Las Vegas Expo Questions

If your that uncomfortable get a taping machine ( used in tennis courts )

I dont put the gun to the rear unless the curve is lke a tight radius, ive dont countless roads just leaving the gun up front and torqueing the striper thru the curve.

Check out the room + flight deals on Travelocity, Expedia, etc. They sometimes have some really great combo deals. The last time we were there we stayed at the Sahara. It's an older hotel but well kept and clean. The buffet is cheap and the food is decent. The monorail stops at the hotel and is a short trip to the convention center.

OK, Now that my reservations are done...not the best "fancy" (but started "the strip" ---first mega-casino) Circus Circus is older but decent. (Who stays in their room anyway?) I'm at $31.95 but you got to call & talk nice, $70 if I want to stay Fri. (all Vegas hotels go way up Fri.-Sat.) It is one block from the CC however if you are not familiar with Vegas that is like 6-8 blocks in any other city (over 1/4 mi.) but then that's only a bit farther than the Hilton "right next door", the only thing in between Circus and the CC is the Rivera but it's your call..shorter walk but higher prices. Those 2 hotels are virtually same age-quality. Could have got the Bellagio for $175 for Wed-Thurs if I wanted high end (creative shopping-- $300+ room) but Fri. would have been around $250. All the older hotels are less, Sahara, Tropicana, Rivera, etc. but Circus Circus is just HUGE so they have thousands rooms = lower rates and they have 3 towers, different prices depending on which tower-how close to the casinos, but they are all connected... (even cheaper rates if you want a block farther away by staying in the "Manor" which is like the Circus Circus "Motel" across the street, not attached to the main hotel-casinos, etc.). If you want to save the money on rooms & rent a car & tour there are lots of "motels" that are cheap (no entertainment etc. just motels) then there are the new "resorts" which are the newest "trend" in monsters but further away & off the strip, and winter time they aren't having their huge hot bikini - wanna-be stars invited - super pool parties, so can't see spending the $$ for me. (and do be aware I noticed they now have one of the "resorts" that mentions it caters to the the "alternative lifestyle" to be politically correct - couples/seekers i.e. boy-boy/girl-girl, girl who is really boy, you get the idea) Vegas is built on having something for taking everyone's money so you can get deals on whatever you want; like I found that killer "deal" if I was "Bellagio" type (Wynn's will not have any discounts, forget it, it's the newest) but everybody else will have packages or something you just have to look for what suits you, depends of it you want the newer ones & whatever type excess you want (Venice canals, Bellagio fountains, Eiffel Tower, Roller Coasters in & out of the hotel or on the roof...which shows you might want to see ...who is playing where...how much money you are prepared to spend/lose). Me I'm there more for the Expo so I go for the cheaper hotel and if I decide to "play" older casinos have lower limits. And it's Vegas so last year I talked to some guys who were having a great time, they stayed on Fremont Street because taken as one that's like a "mega" casino but they could wander "older Vegas", lots to do and it's (like the "off-strip casinos" is more for serious gamblers-not necessarily "high rollers" and they liked gambling) and they rented a car with the hotel money they saved so.... It is "Vegas baby" so whatever "floats your boat" and fits your budget and how much walking you feel like doing, but combined with the monorail & trolley that can be minimized to some extent. But as I said in another post you can do a ton of "shopping" on-line and every place has deals if they don't have some big event going on. Also it depends on what "makes it" for you. The "name" strip hotels have the big entertainers/shows etc. (but the prices go with it) and hotels like Circus Circus don't have "room service" except a few hours (but who stays in the room in Vegas?) and room service is super-high in Vegas because they want you down where the gambling is, not in your room. Some places have combo air fair/room packages depending on where you are at and what airline, others like D/FW are having "air fair wars" so that's not a concern. How much "Vegas" fun you have will depend on what you want to do, what you want to spend, etc. PS: The mfg.'s don't do the hospitality things like in Nashville (East shows) because the expenses are so unbelievable for those type things in Vegas, they couldn't rent a plain ballroom in Vegas for what they blew on the entire top-floor of the Wild Horse in Nashville. Vegas really caters to the big $$ things like that so there is no reasonable way for them to throw the "parties" compared to what they can do at the main NPE.

