Blogs from Reno, Nevada, United States, North America - page 2

Carla: Since the last blog we’ve packed quite a bit in! Feeling a little weary now but the RV (motorhome / campervan thingy) takes the strain rather well. We started in Anaheim, CA on Sunday 3rd June (our second Sunday 3rd June after crossing the dateline) and spent 3 days there relaxing, being annoyed by the unsustainability of some Americans’ lifestyles and marvelling at the horrendous food and such gargantuan portions. We visited Disneyland on Tuesday and on Wednesday we guiltily scurried to the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana for something a bit more educational. On Thursday we drove through the Mohave Desert towards Arizona and Friday, Saturday and Sunday were spent at the Grand Canyon. (Aching calves aside it was one of my trip highlights so far). Being in a National Park at the ... read more

My footsteps are making inroads into the field of white land that’s before me. I am in the mountains and less than half an hour away from the biggest little city in the world. It maybe a poor second to Las Vegas but what Vegas has Reno can match it with other activities that surround in multiple directions. That could be the nice problem with Reno. There are too many other things to do and see to worry about gambling. I came here for cheap, nice accommodation to just relax a bit, have a game of ten pin bowling and maybe explore a little of the edges. With this Reno can leave you questioning whether it’s crap or actually quite a nice stopover? Casinos weren’t around much until the early 1960’s when the resorts came in. ... read more

Today for me is a very important day. With Burning Man over, I now have space to process that I have just passed an important milestone. My age once again has a zero at the end. Within the Burner community, oddly enough, most people prescribe little meaning to this. The rest of the world cares quite a bit. Reno Hotels Post Burn Burning Man also marks the symbolic halfway point of this journey. I planned on it being the biggest high point (which it is, so far). Until now, the trip has been an ever expanding journey into points unknown. From now on, it will feel like a slow approach to the end as the amount of the United States that I’ve never seen steadily shrinks. All veteran Burners I talked to warned about the need ... read more

Moving south from Eureka we continue enjoying the redwoods, especially as we traverse old US 101 – The Avenue of the Giants. There were times when our 36 foot motorhome seemed to squeeze between the “giants” and we wondered how the trucks, etc of old managed to travel this major north-south highway in years past. The new 101 is a four lane marvel paralleling the Eel River and various meetings of the old and new allow you to stay long enough to visit the wonderful Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitor Center and then escape to the new highway. We were fortunate up the coast to be able to walk a short trail through an especially preserved grove. Our overnight RV park turns out to be on the floor of the valley retirement ranch home of the ... read more

I never thought I would enjoy myself so much as I did in a city devoted to sin, avarice and gluttony. Kris and I drove to Reno in the afternoon after my last class at Sacramento State University. We stopped for lunch less than an hour later in Roseville. By 3pm we were heading up into the Sierra Mountains through the Donner Pass. By train this route takes hours at it winds up utilizing many switchbacks, whereas Interstate 80 just muscles its way directly up and over the mountains. The Donner Party came through in the winter of 1846-1847 and got delayed by a variety of mishaps. Ironic that they ended up dining on each other so close in distance to the Sunday buffet at a Reno Casino, though they missed the party by 150 years. ... read more