Sunday, April 30, 2006

Bad omens - ill tidings



We stopped in the California desert on the way to Las Vegas this weekend to stretch our legs at a rest stop. I shot a few photos of the enormous ravens that follow the I-15 looking for carrion. Ravens are generally viewed as a sign of bad luck. I am glad that I am not a superstitious man because my gambling trip turned out to be a bust. I played poorly at the poker tables and for the first time in recent memory, came back a loser. I also played poorly in a poker tournament. I had the dubious distinction of finishing dead last amongst 55 participants. Dead last is otherwise known as the “first man out” and is not a title to wear proudly. My wife went on to finish third in the same tournament. She played well.

On our way home, we spent over two hours stuck on the uphill grade west of Primm. An SUV rolled near the summit. We saw the ME loading a body bag into the coroner’s wagon. It was right out of CSI, except that the ME’s were short, dumpy, and wholly unattractive. The roadside death put a chill on our trip. It is always unsettling to see the results of a traffic accident. It is like playing to lotto, only you lose big time if your number comes up.

The bad thing about the drive to Vegas, besides the constant tragic accidents, is its inconsistency. On a good day, the drive will take 4.5 hours. On a bad day, it can take 9 hours. You never really know, it is a crapshoot really. When somebody dies along the side of the road, it can make for a long day. We departed at 11:30 and arrived at 5:45. It was a long day. Like I said, it is a good thing I’m not superstitious. I can understand how some people can be.

*** I sure wish I could spell better ***

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