This shot was taken on top of Harrah’s Casino in dowtown Reno. I’ll let you derive the metaphors.
For the week of July 4th I found myself at the bottom of a river canyon with no cell phone reception, no Internet connection, and nothing to do but kayak and kick it with a dozen friends who were all there to do two things – paddle Cherry Creek and forget what we do on a daily basis.
Cherry Creek is such a perfect combination of hydrology, geology, and geography that if I were to stand up and give a presentation on what constitutes the ideal class V river it would be this place. If you are a confident class V boater then it presents few worries and plenty of excitement. Basically, everything goes but in a big way. To quote Lars Holbek and Chuck Stanley,
“This is where they come to strut their stuff or to get stuffed while strutting.”
The only stress I experienced over the course of the entire week was the unfortunate run-in with a rattlesnake. Several of us were in the midst of an extremely competitive bocce game when we first became aware of its presence. It crossed a dirt road that we were on and hunkered down in a hole presumably built by a mammalian species. I threw a warning rock across its bow and hoped that it was the last I would see of it; but alas, it was not.
Later on that evening it presented itself again. If it were not for the fact that we had a campground full of paddlers sleeping on the ground and dogs oblivious to the powers of poison, I would have left it alone. I don’t like killing things unnecessarily, but in this case it was a problem.
Kayak paddles can serve multiple functions, some of which do not involve actual paddling. A swift blow to the back of the head, a few saw-like motions, and it was not long before I had extinguished the life of this poor yet deadly reptile. I thought for sure I would pay for this action on the river the next day, but as luck would have it I was spared. Regardless, I am sorry rattlesnake. It is not your fault that you were engineered with an extremely effective defense mechanism. It just so happens that humans have a pretty good one too.
Now for the video. There are a few rapids not featured, but if you are new to Cherry Creek then this compilation should give you a pretty good idea. It’s a definite “Splash Party.”
Historically, I have not been much of a golfer. The sport never really fit in to my busy schedule as a kayaker, skier, mountain biker, and general mountain enthusiast. But I have been a few times, and in each case I have enjoyed it despite the tests of patience and humility.
This past Friday might have been a turning point for me. I found myself out at the Lakeridge golf course for the A2N2 annual golf tournament. My friend and colleague, TJ Crawford lent me some clubs and took me under his proverbial wing to show me the finer art of what constitutes a real golf swing, as opposed to stepping up to the plate for some grass and window removal work.
By the end of the day I felt like I was really progressing. There might actually be something to this golfing thing. Who knows, it might even be time to include a bag of golf clubs to my arsenal of outdoor accoutrements. Or was it the alcohol?
Here is a little video I put together of our day.
Until today, it had been quite a while since I made the journey down to Coloma to paddle the South Fork of the American. When I first moved to Lake Tahoe almost 10 years ago I used to go there all the time.
But gas prices kept rising and my motivation kept waning. Plus, the addition of the Reno Whitewater Park kept me fairly satisfied as long as it was above 800 cfs.
But this paddling season has been short lived due to poor precipitation this past winter. Many of us boaters are left feeling a little unsatisfied, and the only river that has any decent amount of water in it within a 2 hour drive of Reno is the South Fork.
The Gorge section is good fun, but if you are serious about playboating then the Chili Bar section is the way to go. The wave at Maya is a blast, and what is even better is the play hole at First Threat.
First Threat has changed for the better. It used to be a bit disorganized and a little thrashy, but now it is much cleaner and offers a lot of opportunity for some powerful moves and tricks.
The other notable rapid that offers some fun is Troublemaker. If you want to make the rapid a lot more interesting try running the far left side. Be advised that if you do, you will definitely want to throw a strong boof stroke at the horizon line.
It was good to be back down there on the South Fork even if it was so hot and dry that it burst into flames.
Tis the season for weddings, and this past weekend I found myself right smack dab in the middle of one being held at Meeks Bay Resort on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe. Suffice to say, it was a good wedding. The bride and groom love each other, and friends from all over gathered to celebrate their union with plenty of dancing, drinking, and walking down memory lane. I won’t bore you with the details, however, because I assume you would prefer to hear about Meeks Bay and Lake Tahoe instead.
