3-19-13 Colorado Gambler

GamblerCelebrating 21 Years Serving Colorado’s Gaming Communitywww.coloradogambler.com coloradogambler cogamblerr

Volume 21 • Number 22

C O U P O N S • C O L O R A D O H I S T O R Y • C A S I N O G U I D E • G A M I N G • M A P • E N T E R T A I N M E N T

March 19 - April 1, 2013

CASINO PROMOSBlack Hawk, Central City casinos

offer fun, cash, prizesPages 4, 8 and 9

POKER TIMEWorld Series of Poker seeks region’s

best players at The LodgePage 7

EASTERThe story behind theFabergé Easter egg

Page 12

TRAIL’S ENDThe Great Sand

DunesPage 13

Check Out Valuable Coupons on page 7

www.coloradogambler.com coloradogambler cogambler

PAGE 2 THE COLORADO GAMBLER – Celebrating 21 Years March 19 - April 1, 2013

The Last Hand GamblerEnjoyed lunch in Colorado casino towns with friends

It was another sunny Colorado Saturday morning before Presi-dent’s Day holiday and time to honor a promise made over several years – to take a long-time Colo-rado Gambler reader and friend to lunch and a visit to Central City and Black Hawk.

Steve Meade, 69, has been reading the Gam-bler for 21 years, as long as gaming has been legal in Colorado. He has a lengthy career in gaming and has a nickname, “Old Smoothie.” He walks from his home in central Downtown Denver to 15th and Glenarm to catch the ca-sino bound bus to Black Hawk/Central City.

He purchases a $20 bus ticket that pays for the trip and he usually gets off at the Canyon Casino in Black Hawk. He has to wager about $200 to gain points that will refund his bus ticket. Some days he wins, some days he loses, but he’s an astute player and student of gam-ing.

Steve graduated from Lakewood High School where he was a 6-foot-2 pitcher on the baseball team and was drafted by the pros

where he played several years before injuring his knee.

He had a bout with alcoholism and he explains he took his first drink at age 19. The addiction took hold and he enjoyed his drinking for a number of years, but has not had a drink now for 22 years. He is a stellar supporter of York Street, 1311 York St., and the AA programs that occur daily at the historic mansion. He has served as a sponsor to many folks going through AA’s very suc-cessful 12-step program to maintain sobriety.

Now Steve suffers from glaucoma, dimming his vision and making it hard for him to engage in poker, but recently he took third place in one of the weekly tournaments.

He has gambled extensively in Denver and Las Vegas and personally knows many of the great poker players in Denver that he mentions by name like Jeff Bernstein, Bobby Winters, Dan Mordecai, Art Lipp, All Hackett, George O’Brien, Lee Wask, Joe Capps, Russ Riley Kar-in Oweida and Lou Failla. These are many of his friends that he has set across a poker table playing poker for fun or profit. There is a cer-tain brotherhood among card players that ex-tends to gin rummy, bridge and poker.

Steve will walk downtown to pick up a copy of the Colorado Gambler at one of our many rack locations. He reads the paper from cover to cover and sometimes sends notes, compli-

ments, and suggestions to your’s truly. I value his friendship, readership and his devotion to York Street and helping others to lead produc-tive sober lives.

Down thru the years I have told Steve “some day we’ll go to the mountains, I’ll buy lunch, and we can play some cards.” The years have passed and the invitation becoming stale.

A few Saturdays ago, the invite was fulfilled and with friend Greg Fisk, another York Street supporter, the three musketeers headed to the mountains for lunch and some card playing.

We took the Central City Parkway and rolled into Reserve Casino Hotel and one of the first casinos coming off the $35 million Park-way financed by Central City.

I joined a blackjack game in progress with a mother/daughter team from Fort Collins enjoying a day in Central City. The cards were good and the game enjoyable.

Steve and Greg disappeared into the slot machine world and ended up playing penny slots on the first floor of the remodeled, very nice casino.

Making a few bucks and thinking about lunch, I visited the Adore restaurant and looked at the new menu, but wasn’t in the mood for fine dining.

Steve and Greg appeared and we decided to drive down the hill to the Canyon Casino, one of Steve’s favorite places. We used valet park-ing and once again I settled into a blackjack

By Bob Sweeney

Promise fulfilled

Continued on page 15

February 5 - 11, 2013 THE COLORADO GAMBLER – Celebrating 21Years PAGE 3

1-800-THE-ISLE • www.theisleblackhawk.com © 2013 Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. Must be 21 or older. Free swipes are not eligible for 25X, 50X and 100X entries. Phil Long Ford of Denver, LLC. and their respective logos, emblems, slogans and vehicle model names and body designs are trademarks and/or service marks of Ford, its subsidiaries, affiliates or licensors. Actual color and features of car may vary from image shown. Phil Long Ford of Denver gave the Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk permission to use the Phil Long Ford of Denver logo and name as well as permission to use Ford F150. Promotions subject to change or cancellation without notice. Please visit player’s club or cashier services for details. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-522-4700.

Saturday: Truck drawing at 10:00pm $1,000 drawings hourly 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Sunday: Truck drawings at 6:00pm and 10:00pm $1,000 drawings hourly 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Earn entries with every 20 unadjusted points.

25X entries every Tuesday. 100X entries April 5 and 50X entries on April 19.

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By RosemaryFetter

The Denver Art Museum’s latest block-buster exhibit features the work of Georgia O’Keeffe, one of Amer-ica’s most talented and successful 20th cen-tury artists. The special exhibition, coordinated organized by the Geor-gia O’Keeffe Museum, explores her paint-ings of New Mexico’s Hispanic and Native American architecture, cultural objects and vast landscapes. Some of these works will be familiar to viewers while others have been rarely exhibited.

O’Keeffe began spending summers in New Mexico from 1929 – 1949, making northern New Mexico her per-manent home after the death of her husband, Alfred Steiglitz. The artwork she created dur-ing this time implies a deep respect for the land, the architecture and the culture of New Mexico’s Hispanic and Native American peo-ple. The harmonious blend of colors and grace-ful lines speak volumes about a woman deeply moved by what she saw, who used the language of art to express her feelings and ideas.

It’s difficult to say what is more intriguing about O’Keeffe, her life or her work. A Wis-consin farm girl, born in 1887, she showed an early artistic talent, pursuing studies after high school at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Students League in New York. She was teaching art at Columbia College in South Carolina when she submitted drawings to pho-tographer and art connoisseur, Alfred Steiglitz. He was so impressed by her work that he held a one-woman exhibit at 291, his famous New York Gallery, and soon became her chief pro-moter. She and Steiglitz were married in 1924 and worked together in New York City and

the Stieglitz estate at Lake George, New York. During this period, she became famous for her sensual large scale flower paintings and New York City landscapes.

Inspired by the West, however, a different O’Keeffe emerged. Her art from this period captured the vast New Mexico landscape, the rich colors and natural beauty of the desert, and the unique architecture, both man-made and natural, that speaks of New Mexico. Her remarkable career spanned nearly a century,

and she continued to paint until 1984, when poor eyesight forced her to retire. She was still working on clay figures until two years before her death in 1986, at the age of 98.

Among the many impressive oil paintings in the exhibit, Rust Red Hills (1930) stands out, its brilliant reds and dusky browns colors conveying the artist’s passion for the land. As she once said, “All of the colors of the painter’s palette are out there in many miles of bad-lands.” The show includes one of her more fa-miliar paintings, Ram’s Head, Blue Morning Glory (1938) and Rancho Church No.1, which for some reason she was always painted from the back. In another room, the show features works of contemporary Native American art-ists who were inspired by her work.

