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Show Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 SpecialFeatures Page 5 Winner Winner Seafood Dinner Sizing up at 65 feet long and a few feet higher than a 18-wheeler, Le Fun Bus offers its riders an opportunity to take an evening off and roll down to Wendover, Nev. With daily trips leaving from as far north as Ogden, this alternative form of transportation has served many groups of people giving them what Jodi “JoJo” Gallion, Le Bus hostess, calls “a mini getaway.” JoJo has worked for Le Bus for two years. She said the work is “an enjoyable experience.” She loves the interaction with the different people who decided to make the trip. “It’s an interesting lifestyle and people want to get away. Even during the recession, the buses continued to be fully booked,” JoJo said. JoJo makes one trip every week serving Le Bus customers. This is a night-shift job that she picks up after her regularly scheduled job. “I am proud to help make this trip possible for my passengers,” JoJo said. According to the Le Bus Web site, round-trip tickets from any of 12 locations cost $15. The fee includes transportation, a game of Bingo, a $5 cash-back coupon, a complementary cocktail and a full dinner buffet at the Montego Bay, Rainbow or Peppermill casino. Passengers can also take the advantage of attending shows at the Peppermill Concert Hall. Recent shows include Frank Caliendo, Alice Cooper and Cheech and Chong. Mario Nevarez, company bus driver from Salt Lake City, said he enjoys the smooth ride from the new 81-passenger double-decker bus. With more than 10 years of experience, he believes that the bus is a safe way to travel to the casinos and have fun for the night. A few students from USU were on board on this particular trip. Lee Olsen, junior in English, made a trip down to Wendover for his birthday. “A few of us decided to come down here and celebrate my birthday. It is not as far as (Las) Vegas and it’s cheap enough because you don’t have to pay for the hotel rooms,” Olsen said. Another student, Nathan Haslam, senior in interdisciplinary studies, said this was his first experience on the Le Fun Bus. “It’s an opportunity for me to go have fun for the weekend with my friends and also meet a few random people,” Haslam said. The trip from Ogden to Wendover takes about two hours and 15 minutes. Buses leaving from Salt Lake City takes about one hour and 40 minutes. Refreshments were served during the bus ride and a friendly game of Bingo awards winners with a large candy bar and a dollar bill. “I can’t believe I am already making money on my birthday,” Lee said after winning a game. After the bus arrived in Wendover, passengers disembarked and went inside one of many casinos. Some went straight to the slot machines, others, like the group called “The Sexy Mommas,” went and enjoy the Friday seafood night at Montego Bay. A group from Layton of two grandmothers and three mothers said they came to Wendover to get away from the kids for the weekend. They said the buffet has a good variety of steak and seafood, ranging from crab legs to prime ribs. Those who prefer to gamble can enjoy the various slot machines, blackjack, poker and craps tables. Free drinks are complimentary. Le Bus picks up its passengers at 2 in the morning at the last stop in Wendover. During the trip back a few people shared their wins and losses stories while Mario and JoJo continued to serve their customers. After the trip Haslam said, “Le Bus is a great way to spend a Friday night. Even if you don’t like to gamble, it’s at least a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be amongst the people who do.” photos and story by PETE P SMITHSUTH |