Carson City, Nevada is the capitol of Nevada and is now much closer to Reno after the construction of Interstate 580. I watched this freeway be carved out of the mountains over nearly a decade, and it has cut the travel time considerably to both Carson City and South Lake Tahoe. The historic capitol building is the main attraction in town, nestled in the garden, but Nevada is one of only three states where the legislature conducts business in a different building. The larger and newer buildings are conveniently next door.
Pub Across from the Capitol Building
Being Nevada, there are several casinos directly across the street from the state capitol. I cannot imagine any other place in the world where you can gamble on dice and elected officials so close to one another! Unfortunately, being the Monday after a holiday weekend, most of the buildings and museums were closed, but it is always nice to wander around the capitol grounds and neighboring streets speculating on where the next deal will be made.
Downtown Virginia City
Fortunately, the historic town of Virginia City, Nevada had a bit more life. This Old West town is perched high up in the hills near a still active Comstock Mine. Virginia City has all the trappings of a western town - saloons, gun fights, real casinos, and lots of shops selling everything. They try and keep things as authentic as possible with wooden sidewalks and boomtown architecture, so I honor their spirit by showing them in black & white.
Alley with Various Shops
Thunderstorms again invaded in the mid afternoon hours, as is tradition. This was a perfect opportunity to escape into a coffee shop for a fresh roasted espresso and a nice rest. It was really a treat to experience a good old fashioned mountain thunderstorm like those I enjoyed in Arizona. The smell of a fresh desert and thunder claps bouncing off the walls and hills is a welcome treat.
Graffiti on Rock with Reno in the Background
Carson City and Virginia City are on a rough loop from Reno, now about 30 minutes from each other and a great road trip out of Reno. The roads in and out of Virginia City are windy and full of steep switchbacks, but it makes for a fun drive. There are several lookouts on the roads which give a panoramic view of the Reno area, including the ominous warning of a cancelled baseball game. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.
Book of Fallen Heroes in Nevada State Capitol
Supreme Court of Nevada
Time to Make the Laws at the New Nevada Capitol Building
Wooden Sidewalk in Virginia City
Afternoon Thunderstorm near Virginia City
Downtown Virginia City with 4th of July Decorations
Mountains on Highway between Virginia City and Reno
Over the 4th of July weekend, I took the opportunity to visit Reno, Nevada. Reno is still recovering from the double whammy of a massive recession and intensive competition from California casinos. Fortunately, Reno has "doubled down" on their downtown riverfront district and worked with Tesla to open a massive battery manufacturing facility. One of my college friends lived here for several years, so I have spent a lot of time in Reno over the last decade and seen it develop in many ways.
Peppermill Reno Tower King Room
Truth be told, one of the big reasons to travel to Reno was a free room offer from Peppermill Reno. That combined with a three day weekend over the nation's birthday was a nice break. Peppermill is probably the best resort in Reno and rivals many Las Vegas casinos. Their recent remodel covered the neon and mirrors with a more elegant Tuscan theme. The rooms are very nice, and the property earns its 4 stars with a massive outdoor heated pool area, good restaurants, and a great spa.
Yes, it tasted as good as it looks
On this trip, I used their room service quite a bit, enjoying an enormous prime rib while watching the Women's World Cup Finals and luxuriating in a fresh cooked breakfast in bed. Saving money on the room allowed me to also enjoy the spa and even lay down some baseball bets. I always enjoy losing money here!
Cablela's Store outside Reno
Anyone headed to Reno knows about Cabela's - the massive outdoor retailer just off Interstate 80 near the state line. Besides a massive gun, fishing, and hunting selection, they sell lots of camping and recreational equipment. This is a fun place to explore with many wildlife displays and a good cafeteria selling game meats along side more traditional fare. They also have a fudge shop which is always a treat!
Main Entrance for Reno Aces Ballpark
This holiday weekend was also an opportunity to see the Sacramento River Cats play the Reno Aces. I have been to this ballpark before, but this was supposed to be a special trip now that the River Cats are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants. Unfortunately, this weekend was plagued by several massive thunderstorms which canceled the game. Outside of California, rain is a common enemy of baseball; we are spoiled to have consistently dry summers. Even worse, I missed out on $1 rib night!
Reflection outside Nevada Museum of Art
This was a true vacation spending most of my time relaxing in the hotel, but I did manage to get a few destinations off my list including some stops in future posts. The Nevada Museum of Art was a nice stop, even though most of the museum was closed for renovation. I have seen Reno in good times and in bad and am happy to see things improving for the Biggest Little City in the World!