The exhibit also showcases American Indi-an artworks, including 15 rarely seen pictures of colorful Hopi katsina tihu (Katsina dolls) and examples of these quite stunning ceremo-nial figures. Over the years, O’Keefe attended many cultural ceremonies and developed a deep appreciation of the beautifully detailed figures. Most of her katsina paintings she gave to friends, and they were not exhibited. Katsi-nam, plural for katsina, primarily refers to the supernatural beings who visit Hopi villages six months out of every year. They control the rain, help or heed efforts of the villagers, punish so-cial offenders and function as messengers from the other world. The figures were used to teach children about the spiritual visitors.

The exhibition was organized by the Geor-gia O’Keeffe Museum in New Mexico and co-curated by Barbara Buhler Lynes, former cura-tor at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and Caro-lyn Kastner, associate curator. At the DAM, the installation was overseen by Thomas Brent

Smith, director of the Petrie Institute of West-ern American Art and John P, Lukavic, associ-ate curator of Native Arts. For more informa-tion on the exhibit or accompanying events, visit www.denverartmuseum.org.

O’Keeffe


Arts & Entertainment

“When I got to New Mexico, that was mine. As soon as is saw it, that was my country”

– Georgia O’KeeffeGeorgia O’Keeffe in New Mexico:

Architecture, Katsinam and the LandThrough April 28

Denver Art Museum Hamilton Building, Gallagher Family Gallery

100 W. 14th Avenue Parkway, DenverExhibit included with general admission

Visit www.denverartmuseum.org

Yellow Cactus, 1935. Oil on canvas; 36 x 30 in. Private collection.

Rust Red Hills, 1930. Oil on canvas; 16 x 30 in. Brauer Museum of Art, ValparaisoUniversity, Indiana; Sloan Fund Purchase, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.

Ram’s Head, Blue Morning Glory, 1938. Oil on canvas; 20 x 30 in. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum; Gift of the Burnett Foundation, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.

Kachina, 1934. Oil on canvas. 22 x 12 in. Private collection. © Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Photo courtesy of Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

March 19 - April 1, 2013 THE COLORADO GAMBLER – Celebrating 21Years PAGE 5

www.bullwhackerscasino.com

Lucky $21,000 Free Slotplay Dice RollEvery Friday in March from 5 – 10 p.m., winners

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Strike Gold on Saturdays. Win over $500 in free Slotplay every Saturday. Don’t miss the grand finale Slotplay drawings for $1,000 on Saturday, April 20. Earn entries now through April 20, with up to 20X en-tries on Wednesdays in March.

Senior Double Days

Every Tuesday in March, Lucky Bull Club members age 55+ will receive 2X points all day. Video poker excluded from this promotion.

Gas up and Play Thursday’s

Receive $10 in free Slotplay when you show a $10 or more same day receipt from the Bullwhackers Shell Station. Redeem your receipt any Thursday in March. Limit one redemption per day.

DisclaimerMust be 21. Visit the Guest Services Center for

more details. Lucky Bull Club Points and Comps ex-pire after 90 days of play inactivity. Gambling prob-lem? Call 1-800-522-4700.

www.rivierablackhawk.com

$150,000 Spin and WinWin big at our $150,000 Spin and Win with draw-

ings every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in March. Four lucky players will win at each drawing. You could win $5,000 cash with a spin of the wheel. Win big with our $150,000 Spin and Win at the Riviera.

Great foodDon’t miss our all-you-can-eat Champagne Brunch

every Saturday and Sunday for just $13.99 with play-er’s club card. Enjoy complimentary champagne and mimosa, along with delicious made-to-order omelets and an incredible selection of breakfast favorites. Plus, don’t miss our Maine Lobster, new Jonah Crab Claws and Prime Rib Buffet. Enjoy tender lobster steamed to perfection, Jonah Crab Claws with more succulent crabmeat and hand-carved prime rib of beef nightly for just $17.99 with player’s club card. Come in today.

Diamond DaysThe Riviera sparkles every Monday and Tuesday

with Diamond Days. Every slot machine shimmers

with 4X points. Video poker machines shine with 2X points. And our buffet is twice as nice at half the price.

Live musicWatch the area’s best entertainment on our stage

from 8 p.m. – midnight on Friday’s and Saturday’s and every Sunday. This month listen to:

March 22-24: AliasMarch 29-31: The Hildees

www.www.theisleblackhawk.com

$100,000 Final Fortune Each Friday, one participant will be drawn each half

hour from 5:30 – 10 p.m. to select winning combination of basketballs and could win up to $100,000. Receive one free entry each promotional day and additional with each set of 20 unadjusted points earned. Get 4X entries playing on Wednesday’s beginning.

Net some cash or prizesWin cash and other prizes instantly on Wednes-

days in March from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Receive one free swipe each Wednesday, select the basketballs and watch your points add up to win cash and prizes.

Fantastic 40+ All guests age 40 or better can participate in

the Fantastic 40 Plus club on Thursdays. Guests will receive 4X points on their favorite slots, 2X points on video poker, a free buffet after earning five un-adjusted points or earn 50 unadjusted points and receive $40 to Farraddays’. For complete details, visit the player’s club.

Paradise 50 Plus All guests age 50 or better can join the Paradise 50

Plus club on Sundays and Mondays. You will receive 3X points on all slots, 2X points on video poker, a free ice cream and a Free Calypso’s Buffet after earning five unadjusted points. For complete details, please visit the player’s club.

Bus fare refundDo you ride the bus to Black Hawk? The Isle will

refund your bus fare up to $20. Simply earn 35 unad-justed points on your player’s card and present your return bus ticket to the player’s club or cashier ser-vices. Table Games and Poker players will receive their bus fare back with four hours of consecutive play.

Table Games The Isle has all your favorite table games includ-

ing blackjack, craps with 10 times odds and roulette. Also available at the Isle, Three Card Poker, Bonus 6, Buffalo blackjack, Double Deck blackjack, Emperor’s Challenge and 21+3. Mississippi Stud, Ultimate Texas Hold’Em and Let-It-Ride are all linked to one pro-gressive jackpot that as of Feb. 14 is $11,875. Three Card Poker has its own progressive jackpot and is at $2,805. And now exclusively at the Isle you can play “Craps-Free Craps” with 10 times odds.

$10,000 Craps Sharp ShooterThe Isle is looking for Craps Sharp Shooters March

3 – 30. The highest Sharp Shooter of the day wins $100. Every Sunday, the highest Sharp Shooter of the week will win $500. All Sharp Shooters will receive a free en-try into the grand prize drawing which will take place on April 7 at 2 p.m. 1st place will take home $2,500, 2nd place $1,500 and 3rd place will go home with $1,200.

‘All In’ the poker roomNew Player’s Receive $50 – New poker players

earn $10 per hour up to a max of $50 for five consecu-tive hours played. Play must be in a live poker game.

Bad Beat – The Bad Beat Jackpot Pool as of March 14 is $381,883. That means Aces full of 10’s through Kings beaten would pay over $38,000 or 10% of the total jackpot pool. With 3 Aces on the board still quali-fying, this is the easiest way to win a bad beat around. Quad 2’s through 7’s beaten would pay more than $190,000 or 50% and Quad 8’s or better beaten would pay over $286,000 or 75%! For complete rules, please contact the Poker Room at 303-998-7905.

“Get Paid to Play”– Don’t miss out on valuable “Get Paid to Play” coupon offers by signing up today for our weekly poker emails and monthly mail offers exclu-sively for poker players. Visit the Poker Room for details and to get signed up.

