Walkin' Around Checkin' Stuff Out. #63
Back from a holiday roadtrip down south. It’s always great to get out and look for cool stuff and meet some interesting people.
On the road again.
Love hitting the road with only a loose plan of what we might see and do. Some of the scenery is pretty bleak, but there’s beauty in that. I like the name “PYRO CITY”…it’s pretty much the exact opposite of what the surrounding cities are like in the middle of nowhere.
Maybe it’s not that seedy...I did see the cleaning carts making their way from room to room. I love these old motels...they’re like a trip back in time. Can you imagine the stories one of those rooms could tell? (Someone needs to write that book.)
These old motels are like a glimpse back in time, the closest we can get to time travel. Sadly, these places are disappearing everyday, but they can still be found in places like Hot Springs.
Instead of FREE HBO and TELEPHONE the updated versions of these old motels offer DIRECT TV and FREE WIFI.
There’s seedy, and there’s SEEDY. This joint looked about as seedy as you can get. Sadly (or luckily) we didn’t get to check it out. There’s a chance we would have met some of the nicest people although the sign on the door read: “Not responsible for vehicle’s, or injury.” so I’ll take that as a warning and move along.
Horse racing at the Oaklawn race track.
Pam’s parents took us to the track to lose some money. I don’t know much about horse racing, but I do know people watching and people watching at a horse race track is top notch. This guy was built for smokin’ and gamblin’.
I could hang out in a place like this for days. There’s not a lot of talking at a horse race...people tend to keep their heads down in their tip sheets planning their next bet.
It was a nice day at the track, but there were no serious players sitting outside on the bleachers in the sun where it was warm even though it seemed to provide a pretty good view of the track. I wasn’t going to find any real players out there.
The one exception to non-serious players sitting outside were a few players that stood at the fence right on the track around the finish line. I wonder of that’s a sign of desperation, like sitting right close might will their horse across the finish line first.
The hardcore players all stood inside and watched the race on TV’s. I guess it offers the best view of the race, but you could probably watch the race like that at home. These were definitely the hardcore players...they were glued to those monitors with an intensity that said there was a lot more on the line than the $2 bets we were placing.
This guy had to a pro. Shows up with the hat, the suit, the boots...he’s a player. Always looked cool...didn’t have a worry on the world. Had the vibe of a guy that was there to watch a horse he owns and knows it’s gonna win...and if it doesn’t, that jockey will never race again.
Some of the best people watching were the people that took the bets. I met one woman with a smoky voice that had been working the track for 35 years. This woman took the job seriously and got all decked out in a fancy gold crown and pink feather head piece.
These dudes were hard core. Heads buried in the tip sheets and magazines and whatever else they used to give themselves an edge. One guy had a 3-ring binder full of sheets of paper...he took it seriously, like it’s his job...and maybe it is.
I don’t know who the guy in the burgundy blazer was, but he acted like he owned the place (or at least managed the afternoon shift). He carried himself with a sense of pride like he was doing the lords work. I liked his tie...and endless pattern of running horses. If you’re gonna show up, show up to play.
I do wonder if the line-up of beers means he’s winning big, or losing big?
Wonderful writeup this week. I really love the hotels and the dark silhouettes of the city with only the lights for color.