Reno Myths Debunked and Trip Update

Reno is a unique town, and i mean that in the literal sense of the word ("being the only one of its kind").  Thanks to shows like Reno 911 and pop culture references like Johnny Cash's line "I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die", everyone has an idea of what Reno is like -- but many people haven't actually visited Reno.  So without further ado, here are some popular Reno myths, debunked:

#1:  Reno is just like Vegas, except smaller and seedier.  This summarizes most of the other myths, so I will break down why this is wrong in more detail below -- but Reno is WAY different than Vegas, and I think most everyone who lives in or is associated with Reno (including me) vastly prefers Reno over Vegas.

#2:  Reno and Vegas are geographically close to each other.  When I was in law school, the career counselor (who knew that we were considering Reno as a possible destination) kept sending me job listings in Las Vegas.  Reno is 452 miles - an 8 hour drive - from Las Vegas.  Commutes from Reno that would be much more doable than Vegas:  Lake Tahoe (48 minutes); Sacramento (2 hours); or San Francisco (3.5 hours).

#3:  Like Vegas, Reno's topography is all desert.  The first time I visited Reno, I was stunned by its beauty.  Reno is surrounded by the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Truckee River flows through the center of town. To the east of Reno is desert, but to the west is Lake Tahoe, and Reno draws geographic characteristics from both.  There are dusty mountain trails lined with sage brush, but there is also lots of green space and an alpine feel.

#4:  Like Vegas, Reno is unseasonably hot all the time.  Reno gets all 4 seasons, but the brutality of winter and the intensity of summer are subdued by the desert climate.  The temperatures get into the 100s in the heart of summer, but thanks to the desert climate, it cools down to 70 or below every single night.

#5:  Like Vegas, Reno culture is dominated by casinos.  While the casinos do play a part, local culture is also heavily influenced by:

• Reno's frontier history:  there is a heavy independent / libertarian sentiment here.  
• California influence:  California is less than an hour away, and you can see that influence in all sorts of things - the main example that comes to mind is, at the grocery store, the organic section is bigger than the meat section.
• Outdoorsy types:  If you are into outdoor sports, Reno is a wonderland.  In the summer, mountain biking, hiking, trail running, backpacking, kayaking, etc. are all easily available.  In the winter, the slopes of Lake Tahoe are less than an hour away.  This plays a significant part in what people do with their free time and expendable income.  

It would be dishonest to say that casinos have no effect on local culture.  They dominate downtown, they draw in tourists, and they boast some of the nicest restaurants and bars in town.  Because they advertise using scantily clad women, you see a lot more skin driving around Reno than other towns.  Although locals mostly avoid casinos, you can't avoid being around gambling - there are slot machines in every grocery store and gas station.  But when you live here, you get used to the casinos and slot machines really quickly, and soon you hardly notice them.

#6:  Prostitution is legal in Reno.  It's legal in other parts of Nevada, but not in Reno city limits.

#7:  All-you-can-eat sushi is a big thing in Reno.  This is true.  And it's glorious.  If I was a competitive eater, my food of choice would be sushi.

Thus concludes my Reno myth debunking, but Reno friends, please feel free to add to the list.
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For part two of the blog, here is a recap with the highlights of our Reno trip this summer.

-Family and friends time!  I am really blessed to have awesome in-laws.  (My mother-in-law Betty is pictured above reading a story to J.)  They are so kind, generous, and fun to be around.  And they allow (and even encourage!) us to crash with them for a month at a time.  This is no small thing when you've got two toddlers running around making noise and messes at all hours of the day.  I'm so grateful for them.  We also got to see lots of friends on this trip and attended some really fun get-togethers (including a children's tea party, pictured below, and a food truck rally).

- Wherever we are in our travels, we spend a lot of time at these places:  the park, the mall, the library, and the Children's Museum (or zoo / aquarium / local museum of choice).  Reno has a really nice children's museum complete with a model Truckee River, a star gazing room, a mining tunnel, an art room, and multiple block building rooms.  The kids loved it.

- Lake Tahoe - we made it up twice this month  First, we took the kids up for a beach day with their cousins and a good time was had by all.  (Joshua spent over an hour playing with a piece of drift wood, pretending it was a train.)  Second, Kenny and I had a really fun double date with Kenny's brother Jason and his wife Naomi to see As  You Like It at the Tahoe Shakespeare Festival.

- Dates with the hubs - this is the time of year when Kenny and I really get to spend one-on-one time together outside of the house, and it's so nice.

- Running on the Steamboat Ditch Trail - a couple times each week, I ran on this mountain trail near my mother-in-law's house.  It is so beautiful and peaceful and reminded me of Alamosa.

So now we are starting the journey back East.  In a couple days, we'll arrive in Nebraska, stay with my parents for 10 days, and then head home.  Hope to see some of you along the way!
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