Bodog Beat

Team Bodog WSOP VIP Day 3 saw the players do a heli-tour of the Grand Canyon. (Bodog Beat Image)

Last Sunday saw Bodog WSOP online qualifiers who selected the option VIP Day Three: the Grand Canyon Heli-Tour, take the ride of their lives.

It all started with players getting picked up from the Rio in limousines and being driven out to a private airport next to McCarran Airport. From there they were split into groups and assigned choppers.

WSOP qaulifiers Ken Meier and Adam Grovenstein prepare for lift off.

The entire flight was set to pre-programmed music which was perfectly designed to accentuate the trip as it matched with the landscape below.

The 45-minute flight took the WSOP qualifiers past the Las Vegas Strip and then on over Lake Mead and finally into the Grand Canyon itself. Cruising through the canyon was an unbelievable mix of awe-inspiring beauty with a touch of adrenalized fear as we wove through the ancient crevasse.

Bodog poker pro David Williams' mother Shirley Williams and his girlfriend Stephanie McNeil make their way to the champagne lunch. Shirley is playing in the WSOP as she always does and has survived Day 1. She'll be out in the field again tomorrow.

The choppers then landed in the canyon and players were treated to lunch and champagne.

The image on the left shows the champagne-inspired Team Bodog Handler Chris Rowinski and Team Bodog WSOPE third place finisher Matt McCullough attempting to mount a cactus. The middle image is of WSOP qualifier Adam Grovenstein enjoying the view within the canyon. The image on the right is of Jean-Michele Pellande chatting and drinking champagne. Both players have advanced to Day 2. Adam will be playing tomorrow and Jean-Michele is currently just a few feet from us here on the WSOP tournament floor and it looks like he has about the same amount of chips as he did when he started the day at 24,000.

The flight back was less about a high-flying scenic tour than it was about an exciting low-flying thrill ride. What was arguably the best part of the tour was when we pulled out of the canyon and cruised low to the ground for a while before shooting out over a cliff face.

Everyone we spoke to after we got back said they loved the trip and felt it was something everyone should do at least once in their lives.

Stay tuned to the Beat for more Team Bodog updates and live coverage of the WSOP.