Northern Nevada Baseball!

Spring time in northern Nevada is special time a year for so many reasons! For the baseball fan, such as myself, I love to support Reno’s baseball team! The Reno Aces have been in town for a few years now and they always put on an entertaining show!

The ticket prices are very reasonably price at just a few dollars for general admission and they go up from there. I have access to a “box” right behind home plate. I try to make it out at least once a week to support the local team and catch up with friends.

One night I got to sit field level, right behind home plate and scored a fly ball! Later that night I got it signed by an Aces player. It was a good night and my first ever fly ball!

On Friday night games there are fireworks that go off after the game! Don’t be fooled, they put on a pretty good show that last several minutes. The fireworks are the perfect way to end a long week on a bang!

Have you ever been to an Aces game? If so, please share your experience below! Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter: @TravisTBC

“There’s a volunteer!”

Spring time in Northern Nevada marks the time to get your our yard ready for the long summer ahead. Growing up, I would go over to my grandparent’s house after school to help my grandpa out in the yard. He always kept a very neat yard and took great joy in maintaining it. One of his favorite things about the spring time was the volunteers.

My grandpa served in World War II and with that came a keen sense of living with what you have and making due for the rest. When random plants or flowers would pop out of the ground in the spring time he would always say, “There’s a volunteer!”

Well, on my path to school I walk down a narrow pathway that, for the last 4 years, has had nothing but weeds and grass. However, this year there is a volunteer!  It’s a good looker too!

I have enjoyed these flowers for the past two weeks on my way to class. They have brought a smile to my face because they reminded me of my grandpa and the times we shared together. I am graduating in a few short weeks and I would like to think that this is my grandpa’s way of acknowledging my accomplishment.

Did you have any volunteers this spring?

Northern Nevada Sunset!

As I do every day, I was enjoying the great Northern Nevada Outdoors! Recently, I was out golfing Washoe Golf Course again! As I had mentioned in a previous blog, they offer twilight rates of only . As it turned out, I was only the only one taking advantage of that deal…

I play pretty quick because I am experienced and the people I play with are all very golf golfers, so we can play a round in just a couple of hours. Great, good for us. Despite our ability to play quickly, this is not always the case for the people in front of us.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not one of those golfers who expect everyone who participates in this silly activity to play well or even quickly. For me it is an experience that I am just happy to take part in and enjoy the great Nevada outdoors!

Well thankfully, on this afternoon, the people in front of us were not playing at a quick pace. If they were I would not have gotten to enjoy this sunset! This is a shot taken looking down the 18^th fairway.

When was the last time you stopped for a second to enjoy the sunset? Leave a comment below!

Northern Nevada Sunset!

As I do every day, I was enjoying the great Northern Nevada Outdoors! Recently, I was out golfing Washoe Golf Course again! As I had mentioned in a previous blog, they offer twilight rates of only 20 dollars after 3pm. As it turned out, I was only the only one taking advantage of that deal…

I play pretty quick because I am experienced and the people I play with are all very golf golfers, so we can play a round in just a couple of hours. Great, good for us. Despite our ability to play quickly, this is not always the case for the people in front of us.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not one of those golfers who expect everyone who participates in this silly activity to play well or even quickly. For me it is an experience that I am just happy to take part in and enjoy the great Nevada outdoors!

Well thankfully, on this afternoon, the people in front of us were not playing at a quick pace. If they were I would not have gotten to enjoy this sunset! This is a shot taken looking down the 18^th fairway.

When was the last time you stopped for a second to enjoy the sunset? Leave a comment below!

Weed Abatement

 

Here comes the weeds! It has been a late spring and that means there is going to to be some lush weeds out in the great Nevada outdoors! I battle with weeds every year and I win many battles but it is an impossible war to win.

Nevada weeds are not like regular weeds. Regular weeds are soft and and usually don’t have any sharp edges. Nevada weeds, or at least the ones around my house are angry and hurt! It is defiantly a job that requires gloves. In addition, the weeds are relentless; they don’t just come in the spring and then go away for the rest of they year after you pull them once. They seem to pop up just as fast as I pull them out of the ground.

