Reno : Ready to Rumble and Rock
Posted by admin on Oct 14, 2008
Reno in Black and White - Courtesy www.city-data.com
Life can never be forlorn if you have two trusty canines sharing broth with you every evening. Nero and Cher are life’s consolation to my biocentric existence that moves around tight schedules and late night dead lines. For long now I knew that we needed to break out of a rut that was driving us round the bend. Literally. Our only outing for months on end had been the nightly walks round residential blocks. Everything appeared black and white even to me and I was sorely in need of a change.
All through summer I had been reading about the unusual swarm of quakes that have been making news in Reno. The reporter in me decide to check out the place with Nero and Cher in tow. Dogs do know best after all. Reno sitting in the rain shadow of the Sierras would be perfect in Fall with the forecast of cloudy and sunny weather in store. Nothing else mattered - not even quakes. A quick click on Reno Downtown hotels had me looking for pet friendly hotels to settle for a good choice. It was just a matter of time before we found ourselves on the other side of the country. With Nero and Cher carefully leashed on to their collars at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport I was looking forward to some good times in the Biggest Little City in the World.
Putting aside antiquated notions of Reno’s casinos and divorce business of yore, I concentrated on the unusual Reno earthquakes that were turning into quite a mystery. Apparently the place is being rocked by a strange series of mini earthquakes since February this year. Scientists had been puzzled by the frequency. 500 in one week! Also there is no seismic fault zone either. But these nonstop tremors are rattling the city and no one can understand why. The mystery deepens since for the most part quakes have been limited to a three mile area. Thankfully only minor rumblings are on now with no threat to life or limb.
In fact all looked normal to me as I found the city preparing for Halloween activities. Already under way were the pumpkin patches and corn mazes. People were looking forward to the good times ahead and checking out things that were interesting around town. The news was all about things to do for children and families, haunted houses, safe trick or treating, and even strictly adult fare. Reno has recently seen the opening of many businesses that cater to socializing and after-work activities. Thankful of the extensive bus system here, called the RTC Ride I found myself getting into the spirit of things. The RTC also provides free bus service up and down Virginia Street in Reno called RTC SIERRA SPIRIT.
Reno, I discovered had a variety of recreation activities including both seasonal and year-round. Lake Tahoe splitting borders between California and Nevada gave me the opportunity to fish and water-ski. Many visitors were also enjoying wakeboard, parasailing and jet-skiing as well. The onset of winters shortly will add an element of joy to the season ahead. Skiing and snowboarding are going to draw in many tourists I am told. With eight major ski resorts located close at hand popular winter activities like cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, and snowmobiling would sure be a lot of fun.
By the way Reno offers outstanding western hospitality. The fine dining and entertainment that goes with it like stage shows and top-name performers add to your sense of enjoyment. Apart from the history and culture one might get on with the 24-hour gaming excitement. With the wide variety of outdoor recreation that includes golf and skiing, you actually have a choice to go play golf in courses by the lake, high desert, and in mountain settings. Lake Tahoe has the largest concentration of ski resorts. An abundance of fun activities gets Reno placed on top cities for quality of life and business friendly atmosphere.
Downtown Reno glitters with brightly-lit casinos and 24-hour entertainment. In the middle of it all stands the city’s best-known symbol, the Reno Arch. The arch welcomes visitors with its slogan, “The Biggest Little City In The World.” But what attracted me most here was the extensive collections of antique cars on display at the National Automobile Museum or The Harrah Collection. Opened in 1989, more than 220 vehicles are featured, including horseless carriages, cars owned by celebrities, and experimental cars of the future. I also did the rounds of Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, Bruka Theater, La Bussola, Sierra Arts as per the Reno Events Calendar that provided me all the details of the shows.
Also of interest to me was the Taj Mahal of Tenpins, or the National Bowling Stadium that is the only facility of its kind in the world. The stadium features 78-championship lanes, Paul Revere’s Kick’s Diner & Dance Club, and an IWERKS theater where giant screen movies are shown daily. Additionally the Wilbur D. May Center features a museum, an indoor arboretum, and a botanical garden surrounded by a beautiful park. Its an all in one recreational place par excellence.
Day trip excursions too provide visitors with a number of sightseeing options. Reno serves as a base camp to some of the most unique attractions on the West Coast. Pyramid Lake, just east of Reno, is shrouded in the mysteries of Indian legend and prehistoric past. Reno offers a seemingly limitless variety of indoor and outdoor activities. Then you have high desert, rolling hills and mountainous alpine terrain. Our hiking jaunt was a truly magnificent time with Nero and Cher enjoying the sprinting and walking.
Special events are plentiful and varied in Reno. October brings in the Eldorado’s Great Italian Festival and the Celtic Festival. Restaurants in Reno range from simple to extravagant. A local specialty is family-style Basque dinners and this was where we had our dinners most of the time. The people friendly place got me talking to locals who did have stories to tell about the rattlings that had been on. Everybody seemed to have something to explain what the tremors might mean. Seismic experts are still trying to gauge what they were all about. As yet though they have not identified any particular tectonics involved with these earthquakes. Ready to rumble anyone in Reno? And do remember its a very pet friendly place.
Reno "Biggest Little City" - Courtesy upload.wikimedia.org