Chairman and Fidel's Little Red Blog: Niagara! Niagara! part 2 (of 2... or 3)

When we last left off it was 4am. My road-weary Accomplice and I had just emerged from the pillow-thick fog and checked into the Seneca Niagara Hotel and Casino.

We had been on the road for nearly ten hours and on the clock for over 18. I finished my end-of-the-day beer on the casino floor and went up to the room to shower. My Accomplice lingered behind to try his hand at some late night black jack.

Accomplice's Casino Ledger: -$200 (his initial buy-in at the $10 Spanish 21 table)

I step out of the shower around 4:30 to find that my cell phone is ringing. It's the Accomplice. He's already winning and will be coming up shortly. I head to bed, leaving a light on in the hallway.

Accomplice's Casino Ledger: +$150 (+$350 net gain)

I wake up a little after six. There is a frosty blue light pushing into our room from outside. Sunrise perhaps? The light becomes orange, bright pink, neon green, yellow...

Our room is adjacent to the 26-story neon corn stalk that bedazzles the casino's exterior. I pull the curtain closed after observing my Accomplice: passed out--fully clothed--on top of the sheets.

Accomplice's Casino Ledger: -$50(-$400 net loss)

I wake up again at 11am to Kirstin calling on my cell phone. She tells me to go back to sleep.

Accomplice is missing.

A note on the night stand reads "Pat I'm in poker room downstairs for tournament."

I keep the note for posterity.

Accomplice's Casino Ledger: -$250 ($200 Texas Hold 'Em buy-in)

I finally come to life a little after noon. I'm hungry and my new tattoo (see bottom of the page here) is bothering me, so I wander "town" for over an hour in search of certain necessities (toothbrush, fresh t-shirt, socks, neosporin for 1 scabby tattoo, etc.). There is one convenience store in all of Niagara Falls, NY. I pay over $20 for travel-sized toiletries and another $21 for a light gray t-shirt. All paid for with the company's petty cash, God love 'em.

Walking back through the casino, I hear the Accomplice calling my name. He is fanning himself with hundreds as he approaches. He won the entire tournament on 2.5 hours sleep. He excuses himself to go tip his dealer and we meet up for lunch.

Accomplice's Casino Ledger: +$635 (+$885 net gain)

During lunch the Production Manager calls, informing us that we need to get out of the room to avoid paying for another day. We still have three or so hours before call, so we dump our bags at the concierge and part ways. You can guess what my friend was up to...

Accomplice's Casino Ledger: +$200 (-$435 loss)

[ok, i realize this is more than a bit wordy. by now youre probably tapping your feet and wondering, "where the hell are the pictures of niagara falls... or of anything?" here there are. well after that bit of writing there... and that next one... and the one after that.]

A little after five we caught a cab to the Cave of the Winds. The cab crossed low bridge, mere feet above a wide rapid that bubbled and foamed white before falling into a cloud of mist at the end of America. It finally dawned on us just where we had been the night before.

The parking lot sat above the Bridal Veil Falls (Cave of the Winds was underneath us), and mere feet away was a guard-railed overlook, replete with coin operated telescope machines.

The shooting crew was nearing the end of their day and oh holy God I really have a problem with overwriting. It's ridiculous. At this point there's really no point in going on like this for four more posts.

I'll get better at this. I promise.

The Bridal Veil falls from the New York side (Canada to the left).

The Strada Crane suspended over Bridal Veils. They're impressive, I guess. Certainly didn't look like Falls as it seen it on TV. Then, while looking for a bathroom, I saw this:

This is the cloud of mist which hangs over the Horseshoe Falls. Horseshow Falls is really THE Falls. All 6 million cubic feet per minute of them.

A few more shots...

The sun set shortly after these pictures were takend and Accomplice and I went back to work. We loaded the truck entirely and had a $140 steak dinner back at the casino, on the production (God love 'em).

After dinner we decided to delay our departure by an hour or so that we pull into New York right as all the vendors were opening. This would allow us to pull right in, unload, and go home. And it afforded the Accomplice a chance to get back in the game. We agreed to meet at 10:30pm.

Accomplice's Casino Ledger: +$50 ($150 loss)

Er, 11pm.

Accomplice's Casino Ledger: -$300 ($350 loss)

How about 11:15?

Accomplice's Casino Ledger: -$600 ($300 loss)

My accomplice slouches through the parking lot at 11:35. We hit the road and drive through the night.

Final Casino Ledger: -$200 (+$400 gain, leaving him out the $200 he had started with)