TRIPPIN' TO RENO

Last week I went to Reno for a training assignment in fire Logistics---there were lots of people I knew at the training and lots more that knew me---I have been doing Logistics on a wildland fire management team for over 22 years so nearly everyone that does wildland fire has been on a fire with me somewhere in the US. It is always fun for me to go to these sessions because I am good at what I do---I also am tough on what I beleive so don't take much from the new instructors---I told one in class that what he was covering would not---I repeat NOT---happen in my watch---he went on about how great it was and that it would take a couple more years to perfect what they were talking about to which I said "AS I SAID---NOT IN MY WATCH" I plan to retire before that and everyone knows that.

BUT that isn't what I was going to write about---one of my really good friends was there and we spent some time gambling---and losing---so the last night I walked past the CRAP table with him and stopped---I went back and dropped a few bucks on the field (the poorest bet on the table) and hit it. I picked it up and continued to put it down when I felt like it---I hit 9 out of 11 plays and did really good---then I did something I have never been good at----I picked up my money and left---never to return to the tables again that trip---was fun to come home a winner---again. He kept saying I ought to play some money with you---I kept telling him to do whatever he wanted---he never put any money down and was HOT the rest of the trip that he let me play alone. We'll have something to talk about the rest of our lives because of this trip---it was fun.