For no good reason
Border Inn Casino: More than you’d think!
Sometimes You Just Need to Get Out of Ely
That’s exactly what I did this morning.
I truly loved my stay in Ely—the quality of the people, the unexpectedly brilliant signage and plaques—it will stay with me. But the wind this morning was nearly as bad as yesterday, and with bad weather on the way, I wanted to get closer to lower elevations before snow hit the passes.
On the way, I tried to stop at Majors Place for a quick intermediate charge, but whoever runs the place must have been off at a Trump 2028 rally. I stopped, took a few photos, and moved on. I would’ve loved to see what they had to offer, but you know what they say: you can’t have dollars wait on dimes.
Too bad it was closed
One thing that makes a trip like this better is when friends show empathy—sending something relatable to remind you of home. I don’t live in Los Angeles, and I’ve never been to Rodeo Drive, but my friend Skip sent me a photo of himself with three famous actresses. I found it was both relatable and inspiring. I assume he thought I was riding through the American West, traditional land of cowboys and rodeos, and wanted to show solidarity. Hopefully, he and the actresses bought something at Louis Vuitton as a souvenir for the day. I’m thinking of picking up a souvenir of my own—from the Border Inn Casino… a video tour of the retail section of the Border Inn Casino from Alex, the Desk Manager. She also served me lunch—a burger—with a level of service I honestly didn’t expect, given her breadth of responsibilities. She wears a lot of hats and wears them well:
Later, I took a full tour of the facility on my unicycle. For young peopple viewing this, please wear a helmet and stay in school.
If you plan to visit the Border Inn Casino for the first time, these videos could be a surprisingly helpful orientation. It provides an overview of the grounds, interior, and amenities. Please do this before getting on Highway 50. Cell phone coverage can be spotty.
I did notice that Border Inn had a little bit of a crack problem, but it seems like that is a problem in even the best communities.
Just say “no” to crack!
When you’re in the middle of a “movement” like this, you don’t always realize the impact your actions might have on others. Early in the planning process, I determined that I had no good reason to do what I’m doing—but I’m doing it anyway.
My friend Skip was so inspired by that logic that he filmed himself climbing the stairs in his house while wearing a strange outfit. I realized that this small act would never have happened if I hadn’t—for no good reason at all—decided to try riding a unicycle across the United States.
So here’s my ask:
Please send me a video, photo, or testimonial of how my thought-free acts have inspired you to do something equally senseless. Remember no senseless act is too small. Please donate today. (stevemaupin61@gmail.com) I considered commissioning a singer-songwriter to write an inspiring song to create buzz for this, but why spend the money if I can get you to donate for free?
Check Instagram @successfulfailureorg for postings of people doing things for no good reason at all. You might say: “Isn’t that what Instagram is for anyway?”
Don’t ask. Just send me something to post. I’m on the road here—throw me a bone.