Sorry, I just could not resist linking to the Dallas theme song. It is hard not to think of that iconic TV introduction when driving into Dallas, TX. This was my final stop on my 2015 Baseball & Barbecue Tour of Texas. I briefly visited Dallas during college, but this was an opportunity to explore more of the Dallas-Fort Worth area before heading home. Flying over Texas was a little faster than driving, but far more exciting and gave me an opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people. Landing at the delightful Love Field, it was time to head out for food and fun.
Dealey Plaza with the "Grassy Knoll"
After a brief and uninspiring stop at a highly recommended, but terrible barbecue joint near the airport, I headed downtown to visit the site of the JFK assassination - Dealey Plaza. Even though I did not live through the tragedy, I have seen enough video and pictures to know the place. Being there is just a bit weird. I have been to many tragic sites over the years - Oklahoma City federal building, World Trade Center, Dachau - and this place has a similar energy that something bad happened here. There is a museum that depicts and explains the event from the 6th floor of the former Texas Book Depository, including the conspiracy theories and backgrounds of the main characters. It is not a happy place, but an important place in American history.
Restored Douglas DC-3 at C.R. Smith Museum
After a needed relaxing night, I headed out for a day of museums near the DFW Airport. I used Love Field for my flights, but it was much cheaper to stay near the other airport; go figure! First stop was the C.R. Smith Museum named after the former president of American Airlines. This wonderful museum near the DFW Airport and American Airlines corporate headquarters was established by airline employees to document the history of the airline and its activities. I was surprised by the depth of the exhibits which appealed to the inner aviation nerd in your humble author. Who does not like seeing a DC-3?
Original Norman Rockwell Painting of The Eagle Scout
Just down the road from the Smith Museum was the National Scouting Museum. As an Eagle Scout, I had to stop here! The museum is located at the national headquarters of the Boy Scouts of America in Irving, TX. Most of the exhibits are interactive displays of typical scouting activities clearly designed for young boys in scouting, but they have an extensive collection of artwork and the history of scouting in the United States. The Boy Scouts are still struggling with major issues in modern society, but I think the struggle will make the entire organization stronger and will evolve into a much better group for all boys and adults. They did a good job with me, and I want them to continue for a long time.
Brisket and Ribs with French Fries and Beans
This was the best barbecue on my trip. The folks at Hard Eight BBQ in Coppell, TX are making some excellent barbecue. The restaurant is easy to spot with plumes of tasty smoke billowing into the distance. You stand in line before the great pit with the smoke wafting in every so often with momentary glances of the lucky ones being served first. After you have plenty of time to decide, change your mind, then change back about which meats to get, you tell the pit boss how much of each meat you want or if you want sandwiches or grilled corn. The meats are weighed, then you are tempted by the sides - there are free beans after you pay - and grab a cold drink before finding a seat in the spacious restaurant.
I had ribs and brisket with a side of fries and beans with both BBQ sauces. The brisket was excellent. It was juicy, very meaty, with excellent smoke and bark. I did not need any sauce for the brisket which fell apart even by looking at it! The ribs were also excellent, especially when paired with the house sauce which has a smoky sweet flavor that really compliments the ribs. I will think about this meat for a very long time.
After lunch, one of the more interesting stops was the place where photography and cameras were prohibited - the Bureau of Engraving and Printing near Fort Worth, TX. This factory is literally where the buck starts! They are responsible for printing most of the United States Currency in circulation with extensive quality and security controls. You are probably carrying their product right now; just look for a little "FW" before the smaller serial number on the note in the corner. No FW means it was made in Washington, DC. Visitors are encouraged to take a free and extensive tour of the factory and museum including a stop at the gift shop to buy uncut sheets of currency and bags of shredded notes. Sorry, no free samples!
3rd Base Entry at Globe Life Park
It was finally time to visit my 27th MLB Ballpark - Globe Life Park in Arlington, TX. This is the home of the Texas Rangers and is right next to AT&T Stadium home of a small group of guys called the Dallas Cowboys. Maybe you have heard of them. It is sports central in Dallas and located smack dab between Dallas and Fort Worth in a somewhat sketchy part of town. At least there is a Six Flags nearby! The Rangers were battling the Cleveland Indians and eventually lost, but not after Adrian Beltre hit his 400th home run. They play the Giants in August, but I felt May was a much better time to visit Texas.