Free Food – The Isle provides free food for poker players seated in a live cash game or tournament in-cluding: Hot & fresh pizza, hot dogs, brats, 2 varieties of soup, nacho’s & cheese, chili, as well as vanilla, straw-berry or chocolate milkshakes made to order.

Early Bird Special – Poker player’s already seated or new players buying into a live action poker game starting at 6 a.m. and ending at 10 a.m., play 3 hours and get $30 in additional chips.

Omaha $20 Cash Bonus – Play 2 or more hours in your favorite live action Omaha game and get $20 in cash or additional chips added to your stack. Promotion is valid 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

Daily Tournaments – Monday’s through Friday’s there will be two tournaments each day at 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Every Thursday and Sunday is Omaha Day at the Isle with 3 weekly Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo Tourna-ments to choose from. Play in the midnight madness No Limit Hold ‘em tournament at 1am and the after-noon tournaments at 1pm on Saturday’s and Sunday’s. For complete information, contact the poker room at 303-998-7905.

Tradewinds Features BurgersTradewinds at the Isle has a new menu that fea-

tures what we believe to be the best hamburgers in Black Hawk. Whether you try the classics, a green chile and chipotle, the black & blue or mushroom and Swiss burger you will not be disappointed. Tradewinds even offers a mouthwatering cheeseburger burrito! So the next time you are hungry for a great burger, visit Tradewinds at the Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk.

Pet friendly hotelThe Isle Hotel has Pet Friendly rooms available for a

small fee. Furry friends less than 50 pounds can enjoy a stay at the Isle with you. Pet friendly rooms will of-fer your pet use of a doggie bed, food and water bowls, and a fenced doggie area. Disposable litter boxes will be available for feline guests. For reservations in a pet friendly room please call 303-998-7777. Rooms are subject to availability.

2 jackpot winners in one week!

25¢ video poker progressive

$76,95425¢ video poker progressive

$76,954Three card poker progressive

$26,820three card poker progressive

$26,820

Must be 21 to play. Management reserves all rights.


Cover Story

Colorado Casinosnew beginnings for

The beginning of a series of articles highlighting the ownership changes, improvements yet to come this year

John Zimpel, owner of Johnny Z’s Casino in Central City, and new owner of Bullwhackers Casino in Black Hawk. Photos by Suzanne Paulman

Scott Nelson, regional vice president & general manager of Affinity Gaming, in front of Golden Mardi Gras restaurant construction.

By Suzanne Paulman

New beginnings and exciting changes are happening to more than a few of the Black Hawk and Central City casi-nos. As the gaming industry

continues to financially improve in the re-gion, more casinos are developing opportu-nities to become true destination locations.

The Colorado Gambler recently inter-viewed Scott Nelson of Golden Mardi Gras, Golden Gates and Golden Gulch Casinos and John Zimpel of Johnny Z’s Casino about the progressive changes their casinos are undergoing.

Black Hawk’s Golden Mardi Gras, Gold-en Gates and Golden Gulch Casinos were purchased by the Affinity Gaming corpora-tion last year. Affinity Gaming is a private company based out of Paradise, Nev., with additional gaming operations in Iowa, Mis-souri and Nevada.

Affinity’s slogan for its new purchase is “Three Casinos. One family.” Nelson said Affinity wanted to expand into the growing Colorado gaming market and the company is a good fit for this great market.

Scott Nelson is a regional vice president and general manager for Affinity. He is a busy, busy man, personally overseeing the current multi-million dollar renovation of Golden Mardi Gras and its two sister ca-sinos. The remodeling project involving 7,000 square feet of construction has been in full swing for four months and will con-tinue over the next several months.

The renovation has had minimal im-

pact on casino play. Guests have already provided positive feedback ranging from approval of the vibrant new carpeting, modernized elevators, 170 new machines, renewed players club – now the “best new club in Black Hawk” – and “great promos” being offered. The three casinos combined offer 1,060 machines to choose from in se-lecting your favorite play, along with poker and table games.

The new Bourbon Street Café and Buf-fet will seat 200 and is scheduled to open in late April.

The most visible sign of the renovation is the present construction of the expan-sion of Golden Mardi Gras Casino near the intersection of Main and Richman streets.

The former outdoor patio area is being ex-panded 75 feet out to the street and will be the setting for a contemporary three story, multiple glass door addition to the casino’s building. The new addition will feature easy casino access with escalators and have more gaming space and restrooms.

The project completion date is set for Memorial Day weekend, the last weekend in May.

Mardi Gras Casino is located at 300 Main Street in Black Hawk with plenty of free parking available in its parking lot across the street. Golden Gates Casino & Poker Parlour is at 261 Main Street and Golden Gulch Casino is at 321 Main Street. All three casinos can be contacted by tele-phone at 303-582-5600 or wwww.the goldengatescasino.com.

Johnny Z’s owner buys BullwhackersJohnny Z’s Casino of historic Central

City is doing it right. The highly popular casino was voted the “Best Casino” in 2010 on the prestigious Denver A list and was a finalist in the same category last year. Only corporate owned, mega-sized Ameristar Resort Casino Spa in Black Hawk and Cen-tury Casino – voted Best Casino in 2012 in Central City – beat out Johnny Z’s for the latest top spot on the list.

Out of those three casinos, John Zim-pel, owner of Johnny Z’s Casino, literally constructed and developed two of them: Century and Johnny Z’s. Century was opened in 2006 and after Zimpel sold his share in Century, he opened his own wildly successful casino, Johnny Z’s, in June 2010.

Zimpel and a group of friends and fam-ily bought the three story, 21,000 square foot Johnny Z’s building that was formerly the Central Palace Casino in the 1990s. The casino currently boasts more than 35 flat-panel TVs, the Z Grill, Z Bucks Cafe, a smoking and barbecue deck, table games, and about 350 machines.

In 2010 the car-themed Johnny Z’s ran a fantastic promo that accelerated the heartbeats of its patrons: a giveaway fea-

turing two bright orange Camaros, a clas-sic American muscle car represented by a vintage 1969 model and a 2010 edition.

Now, Johnny Z’s Casino is symboli-cally racing down the road to Black Hawk, specifically to Bullwhackers Casino, and permanently parking in the Bullwhackers lot. Johnny Z’s is completing its purchase of the Black Hawk casino this summer, including the Bullwhackers gas station on Highway 119.

Bullwhackers opened in 1992 and is located on approximately three acres near the intersection of Highway 119 and Greg-ory Street on the northern side of Black Hawk. The three story, 36,000 square foot casino features more than 280 machines and 266 parking spaces. Johnny Z’s is also acquiring two other buildings and the sev-en-acre property with a 2,600 square foot convenience store and gas station.

Bullwhackers will once again have a restaurant as Zimpel plans on opening one capable of seating about 80 guests. Zimpel remarked that he “thinks there’ll be a Z in-volved” in the new name of the restaurant. The Bullwhackers restaurant will be a little larger than the Z Grill and will be “excep-tionally good!”

Two casino properties, one in Central City and the other in Black Hawk, will be good for this family owned business in sharing promos, rewards and other special events.

Without a doubt, Johnny Z’s will once again claim the top spot of Best Casino in the very near future. It never surrendered the title of Best Casino in the hearts of its guests with its great gaming, good food and finest available customer service. When you walk through the doors of Johnny Z’s, you know you’re going to have a good time.

Johnny Z’s Casino is located at 132 Law-rence St. in Central City with spot-on easy parking outside its doors at Central City’s Free Parking Lot structure. Call 303-582-5623 or visit www.johnnyzscasino.com.

