Summer Hiking - Galena Creek Trail

Summer is the beginning of so many wonderful things!!

 

Yes, I know summer hasn't officially started, but today it sure did feel like it!!

 

And for me, hiking is at the top of the list of some of my favorite things to do.  There are so many trails to choose from, and one of my favorites is only about 10 minutes from my front door!

 

The Galena Creek Trail.

 

 

The trail head is located at the end of Callahan Road in South Reno and is adjacent to the Galena Regional Park.  The trail is a total of 2 miles in and out.  But I like to do the extra .7 mile to the end of the trail before I turn around and head back!

 

Why?  Because it is a beautiful scenic and peaceful hike.

 

 

The snow flowers are in full bloom this time of year.

 

 

And the butterflies are enjoying these late spring days!

 

 

There is just nothing more satisfying then a beautiful hike on a beautiful day in Reno!!

 

 

Stay tuned for some longer hikes that I will be taking this summer around Reno and the Lake Tahoe area!!

 

 



Reno In The Top 10 Budget Destinations for 2015

Shermans Travel Blog recently released their Top 10 Budget Destinations of 2015 and Reno-Tahoe made the cut! The locations on the list were placed in no specific order, and Reno was chosen along with other places, such as Algarve, Portugal; Africa Safari Destinations; Kansas City, MO; Providence, RI; and Taipei, Taiwan.  And wow, I've been to all of them!!

But here is what Shermans Travel had to say about this great city where I live!

Hot Air Balloon Races in September

“Reno-Tahoe, NV: Is Reno-Tahoe America’s next hipster city? With Tesla building a $5 billion giga factory with Panasonic, and its new status as a drone testing site, the region’s certainly poised for the kind of boom Seattle enjoyed back in the ’80s. In Reno, accommodations are averaging less than $100 per night, making the city an extremely affordable base for exploring Tahoe’s world-class ski resorts (there are 16 within a 45 minutes’ drive). Even AAA 4-Diamond properties like the Peppermill — whose hot water and heating is powered by a geothermal well — often go for under $120 per night. In and around downtown, visitors have 300+ days of sunshine a year to enjoy all manners of outdoor fun, from fly fishing and rock climbing to mountain biking and paddle boarding. And don’t forget to sniff out the Frank Sinatra and Rat Pack mobster sites, the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, and $10 gold and silver mine tours in nearby Virginia City for a good dose of culture.

And this folks is why I love "Living In Reno"!!

Kicking Off Summer With A Splash

I don't know about you but for me this summer has just flown by!  I can't believe it's mid-August already!

But I guess that's what happens when you live in Reno! 

We've been hiking, biking, fishing, water skiing, floating the Truckee River, enjoying the beach at Lake Tahoe, taking short nearby day trips....and a big trip to Europe!  You can read about our trip to Europe Here

And of course having fun with all the local events!

So let's start with May and the "Reno River Festival"

For 10 years now the Reno River Festival has drawn competitors from around the World to the heart of downtown Reno at the Truckee River Whitewater Park at Wingfield for an action-packed weekend of whitewater, music, and food.

It sounded like a lot of fun so on Sunday May 12th we headed downtown to check this out for the first time.

It seems that top athletes from the pro kayaking tour were the focus of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I could watch these guys all day!  But there was also a Slalom competition going on upstream.

 

 

So we found a spot on the rocks to watch these guys make their way down the Truckee.

 

 

The goal is to complete the course the quickest without touching the poles!

 

 

Located between the two competitions at Wingfield Park were various bands entertaining the spectators.

 

 

This event certainly got us excited for the summer ahead here in Reno!

 

 

Lake Tahoe Sunset

The sunsets over Lake Tahoe can be so magnificent!

 

 

"Skywatch Friday"



When Did I Start Liking Snow?

I never thought that after living in Central Nevada for 30 years that I would ever like the snow again!  Winters were long and cold in Tonopah and the snow just annoyed me to no end.

