Day 1 & 2 – SPARKS, NEVADA

Spending 2 nights in Sparks/Reno area. We settled into our site at Sparks Marina RV Park. We stay at this RV park every time we are in this area with the trailer; since 2009 when they first opened up. It’s an excellent RV Park with a nice layout with 247 sites (back-ins and pull throughs). Paved roads and pads, picnic table, and fake grass (dogs are not allowed to pee on it). Nice rec room and pool. Comfort stations are excellent.

Smoke from the Caldor fire in South Lake Tahoe

On the way in, we saw tents and crowds at some event going on at Victorian Square (a few blocks from the RV park). We found out that it was a Rib cookoff event with arts and crafts vendors. So, after we settled in, we drove over there and parked at the Nugget parking lot and walked through crowds of maskless people, saw a lot of mass market vendors. Mostly metal yard deco (from Mexico). Always like looking at this stuff with all the colors and designs. Also, lots of dark stuff, clothing with skulls, signs about guns and rights.

Nevada is a conservative state. Saw country music bands and a few large barbeque places with long lines. I think we are getting too old. Could not enjoy ourselves. The worst part was the smoke. When we stepped out of our trailer, we saw a what looked like storm clouds on the horizon. Only it wasn’t clouds, it was smoke (from the fires at South Lake Tahoe). When our eyes started to burn and we could smell strong smoke when we took our masks off, we needed to leave.

We drove to a nearby shopping and theater district called Legends for a pizza dinner. When we got back to the trailer and settled down to watch TV, we could smell smoke inside the trailer. It’s going to be a long two days.

We got a late start the next day, but it was a full day seeing a few sites and not once did we step into a casino.

RANCHO SAN RAFAEL REGIONAL PARK

This was our first stop today. I read there was an arboretum and museum in this park; Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Museum. It is indeed a very nice spacious garden. Unfortunately, we did not explore the whole place. It was just so hot (in the 90’s) and too hilly. And it was still quite smoky. The short walk I did manage wore me out. Another day, another season.

I hid one of my painted rocks here (above). Can you find it?

This is an interesting illusion. It looks like a small stump is sticking out of the middle of the above tree. There is no stump, it's actually laying flat on the tree trunk.

We came across a White Oak that had interesting bark pattern and quite a few wounds in different stages of healing. The healing process is quite interesting.

Injured

Healing

Still healing

Healed

So why am I showing you pictures of tree trunk scars on a trip to Yellowstone? Because it's interesting. I have never seen so many levels of healing on one tree and I never knew the stages. I learned something today. Maybe you did too.

The grounds of this park was where Wilbur D. May had his ranch. Today the ranch house is used for events. The museum is staged with mock rooms of how May's ranch house looked like when he lived there. May was a world traveler and hunter with many trips to Africa. The museum showcased his treasures. Unfortunately, one room displayed a trove of wild animal heads and skins and many elephant tusks. I did not take a picture because this is something I never want to see again or remember.

TRUCKEE RIVER WALK

Drove into Reno to find a place to eat on the Truckee River Walk. Wild/River Grille has excellent food and the outside dinning has a view of the river. After lunch we did a short walk along the river. The Truckee river is disappearing. Quite sad.