March 19 - April 1, 2013 THE COLORADO GAMBLER – Celebrating 21 Years PAGE 7

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World Series of Poker seeks region’s best playersThe Lodge to host WSOP circuit event March 14-25

The World Series of Poker will visit Colorado for the first time ever March 14-25 at The Lodge Casino at Black Hawk. The Lodge WSOP Circuit stop will include 12 official ring events, along with a host of side action. The event expects to draw approximately 1,500 players to The Lodge Casino throughout its 12-day span.

The WSOP Circuit uses a points-ranking sys-tem and rewards players participating in mul-tiple events. One hundred WSOP Circuit players will qualify to compete for a WSOP bracelet and more than $1 million at the Southern Comfort 100 Proof World Series of Poker National Cham-pionship May 21-23 in New Orleans. The Colo-rado WSOP stop kicks off on Thursday, March 14, at 11 a.m. with both ring and non-ring events happening daily.

The tournament concludes with a $1,675 buy-in Main Event Championship on Friday, March 22, at 11 a.m. The Main Event will be played as re-entry, with a morning and an evening flight available to players and an additional third flight on Saturday, March 23, to accommodate the expected turnout. The final table of each Main Event flight will be broadcast on ESPN3.

Each WSOP Circuit stop Main Event winner will receive an automatic berth into the South-ern Comfort 100 World Series of Poker National Championship. Automatic bids will also go to the “Casino Champion,” the player at each stop whom accumulates the most points throughout the 12-event gold ring schedule.

For more information about the WSOP and a full schedule, visit http://thelodgecasino.com/gaming/poker/special-promos.php.


www.famousbonanza.com

2X MondaysEarn 2X points all day on all machines, including

video poker. $1 = 1 Point

99¢ Breakfast Enjoy the Gambler’s Special Tuesday and Friday

mornings at Millie’s Restaurant for just 99¢ Just show your Miner’s Club card to receive this offer – dine in only.*

3X Points on Penny Machines

Every Tuesday earn triple points on all penny ma-chines. Come check out some of our new games.

Slot Tournament WednesdaysFREE Slot Tournament every Wednesday at The

Famous Bonanza. Come play between 1-5 p.m. Pays the top 8 scores.

Double points on Video PokerThursdays in March enjoy 2X Points on all video

poker machines.

Black Jack BonanzaEvery Friday night come play in The Parlour

for cash drawings from 8pm-Midnight, building to a $250 drawing at midnight. Ask your dealer for details.

Queen of HeartsCome get the ROYAL treat-

ment every Friday from 8 p.m. to midnight. Entries may be earned all day Friday with ev-ery 250 points on your player’s card. The progressive is more than $1700.

Join us on your BirthdayCome celebrate your birthday with the Famous

Bonanza and Easy Street Casinos and receive 500 free points. Players over 55 years of age will receive 800 free points.

New PlayersEarn just 250 points on your first trip and re-

ceive a $10 meal voucher to either Millie’s or Stella’s restaurants.

The ParlourWe’ve moved. Join us on the lower level of The

Famous Bonanza Casino where we offer 2 Deck pitch Blackjack, Roulette and 3-Card Poker. $5 minimum to $50 maximum on 2 Deck pitch Black-jack and $3 minimum and all shoe games.

*For complete details on any of our promotions see the Miner’s Club.

2X MondaysEarn 2X points all day on all

machines, including video poker. $1 = 1 Point

99¢ Breakfast on Tuesdays and Fridays

Enjoy the Gam-bler’s Special Tues-day and Friday mornings at Millie’s Restaurant for just 99¢. Just show your Miner’s Club card to receive this offer – dine in only.*

3X Points on Penny MachinesEvery Tuesday earn triple points on all penny

machines. Come check out some of our new games.

Double points on Video PokerThursdays in March enjoy 2X Points on all video

poker machines.

Punchboard SaturdaysEvery Saturday, customers will punch their way

to cash prizes. Entries may be earned Saturday with every 250 points on your player’s card. Draw-ings begin at 7 p.m.

Join us on your BirthdayCome celebrate your birthday with the Famous

Bonanza and Easy Street Casinos and receive 500 free points. Players older than 55 years of age will receive 800 free points.

New PlayersEarn just 250 points on your first trip and re-

ceive a $10 meal voucher to either Millie’s or Stella’s restaurants.

Fun for KidsBring your children to the lower level of the ca-

sino to enjoy a wide variety of arcade games for our under 21 guests.

*For complete details on any of our promotions see the Miner’s Club.

107 & 120 Main St. Central City, CO (303)582-5914

www.famousbonanza.com

Video Poker Players earn

2X Points every Thursday! See the Miners’ Club for details on any of our promotions.

Central City Nuggets

central-city.cnty.com

Spring Bankroll Boost$250 and $500 prize cash drawings week-

ends in March. We’ll fill up your pockets this March with the Spring Bankroll Boost. Earn weekly en-tries for cash drawings for 150 base points each starting Feb. 26. Every Friday and Saturday starting March 8, boost your bankroll with hourly drawings for big cash prizes. Fridays & Saturdays - $250 prizes from 4-10 p.m., $500 at 11 p.m.

Easter Egg Open – Sunday March 31

Celebrate Easter and the Rockies opening season weekend on Sunday, March 31, when players can earn up to 3 Mystery Easter Eggs for just 100, 200 and 300 base points each played on their card that day. Each Mystery Easter Egg will be stuffed with cash or comp prizes, up to $250!

1st Egg – 100 base points – 3 Entries, $5 Comp, Century T-Shirt or $50 Cash

2nd Egg – 200 base points – 5 Entries, $10 Comp, Century Baseball Cap, $5 Cash or $50 Cash

3rd Egg – 300 base points – 10 Entries, $15 Comp, $15 Cash, Rockies Tickets, or $250 Cash!

Find your lucky Easter Egg while supplies last, there will be 150 of each level of Easter Egg avail-able, so the first 150 people to earn 300 base points could get all the eggs.

Make My Multiplier TuesdayJoin us on Tuesdays, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. and en-

joy a mystery multiplier on all your slot play. Starting at 10:45 a.m., we will select an hourly Hot Seat winner to spin the “Make My Multiplier Wheel” to find their cash prize and earn everyone in the casino up to 5X points on slot play for the next hour. Each hour we find a new winner and a new multiplier.

Sunday Cash BlastEnjoy $200 drawings every half hour, 2 –

6 p.m. Every player with a Century Casino Player’s Card can get one entry to the drawing per drawing day, additional entries are available to players who receive our mailer. We’ll pick a $200 cash winner every half hour.

Play-Eat-Play WednesdayGet an Insta-Boost to your Insta-Comp every

Wednesday. Play 500 base points and get $10 in

Insta-Comp added to your account. Earn 1,000 base points to add $10 more. Eat like a king with up to $20 in Free Food with your Wednesday play.

New Members Guests who sign up at our Player’s Club for a

free club card will get a free spin, where they could win up to $1,500. New Members also receive $10 in Insta-Comp after earning 250 base points on their account on the day of signup.

BingoEnjoy FREE Bingo every Thursday, 11 a.m. –

7 p.m., with a $100 PRIZE for each game. Play-ers with a Player’s Card can pick up their Bingo card at the Player’s Club one hour before each game.

Senior CelebrationGuests aged 50 or better receive 2X points on

play ALL DAY from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m., plus 50% off purchases (up to $25 in one day) at the Retro Deli or Mid City Grill. Please note that 50% food discount

cannot be combined with any other coupon or dis-count, and including the $7.99 prime rib special.

BirthdaysGuests with a birthday coupon from our mailer

redeem it at the Player’s Club for a gift of a single bonus of 10X their age in points. All guests can come in on the day of their birthday and get 2X points plus a free T-shirt. Guests who come in on the day of their 21st birthday receive the 2X points and the T-Shirt, plus $10 in comp added to their account, plus a $5 chip to use at the tables.