PS: I am arriving Wednesday, anybody that wants to get together for dinner or "socializing" on Wed. evening drop me a private message (I got my days wrong in my earlier post)

I'm staying at the Sahara, 2 stops north of the convention center, will be in town for 9 days, misses will follow the following Tuesday, my avg. price was 36 bucks per day with the weekend included. I have put thousands of mattress's into most of the resorts or hotels for 20 years, traveling via Southwest Air, tried to get prices for RV parks so I could drive, but it's all backwards in that city, Circus Circus RV wanted 48 dollars per day for the RV, when I could rent a room inside for 36 bucks. As Ace Striper might have mentioned, do we pre register for any of the seminars Oh, I will arrive Wednesday night.

You may have a day or two left to pre-register (maybe just today) but pre-registering saves you at least $5 per seminar sometimes more.

I just registered for the workshops and seminars online. It says that you have until Nov 20th to pre-register before the prices go up. I'm finished with everything now, the flight, the hotel ( MGM Grand) and now the seminars. I'm ready to roll for my first National Pavement Expo. I hope I'm not disappointed with the expo. But as I stated earlier in this thread, we'll be celebrating our 22nd wedding anniversary and it'll be our first trip to Vegas so we should have a good time. Question for you Expo veterans!! Should I rent a car for the four days or just monorail it? We do plan on seeing the Hoover Dam and some other things so we will need a car for at least one of the days. I just wasn't sure if it's necessary to rent a car for the entire stay. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks and I look forward to meeting all of you in person, ACE

Used to paint curves with the gun in the normal position. That was just the way I learned to do it. Thanks to people on this board sharing their tips, I have found it so much easier to move the gun to the rear wheel. I suggest making some marks along your intended curve, paint your curves first, then connect any points with your straight lines. If you're really worried, turn the pressure down and shoot water through your machine to practice and get the feel of it. Hope this helps

I don't know, you can check car rates...but the hotels & everything charge for parking usually and Las Vegas traffic is insane. Also look at some of the Las Vegas sites, unless you just want to go on your own they have all kinds of tours to Hoover Dam, Lake Mead & such. From mild to wild depending on what's included with the tours.

Some think it was my idea. NOT! Robert showed me the trick when he was a Speeflo user in the early 90's.....back when Graco was better known for baby buggies before they started dominating the market. I've since been a strong proponent of the method. Not sure if Robert thought it up or not. Fess up Robert! Where'd you get the idea?

Saw one of the travel channel shows last night & here's a tip or two for you folks that want the "Vegas" experience. Most of the major shows use an automated ticketing thing now that's all integrated that gives the best seats available at the time of reservations. So if you book a show reservation now you will be more likely to get better seats in the chosen price range. Book when you get there and you will either have lousy seats or it may be sold out. Worst nights are Friday & Saturday. The same is true for the "gourmet" restaurants. If you're planning on one of those high-dollar "5-Star" dining experiences they take reservations well in advance 24/7 but are usually booked solid about 10 days in advance every day. Also I never recommend taxis but if you take one from the airport watch if they try to take the "tunnel" exit. It seems faster but runs up the fares and a lot of Taxi companies will try it, tell them to use Paradise instead. DO NOT jaywalk in Vegas. If you are busted fines START at $150 and can hit $300 . (They have an amazing number of pedestrians killed every year). Just a few tips I didn't know even though I have been there so many times (you won't see me jaywalking again). And another new law is their open containers in vehicles. You can still walk down a sidewalk sipping an open container of alcohol but now open alcohol is illegal in any vehicles EVEN limos, taxis, etc. And if you didn't know you can't "hail" a cab in Vegas from the street, they could lose their license. They must be off street so either get picked up at a designated taxi stand or catch an empty pulling into a private parking lot as soon as he is completely off the "street" to flag him down. The official site "Vegas.com" is a good place to start for seeing what entertainers will be in town & has links to all the different hotels/restaurants/attractions/tours/reservation places/etc. & you can compare the "bargain" buffets, the gourmet places, etc. Not all are listed but hey...it's the Internet so the links will get you there (and they have a monorail map if you need one) Also if you are at any Caesar's property they now have express check in right at the airport. Others like my old Circus Circus you have to call 1 hour in advance, but if you call from the airport it takes almost an hour to get there anyway and most hotel check in's (especially CC you could wait a LONG time in line if you don't use express check in) Sandman (and some of you others) drop me a PM or an e-mail if you might be interested in dinner or something Wed. night. Usually the CC has a 2 for 1 prime rib or $10 prime rib special on Wed & Thurs that's hard to beat. (At least they have had the last few years). And when I get there I have to find someone who remembers the name of the steak house I ate at in one of the older hotels 2 years ago. It's where all the locals go but is never crowded because it isn't "trendy". Yes you will drop $50 for a steak dinner BUT the quality was amazing and it's the only place I have ever been where all the vegetables etc. were brought on separate plates... I didn't understand why until the steak arrived and was hanging off the sides of the dinner sized plate...was GREAT quality and excellent service, the only steak I have ever ordered that was too big for me much better than Mortons or such and about the same price range. (last year I tried one of the "top rated" ones because a friend/client took me there, while I really appreciated him doing it I was glad it wasn't my money. The prices were higher but it wasn't near the quality of the one I can't recall the name of)

