The Nevada Lodge

Lake Tahoe, late 50's, before the Olympics, and one of the first times the North Side was open during the Winter months. It was great, not very crowded, had the Crystal Bay Club, the Lodge, the Cal Neva when Sinatra had it, a drug store and a few other places, and that was it. We had it pretty much all to ourselves.

That clear, pine scented mountain air, the deep blue color of Lake Tahoe, I loved it.

At first, I had a room in a basement unit in a place, nice room, about 100 yards away from The Lodge where I worked. I think Fitz started me out on days. Doc Ledford, I think was the Shift Boss, many rumors about him. I have related this before, but thinking of Doc brings the story back.

Early one morning, few customers, one gal, 21 dealer was due for a break, no one to relieve her. Doc put me on the 21 table. Well, I always got nervous dealing, and my hands would sweat. Some customers came in and came to my table. I looked over at Doc, and he said, "Deal to them."

I did had a good game going, not sure how the table did, but dealt to them for a half hour or so. When they left, I took the deck, set it down, and did the normal "fan" across the table. One problem,, the cards were stuck together and the whole deck moved across the table, which everyone in the house seemed to see. Never lived that down.

Fitz always wanted me to be a 21 dealer, we tried everything. He even had me soak my hands in formaldehyde once, got it from an undertaker. It didn't work, but  I will never forget the odor.

I used to put in my eight hours at the Lodge, then cross the street to the Crystal Bay Club and spend the evening. Jack, don't recall his last name, was the bartender, got to know him well. I remember Slim, one of the owners, and some others whose names escape me. Slim was a genuine "Nevada Character," a part of Nevada history. Rumor had it that he had participated in the '39 Olympics in archery, but don't know that for sure.

Before the North side started staying open in the Winter, they say that many of the dealers lived up there, and when they would close in the Winter, they would go on unemployment. Since there was no office up there, someone would drive up from Carson City with their checks, and pass them out in the Crystal Bay Club. All these folks made a LOT of money in the Summer, had nice homes and nice cars. On "check" day, the parking lot at the Crystal would be full of nice cars, they would all meet inside, get their checks, many would endorse them, throw them on the back bar, and have a BIG party till the checks ran out. They say it was a blast.

On a number of occasions we would be in the bar at the Crystal in the morning, either from the night before, or getting an early start, and a group of us would head to someones place for breakfast. There were sometimes a few, and sometimes a crowd, We had great times. Bacon, eggs, home fries in a Cedar Log Cabin on Lake Tahoe, gets no better than that.

I still vividly remember that pristine lake, like it was in those days, a few clubs, a drug store, with soda fountain, Spanish Leather, oh such fond memories.