Sunlight Poker Bonus$10 cash back for 3 hours play if seated be-

tween 10am and 1pm Thursday through Monday.

Every Day $7.99 SpecialsWe now offer three choices of lunch/dinners

specials for $7.99 with Player’s Card.Enjoy an 8 oz. slow-roasted Prime Rib accompa-

nied by choice of potato with seasonal vegetables ($14.99 without card), or a Half-Rack of BBQ Ribs accompanied by choice of potato and coleslaw ($12.99 without card), or a Half-Pound of Steam Shrimp accompanied by Hushpuppies and Cole-slaw ($14.99 without card). Available in the Mid City Grill after 11 a.m.

Central City Nuggets



Gaming

Years ago, I was more liberal when someone suggested we

go play blackjack together at a casino. My answer was usu-ally, “Sure!”

Now I’m more circumspect. And you should be too.

Why?There are a number of reasons. And

there are a variety of settings in which “playing together” can be done and some are OK and some are not.

For instance, the setting we discov-ered Tiger Woods likes. That is - ac-cording to news accounts shortly after that infamous blowup with his now ex-wife - Tiger (a great golfer but not a great blackjack player - again, according to what I’ve read and heard) likes to be surrounded by his celebrity friends and a bevy of bimbos. He reportedly drinks while playing and chats up his friends and gal pals while he plays.

That kind of setting is always a no-no.

You should never mix drinking or carousing with blackjack. You should never mix so-cializing with friends with blackjack.

If you’re having a grand old time chat-ting up your friends, getting intimate to

a woman or getting high on martinis or whatever, your attention is compro-mised. You’re not capable of paying at-tention to the cards or action at the level the game demands - if, that is, you want to win. If you’re rich and you’re content to lose (as Tiger apparently is), then dis-regard anything I say here.

But I don’t play for the “entertain-ment” or “fun” value. I go to make money. It’s a serious pursuit - even though I can blend in with the other players without seeming too serious - something that’s important, in remaining anonymous.

Why do I want to remain anonymous? Because, unfortunately, in most states and locales, I can get barred from a casino (thrown out and never allowed back in).

That’s another reason you don’t want to whoop it up like Tiger reportedly does. You draw too much attention. You blow your anonymity.

That doesn’t mean I haven’t gone to the table with a babe or two - preferably dressed provocatively (because the casi-no employees and managers are distract-ed by cleavage). But the babes I bring are well-coached in the game and how to be-have and never ever distract me from my game. They distract the management - the people who would bar me if they saw how much I was winning.

I’ve also gone with a cousin of mine who’s brilliant. Casinos don’t expect a professional player such as myself to go to the table with anyone else (except, perhaps, in a team situation), especially a woman (that’s their mindset, for what-ever reason). They think serious players want to play alone.

What about forming a team? I’ve al-ways thought of doing that but, for me, the risks seem too high. Then you’re only as strong as the weakest link - either from a playing vantage point or a cloak and dagger viewpoint (in other words, a

weak link can inadvertently, through a lack of smoothness, blow your cover).

The drawback to team play, too, is that it really raises the ire of casinos, is more easily detected than the lone wolf or guy-with-well-behaved-babes approach, and in some locales team playing is consid-ered illegal or cheating.

Who do I never ever go with? Fans. Students. Casual friends or acquaintanc-es.

Too bad, but they pose too great a risk to blow my cover - which nearly occurred several times years ago when “uncool” or bitter persons said stuff like, “Why don’t you help me? YOU’RE the blackjack ex-pert!”

...Word to the wise.Richard Harvey is a nationally-ac-

claimed blackjack strategies innovator, expert player, blackjack coach and best-selling author of Blackjack The SMART Way, Cutting Edge Blackjack, NEW Ways To Win MORE at Blackjack and Richard Harvey’s Blackjack PowerPrep Session. Have blackjack questions? Send them to [email protected]. For more info see www.blackjacktoday.com.

When should you play blackjack with someone else?

I t has been said, of-ten and by others smarter than me, that aggression in

poker pays off in the long run. Trouble is, with the long run people don’t realize how long it can be. Sometimes the most difficult decision is when to – or not – act aggressively. The looser we play, the more tough decisions we heap upon our own shoul-ders. I’ve seen people play tight their entire poker lives fearing the tough deci-sions they may have to make if they loos-en up and play more aggressively.

A loose-aggressive player – you know the type – who rams and jams the game with apparent disregard for their chip stack thinks that tough decisions they face when played back by another player is the road to profitability. Put another way, they feel they are getting paid for making difficult decisions. Put yet anoth-er way – the greater the risk, the greater the reward. That’s the two features of poker these players thrive on and strive for; the element of risk and the thrill of the reward when/if the risk pays off.

So when should a good, thinking

player place pressures on their opponents via some selective aggres-sive plays: Before the flop, post-flop, on the turn or at the river? The questions for a good player who also has a mighty threshold for aggressive, somewhat risky play not only in-cludes timing but also

of degree. Simply put, the less pressure placed on an opponent anywhere during the game means our opponent will still be in the game when that miracle card gives them the better hand. If we make pid-dling raises and/or re-raises that means our opponent will be more open to calling our action and we must face them again at the next betting level of the hand. If we merely call or limp in we’re leaving until later in the hand to apply pressure via our betting action. That could be good or it could be bad, depending on our position, hand strength, opponents willingness to withstand pressure, ability to stand up to some heat, etc.

Encountering that kind of player ne-cessitates our bets must be more aggres-sive, more towards the high side of betting ranges. This now puts our stack at some-

what higher risk, but that also returns to the risk-reward conundrum mentioned earlier. If our opponent is weak post-flop, the need to re-raise heavily pre-flop isn’t there because we can then control their actions post-flop after they have put a fair number of their chips at risk (the reward part we’re all thinking of). Once the de-cision has been made to apply pressure on a particular opponent – the ‘target for tonight’ – be sure to consider the rest of the table with isolating re-raises. Not al-ways do the effective re-raises have to be gigantic chip-shovers; occasionally they can be the ‘scarier to the warier’ re-raise of lesser amounts than they were expect-ing to see. It’s all part of the plan of attack to confound your opponents and maxi-mize your gain.

Since poker is a game of partial in-formation, keeping your opponents guessing by varying the levels of post-flop aggression against selective targets can enhance your chances of gaining from their mistakes - in the long run, of course.

Now for different kind of aggression from a different source; the following appeared in the Gilpin County Weekly News-Call newspaper (Colorado’s oldest continually-published newspaper, btw) in the Jan. 3 issue:

“On Dec. 14 at approximately 2020 hours (8:20 p.m.) Officer Pinover re-sponded to the XXX casino on the report of a male party who had made threats at a poker table. Upon investigation, the party was issued a summons for Harass-ment.”

Poker has times of frustration, anxi-ety and despair, just as there are times of elation, exuberance and well-being. Let’s keep the negative feelings in check and whatever you do, do NOT take frus-trations out on that donkey at the end of the table who plays like a dolt and amazes everyone that he even wins a pot once a year. In the long run – remember that? – He will put it all back into the game and then some. That’s profit if not specifi-cally for you, then for the rest of us. No-one needs to stand before a judge trying to explain away why that donkey player needed a good talking-to. You aren’t go-ing to win that one.

LAST THING – March is poker tour-nament month in Black Hawk with the Heartland coming to the Golden Gates and the WSOP Circuit event to the Lodge in late March. Enough tourney action to keep even the most addicted tournament junkie satisfied. See you at the final ta-ble…and keep thinking about poker!

