30th Birthday Vegas Trip

(10/98)

I moved to San Diego in January of '98, and a few months later, my 30th birthday came around. I decided that instead of mourning the end of my 20s, I should celebrate my next decade beginning, and do it with some style. As Aaron, my roommate at the time, was turning 30 less than two weeks after me, we decided we'd both like to honor the occasion in VEGAS, baby! At that time, I hadn't been to Vegas as an adult (hadn't been there since I went with my dad when I was 13 or 14), and I was so overdue! So, to help us mark the occasion, we gathered some pals together to make the memory with us--Russ (who'd been in his 30s for a couple of years, Chris (who had been in his 30s for just a few months), Greg and A.T. (both still, for another year, in their twenties). Aaron's dad loaned us his awesome '55 Chevy for the drive, and Aaron, Russ and I stopped off in San Bernardino to grab Chris, and then hit the city--dead-on--to grab Greg and A.T. from the airport. And then it was ON! A great weekend with great friends, and a perfect way to ring in a milestone...and the official birth of the Slack Pack.

	Here's Chris, Aaron and Russ, with our wheels for the trip--Aaron's dad's Chevy--as we get ready for the long drive to VEGAS!
	Yes, that Chris is looking ever so cosmopolitan in our room at the Sahara.
	Russ and Aaron (whose head is shorn for some Padres support that year, when the Padres went to the World Series), smokin' and jokin' in the room.
	Whereas I was enjoying the world's first fully functional Mountain Dew martini. Know how to make one? You take a martini glass, and you pour Mountain Dew in it. This was during my no drinking years...
	The view out our window at our fabulous (and old school) hotel, the Sahara.
	And another view out the window.
	And Greg gives the big thumbs-up to the trip thus far.
	And A.T. relaxes before we head out to hit the town. Notice the stacks of CDs he used to travel with? Ah, the age before MP3 players...
	Russ asks, "Who loves ya, baby?" Greg asks, "You see this ass? All yours for the right price, folks."
	The next morning (after night one), two of the survivors take a break before we do some sight-seeing.
	Just to get us ready for the night ahead, we started drinking, smoking and gambling in the room.
	Driving to Vegas instead of flying allows the opportunity to bring your own ice chest, so you can bring your own beverages and chill your own glasses. Saves money for the tables, baby.
	Chris and A.T., mixing drinks and throwing cards. Like the dice...that's how they roll.
	Chris...sssssmokin'!
	Greg looking out over the city...thinking, "By tomorrow? It will all be MINE."
	What Greg sees. The bright lights of Vegas.
	Russ and Greg. Cheers.
	Cocktails and Dreamers. I think Greg is either belching or Doing a Sammy Davis impersonation.
	A.T.  Hotel room D.J.  Marilyn fan.  Clove smoker.  And a man still in his 20s.  One year...clock is ticking, pal...
	It's all bells and whistles to Aaron, baby. Let's have one more round and hit the town for the final night!
	And there they are...the original Slack Pack. hitting the casino floor. The members are (left to right, back row) Dr. K., A-Man, the @-Man, G-Man, Reagan and (front row) Wheeler. The guys...behind the guys...behind the guys.
	Greg and Aaron...players.
	Back at the room, me and Aaron kick it as the night begins to wind down.
	And as the boys await the sunrise over more cards and more cocktails, we say goodbye to them, to our 20s, and to Vegas. Until tbe big 40th trip, that is...

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