After living in Las Vegas for 9 years I became spoiled with the absence of the white stuff.  And I knew that moving to Reno I would once again have to endure snow!

I like snow.  I think it's pretty.  I just don't want to be buried in it 5 months out of the year!

Lucky for us 2011/2012 our first year here, Reno had a very mild winter.  As my son said to me "Mom, you're having a sissy winter".   December past and then January and I thought, wow I'm digging winter here!  A couple of cold days, then a couple of warm days.  This isn't bad at all!

Now in case you didn't know Reno lies at the base of the Northern Sierras and they get plenty of snow!  Just the way I like it.....on the mountains!

But then I found an event, "North Lake Tahoe Snowfest" in March. And it's only 1 hour away!  This is a week long event with all sorts of  "snow" events taking place.  And one of those events peaked my interest.  The "Wine 'n Ice Carving Competition".

DRATS!  As I am writing this post and waiting for my dear friend to arrive, I have discovered that this very event is happening TODAY!!

Okay, back to last year.  When I read that the event was being held at the Truckee River Winery in Truckee I knew it was going to be great!  Sipping on wine while watching chainsaws cut through blocks of ice!

 



 

As I sipped on my wine I walked from block of ice to block of ice trying to figure out what these guys were trying to create

 

 

 

And it seemed that chainsaws weren't the only tools used

 

 

It was an absolutely beautiful day for watching my first ever ice carving competition

 

 

And then I could start to see images of swans, penguins, dragons and wine presses

 

 

I decided to have a little look around this cute little winery while the guys continued to create their masterpieces

 

 

Back outside the guys are putting their finishing touches on their creations

 

 

And finally about 4 hours later, they were done!

 

 

Oh there were others, like this self portrait of the guy on the right who was injured in a skiing accident

 

 

So which one was your favorite?

 

I left this wonderful event with a whole new outlook on winter and snow!  Snow doesn't always have to be miserable and annoying.  You just have to learn how to get out in it and enjoy the white stuff!

 

And that is when I started liking snow!

 

CHEERS!

 

 

 



Hello From Reno!

For quite sometime now, over one year to be exact, I have contemplated starting another blog.
 
Maybe you know about my travel blog "Traveling On A Budget With Debbie".  Maybe you're a follower.  I know I'm guilty of not sharing my travel stories as often as I should, or as you would like me to.  I will still be writing stories about my travels on my travel blog because oh believe me, I still have plenty of travel stories to share. 

But, after moving to Reno Nevada in November 2011, I have been having way too much fun living here!

And all that fun has lead me to want to share with you, why I love living in Reno! 

I've been coming to Reno for the past 40 years while living in Central Nevada.  It was always to either do some shopping or for doctors appointments.  I never really liked Reno all that much.  I thought! 

So why did I move to Reno Nevada then?  Well while living in Las Vegas, Nevada I was diagnosed with Melanoma Level 4 in June 2010.  And you all know how ridiculously hot Las Vegas can be, for way too many months.  And I love to be outdoors, cycling, hiking, etc.  And wearing long sleeves, long pants, and big hats is not the way you stay cool during 110 plus degrees!!

My husband and I decided that moving to a cooler climate would make me very happy!  My husbands that way, what makes me happy, makes him happy!  So after thinking of a couple of places where I could dress like a movie star in disguise and not be miserable, we settled on Reno.

Yes, Reno can have some pretty warm temps too, but they don't last for 6 months out of the year!!

So here I am, finally starting this blog that I have thought about for over a year!  And I already have so much to share with you! 

We have been

 

Hiking

 

Cycling

 

 

Fishing

 

 

Water Skiing

 

 

Snow Skiing

 

 

And my new favorite

Snowshoeing

 

Yes that's beautiful Lake Tahoe behind me!

 

We've also been to San Francisco, California Gold Country and going to events like Hot August Nights, The Great Reno Balloon Races, The Rib Cook Off.....the list goes on forever!!

I hope you follow along as I share with you "Why I Love Living In Reno"