Thinking About Poker: The many faces of aggression

FULLHOUSEBy Drew Chitiea

By Richard Harvey

CRIPPLE CREEK

Casino•Guide

CENTRAL CITY

BLACK HAWK

This information is subject to change without notice.

Ameristar - 24/7 BJ, P, C, R, VP over 1400 536 rooms B, D, SD, Starbucks free valet and self parking 720-946-4000/.ameristar.com/Black_Hawk.aspx

Black Hawk Station VP 120 No SD,SB city lot 303-582-5582/ blackhawkstationcasino.net

Bull Durham VP 188 No SB city lot 303-582-0810/.bulldurhamcasino.com

Bullwhackers - 24/7 Fri/Sat VP 400 No SD free valet and self parking 1-800-GAM-BULL/bullwhackers.com

Canyon - 24/7 Fri/Sat BJ, C, R, VP 415 No SD, SB free valet and self parking 303-777-1111/canyoncasino.com

Fitzgeralds - 24/7 Fri/Sat BJ, C, R, VP 585 No SD, SB on weekends free covered valet 303-582-6100 (1-800-538-LUCK)/fitzgeraldsbh.com

Gilpin - 24/7 BJ, C, R, P, VP 460 No SD free valet across the street 303-582-1133/thegilpincasino.com

Golden Gates - 24/7 BJ, P, C, VP 280 No D free valet and covered self parking 303-582-5600/thegoldengatescasino.com

Golden Gulch VP 140 No V free self/free valet 303-582-5600/thegoldengatescasino.com

Golden Mardi Gras - 24/7 BJ, C, R, VP 680 No SD,SB,D free valet and covered self parking 303-582-5600/goldenmardigras.com

Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk - 24/7 BJ, C, P, R, VP 1308 238 B,D,SD free valet and self parking 1-800-The-Isle/theisleblackhawk.com

Lady Luck - 24/7 BJ, P,C, R, VP 500 164 SD,SB free covered valet and self parking 1-888-Lady-Luck/ladyluckblackhawk.com

Lodge - 24/7 BJ, C, R, P, VP 975 50 B, D, SD, SB free valet parking 303-582-1771/thelodgecasino.com

Red Dolly VP 149 No SD free self parking 303-582-1100/reddollycasino.net

Riviera - 24/7 BJ, C, R, VP 766 No B free valet and self parking 303-582-1000/rivierablackhawk.com

Sasquatch No 70 No D No 720-880-1616

Wildcard VP 220 No D city lot 303-582-3412/thewildcardsaloon.com

Century Casino - 24/7 BJ, P, C, R, VP 520 26 SD,D free covered self parking 303-582-5050/cnty.com

Crystal Palace VP 101 No D free city lot 720-253-1669

Doc Holliday VP 178 No SD free city lot 303-582-1400/dochollidaycasino.net

Dostal Alley - 24/7 VP 64 No SD free self parking 303-582-1610/dostalalley.net

Easy Street VP 205 No SD free self parking 303-582-5914/famousbonanza.com

Famous Bonanza BJ, P, R, VP 244 No SD , D free self parking 303-582-5914/famousbonanza.com

Johnny Z’s BJ, C, R, VP 288 No SD, D free covered parking 303-582-5623/johnnyzscasino.com

Reserve Casino Hotel - 24/7 BJ, P, C, R, VP 700 118 SD free valet and self parking 1-800-924-6646/reservecasinohotel.com

The Brass Ass - 24/7 BJ, P, C, R, VP 250 No SD free covered self parking 800-635-LUCK/triplecrowncasino.com

Bronco & Buffalo Billy’s - 24/7 BJ, P, C, R, VP 750 23 SD free self parking 877-989-2142/broncobillyscasino.com

Century Casino - 24/7 BJ, R, 448 18 SD free self parking 719-689-0333/cripple-creek.cnty.com

Colorado Grande - 24/7 BJ, R, VP 211 5 SD, SB free self parking 877-244-9469/coloradogrande.com

Double Eagle & Gold Creek - 24/7 BJ, P ,C, R, VP 700+ 158 SD, SB free valet and covered self parking 800-711-7234/decasino.com

Johnny Nolon’s - 24/7 VP 255 No SD free self parking w/validation 719-689-2080/johnnynolons.com

J.P. McGill’s - 24/7 Fri/Sat VP 300 40 SD validated self parking 800-635-LUCK/triplecrowncasinos.com

Midnight Rose - 24/7 P, VP 400 19 SD, B validated self parking 800-635-LUCK/triplecrowncasinos.com

Wildwood Casino- 24/7 BJ, P, C, R, VP, TH 530 68 SD, D, B Climate controlled self parking 877-945-3963/playwildwood.com

Casino Table Slots Lodging Food Parking Contact Games

Table Games Key

BJ - Blackjack, P-Poker, C-Craps, R-Roulette, TH - Texas Holdem’, VP-Video Poker

Food Key

B-Buffet, D-Deli, SD-Sitdown, SB-Snackbar, V-Vending Machine


Easter

The story behind the Fabergé Easter egg

In 1872, rumors began of a field where vast deposits of diamonds, rubies, emer-alds, sapphires and other precious gems lay scattered around for the pickings. It was just a rumor here, a vague report there. Soon the West was ablaze with the story. Nobody new who started the rumors. The location of the treasure field was not known. It was always some remote spot far from civilization. The first location to emerge was northeastern Arizona. An agent for the Navajo Indians had found large quantities of diamonds and rubies scattered over the surface of the ground in an area about 300 miles from Santa Fe. (Writer’s note: diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires are not all in one location.)

Shortly after this location was named, a man known as Phil Arnold announced himself to be the discoverer of the diamond field. He said some Indians had shown him two large, rough diamonds three years be-fore and had guided him to the spot where

they were found. He had been accompanied be an old California miner named Captain Slack. Arnold said he and Slack had worked the diamond fields for two years and took

out $2.5 million in precious gems. He said they deposited half their find in the Bank of Cali-fornia. Arnold said the largest diamond he had found to date weighed 108 carats, for which, although uncut and unpolished, he was offered $96,000.

Arnold said the operation became too big so he formed a company with himself at the head with some of the wealthiest men in the country. When these men had satisfied themselves to

the genuineness of the diamonds, $2.5 mil-lion in stock had been issued and quickly sold. Arnold was reluctant to pinpoint the diamond field, but the Laramie City Sen-tinel editor indicated that remarks made in the interview led him to believe that the rich field was on Flax Creek in the San Luis Valley (in Colorado or New Mexico). The

story published in the Sentinel was picked up in newspapers throughout the country, creating a flash of excitement equal to, if not surpassing, that of the California gold discovery and the Colorado Gold Rush in 1859. Diamond stocks couldn’t be printed fast enough to keep up with the demand.

Along with the daily stories of new finds there were a few stories charging Arnold and Slack with fraud. William N. Byers, edi-tor of the Rocky Mountain News, went so far as to claim the excitement was a result of nothing more than a carefully planned and skillfully carried-out swindle. Other stones were produced and were likewise pronounced real. Some went on display in Denver. But for the remainder of 1872, no-body got any closer to the fields. In fact, the location began to change. It shifted from Arizona to the San Luis Valley of Colorado, then to New Mexico and back to Colorado. Ex-Gov. Gilpin delivered a lecture tracing the deposits to the San Juan mountains.

About the time the New York-San Fran-cisco company was preparing another stock issue of $12 million, a report appeared by eminent geologist, Clarence King. He said he examined some of the gems and he doubted their value and he questioned the whole setup. King was taken to the gem

fields by a friend of Arnold and Slack. King was convinced what gems that were in the fields had been planted and he was lead over the right trail so he would find them.

