Hm. Do you ever just wake up one day and think, "What's missing from my life?" and the answer is "Well, haven't been to Reno in awhile."? Didn't think so. Me, neither. But I did see an article in the paper last week about the annual River Festival on the Truckee in the middle of town and thought it might be fun to check it out.
We've lived here (say it all together, now) over two years. When we hop in the car to get on I-80, we usually head downhill to Roseville, Sacramento or beyond. Sometimes, we go uphill, to Donner Pass or Truckee. But never down the other side, to Nevada, say. Downtown Sacto is 1:15 away. Turns out, Reno is only 1:30 the other direction, and we just hadn't ever gotten around to it (we drove through, we think, in the early seventies, maybe). "When do you ever just get around to going to Reno?", I would wonder to myself from time to time.
Turns out, the River Festival is kind a good time to go. Nice weather, for one thing. So, Sunday, we went up and over the hill (so to speak). The kids both had to be home working on Mother's Day (though they sent an amazing tulip arrangement), so it was just Tom and I.
"The Biggest Little City in the World" (whose idea was that?--at least two big over-the-street signs--That's Tom in front of one of them) is all about the humongous casinos and the outdoor sports (last weekend, kayaking), apparently. With a little shopping in between. Every really big building in town is a casino/hotel. Except one, which must be where Everything Else is. And there, on a little island surrounded by the really lovely and well-behaved Truckee River that flows through the middle of town, we found the appropriately-named River Festival.
We walked through the food booths, random band-on-a-stage, boat vendors and port-a-potties to watch the kayakers for a few minutes. Looks like big fun. But not to watch for more 10 minutes. OK. Done with the festival. Now what?
One can follow a path next to the river through town for a few blocks. Very nice. I'm sure they'll get around to making it even longer some day. We did find a Tacos Del Mar place to eat some yummy monster fish burritos. Time to shop.
There's a Sierra Trading Post outlet on the edge of town. Picked up a couple of very inexpensive articles of clothing. After that, we spotted an ice cream store. Perfect. Then, on our way out of town, there was Cabela's.x
Seriously. I had heard and read about Cabela's. Perhaps you have, too. But I wasn't prepared for actually being IN Cabela's. REI (my natural habitat) used to seem overwhelming (in a good way, of course). Cabela's is huge. Cabela's is REI on Barry Bonds-level steroids with an emphasis (read, EMPHASIS) on killing things. I didn't count them, but the store contains maybe 200 or more stuffed, formerly a-little-too-slow game animals. All posed in elaborate dioramas around the edges and in the center of the store. There are a few birds and, oh, foxes, and such. But who could be prepared for the elephant? Or the white rhino? Yikes! Not me. Moose, bear, all manner of warthog and zebra. Big-horned everything-that-moves. On one side of the store, there's the archery range. On the other, the shooting range. So, yes. They also carry firearms. It's Disneyland for hunters.
And we helped them stay in business to sell even more guns (which I hear are selling like hotcakes, some folks being afraid that the Obama administration will lower the boom). Tom bought a few shirts and some pants; a sweatshirt and t-shirt for me. All very reasonable, I must say.
So, that was Reno. We'll go back. I'm sure we missed something. We're not big into the casino thing. But it is close. And they have a nice river. And, and...