Not that I spend alot of time reading them. But I think I've seen it demonstrated in one of the graco manuals or brochures. I can't remember when or where I figured it out.

Thanks for the input guys! And Don if and when you recall the name of that steak restaurant, pleeease let me know. Sounds like somewhere I would like to visit. Thanks again, ACE

I am going to come over for the Expo in late January - any suggestions for good clean Hotel accomodation close to the Nashville Convention Centre - (walking distance) - I have never been to Nashville. Thank You

Go to the National Pavement Expo web site. They have a lot of info there. There are 3 hotels right by the place. (According to their map)

Go to the Nashville website and search...that's why Nashville is my favorite NPE destination of all (among others) there are about 8-10 hotels within 3-4 blocks (remember downtown Nashville is meant for tourists) so from the Days Inn to Sheraton to Hilton etc. just whatever fits your budget. Last time I did (I think Days Inn) for the cheap rates but it was a bit farther, however one of the on-line sites had deals only slightly higher at the nice hotel in the restored train station about a block away from the CC, I was wishing I had taken that deal when I got there, it was higher but REAL cheap for a 4 or 5 star type hotel. Have stayed at the DoubleTree (I think that's the name) and it's nice & includes breakfast but is about 4 blocks, more than those others, less than Sheraton or Hilton. Anyhow Nashville is definitely a place to hotel-shop for rates/packages/deals who knows who will be offering what this time? Just be careful because several "chain" hotels have "airport" Opryland" and downtown versions (far away) & you need downtown/convention center area. If you are driving or doing a rent car there are LOTS of even less expensive hotels within a mile or 3 of the convention center, just not walking-distance. Also about walking. Do note: you have probably noticed stories here with references to beverages & Nashville. Nashville is a "party" town. But if that's your thing or you have a "bad knee" or something... NOTHING in downtown Nashville is flat except the floor in the convention center (and even it has multiple levels so one one end of the block's attached hotel ground floor is really one story higher than the other end street exit ) So walking downtown can be a challenge. I am not exaggerating, EVERY direction you go is steeply uphill or downhill depending on whether you are coming or going. So like I won't stay at the Double Tree anymore not because the hotel's not ok, it's just to dang far for us older farts to walk on those hills...then if you go a couple of blocks the other way from the convention center to the party strip down by Ernest Tubb's record shop after the NPE you'll be leaving happy... but facing a 6-8 block steep, uphill walk. Just shop around, of all the NPE cities Nashville is the best for shopping hotels, and one town where you can ALWAYS do better than the "show site" NPE rates, especially if you book now (not at the hotel attached to the convention center, but even at the others where they say they have "special rates", guys at Double Tree were mad that year because I was paying $12 a night less than their NPE rate & they didn't get free breakfast). PS: If it hasn't moved and anybody wants AUTHENTIC sushi & Chinese there is a little hole in the wall (literally) sushi place in an alley about a block from the CC you'll probably never notice... that is really good and not expensive (but is crowded by locals on the week-end). Shame I have to go a day earlier this year to just fill out all the paperwork stuff for the Nashville police and FBI to get the restraining order stuff to keep this nut-job who has threatened my family & me personally in Nashville out of the convention center, whatever hotel I stay at; 500' of me on the sidewalks etc. Then the guy was probably just blowing smoke & won't show anyhow... but you never know with all the nut-cases these days. (I can get a carry permit there but you can't "carry" in any place that serves alcohol and EVERY place in Nashville serves alcohol so that might be pointless)