll be monitoring my blood sugar.

She then asks me if I have been back to Mayo Clinic for a prostrate exam follow-up that was done in June, 2009.  At the time, I had an abnormal exam locally which included an enlarged prostate gland, as well as a couple of possible 'nodules' or areas that were a little harder than what would be considered normal.
This could be due to me having a prostate gland that is just a little bit more firm than what you'd see on most men.
I was referred to Mayo where they did another exam and basically confirmed the original diagnosis.
At the time, the Dr at Mayo recommended biopsies along with a couple of other procedures that seemed a little bit more invasive than I was geared up for.
We did discuss the options and decided to keep an eye on things and get it re-checked in 6 months...and hold off on any other procedures.
Well, 2 years later, I guess it's time to re-check it.
So... I tell the nurse that it's on my "list of things to do" and will get an appointment scheduled.
She affirms that the Dr. really does want me to get this done....  I assure her that I will.

I've made an appointment that is app 2 weeks from now.
I'm not looking forward to this at all!  I just got a feelin' in my gut that they're going to want to go ahead and do the biopsies and other procedures this time....   (and the exam itself isn't something that gets me excited)

She then goes on to tell me that "numbers" associated with my liver are higher than optimal and they are going to change my cholesterol medication to see if they can get on top of that.

Moving on to the next "number".....she tells me that my kidneys don't seem to be working quite the way they should....or at least "that's what the number's indicate".  :)

About this time.... I simply say to her, "Why the heck are all the "numbers" too high?" to which she replies, "that's what we want to find out".

Now, I'm not overly concerned about all of this.... but it's not exactly what I'd call, 'aging gracefully'.

All of the numbers that are high, (except the ones I'm already on medication for) are not exceedingly high, but just slightly over what is optimal.
I do however know and understand that this could be a sign of some underlying problem, so I'll do what I can to figure things out...including obeying Dr.'s orders, doing lab work, changing diet if needed, and exercising more....etc...etc....
None of that is a real big deal to me....

I am a poker player and am blessed with the ability to be pretty discerning.
I could tell that the nurse is concerned enough about things that I shouldn't just ignore it.

That being said, my outlook on life might not be typical.
I lived life in the fast lane when I was younger.  From a young age, I smoked, I drank....  occasionally smoked and ingested things that are considerably harder on your body than cigarettes....   I would throw caution to the wind, when it came to doing 'fun' stuff like trying to break land speed records, etc...  :)
When I was younger, I told myself and others that if I lived to be over 40 years old, it would be a small miracle in and of itself.  I figured that if I did make it to 40, anything over and above that would be considered a 'freeroll'.  I'd be living on borrowed time....
Well, I've made it to 45....and now...I'm thinkin' I'll probably make it considerably higher than that number....  (However if not...I wouldn't have anything to complain about)

My wife & I have been extremely blessed throughout our life.
We enjoy life itself, we enjoy close family on both sides...and we enjoy an extremely close relationship with our kids and grandkids....We enjoy the freedom that we have to travel and do fun things all the time...
Life is good for us....and I'm sure it'll be good for us well into the future...

I'll keep you posted on my "numbers"....but in the meantime, Christine & I are going to enjoy a very nice, very long, very relaxing weekend together in Shakopee, MN......(starting tomorrow) playing cards, playing bingo, and just kickin' back.....

A Typical Day/Week in the Life....Of Your's Truly....

Well, there simply hasn't been a lot to write about lately!
The weather here in SW Minnesota has been very cool and dreary for April.
The days where it reaches 60 degrees and we see some sunshing have been few and far between.
Today, however was a different story.  It must've got to about 65 degrees and the sun was shining all day long.

We are fortunate enough to have a brother-in-law who has a very nice wood splitter and is letting us use it....SO, we have been very busy cutting up our wood pile and trying to get everything split before it has to be returned.
We have an unbelievably huge pile of wood that needed to be split.
We've been at it for 4 full afternoons now, and we are starting to see the end of it.
I figure another 3 afternoons and we should have it licked.
It will really be a good feeling to have that taken care of!

