Reno Here We Come!

October 2, 2000

We left Elko, Nev. in tears again. We had so much fun with Bob’s family, Mugs and Nichole, kids Robert, Brady and Brittany, and Daphne and Jeff and two kids Astin and Trey. We learned a bunch of board games and how to be competitive if we wanted to win! The laughter rings in our ears today! We waved goodbye and started on down the road to Reno to visit with Ron and June Lott.

We arrived in Reno in the late afternoon. June had a wonderful hot meal for us. Their ranch style house was warm and beautiful. We gabbed and visited and fell into a soft comfee bed. The next day was an excursion to Tahoe! The former Colorado farm gal and now an Alaskan, in Tahoe! I was so impressed and loved every minute of it. We ate lunch and Bob and I “won a little and lost a little” and came away with $110 in our pocket. I asked Bob, “Does that mean we lost $100 and won the $100 back plus $10!” Bob thought it was probably true! Darn it! Tahoe is a pretty place and now I can say I have been to Tahoe!

The next night we went to a huge magic show. June and Ron made sure we had front row seats. We were served drinks in large-large cocktail glasses. The magic show was very impressive. We gambled at Circus-Circus and El Dorado and the Mirage. For some reason I do not remember if “I won and little and lost a little,” but if it does not stand out in my mind. I bet I guess we lost a little. I developed a mind boggling headache and went looking for Coffee. They DO NOT serve coffee in casino’s!

Our excursion to Virginia City the next day was so much fun. There was so much to see. I loved the old history of that city. We had lunch, family style at a big table and ended with a soft ice cream cone. We walked back to the car licking the ice cream and laughing about the old days. Some of the “old days” were very familiar to all of us. Nice walk down memory lane.

We drove back to Reno and went to the Hilton. ME at the Hilton! Bob showed me how to gamble on other machines and we won $92! But you see, I did not keep track of what we put in the machines! So we did not know if we won or lost. Ron and Bob went together on a million dollar wheel. No luck there either! The whole day was so much fun we fell into the soft comfy bed knowing we had to leaving the next morning.

We said goodbye to these wonderful people and thanked them for the grand time in Reno, Nevada! As we were looking for I-80 that connected us to I-50, I had this devious idea, I asked Bob if he could find the Hilton again. He said that he thought he could and off we went to find the Hilton for one more time at gambling in Reno! We “won a little and lost a little,” As we were leaving, I told Bob “ I could be a bag lady here, I would just live in a different bathroom every night.” At first he did not think that was such a good idea, then started to laugh, “ Want me to dump you off?” I changed my mind about being a bag lady and we proceeded to I-50 through Fernley and Fallon, where Ron and Dick Lott grew up. We had the privilege of meetimg their mother several years earlier. She remains dear in our hearts to this day.

On through Eureka and on to Ely for the night. It was a long way across Nevada and we arrived at 7:30. All the motels were full up. We finally were lucky enough to rent a wheel chair entrance room for $43 situated under some outside stairs. I went to Safeway and bought some deli chicken and soggy Jojo’s, some candy, an apple and some soft drinks. Ron and June’s daughter lived in Ely and worked at Safeway we thought. Did not get to meet her. We were impressed with our wheel-chair access room. We left the next morning with plans in our head for our house to become old age friendly. I liked the walk-in shower most of all.

We left totally rested and ready for a long trip ahead of us. We headed for Utah on a pretty crisp morning on October 7th. On into Utah and a straight long road interrupted by a few farms and ranches. Bob’s description of Western Utah. Turned at Delta and on to Scipo to I-70 to Salina. We viewed the “bad lands” between Salina and Green River. I had never ever seen anything like this creation of God’s Amazing canyons, gorges and plateau’s. I think I said awesome a thousand times. Bob bought me a Indian-made vase at one of the rest stops and turn offs. Little Indian kids were friendly and cute. They did their job. They were so cute, we bought a vase from them. It cost $30. Maybe that was the excess from our gambling in Reno!

We made it all the way through Utah and into Colorado. We drove through Fruita, Grand Junction, where my Uncle Guy traveled from Northern Colorado, to come to buy peaches for Mom. She spent days canning many quarts of peaches and make peach jam. We saw beautiful orchards of fruit trees and grape vines at Grande’ View Winery. On to Rifle and rested at Glenwood Springs. The day was still October the 7th. We had seen lots of country in two days, crossing Nevada and Utah. It was a nice break from the dry land and sage brush. It was beautiful and green.

We were so very glad to crawl out of the van. Bob reported that we had traveled 523 miles from Ely, Nevada, through Utah to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. We had seen some beautiful country and it was a good trip. We hunted for a room at 7:30 and ended at the Colonel Inn for a $73 room with our “senior discount.” The room in Ely was more impressive. However we were extremely tired and not a bit hungry, so nibbled on the apple we bought in Nevada and drank some hot tea. We fell into a nice clean bed. My half kept moving! I did not feel good with the off and on headache. I was still moving way into the night. The next morning the lady at the hotel told us that it is cold going over the Continental Divide at 40°. Heck, that is warm in Alaska! What was really warm was the 77° at Glenwood. We left Glenwood, October 8th and onto our destination, Boulder, Colorado where my sister, Ginger and her son Randal lives. I was anxious to see them!

Next week: Our drive over Continental Divide into a “skiff” of snow and to Boulder.

The series is written by a 44 year resident of Alaska, Ann Berg of Nikiski. Ann shares her collections of recipes from family and friends. She has gathered recipes for more that 50 years. Some are her own creation. Her love of recipes and food came from her Mother, a self taught wonderful cook.

She hopes you enjoy the recipes and that the stories will bring a smile to your day.

Grannie Annie can be reached at anninalaska@gci.net

The “Grannie Annie” Cook Book Series includes: “Grannie Annie’s Cookin’ on the Woodstove”; “Grannie Annie’s Cookin’ at the Homestead”; “Grannie Annie’s Cookin’ Fish from Cold Alaskan Waters”; and “Grannie Annie’s Eat Dessert First.” They are available at M & M Market in Nikiski.

I hope your summer days are long and warm. Enjoy every minute. Because:

“Life is just a little minute, just 60 seconds in it.

I did not choose it, but I will suffer if I abuse it.

And if I do not use it, I will loose it.

For life is just a little minute, just 60 seconds in it.”

I have this in my Dad’s handwriting after he heard it from his friend Rev. Marcus Grether. 1950