Question for Reno Veterans

Jim Weir wrote in message . ..
If I was doing it, I'd either go into Carson City or Minden. Minden, if you've
never flown gliders, is sailplane heaven. Supposedly the best soaring
conditions in the world.

I'd also call John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino and Hotel in Sparks. Very nice
rooms, excellent food, and probably a bus to get you to the airport. That way
you only have to find out how to get a long distance (Minden to Sparks) once and
then it is a short commute.

Jim

Jay,

If the Drano..ahem...Reno hotels are full there are also a couple in
Minden/Gardnerville. The Historian Inn in Gardnerville is walking
distance to two Basque restaurants. They are a newer hotel and all
non-smoking. We've stayed at both their locations and can vouch for
their cleanliness. There is also a locally owned casino/hotel in
Minden (Carson Valley Inn, or CVI) with a very nice restaurant
(Fionas). The main floor is smoky (this is Nevada) but some of the
rooms are non-smoking.

http://www.historianinn.com (775-783-1175)
http://www.carsonvalleyinn.com (775-782-9711)

Hertz has something with Hutt Aviation at KMEV and there is Enterprise
in Carson City and Gardnerville.

Things to see include Lake Tahoe, Virginia City, and Genoa. Heck,
come a week early and catch the camel races!

http://www.allcamels.com/sf/vccr/

I live at 7,600 feet above KMEV and in addition to seeing lots of
glider tows overhead, the paragliders climb from their launch point
around 6,000 feet to disappear into the clouds overhead.

-Joe

(20 years in Tahoe and still haven't been to the races)

I would suggest Minden too - I just don't know relative distances and such
to Reno Stead.

Just curious: Why is everyone recommending Minden, which (on the map,
anyway) appears to be much farther from Reno than Carson City?

Something wrong with Carson City? Terrain? Runways? Ugly FBO clerks?

On paper, anyway, it looks like the airport of choice for driving up to
Reno...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Just curious: Why is everyone recommending Minden, which (on the map,
anyway) appears to be much farther from Reno than Carson City?

Something wrong with Carson City? Terrain? Runways? Ugly FBO clerks?

On paper, anyway, it looks like the airport of choice for driving up to
Reno...

Carson City is the armpit of Nevada!
Minden is only about 10-15 minutes from Carson City, and is MUCH more
beautiful.
Jobs Peak and the Sierras are breath-taking.
Minden is still very rural.
Like everyone else said, if you have the time you HAVE TO go soaring in
Minden.
It is the Mecca for all glider pilots world-wide.

As mentioned, if you stay in Minden, there are some good basque restaurants
and a couple of hotels.
Probably wouldn't be as much fun for the kids, though.

Carson City is the armpit of Nevada!

Well, that about sums it up. Thanks!

Minden is only about 10-15 minutes from Carson City, and is MUCH more
beautiful.

Is that 10 - 15 minutes by air, or by car? If it's by car (which is the
important measurement for me, at the moment), I am so THERE.

Like everyone else said, if you have the time you HAVE TO go soaring in
Minden.

Doubtful. I suspect we'll be up at Stead most of the time.

Probably wouldn't be as much fun for the kids, though.

Hee hee! No kids! Grandma's coming -- long live Grandma!

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Is that 10 - 15 minutes by air, or by car? If it's by car (which is the
important measurement for me, at the moment), I am so THERE.

By car.

Like everyone else said, if you have the time you HAVE TO go soaring in
Minden.

Doubtful. I suspect we'll be up at Stead most of the time.


Too bad.

Probably wouldn't be as much fun for the kids, though.

Hee hee! No kids! Grandma's coming -- long live Grandma!


If you're not bringing the kids, then just about any hotel you can get would
work fine.

The offer on my car still stands, too ;-)

If you're not bringing the kids, then just about any hotel you can get
would
work fine.

Can anyone recommend any particular hotel?

The offer on my car still stands, too ;-)

Thanks, man! I just might take you up on that!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I'm no fan of Reno, but attended a conference there a few months
ago - which happened to be held at the Eldorado Hotel/Casino.
I found it to be clean, well run and conveniently located - with
a big parking garage (free) next door. You can get good rates
by booking online (www.eldoradoreno.com). Good and reasonably
priced food in the numerous restaurants. If I were doing it I'd
fly into Minden (been there, but years ago), get a car from
Enterprise, and stay at the Eldo - but only because I know what
to expect there. No doubt you can get equally good deals at many
other places.

As for the air races, I went for a day a couple of years ago -
because I happened to be working temporarily in that neck of
the woods at the time. I found it more interesting to look over
all the exotic machinery in the pits and display area than to
watch the races themselves. I wouldn't make a special trip to
see it again, but would probably drop in for a day if I'm nearby.
YMMV. Hope you like it if you go.

David Johnson

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:kuNWc.37315$9d6.6637@attbi_s54...
Carson City is the armpit of Nevada!

Well, that about sums it up. Thanks!

Well, Carson has some features. The Capitol is cool looking, there
are nice Victorians on the west side, and more than a couple of nice
restaurants and bars. Plus an amazing number of Grumman Albatrosses
at the airport. They have several nice parks (we walk our dog off of
Deer Run in the Spring when we're still snowbound). But, the city
government are idiots. The town looks like crap approaching from the
south or east and only slightly better from the north or west. They
lost a Kmart and a Walmart, so they try to attract new retail leaving
tens of thousands of square feet of retail empty. Car and RV dealers
are scattered everywhere and only a couple of dealers threatening to
go to Douglas County (where the Weiss family and I live) got them to
consider an auto mall (a decade late). The only resort hotel has been
closed for over three years and is in a ****ing match with the city
over permits. And, aesthetically, a recent wildfire did decimate a
lot of their forest views and there are way too many trashy
neighborhoods for such a small city.

Armpit? Well, we do have Beatty and Vegas in the competition.

Hee hee! No kids! Grandma's coming -- long live Grandma!

Hey, no kids! Stay in a B&B in Genoa. The Weiss's have offered
transportation twice. Have them pick you up at KMEV and drive you to
Red's Old 395 in Carson. There is an Enterprise location sharing the
parking lot there, and they have close to 100 beers in bottle or on
tap. Eat some onion strings, drink some beer, and have dinner in
Genoa.

Douglas County is a beautiful part of Nevada. And, no income tax,
fairly mild business/corporate fees, stunning views - you may
reconsider your life as a flatlander!

-Joe

Tahoe Joe wrote:
They lost a Kmart and a Walmart, so they try to attract new
retail leaving tens of thousands of square feet of retail empty.

How do you lose a WalMart!!!

Thanks for the tips, Joe.

Any recommended B&Bs in Genoa?

Where is Genoa in relation to Minden? Between there and Stead, hopefully!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"