Tag Archives: reno

Keystone Canyon

Because the ski season for Lake Tahoe is off to a very slow start, I am still mountain biking pretty regularly. Keystone Canyon offers a number of different trails to ride upon, one of which being Evans Trail.

Simply ride up from the trailhead off of McCarran Blvd and veer right when the trail crests at the looming mechanical towers. 

All along the trail one is afforded nice views of Reno, and there is actually some decent technical riding to be found.

You descend down into a slot canyon, head left at the bottom, and eventually you switchback your way back to the top. From there you blast your way back down Keystone Canyon to the car.

Not a bad little ride considering its close proximity to the city.

210 North: Reno, Nevada

Finally got down to 210 North in downtown Reno to check out the new digs and see whether or not it is worth a damn. I was pleasantly surprised.

If you don’t want to wait in line, arrive around 10:30pm or so. I waltzed right in at that time, but observed over the course of several hours that the line got progressively longer and longer.

When you enter you are immediately asked to pay an entrance fee. On a standard evening, for men it is $15 for locals and $20 for out-of-state; for women it is $5 for locals and $10 for non. After paying, you  ride up to the 2nd floor on an escalator dressed with hanging metal chains. Sort of sets the mood.

At the top of the escalator you are greeted with an airy space surrounded by segmented but connected rooms representing separate bar areas and VIP rooms. The largest room contains a sizeable dance floor equipped with DJs.

The interior design of each room is distinct and thoughtful. They are outfitted with unique furnishings such as stylish furniture and cool lighting.

The other attribute of note is the general feel of the place. It is not pretentious. Hats are not allowed, but you don’t feel like you have to wear your best duds every time you go there. There were many different types of people and dress, and fortunately there were no real sketchy characters. The large bouncers probably help. 

All in all I think 210 North is a good addition to Reno, and I hope it survives. I hate going to clubs where it is so crowded and packed that you can’t get a drink, nor can you move around and hear what your friends are saying. You have the option of the dance floor where you can rock out, or you have the choice to retire to a quieter place to socialize and drink. Nice dichotomy.

Above Reno

Today was clear and cold, and I was a little apprehensive to go mountain bike riding, but it actually turned out to be quite nice despite the fact that it is now December in Nevada.

Keystone Canyon is a popular trail for Reno residents because it offers easy access to the national forest area surrounding Peavine Mountain, an 8,266 peak that creates a significant mountain chain just outside of the city.

Before it became a recreational asset to Reno, the area served Washoe and Paiute Indians, as well as Basque herders, miners and foresters. The remnants of copper mines can be seen in some places, and the landscape, devoid of but a few trees, indicates that it was heavily logged for White Fir and Jeffrey Pine.

The trail climbs steadily, and before long you are offered a nice view of downtown. I actually clambered around on these rocks for a bit before I realized that I was just above a rather large animal den; and with the city seemingly so close!

The large, fresh scat surrounding the entrance convinced me that I was dangerously close to the home of a mountain lion. I quickly retreated and blasted down some fun single track back to the car.

 The mountain chain surrounding Peavine is a great asset to the city and a perfect getaway without having to go very far at all.

There are a great deal of trails cutting across the landscape, and hopefully with some volunteer work and even some funding a little restoration can take place to further improve the area.