The diamond world came tumbling down with King’s return to San Francisco. The corporation manipulators tried to sup-press the report as long as possible so they could unload much of their investment as possible. But the real clincher came in the case with published reports from London, which said two men had made several pur-chases from various London jewelers. The purchases consisted of many rough, uncut, sometimes impure, and scrap stones. The men also bought a few good stones, too. The bursting of the bubble caused millions of dollars to be lost. Some of the manipulators committed suicide and others were ruined.

The original perpetrators, Arnold and Slack, were almost forgotten. Since they planned everything so well, it only shows they planned this, too. It was estimated they cleared over a half million dollars on the deal. It seems that Arnold and Slack silently stole away. Arnold ended up in his home in Elizabethtown, Ky., shortly before his death in 1879. Nobody ever heard of Slack again.

(Story condensed from Treasure Tales of the Rockies by Perry Eberhart.)

By Ray LundinGemologist

By Rosemary FetterT he ubiquitous egg has been a traditional harbinger of spring from earliest times. As far back as the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Persians, scholars be-

lieved that the world began with an enormous egg – not that far from the truth.

In medieval Europe, eggs decorated New Year trees and Maypoles. The afflu-ent would exchange eggs covered with gilt or gold leaf, while peasants colored their eggs by boiling them with flow-ers, leaves or even insects. Household records of King Edward I of England (1239-1307) record a payment of eigh-teen pence for 450 eggs to be gold-leafed and colored for Easter gifts.

Some believed the yolk of an egg laid on Good Friday would turn to diamond after 100 years, although exactly how an egg could be kept intact for a century with-out a freezer remains uncertain. Good Friday eggs cooked on Easter Sunday were said to pro-mote the fertility of the trees and crops and protect against sudden deaths. Two yolks in an Easter egg meant an omen of prosperity.

In the late 19th century, Russian goldsmith Peter Carl Fa-bergé created the world’s most valuable Easter eggs for Czar Alexander III and his son, Nicholas II, to give to their wives at Easter. Working with a team of nearly 500 designers,

goldsmiths, jewelers and carvers, he created some of Europe’s greatest treasures from precious metals,

enamels and jewels.Fabergé was born in Saint Petersburg,

Russia, the son of a Baltic German jeweler and his Danish wife. Following his father’s trade, in 1864, he embarked a Grand Tour of Europe, studying his craft in mu-seums around the world. Twelve years later he returned to St. Petersburg, mar-ried and studied under Hiskias Pend, his father’s key artisan. In 1882, he took over the company, developing a team of artist-jewelers who created exquisite works. The first Fabergé egg, crafted for

Tsar Alexander III, was a gift to his wife, the Empress Maria Fedorovna, at Easter in

1885. Known as the Hen Egg, it is crafted from gold with an opaque white enameled “shell” that

opens to reveal a matte yellow gold yolk. Inside, the gold beak contained a small ruby pendant suspended

from a minute diamond replica of the Imperial Crown. That year, the Tsar gave the House of Fabergé the title; ‘Gold-

smith by special appointment to the Imperial Crown.’One of the most impressive eggs celebrated the coro-

nation of Nicholas II in 1897. The motif for the five-inch masterpiece, inspired by the coronation robes, was stitched from gold cloth embroidered with a double-headed eagle. The egg opens to reveal a replica of the czarina’s coronation coach, modeled in enamel with gold mounts with a minia-ture rose diamond version of the imperial crown.

Fabergé’s clientele included the hierarchy of Europe, Asia and America from 1870 until shortly after the Russian Revolution. In 1918 the Bolsheviks nationalized. The House of Fabergé and confiscated their stock. He and most of his family fled to Germany and eventually Switzerland, where he died two years later. His work remains as a glorious trib-ute to both his craft and the Easter celebration.

This elegant example of

Fabergé’s work was made of enamel, gold and precious

jewels.

AT LEFT: The Empress

Alexandra, for whom many

Fabergé eggs were created.

The 1872 Diamond Field FraudGemstones & Minerals


estled in a unique spot where wind patterns are un-

like anywhere else in the state,

an almost freak of nature

are Colorado’s Great Sand

Dunes. Today the area is known as the Great Sand Dunes National Monu-ment, designated by an Act of Con-gress on March 17, 1932. Then on Sept. 13, 2000, President Bill Clinton signed the “Great Sand Dunes Na-tional Park and Preserve Act,” which gave the area a second distinction, that of National Park status.

The sand dunes truly are “great,” as they are the tallest sand dunes in North America, rising to an incredible 750 feet at times, as they are constant-ly changing. According to research-ers who know these things, the sand began forming dunes 440,000 years ago. The sand and soil deposits, con-taining rich amounts of magnetite, or black oxide, from the flowing Rio Grande River stayed in the San Luis Valley. Over the subsequent thou-sands of years, the westward blowing winds picked up these sand deposits particles, blowing them farther west where they bounced back against the mighty Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains.

With this continuous force of na-ture, the sand began to build. Then another force

of nature occurs, one more rea-son why the sand dunes con-stantly change. Several small streams, created from the waters of the Rio Grande River, flow through and around the perimeter of the dunes. These streams, over time, erode the outer edges of the dunes, carrying the sand downstream. Mean-while, a few of these water

tributaries sink into the sand. Even so, at the peak of the dunes, if one digs down just a few inches, wet sand is evident.

As the winds change periodically blowing from the west, coming from the southwest, the huge deposits of sand are picked up again, blowing them again into the mountain range, where they bounce back on top of the sand from a different direction. As nature would have it, sometimes the blowing sand joins the main dune field, which covers 30 square miles, and at other times the sand settles at the floor, where it eventually is cov-ered with grass and vegetation, cre-ating a source of food for the diverse wildlife. The winds change during the summer months, causing a reverse in the shape of the sand dunes. Thus, the wind changes the shape of the dunes daily.

Because of the winds

and the upper air disturbance, precip-itation is quite low on the sand dunes, averaging around 11 inches of rainfall per year. While it does snow on the sand dunes, the snowfall is typically very light and soon dissipates with the high Colorado sunshine. Yet the high evaporation rate on these sand dunes qualifies the area as desert land. Temperatures play a part, as well. Al-though summer temperatures are not typical of normal high desert areas of the West, the average temperatures at the dunes are 95 degrees Fahr-enheit during the summer months, which are very high in this area of the Rocky Mountain region. Conversely, extreme low temperatures during the winter months, while not unusual in the Colorado mountains, nightly temperatures at the dunes often drop well below zero. This large variation between high and low temperatures also contribute as a qualifier for the high desert status.

All of these varied forces in nature created a lack of abundant water in the area. The intermittent Medano Creek, which many who live in the area call the “Mysterious Medano Creek,” as it appears at springtime during some years and then disappears, and some years it never appears at all. When it does appear, the creek flows along the eastern edge of the sand dunes,

not far from the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. When na-ture’s precipitation is high enough and the snow runoff from the Sangre de Cristo mountain range is enough to drain into the creek bed, Medano Creek appears and flows.

Another reason given for the “oc-casional” appearances of the creek’s water flow is that as the winds blow, fresh sand continually falls into the creek bed. Small underwater sand dunes are then formed that create mini-dams continually forming and then breaking down, thus the waters of Medano Creek are unable to find a secure and stable streamed. When the creek does flow, especially dur-ing high mountain runoff seasons, mini-waves are created at intervals of a few minutes as the water flows downstream.

