After two weeks of outdoor living, we were looking forward to movies, live music, and someone else’s cooking. We had a killer pastrami sandwich at a hoot of a place called, “Coney Island”. Very busy bar and grill at lunch: guys in the trades, cops, old guys taking up all the bar seats…and no suits to be seen, nor many women. It seemed like everyone knew each others’ names, like a great neighborhood bar.

Reno also has a landscaped greenway, great for bikes and strolls along the  Truckee River. Competitive kayakers practice their surfing skills in the rapids in the Downtown area. You just wouldn’t know you were in a desert environment until we ventured to the northwest outskirts of town to hike up to the secret Piute petroglyphs. Standing in the brief thunder and rainstorm viewing these unmarked beauties, made you understand why the Tribe has refused to allow Washoe County to “protect them” as that will also lead the public to visit them. I am glad we had an insider to show us where among the massive rock field, we needed to look.

Up early, for the 5 AM “Dawn Glow”, we watched as six hot air balloons set up and launched, firing their intensely bright propane flames in time to music, and lighting up the balloons against the still dark sky. By 7 AM, 86 balloons were airborne. Some landed in a field close to the petroglyphs so we got to see the Chase Vehicles deflate and pack up. Notably, all the balloons use wicker baskets for the pilot and crew. Why? Because other lighter materials like aluminum that were tried, could not compete with wicker for strength, weight, and easy repair with reweaving, not to mention for beauty.