Today my dad was up helping for the afternoon.
A couple of days ago, my brother Brian, helped for the afternoon.
Our son, JD helped us one day....and our daughter, Heather has also helped for a day or two.
Christine of course, has been a fixture, and has helped every day but one.
Our great neighbor, Quentin has helped a couple of days also....

Most of the wood actually comes from Quentin.
He's a sheriff's deputy, who does wood cutting & tree-trimming on the side, and on his days off.
Whenever he gets good hard wood, like ash, black walnut, elm, locust, etc.... he simply drops off large chunks of it in our back yard.
We have an awful lot of wood, but I simply hate to turn down good wood, when it gets delivered to our back yard.
I told him this week that we may have to sell some of the wood next fall/winter and get some going-out-to-eat money for his family & our family.....
He really is a great neighbor.  He keeps an eye on our place whenever we're out of town for more than a few days.  He regularly comes over to see if I have any chain saw blades that need to be sharpened, and if he sees me working outside, and he has a day off, he just jumps right in and doesn't expect anything in return.

I/we do have opportunity to pay him & his wife back occasionally though.
We help watch their 2 girls, if they're ever in a pinch.  I was also able to help him tile a bathroom that they put in their basement a month ago....
It all works out pretty good.....

I continue to try and have everything in place for an extended motorcycle/poker vacation in June.
I am hoping to leave here around the end of May and will probably try to be back by the 4th of July.
I still have plenty of work that can/should be done before I leave.

I probably won't be able to play poker again until next weekend. (unless if I go to the little local Indian casino tomorrow night, which is a possibility)
Next weekend, I need to pick up something for a Lakota Creations customer on the way to MPLS, and also drop something off for another customer, so we can write off another business trip...& that's what we intend to do.
We'll probably leave on Wednesday and be back on Sunday for Mother's Day hopefully.

We had a great Easter.  Most of Christine's family was able to come here for the early meal. (and an Easter egg hunt)
We had turkey, ham, and all the fixin's.... & it was delicious!
Late afternoon we headed to Inwood and had a lighter meal with my side of the family...at my parents house.
We had a very enjoyable time at both places!

Christine should be home shortly.  We both worked very hard today, so she ran into town to pick up some chicken & potato's from Pizza Ranch.  It's normally very good....and I'm sure it will be tonight.....especially since I'm really, really, hungry.....

Ciau for now.....

Passed Out Cold in S-Town

Well, it's been an interesting and not so uneventful weekend.
We (Christine & myself) find ourselves in Shakopee, MN relaxing in our hotel room, after a long day at the card room (for me) followed by a nice dinner at Chili's this evening.

We left home on Wednesday this week and took care of a little bit of Lakota Creations business to start the trip.  We do this whenever possible so that we can at least write off the trip as a business expense.
I also had an appointment at the Dentist in Savage, MN on Thursday morning, to get 1 tooth pulled and quite a bit of dental work/fillings scheduled on my other teeth.
(We made the mistake of letting this slide for about 5 years and I'm now paying the price)
The appointment was for 2 hours so that hopefully they'd be able to finish up everything on this visit.
We go to the same dentist that we used to take the kids too when they were living at home.  At this location they have about 5 or 6 dentists and probably that many hygienists also, so when you're there with an entire family, everyone can be worked on at the same time.

My appointment on Thursday started out routinely enough, as the dentist patiently started plugging away at all of the work that needed to be done in my mouth.  A couple hours into the appointment, he had me look at one of my teeth....and to consider a couple of options.  This particular tooth, if worked on would need a root canal, as well as a crown, and would ultimately cost an extra 2 grand about...  I thought about it for a brief amount of time and gave him the OK to pull it out, along with the other one that was scheduled to be pulled out.

This also went pretty good I thought.  The teeth came out easier than I thought they would. 
With that, after about 3 hours in the office, with my mouth wide open, they had the work completed.  I had my mouth stuffed full of gauze, so using sign language, I asked the nurse if she would call Christine to let her know I was ready to be picked up, which she was kind enough to do for me.

So, I'm sent home with the typical instructions that everyone gets whenever a tooth is pulled.  I was going to follow those rules to a "T" because I didn't want any problems.  I was however wishing I would've ate something before my 8:00 appointment, because I now realized, it may be awhile before my mouth was going to be feeling good enough to eat.

