Travelers parked their cars in a lot west of Salt Lake City's Red Lion Hotel next to a Maverik gas station on a Monday morning and prepared to board a brightly colored 54-seat bus to spend the day at Wendover, Nev., casinos.

Ready to pay $15 for the round trip that included a $12.95 lunch buffet and $5 in cash to put in the slot machines or use on the tables, Tribune photographer Scott Sommerdorf and I boarded the sold-out bus to document the timeline of a popular activity for hundreds of Wasatch Front residents.

9:25 a.m.

Anita and Gordon Williams of Riverdale, who take the bus about once a month, are convinced they're going to hit it big today. Aren't we all? We pick up a passenger in Lake Point who had made a reservation.

10:35 a.m.

As the bingo game continues, Sonja dresses up in an Elvis outfit and sings "Blue Suede Shoes."

8:55 a.m.

My wife, Nancy, and I hustle to the bus and grab seats near the front, which is nearly full after stops in Weber and Davis counties. Another group arrives via van from the south and west portions of Salt Lake County. Hostess Sonja Labrum of Le Bus and her husband, Lee, the driver, tell people without reservations there are no empty seats. (The Labrums met on the bus.)

9 a.m.

As the bus prepares to leave, Sonja tells us we're going to have a good time, "especially with me as your hostess. I'm crazy." There's no smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages on the bus, she tells us - and we're going to play bingo. (I later learned that booze is allowed if a private group charters the bus.)

9:16 a.m.

The bus passes Saltair and the Kennecott smokestack; the first mileage sign to Wendover appears: We're 102 miles away.

9:49 a.m.

Sonja passes out drinks, putting three large liter bottles of soda pop in the front of her apron while making semi-ribald jokes for us to be careful with her "jugs." The captive audience chuckles.

9:55 a.m.

A Lewis Stages bus passes us. Sonja says the biggest jackpot she has heard about on a bus trip was $35,000. Another bus patron won a car and drove it back.

10:06 a.m.

Sonja passes out bingo cards. Moments later, she uses red and white pompoms to lead a cheer. We give her a B, give her an I and so on. She says the first person to get Bingo on the B and the O lines must shout "I have B.O." to win a prize, which turns out to be a bar of Ivory soap, a scrubby and a $1 bill.

10:25 a.m.

We sing happy birthday to Ella Folsom of Ogden. The bus approaches Karl Momen's "Tree of Utah," a piece of artwork I once hated and now tolerate because it means we are close to the beautiful Bonneville Salt Flats. Sonja says the sculpture cost $1 million, is 87 feet tall and buried 87 feet into the ground. One side is flat to represent the ground and the other side is round to represent the sun. The yellow and blue balls represent the Swedish flag; Momen is from Sweden.

10:45 a.m.

Sonja says there is a machine in each of the casinos that is guaranteed to pay out . . . an ATM machine.

10:50 a.m.

One hour and 50 minutes after leaving downtown Salt Lake City, the bus drops off the first group at the Montego Bay.

11 a.m.

The Rainbow Casino is the last stop. I chat briefly with Lee and Sonja. Lee says travelers should make reservations because Wendover fun buses often sell out, especially on weekends, when the cost of a trip goes up by $3.

1:30 p.m.

After 2 1/2 hours of gambling with mixed results, Sommerdorf and I meet at the buffet, which features a Mongolian barbecue, salad bar, ham, turkey and prime rib, Mexican, Italian and American favorites, shrimp and a number of desserts.

4:30 p.m.

A woman bus passenger refuses to give her name. She doesn't want her kids to know she takes the bus to Wendover. "They don't think I have any fun, but I do. When I pay all my bills and have a little left, I come out here."

4:50 p.m.

We board the bus for the return home. I tell Colleen Horrocks I broke even, which she says is a win in her book. She takes the Wendover bus once a week as a way to get out of the house but thinks the economy is so bad the casinos have tightened up the slots.

5:07 p.m.

Sonja asks the passengers to raise their hands if they won. Twelve won; 40 lost. The ride back is quiet, with many opting for a nap.

5:15 p.m.

We enter Utah. The light on the Salt Flats is beautiful.

5:50 p.m.

An armored car passes us. Many passengers chuckle. It's probably hauling the money we just lost.

Pam Iwamoto finishes the first of the potholders she has crocheted on the trip.

6:25 p.m.

A billboard reads "Fixmycredit.com," perhaps to help those who borrowed a little too much to gamble.

6:31 p.m.

A hand-lettered sign on a fence near Stansbury Park reads "Jesus Saves."

6:46 p.m.

The Wasatch Mountains come into view, reminding me just how beautiful the Salt Lake Valley is.

7 p.m.

As the bus reaches the Red Lion parking lot, passengers applaud Lee and Sonja. Our bus trip to Wendover is over.

Tom Wharton writes about travel and the outdoors. E-mail him at wharton@sltrib.com. His phone number is 801-257-8909. Send comments about this story to livingeditor@sltrib.com.