Some after-action reportage from our Las Vegas visit, this time with photos:
My son Gregory arranged for us to ride a couple of BMW motorcycles Saturday morning. We checked out a dual-sport R1200GS and an R1200RT touring bike. Both were 2008 models with low mileage. We rode north from Las Vegas to Mount Charleston, skirting the only rain cloud within 500 miles as we climbed to 8,000 feet.
I rode the GS up and the RT down, and must say I preferred the GS. The GS is an exceptionally tall motorcycle (I was actually on tiptoes at every stoplight), but it fit me better than the low-slung RT, which is cramped for a six-foot four-inch rider. Gregory liked the RT better (go figure). The GS is primitive where the RT is plush and modern, but the only thing I missed on the GS was cruise control . . . years of riding a Goldwing have spoiled me. The RT comes with cruise, but alas it is not even an option on the GS. Still, if I were rich enough to own two motorcycles, I’d absolutely add a GS to my stable.
Continuing the Teutonic theme of our boys’ weekend, Sunday morning I took my son and grandson to the Imperial Palace Auto Collection. The cars in the collection are constantly changing, and you never know what you’ll find there. When I visited it five or six years back it included what I think was the largest collection of Duesenbergs anywhere; today only one remains. But no matter . . . there were plenty of cars I’d never seen before.
Back in the day Imperial Palace owner Ralph Englestad (now deceased) was a great friend to USAF personnel stationed at Nellis AFB in North Las Vegas. We could visit his car collection any time, free for nuthin’. He also had a propensity to celebrate Hitler’s birthday, which explains his fondness for the Mercedes-Benzes that still dominate the collection. When we showed up Sunday, the posted admission was $8.95 for adults and $5.95 for kids. The sign didn’t say anything about military rates, but I flashed my ID just in case, and all three of us got in for $8.95 total. So here’s a hearty Deutschland über alles in memory of Ralph!
We followed up our visit to the Imperial Palace with lunch at Hooters Casino. I love going to Hooters, but I hated going to Hooters Casino. People smoke in casinos, damn it, and you can’t get away from it no matter how hard you try. Effing losers, I wish they’d die . . . but don’t get me started!
p.s. Not to go all codger-esque, but this is the first Hooters I’ve been in where they had a guy waiter. Not only that, there was a pregnant waitress working some of the tables in the smoke-filled non-smoking section. Gregory was praying we wouldn’t get one of her tables and I was praying we wouldn’t get the guy . . . as you can see, Ralph was looking out for us from his heavenly reich.
Update (5/29/09): Since this entry contains short reviews of two motorcycles, I put a link to it on one of the Honda Goldwing boards I belong to. I wasn’t really trolling for comments, but boy did I get some:
- Do either of them [the motorcycles] have a cigarette lighter?
- My suggestion to you would be be that you stay out of casinos if you destest smokers. IMHO sir with a statement like that, you are an effing loser and while I would not wish DEATH upon you, maybe you should relocate to a small island in the pacific which would compliment your small mentality. BTW, I see that even with your hatred of smokers and smoke you and your son and grandson still went to Hooters. Go figure.
- You wish smokers would die, yet you exposed your grandson to 2nd hand smoke. Guess we know where your priorities lie……boobies and wings are more important to you than your Grandson’s health. WTG……….
- It is difficult for someone who was never a smoker to understand how extremely difficult it is to quit smoking. I finally found an example that let’s them know the feeling. Everyone has attempted to hold their breath as long as possible. The “feeling” during the last few seconds at the end when you can’t take it anymore and you give up and take a breath. That feeling is what an urge to smoke is like when attempting to quit. That’s why it’s so difficult. I’ve never had a non smoker not understand after giving that analogy. I would never hate someone just because they smoke. Of all the smokers, there will always a few smokers in public who are inconsiderate of their habit but it’s because they are morons who would be inconsiderate of any bad habit. Those morons are the ones who just happen to smoke. It’s a good thing they aren’t public farters. That might destroy the ozone layer and lead to global warming.
- Stay out of Vegas…it’s no place for you or a child.
Update (5/30/09): Heh! Here’s the reply I posted to the Goldwing board this morning:
That was fun! I added some of your comments to the original blog entry. Those of you who have quit smoking know that the most intolerant non-smokers of all are former smokers. Perhaps that’s because we don’t buy the excuses people come up with for not quitting . . . we know better.
Sure it’s hard to quit smoking, but millions have done it. I gave it up while going through F-15 RTU, and I’d have a hard time saying which of the two experiences was the more demanding. Quitting drinking was a breeze by comparison. Now if I could just quit Facebook and message boards . . . did some of you really think I meant it when I said I wished smokers would die? I hope the smokers I know and love know me better than that!
Back to the Beemers . . . I was really impressed with the R1200GS and am already surfing eBay for a one- or two-year old, just broken in. Having a dual sport would double my riding opportunities around Tucson, since so many neat areas are accessible only by dirt road. And you gotta admit . . . BMWs have a lot of class!
Maybe I can convince my wife it’s a delayed reward for quitting smoking back in 1978. Yeah, like that’ll work. . . .