Christine arrived shortly after 11:00 to pick me up & we proceeded to go back to our hotel.  I pretty much had planned on going back to bed when I got back, and that's what I did.  Christine was going to go play an afternoon session of  BINGO at Mystic Lake.  By the time she left, it was supposed to be OK for me to remove the gauze, which I did.
I then proceeded to go to sleep and slept for about an hour.
Here's where it started getting interesting....

After laying in bed and watching TV for awhile, I needed to get up to use the bathroom.
So, I saunter into the bathroom and start using it.....
I remember thinking that I probably should get back into bed, because I was feeling a little bit dizzy.
The next thing I know (and remember) is waking up flat on my back.  I had no idea where I was or what was going on.  I turned my head to the side and realized I was laying on ceramic tile and about that time I realized that I must've passed out while I was using the bathroom.
Well, that's about all I remember and I was "out cold" again.
When I 'come to' the second time, it was kind of a repeat of the 1st, except that I had my wits together just a bit more....  I had the where-with-all to realize again that I'd passed out for a 2nd time.  I went through the scenario in my head and decided to check my clothing situation.  I now realized that my shorts were exactly as they were while I was using the bathroom....so I tuck my jewels back in.
I didn't want the hotel maids to come in the room and find me like that....   Probably would give them the scare of their life! 
I was still laying flat on my back and realize that I am freezing cold.  So, I cautiously stand up and stumble back to the bed.  I was still dizzy and probably didn't have much time to waste or I'd have been 'out' again.  I figured after looking at the time that I must've been out cold for about 1/2 an hour....and I knew it was still going to be at least 2 hours before Christine was back.

I grabbed my shirt off of a chair by the bed and got my phone, just in case there was a serious enough problem that I thought I would need to call for help.

Well, Christine did come home around 4:30 and was surprised to hear about my interesting day.
I told her that she was lucky I didn't crack my head open on the tile & bleed out.  I told here that she'd have found me laying there in a pool of blood, with my jewels hanging out.  For some reason it must've painted a funny picture in her head, because she couldn't stop laughing.  I told her that if that would've happened I hoped that she would at least have tucked things back in before the medics or coroner got there....
If you're like me, that sounds kind of morbid.... but I'm telling you, Christine couldn't stop laughing!

I'm in the process of getting some life insurance, as we speak....  (and I was before this weekend)  :)
I told her she'd would've quit laughing once she realized that the insurance policy wasn't in effect yet....and she'd be up a creek without a paddle if I died before it went into effect.  She still couldn't quit laughing!
Kinda makes me wonder if I should put a hold on that policy!

I'm just kidding of course...  I know I bragged her up pretty good in one of my earlier entries and I also know she loves me dearly....even though she couldn't quit laughing at my ill fortune on Thursday.

I did realize by Friday, and especially on Saturday, that you can hurt yourself pretty good by passing out & falling down hard.  (and not being able to break the fall at all) My elbow, my knee, my tailbone, and my head all were hurting by Saturday.  My tailbone and elbow are especially tender and sensitive, but I'm hopeful that within a couple of days everything will be feeling better.

I was able to play cards Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday and had winning sessions every single day.  I didn't make a killing, but the trip was definitely worthwhile.  Seems lately that I just have to do a lot of "grinding" at the poker table.  I've been chalking up win after win, but none of them have been huge... 
Don't get me wrong...  I don't mind that a bit.  It seems that as long as there's no big losses, and lots of wins, (even if they're not huge) the bankroll gets bigger....and that's what we're after.

The Legendary Johnny Moss

For those of you who don't know, Johnny Moss was the "old man of poker".  He won the first 3 World Series of Poker tournaments.  He is credited for really putting poker 'out there' for the world to see.
Benny Binion set up a match between Johnny and Nick the Greek where they were going to play for big bucks and the general public in Vegas was allowed to watch.  (and watch they did!)
Now, I heard the story from Johnny.....and I read about it in the card-playing history books.  :)

I started traveling to and from Vegas when I was a young guy in my 20's.
I believe the first time I went, I stayed at the Rio which is located slightly West of the infamous strip.
I played at the Mirage, because that was really the only place to play on the strip. (at least if you wanted to play medium to high limit poker)
I suppose I could turn this one story into two stories by telling you all about my very first trip to Vegas.  :)

I got into town late evening as I recall and took a shuttle to the hotel.  I didn't go out that first night.  I just wanted to get rested up for some poker the next day.  To this day, I have never played poker the day that I arrived in Vegas.  It's not superstition or anything...  I simply want to be well-rested and playing the best poker that I can...so I get a good night's sleep.