I was not as impressed with this ballpark. It is rather old and starting to show its age. The food and drink options were nice, but it missed the mark with playing "All My Ex's Live in Texas" and having a colored dot race along the bases; most other ballparks have much better in-game entertainment including Houston which played "Deep in the Heart of Texas" which is a much better song. Nevertheless, they pack the stands and everyone is having a good time. I am glad I visited, but I am also glad I have AT&T Park back home.
Old Fort Worth Stock Yards
On my last day in Texas, I was fortunate to spend it with a good friend from college and her family. We caught up on everything while visiting the Fort Worth Stockyards for a Tex-Mex lunch and a mosey through the old town area. It was a nice way to end my trip before heading back to California.
Downtown Dallas
Dallas is a tough city for me to love. It is a very conservative city and has a lot of traffic and people spread out over too much boring suburbia. This trip really stressed my limits dealing with driving through rush hour traffic, planning around massive storms and heat, and seeing and hearing the unique political nature in and around Dallas. I wish them the best and will always remember the excellent barbecue, but I was very glad to see my Southwest airplane ready to take me home to Sacramento and California. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.
Houston, we have a problem. It is raining too much! I had three goals in visiting Houston - see my San Francisco Giants play the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, eat some fresh Gulf shrimp, and visit the Houston Space Center. I was successful in doing all three in spite of the relentless rain and humidity. In Texas, the rain is warm and humid which made it possible to wear shorts even when it was still pretty cold back home! Houston is a large major city near the Gulf of Mexico and is dominated by the oil and shipping industries. After a 45 minute flight from Austin into the smaller Hobby Airport and renting another car, it was time to start exploring.
Minute Maid Park
Without missing a beat, it was time to see my Giants play the Astros. Minute Maid Park was my 26th MLB ballpark. The park has a retractable roof and several unique features, most unique are the railroad-themed aspects related to the location near the former Union Station. The former lobby of the station serves as one of the more interesting entrances to the generally boring exterior of the stadium. The ballpark features a replica steam locomotive that whistles and chugs before each game and after each Astros home run. I went to two games over two nights and the Giants and Astros both won one, but I still had a wonderful time.
Saturn V Rocket at Johnson Space Center
Space Center Houston is the base for tours of the NASA Johnson Space Center near Houston. Mother Nature dropped over three inches of rain overnight which flooded the freeway and many roads near the space center which caused massive traffic delays, but I found a detour and moved on. The visitor center is old and geared towards kids, but the real gem is the tour of the still active NASA facility. It was very cool to see the control center and simulation areas and the rocket displays. The tour gave a lot of information about past, present, and future space exploration and is highly recommended for any space cadet.
Fried Shrimp with Red Beans & Rice and French Fries
Fresh shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico are a wonderful treat. We in California have access to great crab and salmon, but Gulf shrimp are just so good. Bubba's Shrimp Palace - yes that is the real name - is a classic example of a waterfront seafood restaurant. $25 gets you unlimited fried shrimp with potato chips, hushpuppies, two sides, and lots of good tales about the shrimp and the area. The owner drives out each morning to buy fresh shrimp and prepares them perfectly to order. These plump and juicy morsels were perfect in every way and filled me up in a most pleasant manner. Plus the drive was a great way to experience the unique Gulf area, even with the gentle, but annoying rain.
Back in Houston, it was time for another Giants game. We lost this one, but I managed to eat several $1 hot dogs with plenty of beer. My hotel was near the light rail so I was able to indulge a bit. On the previous night, I opted for the BBQ Baked Potato loaded with bacon, cheese, sour cream, and brisket. One of the best parts of visiting the Giants on the road is the ability to get up close and personal. There are usually smaller crowds, and the players love any and all positive attention on the road. I have seen Cain, Lincecum, and the rest much closer and relaxed outside AT&T Park, but I forgot my pen! Oh well.
Downtown Houston Skyline
Houston exceeded my admiringly low expectations, but I do not think I will return for a long time. This large industrial city has a lot of nice features, but nothing that spectacular. I enjoyed my trip seeing the sights, eating the food, and watching my Giants all while dodging the rain storms and trying to keep cool and dry. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.
Mockup of the Space Shuttle 747 Transport
International Space Station Simulator
Saturn V Rocket Building
Second Stage of Saturn V Rocket
Replica of Space Shuttle Cockpit
Main Level Mezzanine of Minute Maid Park
Tim Lincecum Posing for a Selfie
Loaded BBQ Baked Potato
Galveston Bay View from Bubba's Shrimp Palace
Downtown Houston with the Standard Horizontal Texas Traffic Light
