Archive for the ‘Spring Recreation’ Category
By Tim Hauserman
After all the rain last week, spring is forecast to once again be sprung in the mountains, leading many folks to get a hankering to be out on their bike. With the morning temps still nippy and a bit of mud around, now is a perfect time to head to Verdi for a ride. Its only 20 miles east of Truckee, the grass is green, the horses and llamas are out enjoying the sunshine, and the temperature is usually 10-15 degrees warmer bringing it right into the Goldilocks zone.
Ranch outside of Verdi
Start your ride from Crystal Peak Park, just off Business 80, a short distance from Gold Ranch. The park sits next to the Truckee River and there is plenty of parking, picnic tables and restrooms. From here you have several options:
-Head east from Verdi, following the Truckee River to the edge of the Sommersett development. Here you can climb on nicely maintained bike lane through the extensive residential community enjoying views of Reno and the surrounding desert. Turn around wherever you wish and return to the bottom, where a bike path leads you east to 4th Street. Take 4th to Mayberry, then follow Mayberry for a mile, to a left turn into the Edgewater Park development. Cruise through the neighborhood to a bike path, and now follow the bike paths and roads along the Truckee past a series of riverside parks. Before you know it, you are in downtown Reno, at the Reno Whitewater Park.
Bike trail at Dorostkar Park along Mayberry road in Reno.
-Want to add some distance? Before heading east on Business 80 from your starting point, ride South Verdi Drive to Boomtown. Cross over I-80 and circle through the lovely neighborhood to the south, adding an extra half hour of riding.
-Ready to make a day of it? Just after you turn onto Mayberry take a sharp uphill turn onto Plateau, and then wind your way all the way across Reno to the Mt. Rose Highway and back for about a 45 mile trip. Check out the link below for the Reno Area bike map, and be sure to take a copy with you on your ride. The purple line is the ride I just described.
http://www.rtcwashoe.com/bicycling/documents/BIKE_MAP_13_online.pdf
Quick tip: Don’t forget to fill up your tank at Gold Ranch before returning to California. The gas prices are usually at least 60 cents a gallon less then Truckee.
Small side tributary of the Truckee River along the bike trail.
THINK OF ME, LYNN RICHARDSON, FOR ALL OF YOUR LAKE TAHOE AND TRUCKEE REAL ESTATE NEEDS!
www.lynnrichardson.net
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By Tim Hauserman
Ah May. Time for spring biking, hiking to Emerald Bay, and baseball. For many of us Tahoe folks, baseball means watching our beloved San Francisco Giants. There is nothing quite as fine as making the trek to a Giants game at ATT Park. Until you get the bill for driving to San Francisco, parking, getting tickets a million miles from home plate and buying several overpriced sweatshirts that are always required when you find yourself in San Francisco on a foggy night.
Photo from The Reno Aces website
There is a Plan B for the baseball fan who wants to see a game live: The Reno Aces. Triple A Minor League Baseball is just a 35 minute drive from Truckee, in a lovely little ball park tucked in between the downtown skyscrapers, the Truckee River and the railroad tracks. Seeing the Aces is an easy, fun and affordable experience. Parking can be found just a short walk from the park. You don’t need to buy tickets weeks in advance. Just walk up to the ticket window an hour or two before game time and get a great seat at a price that is downright civilized. You can eat inside the park or grab a bite at a few of the places downtown just a block away.
Photo from Reno Aces website. Photo by David Calvert/Reno Aces
Once you are inside the gates, The Aces stadium is a fine place to spend an evening. You can hang out on the grassy knoll above center field and watch the sunset over downtown, enjoy a libation at one of the field side bars and restaurants, or get in a bit of a workout by walking a few laps around the stadium. And then of course, about every inning they have some sort of wacky promotion or on-the field race to keep you entertained. It’s just a good old fashioned experience.
How is the quality of play? While the names may not be familiar, these are good players at the highest level of the Minor Leagues, either working hard to make the majors, or spending time working on mechanics before they go back up to The Show. And The Aces want your business. Just about every night there is some sort of promotion with inexpensive food or after the game fireworks. Check out the schedule at www.renoaces.com
Batter Up!
THINK OF ME, LYNN RICHARDSON, FOR ALL OF YOUR LAKE TAHOE AND TRUCKEE REAL ESTATE NEEDS!
www.lynnrichardson.net
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
By Michelle Portesi
Our winter this year has been a freaky, pathetic, sorry excuse for one, to say the least. While we’ve been severely lacking in snow, we’ve also still had freezing cold temperatures, overcast days intermingled with freakishly warm, sunny ones. And then, snow again in fits and spurts. We’ll take it. We need the water, but…
Either way, by April, I’m fairly sick of winter no matter what the snow accumulation…or lack thereof. I start longing for fecund greenery, a riot of colorful gardens and consistently warm sunny days, which we won’t be seeing here in mountain country for a few more months to come. To feed the fantasy of warmer climes, I’ll find myself watching ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ – yet again- to get my warming Mediterranean climate fix. And then I’ll do the next best thing. I’ll plan a trip to Napa.
One of the greatest things about living at the Lake Tahoe basin is the proximity to just about every type of area: Ocean, Desert, Big City Urban and especially, Wine Country.
Fortunately, at just the apex of my ‘I’m sick of winter ‘ doldrums, Napa hosts a marvelous event every year at the end of April called ‘Kitchens in the Vineyards’. (April 25, 2015). A tour of usually 5 houses (most notably, their kitchens), often set on estates or vineyards themselves, it’s a chance to see some amazing architecture and interior design, stroll through some lovely gardens, dine on wonderful food – (Some of the area’s top chefs have edible tidbits at every home) …and of course, in between the tours, drink great wine.
Peju Winery. Photo by Michelle Portesi
The tour is self guided at your leisure. We’ll often start with a nice breakfast, see a house or two, stop for lunch, see a few more houses while maybe stopping at a winery in between – and then pick a wonderful outdoor evening dinner venue.
While we’re still suffering freezing temps here, Napa is bursting with Springtime fervor. Roses in heavy bloom, gardens in full swing and the many wineries in the area are gearing up for the new vintages to be bottled this season. And forget the movie ‘Sideways’. Swill that Merlot if you please, and Cabs and Chardonnays too!
The Roman Spa, Calistoga CA
But what is really wonderful about this event is the tour itself. Whether you’re considering a new house purchase, selling a house, staging a house, updating your decor or gearing up for a remodel, you’ll walk away with an amazing array of inspiring ideas for both inside and out!
To purchase tickets for the house tour: musicinthevineyards.org
THINK OF ME, LYNN RICHARDSON, FOR ALL OF YOUR LAKE TAHOE AND TRUCKEE REAL ESTATE NEEDS!
lynnrichardson.net
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
YOUR FRIEND IN HIGH PLACES 