Casinos

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End of Season Fun at Gertie’s

I have to say that my two nights of partying at Gertie’s were the perfect farewell to Dawson. It’s rare for me to go out two nights in a row, much less drink, eat, and gamble as much as I did, but money for fun came from unexpected sources.

Friday night was Talent Night. One singer was very good and a comedian had a very good routine as a hydrophobe synchronized swimmer, but, otherwise, I found the whole thing a tad silly. I still had a good time, chatting with friends and the people around my table. One gentleman got lucky at either the slot machines or the poker tables and bought a round for the whole table. Which explains why I ended up drinking more beer than I normally drink at one time. 🙂

Saturday night were the last shows of the season. It was the usual line up at 8:30, 10:30, and midnight, but with humourous, and very naughty, twists. I went with the gang from work and drinks were paid for all night. I played 15$ in the penny slots and came out with 7$ ahead! It was sooooo much fun! Best of all, I wasn’t stressed about my departure the next day and was able to relax and truly enjoy myself.

It was a very interesting atmosphere at the end of the night, like the closure of Gertie’s marks the true end of the summer season. There were a lot of ‘Have a good winter, see you next year!’s I’m told the population of Dawson goes down to only about 700 in the winter!

I’m already 20% of the way to Campbell River and the non-nomad part of me is heartbreakingly homesick. But let’s not kid ourselves; the nomad part is stronger. 🙂

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En route due south to Watson Lake

I’m back in Teslin, being too exhausted to make it all the way to Nugget City tonight.

My departure from Dawson was the easiest departure yet, ironically enough. Everything was so under control that I partied hard at Gerties my last two nights, stumbling home in the wee hours of the morning. That happened to be past two yesterday, with departure slated for hopefully no later than noon. Let’s just say I wasn’t expecting to make it to Whitehorse till late, if at all!

To my surprise, I was up at about nine, had everything packed and ready to go by ten, took some things up to a storage locker by eleven, and was on the road by quarter to twelve. Shocking! 😀

The goodbyes were heart wrenching, but it’d be a lie to say that I wasn’t happy to be back on the road. I stopped at Mackenzie Petroleum for gas, 1.20$ per litre and then drove long and hard. The weather alternated between sun, rain, and mist. The mountains were covered in bright yellow leaves surrounded by lush evergreens. I have yet to tire of the Yukon landscapes.

I only had a quarter tank of fuel when I hit Carmacks, so I decided to gas up there, but was thwarted at both gas stations by selfish idiots parked in front of the pumps while they ate a meal! At neither location was anyone inclined to move until they were good and ready and staff didn’t care about the loss of a 200$ sale. Braeburn Lodge, a short ways down the highway, was happy to have my business. *shrugs*

Whitehorse was a welcome sight after 530km of driving. I was bone tired and just wanted to crash with a movie. I pulled into the Walmart and unhooked the toad so that I could park away from the road, went in for a movie, got some dinner, and I was done for the night. I went to bed at 10 and slept solidly until 7!!!

Today was nuts. Oh, everything went smoothly, but I had a million things to buy and it was unnerving to spend so much money! I had breakfast at Starbucks and then drove Miranda over to the Shell station for propane and fuel. The propane pump is oddly located, forcing the owners of longer motorhomes to park with their ass end in the laneway. Just that made it sensible for me to have unhooked, even though I don’t like to unhook when I’m Walmarting it. But I had a ton of errands to run, so it made sense to be parked centrally (the RV parks are all on the outskirts) and to have my car accessible. Propane was relatively cheap, 83 cents per litre, if I recall correctly, and gas was at 1.03$. I’m already under budget for gas, which is awesome! Once everything was topped up, I had to deal with my propane tank, which was leaking from the Extend-a-Stay opening. I quickly ascertained that this was because the opening was dirty. A quick swipe with a cotton swab solved the problem and allowed a proper seal with the cover.

The rest of my day went something like this, but not necessarily in this order:

I stocked up on a mega ton of groceries and a ton of beer, did some banking, and hit up Canadian Tire (found another oil heater on mega sale!), Staples (found an external hard drive on mega sale!),  Shoppers Drugmart (for the generator…), and Home Hardware (for something I’ll reveal in a later post). And let’s not forget the Walmart shopping spree for all the luxuries I’ve been rationing for two months, like toilet paper.

By the time I got home for the last time, it was mid-afternoon and I was sorely tempted to just stay the night in Whitehorse. But I had had my fill of that city with little charm and just wanted to get away from all the people.

50km shy of Teslin, I knew it would be my stop for the night. It would be dinner time by then; a push to Watson Lake would take me to at least 8pm. I was famished and exhausted and knew that by the time I said all my hellos and settled into a back in spot in Nugget City it would be past 9, maybe later.

As a compromise, I’m not on hookups tonight, paying 15$ to dry camp with access to the showers (which I’ll use seeing as I remember how clean they are) and the internet. I had a quick, but well-balanced dinner, and in short order I’m going to curl up with a good book and a mug of tea.