Well, the next day around noon, I headed down to the Mirage and got into what I thought was a really good 20-40 limit HE game.  I had come to Vegas with about $2500 as I recall and was intent on at least doubling it.  Little did I know how difficult that would be. 

Looking back, I was probably playing in one of the toughest games in town....
There were some players playing in that game...that I didn't know...but over the next few years, I would get to know....   You can see them regularly on the Game show network playing in the High Stakes Poker game...and not infrequently at the final table at major poker tournaments as well.

About 1:00 or 2:00 AM that first night, I found myself with every bit of money that I had come with on the table.  I had only a few hundred bucks left...
I got dealt JJ and was soon involved in a monster pot.  I had every single last chip in the pot before it was over, and I proceeded to win the pot for $1100 or $1200.
To shorten the story up, I played all night long that first night and stumbled home about 9:00 in the morning and if I recall correctly I was about a $100 winner.  That was probably the toughest 100 bucks I've ever made in my life.  I stayed in Vegas for several more days and by the time I went home, I had about $4500 in my pocket.  I hadn't quite doubled it, but I was a happy camper.  I'd made 2 grand in about 4 days I think...and that seemed like good money to me...

I also made it downtown to Binion's Horseshoe on that first trip and I felt right at home.  It had that old-school feeling where people were relaxed...they weren't in suits and ties...and they were playin' some good old-fashioned poker.  They were smokin' cigars and drinkin' beer & mixes...  
That's always a good thing to see if you're a professional poker player.  :)
This first trip downtown might've been the first time that I played with Johnny Moss, but I can't remember for certain.

Now, to shorten this story up...over the many, many, trips that I made to Las Vegas, Johnny Moss & I became pretty good friends.  I think he recognized that I was a good young poker player, and I respected him for the legend that he was.  He appreciated that I think.  Many of the younger players didn't respect him much.  I just thought he had earned my respect for the things he had accomplished when he was younger. (and well into his 70's)

To some degree, he kind of treated me like a son.  It wasn't quite that intimate, but we had a good relationship.  If he was having one of his bouts with gout or another sickness, I would sit with him and let him unload a bit on me.  Johnny was already a fairly old man in the late 80's/early 90's and he did have health issues.  I knew from stories and books that he had lived life in the extremely fast lane, nearly all his life.

Well, one day we were just chit-chatting/visiting and he was sharing a story with me (of which he literally had 1000's) about when he had taken Nick the Greek on, in a poker game, at the Horseshoe in 1979.
Johnny told me that he had lost a huge pot to Nick the Greek on the last card.  (They were playing 5-card Stud, No limit)  He told me that Nick had paid a huge amount of money to see that last card and was a huge underdog, but he got lucky and spiked it so Johnny lost a massive pot.
Johnny said after that pot, he felt really good, because he knew that he was a better player than Nick and because of the way Nick had played that hand, Johnny had no doubt that he would take all of his money.
Well, that part of the story is pretty much how history has recorded it, but then Johnny went on to tell me that over the course of the next 5 months, he beat Nick the Greek out of over 4 Million dollars.

I don't think anybody knows for sure how much he won, but it's a fact that he won an awful lot. (especially considering it was in 1979)

Since hearing that story, I've had the opportunity to read up a little bit on Johnny and he probably was telling the truth.  It was an honor for me to get to know Johnny on a very personal level and play with him at the poker table 100's of times.  Even though he was old, I saw moments of complete brilliance, where he was thinking leap years ahead of his opponents.
Most people playing the game with him simply couldn't appreciate some of the moves he made during the course of a game, because to put it bluntly....they didn't understand the advanced thinking behind the moves...

Johnny was notorious for all of his winning prop bets and for his many losing bets at the craps table.
He said he had lost at least 8 million in 4 years playing the dice....
He was a true gambler....and some people say the worlds greatest card player of all times.