There are quite a few cabins lining the beach front at Meeks Bay, and at the very end of the road there is also the Kehlet Mansion, which is where the wedding was held and where Julia and I stayed. The property is run by the Washoe Tribe, and let’s just say that hotel management is probably not there favorite thing to do. Nevertheless, the rustic vibe has a certain charm, and it is positioned right alongside a beautiful bay complete with white sand, granite boulders, and mountain views. If you stay in the Kehlet Mansion, recognize that there are creaking doors and floors, thin walls, and shared bathrooms. It is really best to rent out the whole place with a group of close friends.
Meeks Bay was known by the Washoe as magulu watah. It was where they came in the summer to fish, hunt, and harvest wild plants. As the story generally goes, there were superseded by whites, but because of their peaceful nature they persisted, and as reciprocity would have it they eventually acquired the land back. But before that could happen Meeks Bay would go through an era of white control. Talk about a screaming deal, in 1884 the Murphys family bought the Meeks Bay land for $250 in gold eagles.
If you plan to hike in Desolation Wilderness, play in Lake Tahoe, and relax on the beach, Meeks Bay is definitely in a good location. However, if you are price conscious, like privacy, and don’t necessarily mind giving up being right on the Lake, then there are plenty of other accommodations to consider.
I posterized the above picture to protect the innocent. Needless to say, it was nice waking up to that beautiful view of the, umm, lake.
Back from a weekend in Vegas, and needless to say I am feeling a little rough around the edges. The primary motivation for the trip was to catch The Police at the MGM Grand. They ripped it up, and I just hope that I am still kicking that much ass when I am their age.
Also hit Pure, Rain, the Ghost Bar and various other locales that serve up beats with bountiful amounts of alcohol. Stayed at the Flamingo because of the central location, pool size, and affordability. The place is getting a little old, but it did the trick.
Vegas is still experiencing mad construction. I am amazed at the sheer velocity of growth. I think the population is around 1.9 million, and flying in to the airport, looking down at the development, I would believe it. How is this growth sustainable? I don’t know, for the Stakes are High for Las Vegas Water.
Vegas has great entertainment, shopping, and restaurants, but I prefer Reno’s sense of community, size, and open space. The other huge differentiator – Reno’s got water. I hope the Biggest Little City will continue to make those attributes a priority. The other positive aspects of Vegas we can continue to integrate. Until then, it is just a short flight away.
There has been some recent chatter in the local blogosphere regarding Reno and how much it kicks ass. For the most part I agree. The city has evolved tremendously over the past few years, and the renaissance that is going on in downtown Reno is fantastic.
I have a graduate degree from the University of Nevada, and I have lived and owned a home in Reno for three years now. I’m digging it. But if you took away Lake Tahoe? Hmmmm. That would make things a little tough. Of course, that is not the case, but it is certainly one of the reasons why entities like the RSCVA refer to the region as Reno-Tahoe. Its close proximity is a major asset to living here; and there are many more. Still, negative perceptions regarding Reno persist.
A friend of mine flew down to San Jose yesterday for business, and he headed into the hotel bar to wind down from a long day. He sat next to a rather large ad exec, and they struck up a conversation. The man asked, “Where are you from?” My friend replied, “Reno,” and the man immediately countered with, “I’m sorry to hear that.” Without hesitation my friend sarcastically replied, “Yeah, it sucks, you should definitely not go there.”
My friend’s response amuses me because it says so much with so little. I know so many people from Reno that would have immediately dove in to some long laundry list for why Reno is actually a great place to live. In part, they would have felt that it was their citizenry duty to stand up for the place they live, but the comment would have also triggered a certain amount of self-consciousness for which they would have felt compelled to defend.
My friend was not self conscious about the man’s comment, and he instead probably did more for the Reno brand than any long diatribe about its benefits. I have a suggestion for anyone here in Reno encountering this kind of negativity. Politely give the individual directions to the nearest I-80 onramp.
Summer in Lake Tahoe is here. While there is still snow in the upper elevations, around the rim of the lake the setting is almost tropical. The white sand and decomposed granite, coupled with varying terrain and interesting obstacles, make Lake Tahoe a great place for bocce.
If you have never played the game of bocce you are missing out. Whether it is grass, sand, dirt, forest floor, or a combination of each, you can have a lot of fun coming up with creative shots to play.
Some people prefer the structured course, but I find it much more fun when it is free form. What’s better? The game goes quite well with your favorite beer. You can only throw with one arm anyway, so you might as well give the other arm a strict regiment of 12 ounce curls to keep it in shape.
