Book it, Dan-O!

Tenesmus · **Joined:** Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:16 am **Posts:** 391

It is now official. I will be in Vegas 11/18 -11/20. I am actually flying into Vegas on the 13th and driving a rental car to Ventura, CA for business, then driving back on the 18th for the weekend. A couple of questions:

-Just how bad is traffic heading towards LA on a Sunday? What is the best time to start driving?

-Likewise, how bad will traffic be coming back on the 18th? If I hit the road by 1 pm, will I be OK?

I am staying at TI, because they had a sale and are across the street from the V, where I plan to play the $175, 7pm tourny they are running during the DSE.

Any other advice for a solo poker nut with 48 hours to kill in Vegas??

talon1964 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:15 am

I've only driven to Cali a few times but hear quite a bit about the Sunday drive back, so the earlier the better, maybe if you could consider an early Monday morning instead you might be better off. Make sure you stop at the TI poker room and say hello, play some 1/3 NL.

RazCue · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 12:39 pm

I just moved to Vegas, from L.A. a few months ago. So I made that drive about a hundred times over the last few decades. I would avoid the I-15 towards L.A. on a Sunday at all costs. The few times that I had to do a Sunday return the road was thick with packs of traffic barely doing 50 mph. Then there are always a few maniacs bobbing and weaving through lanes at 70+. A few times this has caused a major wreck up ahead and we ended up parked or slow crawled for hour upon hour just to get 50 miles further towards La La Land. I agree with Talon, if you must do the Sunday travel, go super early or super late. If you can't make it on the road by 7am, or 8am max, wait till after 11pm to head to Cali. You'll be glad you did. Have a great trip -- Drive crazy and take chances!

Tenesmus · **Joined:** Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:16 am **Posts:** 391

Thanks for the advice, but I'm kind of stuck on the time I have to drive Sunday. My flight lands about 11am, so as soon as I can get my rental car, I'll be on the road and heading towards LA. I can't wait til late that night cause I have to check into a hotel and be fully functional Monday AM for my business trip. On the bright side, I am pretty sure I will be able to leave to come back the following Friday by 11am. I am guessing that should put me back in Vegas by about 4pm at the latest? hopefully... My only goal for Friday night is to play the 7pm $175 at the V, so I am thinking I should be OK.

Speaking of the TI poker room, do they still have the Sunday AM free roll? Is it 10 hours needed? I might try to squeeze them in on Saturday, how big is the usual free roll field?

twriter · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:23 pm

I have driven part of that trip (Vegas to Barstow & vice versa) many times and the rest (to and from LA a couple. And the answer to your questions is the same as that for many poker questions: It depends.

I have left Vegas on several Sundays between 1pm and 2pm. Traffic can be a bit heavy, especially once you cross the state line into CA and the freeway narrows to 2 lanes. It'll clog again around Barstow. But it's not always *that* bad, and if it's not an event or holiday weekend, it's likely to be better than average. I wouldn't expect a totally smooth sail, but because plenty of people want to get as much Vegas as possible and so will stay until as late as possible, the biggest jams often don't appear until later in the afternoon.

You shouldn't have too much trouble if you get out of LA by 1pm. 11am should be close to a freeroll.

Of course, even a middle-of-the-weekday cruise can get mucked up by an SUV rollover in the middle of the desert.

biggsy1969 · **Joined:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:58 pm **Posts:** 215

+1 to TWriter's post. I make this drive 3-5 times each year. I usually leave late morning or early afternoon and it's taken me 4 hours up to 8 hours. It all depends where you are when the idiot driver is when he checks his cell phone or falls asleep. It will definitely crawl as you near Barstow, but it will open up again.

Book it, Dan-O!

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