Tomorrow, I’ll be able to sleep in, enjoy the morning, and still get to Watson Lake at a reasonable hour.

Tired as I was last night, I still managed to find the energy to pen a few words in my journal, which I’ll quote verbatim as I tend to find myself funny when I’m this tired. 🙂

Back on the road!!!!!!!!!!

With Yukon plates!!!!!!!!!

With a Dawson City address!!!!!!!!!!!!

Going to Vancouver Island!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With a guaranteed job next summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Forgettable Gestures

I went to Gertie’s tonight for pizza and beer and wound up staying for the 8:30 show. Just as I finished my beer, the server came up to me and said “I have a free drink for you if you want it. It’s a vodka 7-up.”

I gratefully accepted it (and handed her a one dollar tip). The room was packed, so the only reason I can fathom that she picked me to get the free drink is that I gave her a big tip for the beer. This was probably a forgettable gesture for her, but for me it was a very much appreciated favour. I wouldn’t have ordered this drink on my own, but it was a real treat and a perfect cap to a perfect anniversary.

If someone had told me a year ago that I would have spent today on the Dempster Highway, came home to Dawson City, and spent the evening at Diamond Tooth Gertie’s, I would have called them big dreamers. And I would have said that after that, my cup would be running over, there’d be nothing more I’d want. I would have been wrong on both counts.

*raises a glass to Year Two*: Inuvik, here I come!

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An Evening at Gertie’s

Last night, I met at Diamond Tooth Gertie’s the cyclists I picked up on Friday.

We ended up staying for all three shows, at 8:30, 10:30, and midnight. We were there four and a half hours! I wish I had known that it’s okay to take pictures of the shows.

The 8:30 wound up being my favourite. It’s the most ‘cancan-y’ of the three, with lots of swirling petticoats and leg kicks. The 10:30 wasn’t bad, but it was more song than dance. The midnight show was disappointing. I’d been told it was the most flamboyant and naughty show, but I found it less flamboyant and naughty than the 10:30.

What amused me the most about the evening was how many people came into Gertie’s and gravitated to my table. I didn’t realise how many folks I’m friendly with! Even Mark and Victor, the guides from the Chilkoot, walked in at one point, fresh off the Yukon River from guiding a canoe trip! Talk about an authentic gold rush experience; discussing our slog over the Chilkoot at Diamond Tooth Gerties!

I hadn’t had a night out in too long, so a couple of pints, some pizza, entertainment, and conversation were just what I needed. The best part is that thanks to my season pass, the evening only cost me twenty dollars. Of course, it helps that I didn’t gamble!

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A Night on the Town

When I arrived in Dawson City, I promised myself a night on the town with dinner and a show soon as I got my first pay cheque. Since getting first said pay cheque, no night felt ‘right.’ But, after today’s grueling workload, a night on the town was just what I needed, so I went out and had some fun.

First stop was Sourdough Joe’s for dinner. I’d heard good things about this restaurant, so I didn’t explore other options. I had the ‘special’–king salmon with lemon-butter sauce, steamed veggies (carrots and green beans), and herbed rice. The meal was very good; nothing fancy or special, but the price was just right for a homestyle dinner. I had a beer with it and came out at 26$ with tip which would not be considered expensive south of the 60th parallel for such a meal. I will definitely go back to this restaurant and try their ‘famous’ fish and chips.

Next stop was Klondyke Cream & Candy. As it turns out they rotate flavours, so the triple chocolate brownie I was addicted to is no longer available. No problem, I am now addicted to New York-style cherry cheesecake over peanut butter chocolate. 😀

And, then, the pièce de résistance: Diamond Tooth Gerties. This is the oldest casino in Canada and it is non-profit to boot, so all the money taken in goes back to the community. There are three cancan shows a night. Entrance to Gerties for two nights is 6$ per person. In case that’s not clear, a 6$ pass gets you access to all three shows for two nights. What a bargain! As an employee in the tourism industry, I get an even better bargain, a free season’s pass! I like to go out for a drink on occasion and will make it a point to time these outings with a Gerties show!

I went in a bit early tonight and played the slot machines, something I do very rarely, but which is fun on occasion. I never play more than my budget and I find it sad to watch the compulsive gamblers who are so stressed out and focussed on winning. I played the penny slots and had fun watching my fortune wax and wane. Then I sat down in front of the stage and ordered a drink, trying out a house special called ‘Gertie’s Garter’ which is rum, some sort of fruity liqueur, and cranberry and pineapple juices; very tasty!

The show started promptly at 8:30 (next shows are 10:30 and midnight) and it was a lot of fun. I loved watching the incredibly athletic gals kick up their heels, showing off beautiful coloured petticoats. All the staff at Gerties is dressed to the nines, with the servers and show girls dressed in period costumes. When the music starts, you are transported back 120 years in history to the Gold Rush days; it is quite an experience!

When leaving Gerties, I suggest putting on sunglasses inside the dimly lit building as the glaring 9PM sun will just about blind you. 😀