To me, he was just a cool old man, who I liked to visit with... and listen too... and learn from....
He passed away in 1997 I believe and along with his passing, in my opinion, a complete era seemed to drift quietly into oblivion....
Sometimes I wish those simple... good old days could come back....

BTW, we did make it to MPLS this past weekend and I had winning days every single day that I played, (3 x's) so it was a very good trip....and my wife was even able to yell "BINGO" twice over the course of 3 sessions.  That made her happy....and as we all know....   When mama's happy, everybody's happy!

Part II: Poker & Life (& Wife)

I haven't talked much at all about my lovely, loyal, generous, fun-loving, pure, caring, nurturing, honest, compassionate, trustworthy wife on here.  She's all of that & more....& I love her dearly.

In the poker world, it's very common for poker players to be married 2, 3, or more times.  Like the saying goes, It really is "A tough way to make an easy living".  I stated previously that maybe 1 in 100,000 people could play good enough to make a decent living at poker.  Well, there's maybe 1 in 200,000 people who can be married to a professional poker player and stay married...and stay happy.

The ups & downs... (& I'm not talking about in the bedroom) can be simply overwhelming to most.  There are times where there's so much $ to go around, you honestly don't know what to do with it...but if you're smart, you save it for a rainy day, because you can bet, it's coming...  and then there are the inevitable times where you make sure you have a full tank of gas in the vehicle at the airport, because you want to make sure you'll be able to make it home after you get off the plane.

Money wasn't much of an issue most of the years I played poker.  I did play well enough and did OK that we always had cash when we needed it.  I pride myself on being able to play good all the time.  It is virtually impossible to put me on "tilt".  I have taken some beats for big $$$ that would make some people want to physically get sick.  Within a few hands, I am back to playing good, solid poker.

I remember once when I was on a poker playing trip and I was on the phone with Christine after the day was done and she asked me how the day went.  It hadn't been a good day... :)  I proceeded to tell her that I had lost between $4000 & $5000 that day.  As I recall she got pretty upset. 

Some people who read this are going to say to themselves...  I guess she WOULD be upset...  If that were my husband, he'd probably lose his jewels to the knife, if he came home and told me that. 
Others of you will say, "So, you lost 5 grand...  What's the big deal?  Was she having a bad day?"  Everything is relative....

When she got upset with this news, it kind of ticked me off.  I asked her if she needed money for anything.  I asked her if there ever was a time when she needed money and didn't have it.  There wasn't.  I had always been a good provider for my family and I was annoyed that a single days win or losses would make her that upset.
I then told her that I didn't want her to ever ask me again about dollar amounts.  If there ever came a time when we needed money and I didn't have it, I would get a regular job.
That little rule has probably saved quite a few arguments.  She does occasionally ask me how it went, and sometimes I offer numbers without her asking, but I never feel obligated to do so....

Overall she has been the perfect poker players wife.  She was (and still is) an outstanding mother to our 3 kids and 4 grandchildren and a great spouse to me. 
In the old days, there were many occasions where she'd leave for work (on her summer job) and I would drive into Pipestone later in the day, to let her know I was leaving for Vegas, or somewhere for a couple of weeks.  There often wasn't much notice at all.  If I woke up and felt the urge to hit the green felt, I pretty much did. 
She probably could've done better than me...but I'm glad she didn't....

Now-a-days we do enjoy going places together and I'm glad.  I wish she'd like to ride motorcycle a little bit more, because many of the places I go, I want to go on the bike.  If/when I go to Vegas later this spring, hopefully she'll fly out for a week or two to visit.  She's already said that she won't be leaving here for a month...especially if she has to go 1500 miles one way on a motorcycle.  :)
I seem to miss her company quite a bit more now when I'm gone....than I did when I was younger.
In past years, there has been occasions where I've flown back from Vegas for a few days during the WSOP, so that could be a possibility also.

We are leaving tomorrow to take care of some business and play some poker... (& bingo in her case)  I'm hoping this will be the start of a nice big jump in the bankroll before I hit Vegas in June....  I can guarantee that I'm going to be playing good....  I can't guarantee I'm going to win though....  :)

If I get back to the room early on any given night this weekend....maybe I'll share a few good poker stories with you....