Note: Since I’ll be on the road until around August 8th there won’t be any new articles until just after that. All e-mails will also be responded to at that time. While my phone does have Internet and I never take a laptop on vacations, I don’t involve myself in that world while on these trips unless there’s an emergency. Video poker – and all the comments, criticisms, changes and its culture – are in no way ever an emergency. Far too often after innocent beginnings, too many people let the game control their lives. They eat, sleep and dream the game, and their only anticipation ends up being the next time they’re able to sit at a machine. I used to live that nightmare and now that I’ve escaped it over a dozen years ago, these journeys around America allow me to mock every minute of my past life as an addicted advantage player. God bless these opportunities we all have in the USA.

Next Tuesday early morning will be the third consecutive year my wife and I will be leaving on a motor trip that takes us all around this great country. Last year we also included an extra week to visit every corner of Nova Scotia, but this year we’re getting into our new car and driving less than (but probably not by much) the 9700 miles we drove in 2008. We were going to do Alaska this year but we put that one off until next, because of the many different stops we both wanted to make once again.

Before and after last year’s trip many people wrote me asking if such a trip were worth it with gasoline prices over $4/gallon in the US and around $6 in Canada at the time. I’ve even received several similar inquiries this year, when fuel is around $2.70/gallon. But my response has always been the same. I play video poker very successfully for my living, and gasoline prices remain irrelevant because of that. In fact, it’s video poker that paid for every facet of last year’s journey, and it’s video poker that’s also actually paid for the car we’re taking on next week’s trip.

We started taking these round-the-country adventures a few years ago just as my wife reached the 6-week vacation mark at her work. Of course, if I were like many other video poker stars who use “advantage play” as a cover, I’d instead be spending that time making her sit nearby me inside casinos pounding away at the machines for hours each and every day, feeding a sick and insatiable habit in the process. Rather, I choose respect over selfishness, because it’s more important for us to spend our time together doing things we BOTH enjoy. I’ve always looked at these vacations as HER vacations, simply because she still enjoys her job.

This trip begins with a stop in Santa Fe, a change of pace stopover at the Hyatt in Dallas, and our first Harrah’s stay at the Horseshoe in Bossier City, Louisiana. The next day we’re driving down to and staying at Harrah’s New Orleans. I’ve made numerous reservations at as many Harrah’s as there are on our routing. I hold a diamond card with them from last year’s play, and I believe it’s because of this that every Harrah’s hotel I’ve booked has given me a comp night. I’ve also got around $450 in food comps still remaining and believe me, I do enjoy soaking every dime I can from any and every casino. However, on this entire trip, and even though we’ll be staying at numerous casinos around the country, I will not be playing one video poker hand or gambling one dime. That’s the true difference between a real vacation and one that is controlled by video poker.

After New Orleans our next stop is in Savannah at a Bed & Breakfast. My wife is a Food Channel junkie, also having received her Culinary Arts degree as an area of outside interest in the years of my living overseas. She sent Paula Dean a message and we’re hoping to meet her at her restaurant there.

The next few days will be spent driving up the South Carolina coast and into Wilmington, North Carolina for another B&B stay on the beach. Afterwards it’s onto Raleigh to visit my cousin and to Asheville to visit with Cindy’s parents. We’re also booked in to Harrah’s Cherokee which is a short drive through the mountains from Asheville. Yes, lots of history, hooting, hillbillies and hollering in the hills, but not all that many teeth. It’s always so very interesting.

From Cherokee we’re driving up to the Borgata in Atlantic City, and then the next day it’s over to Philadelphia for a few days with my sister and her family. Then for about a week we’re headed up to my wife’s sister’s house in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (my hometown) along with visiting many friends from years past, my Aunt’s home in Lee, Mass., and then to my cousin’s home in Southern Connecticut. While in the area I’m also taking my wife over to Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun just to take in the awe of those fabulous places before we leave on the next leg of our journey to Indiana.

From Harrah’s Metropolis we’re headed on out to Harrah’s Council Bluffs in Iowa. After those stopovers we take a few days to drive to our favorite yearly spot in Oregon: Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City. This place is so peaceful and restful, and will be exactly what we’ll need after so many days on the road. When we finally leave there – and we don’t yet know if we’ll spend 3 or 4 nights – it’s down to San Francisco and a full day at Fisherman’s Wharf.

Upon leaving SF we’re driving over to Reno to visit some friends and stay once again at Harrah’s, then we’re going down to LV for a stay at the Rio and to collect $300 in a cash giveaway as well as getting $150 in cash and free food at Sam’s Town, then it’s onto Harrah’s Rincon in San Diego, a day at La Jolla beach, another day at Sycamore Cove beach up near Oxnard, a night resting at Harrah’s in Laughlin, and finally home.

Of course a trip like this would always be better to take when we were younger, but schedules and responsibilities usually eliminate most of that opportunity. I’m sure most of you can identify with that. It is, in fact, one of the main reasons I keep myself in such good shape these days. I want to be able to still do these things for as long as my body permits. I always do ALL of the driving, and these days with GPS navigation & satellite radio, motor trips are a joy to behold...if nothing goes wrong. We’ve had two straight years with perfect results. Will this one also go without a hitch? Check back and read my article just after we return!