As opposed to all those other roads that connect PHX and Vegas?

we got pulled over once for doing 59 in a 55, gave us a warning, south of Globe (Dripping Springs) confirmed middle of no where. Cop must have been bored. First time ever to get stopped at less than 10mph over in Arizona.

Yes. Take I-17 north to flagstaff and then I-40 West.
Or (better/faster): take I-10 west to Blythe and then I-95 North.

Or just go slow.

Also, it wasn't just a speeding ticket. It was a "Get out of the car, I'm searching it with no probable cause" kind of situation. I had nothing, but still. Worth avoiding.

The Flagstaff route is considerably farther. And from November through February you risk snow closures. I never considered the Blythe route, because just teh suck going to Blythe is so bad. Never been on I-95, it goes from Florida to Maine. Whatever it's called, the road from Blythe to Vegas can't make up for the extra distance.

I've done them all. 95 is a California highway, not an interstate, single lane and not many services but it is fast.

Most take Hwy. 74 west from I-17 to Wickenburg then 93 to Kingman. Pray that you don't break down.

There is a weird stop at Burro Creek campground between Wickenburg and Wikieup. Middle of the hottest, driest, rocky desert you will ever see and all of a sudden a creek with permanent water and beaver in it! Freaking beaver! Blew me away and seems so out of place as to be artificially installed.

I've done that nifty route to Wickenburg, dependent on what part of the valley you start from and what time of day. Central residents I suggest to drive west and take the 303 around the city.

As for Cal 95, it makes no sense to me to bear south when you want to get north just so you can take a rd that isn't faster.

Does that go up to 17, or would you pick up 60 in Surprise?

We have this rule in my local casino and I think it works quite well. Who cares if you miss your UTG hand?

Basically the button always moves, and the blinds always adjust for this. So lets say the small blinds busts out and leaves and so there's no player to be the button next hand. The button moves to the player who had been the big blind, and he posts the small on the button, and this hand will be played small/big/big. Then the next hand would be small on the button again, small/small/big. Then the next hand would be normal.

This system is better because

a) the pots are bigger. Instead of playing a pot that has no small blind, you play a pot that has an extra big blind

b) nobody gets the button 2 hands in a row.

Once you get used to it it's very easy. I love it when you get random weird stuff like a hand with 3 big blinds.

Also: I liked your story. I've driven across the US a few times, and worked many poker stops in along the way. I never end up making half the stops I plan on making, but that just means they're there for another trip another year.

While all this travel talk is fascinating, what I think would be even more fascinating is if OP started a thread about his new life as a Vegas poker pro.