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!!

 

 



Kicking Off Summer in Reno

Events season is officially in full swing here in Reno!

And I kicked it off tonight by going to the summer long "Reno Food Street Event" in Idlewild Park along the Truckee River.

 

 

The event officially started last Friday (May 22) and continues every Friday night until October 2nd.  It was a perfect evening for strolling past the 20+ food trucks and pop-ups to see who was going to be the one that would entice me to try their fare!

Hmmm, would it be our great State's name sake, Battle Born? 

 

 

 I'm thinking I want something a bit more out of the ordinary.

 

Well, maybe not that far out!

 

 

Maybe I could try a taste of something from another country?

 

 

 

While one tries to make a decision, one can just get something to quench their thirst..........

 

 

...........and then pick a spot on the grass and listen to the live music.

 

There is also plenty to do for the little ones!

 

 

Well back to the food!

 

I could have something a bit "meaty" I suppose.

 

 

Or I could be a bit more healthier in my choices like these people!

 

 

And then I see these two having one of my favorites!

 

 

Now I'm on a mission!!!  And I succeeded beyond my wildest dreams!!

Raspberry Cabernet ice cream by Winey Munkies!  Wine AND ice cream??? Oh yeah!!!

 

 

Even though Still Rollin had the longest line.......

 

 

...........And most extensive menu,

 

 

 

I finally settled for the authentic Liege Belgian Waffle in honor of my Belgian husband who wasn't able to be here with me tonight.

 

So that means we will be coming back!  That's what makes this event a great one here in Reno, if you miss one, there will be another!!

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"!!

Blue Skies in Our Future

I'm sure many of you know about the devastating fire in California.  The Rim Fire is what they are calling it and it has burned over 301 square miles and has moved into 6th place on California's list of largest wildfires! It is located in and around the Yosemite National Park area and as of today it is 35% contained.

Here in Reno we have suffered poor air quality for the past two weeks due to the smoke from this devastating fire.

I wanted to share some photos with you so that you can have an idea of what we are seeing....or not seeing.  LOL!

I took this picture from our home looking to the West earlier this year

 

 

I took this picture just this past Tuesday looking at those same mountains from our home

 

 

These next before and after pictures are courtesy of Douglas County, just about 30 miles south of us

 

 

Today looks promising that there may be hope for the complete extinguish of this horrible fire.

 

 

Predictions are that the Rim Fire will be extinguished on September 20th.

 

Please pray for all involved in the efforts to put an end to this devastating fire.

 



Happy Sunday

Today we spent a peaceful morning just 10 minutes away from home!
Davis Creek Campground in Washoe Valley has a nice 2 acre pond for fishing and Stijn wanted to try his skills once more.

 

And even though the smoke from the fires in California is still lying thick in the Truckee Meadows, I couldn't help but feel very lucky to live in such an amazing and beautiful area of Nevada.

 

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday!

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!

 

 

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!