Unfortunately for this writer who visited the Great Sand Dunes Nation-al Monument three years in a row, in 2010, 2011 and 2012, each time dur-ing the summer, the Medano Creek was not present on any of these trips. Rather than mysterious, or even phe-nomenal, the tour guides said it was due to the severe drought conditions in the West.

In any case, the lack of water was a particular motivation for turning the Great Sands Monument into a National Park, as this would allow for added protection of the limited water supply to the area. With the help

of the National Nature Conservancy, the federal government was able to purchase the 97,000 acres of the his-toric Baca Ranch, which nearly tripled the size of the national park. More im-portantly, the land purchase, located on the north and west sides of the na-tional park area, included the 14,165 foot Kit Carson Mountain and the 14,080 foot Challenger Point, which are the source of the water drainages in the southern portion of the San Luis Valley.

The park site is located 35 miles northeast of Alamosa, on Colorado Highway 150. The visitor’s center is a great place to begin your experience here. From the walking trial one can begin to venture out into the desert sand and even climb the dunes. The surface temperature of the sand can reach 140°F in the summer months. The hike to the top of the dunes and back will take approximately 90 min-utes. The view from the top is spec-tacular, but be forewarned, it can be strenuous as the altitude 8,200 feet above sea level.

The Great Sand Dunes National Monument with the 750 feet tall dunes piled against the edge of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains is quite a startling sight. It is a testament to the pure force of Mother Nature.

Trail’s End

The barren sand in the foreground is often filled with water from Mysterious

Medano Creek.

The dunes pile against the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Photos by Linda Wommack


Horoscope

Contact Mary Nightstar at [email protected] and type “horoscope” in the subject line.

TAURUS - (April 21 - May 21)A project or event may be occupying much of your time as a dead-line is quickly approaching. An important decision becomes impor-tant to your future. Your resume needs updating and could open new realms for you. It’s a time of unexpected surprises for you or a close friend. Lucky Numbers: 5, 14, 35, 43, 60, 69

GEMINI - (May 22 - June 21)Brace yourself, your career may bring a huge surprise and you need to be ready for some exciting news. Something may seem so strange; it will be hard to believe. Don’t provoke angry responses by ill-considered words or premature actions. Think before action and use of words. Lucky Numbers: 4, 16, 34, 47, 58, 71

CANCER - (June 22 - July 22)Even if there’s stress at work and things may seem unfavorable, you have reason to be optimistic. Prepare yourself during the coming weeks to overcome any roadblock. Be determined to succeed and overcome distractions that hold you back. Participation is your cur-rent keyword. Just smile! Lucky Numbers: 2, 24, 31, 38, 59, 73

LEO - (July 23 - Aug 22)Stay aware this week when it comes to your finances and punctual-ity. Events may change rapidly from one extreme to another. You may want to put off major purchases until July, when things are more favorable for you. If you remain frugal, this is a great time to travel. Lucky Numbers: 8, 20, 25, 41, 51, 72

VIRGO - (Aug. 23 - Sept. 23)You may experience some frustration trying to improve a relation-ship. Subtle compliments and being thoughtful will dramatically improve things. Both of you have strong opinions so tread lightly and demonstrate respect. You’ll be able to handle anything coming your way this week. Lucky Numbers: 11, 23, 27, 46, 55, 76

LIBRA - (Sept. 24 - Oct. 23)Your work routine and money issues will ebb and flow and make things seem erratic. Work will be busy, filled with paperwork or a lack of communications will make your head feel like its spinning. You’ll stay in control if you get your proper rest. You’re spending too much. Finish an overdue project. Lucky Numbers: 10, 17, 36, 45, 54, 70

SCORPIO - (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)A busy career schedule along with erratic emotions and living con-ditions may make you avoid feelings of romance or feeling haven’t the time to do anything. Plan an evening out to meet new people or unusual experiences. Some “me” time will recharge your body and lift your mind and spirit. Lucky Numbers: 3, 25, 32, 42, 61, 68

SAGITTARIUS - (Nov. 23 - Dec. 21)Your personal life needs a little attention, and you may resolve an issue that began in February or the first of the year. Get some rest and check for safety issues around the house like smoke alarms, water leaks, slow drains or even gas leaks. Stay safe; be flexible and ready for change. Lucky Numbers: 6, 22, 29, 39, 57, 79

CAPRICORN - (Dec. 22 - Jan. 20)Don’t let anyone interfere with what you’re doing. There may be some hidden sabotage going on and you can’t afford delays or set-backs. You may have to deal with children, child like behavior or simple crazy acting out. Expect a payoff near the end of the week and decline craving the spotlight. Lucky Numbers: 1, 21, 28, 44, 50, 66

AQUARIUS - (Jan. 21 - Feb. 19)You’ll have a sense there are more important things happening than what people are letting on. A small investment or purchase will return your efforts more than you thought. Expect a raise in your position or help from a superior. A few early mornings will help you finish up a project. Lucky Numbers: 3, 13, 30, 40, 49, 63

PISCES (Feb 20 - March 20)Get your rest because others may try to entangle you into really un-important issues. Don’t believe everything you hear. An innocent relationship may enter into a greater depth than expected. A crisis will easily be solved or avoided by making an astute assessment.Lucky Numbers: 12, 17, 26, 37, 53, 67

ARIES - (March 21 - April 20)You have a lovely romantic surprise in store for you this month. You’re about to show someone how irresistible you really are. Use this time to be out-and-about. If you’re already committed to a re-lationship, your partner has something wonderful in store for you. The planets favor you. Lucky Numbers: 7, 19, 33, 48, 52, 64

William won $1,338 playing a Penny Train 1-cent machine at Century Casino.

April won $4,412 playing a 1-cent Rock Around the Clock machine at Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk.

Duane, left, won a Honda Fit at Bullwhackers Casino. Steve Cassidy from KOOL 105 presents the winnings.

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Trading Post


The Last Hand

game in progress and the guys headed for the slot machines. This was a tougher game, it seemed the dealer had nothing but face cards; it was a struggle to hang onto my chips.

I asked the pit boss about lunch in the up-stairs restaurant and he related how good the food was and followed that up with a $20 com-plimentary coupon. I picked up what few chips I had, watched Greg win $16 on a penny slot machine where he cleverly played different lines where the more lines that are played, the more one could bet, win or lose, the machine was good and the pennies mounted up to dol-lars won.

Upstairs we went to the dining area where we were greeted and waited upon by Alex who knew Steve and did an awesome job of serv-ing us a mushroom hamburger, a Phlly cheese steak and a burrito smothered with green chili. While dining, Bridget, the restaurant manager, came to our table to say “hello” and to greet us; both Alex and Bridget are the kind of staff that brings customers back again and again. Cus-tomer satisfaction is big deal for gamblers and where they spend their money. The meal was great, service superb and we walked out of the restaurant well satisfied and wanting to return;

try those burritos, really good. It was about 3 p.m., we had gambled and

won a few bucks, we had dined well, and it was time to come back down the mountain before the ski traffic hit I-70. As we headed out of town there was a steady stream of cars coming up highway 119 into Black Hawk for a three day weekend and Saturday night.

Big news of the day was Johnny Z’s pur-chasing Bullwhackers, The Heartland Poker Tournament at the Golden Gates Casino and the World Series of Poker coming to the Lodge March 14-25.

We had a pleasant day, a promise kept, some stories told, and time spent with two friends.

Steve will be playing or attending the pok-er tournaments and “Old Smoothie” will be watching the players.

“I can tell how good they are in about 30 seconds,” he said.

I’ll bet on Steve.

Continued from Page 2

1C-7004

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3-19-13 Colorado Gambler