One tool I use in the war is Preen. This product comes in a bucket in a grandeur form. Some of the buckets have a built in, battery powered spreader, but I find that  handheld lawn fertilizer works best to apply this product. The best part about Preen is that it can be put everywhere, flower beds, grass, gardens, you name it! It does not kill anything that is already growing but it prevents any future growth for a couple months. It works really well and it is priced very reasonably; Costco sells a bucket for around 20 dollars.

Have you ever used preen before? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

Which Weather Forecast?

 

The National Weather Service has been my go to weather forecaster for many years now but lately it has been less reliable. This disappoints me because I have come to rely on the accuracy of its service. As I discussed in an earlier blog, I was caught off guard the other morning by an early morning April snow shower. So, in the last few months I have been working towards being able to forecasting the weather myself as a small hobby.

I purchased a small weather station and set it up as recommended by the manufacturer. I can now monitor the wind speed, temp, rainfall totals, ect. This has been fun for me to monitor and graph the different weather events but I still was unable to forecast the weather in the future, only what is in the past.

I was searching online for a new weather website and I came across a site called “Weather Underground.” So far, it has been pretty good for forecasting the weather more accurately than the National Weather Service. It is fun to compare the differences between the two websites.

Have you noticed a lack of accuracy on the National Weather Service lately? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

Nevada Spring Weather

I have been enjoying the warmer spring weather in outdoor Nevada! I have been heading down to the river to case a line and enjoy the sun. The weather has been great for golfing and I have made it out the local Reno golf courses regularly the last few weeks. It is mid-April and summer is on its way! But wait…

I woke up this morning, excited for another spring day, ready to go enjoy the warmer weather but instead I woke up to snow on the ground. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it so I had to take some pictures.

Here is a shot looking out from my driveway. The mountain tops look like they got a pretty good shot of snow, for April. The top of those hills in the background are almost 7000 feet where as my driveway is only 4300 feet.

 

Here is a shot of the front yard…yeah, that’s green grass under the snow!

One of the sayings that Nevada and the Reno area in particular is known for is, “If you just like the weather just wait a few minutes.” I don’t think this phrase has been more true than it has been today. The snow really killed my spring buzz this morning but I know the heat is just a couple days out and I’ll be back on the golf course!

Did you get an unexpected shot of winter again? Let me know by leaving a comment below. Follow me on twitter: @Travis.TBC

Washoe Golf Course

Over the weekend I made it out to Washoe Golf course! Washoe Golf course is unique in the way that is owned and operated by Washoe County. It is an 18 hole course with a driving range, practice greens, and a lot of chipping practice areas. There is even a practice hole that not many people know about right in the middle of the course!

 Washoe is one of my favorite golf courses because it is in the city but on the back 9 I feel like I could be out in the country somewhere because of all the trees, overgrown bushes, streams, and ponds everywhere. Another unique feature of Washoe Golf Course is how there is very little elevation change but between the fairways the ground is built up and there are mature trees that does a really good job separating the fairways.

 Another neat part of Washoe Golf Course is after 2 pm you can play for only 20 dollars. This is great because it reduces the cost of golfing in almost half! The way I see it is I can golf twice as much for the same price.

 Here is a shot looking east down a fairway on the back 9.

Have you been to Washoe Golf Course? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

Wild Creek Golf Course!

Today I want to share with you Wild Creek golf course! Wild Creek is one of my favorite golf courses because it is very well kept up and the price is reasonable. Another big plus for me is that is it near UNR, so I can sneak away for a quick round of golf and be back to campus before my next class starts.  Wild Creek golf course is located at 3500 Sullivan Ln in Sparks Nevada.

Wild Creek is unique in the way that it has its 18 hole regular golf course but it also has a 9 hole executive golf course. The executive course is a walking course and takes about an hour to an hour and a half to play. While the regular 18 hole course takes about 3-4 hours depending on how many other golfers are on the course.

I love to sneak away from campus on my break a play a quick 9 holes on the executive course. Usually in the middle of a random Wednesday there is no one in front of me and I can play 9 in just under an hour and return to campus. If I don’t have quite that much time to kill I’ll just hit a bucket of balls to relieve some stress.

Here is a picture of the 18^th hole looking back at the club house. It’s still early in the year and their grounds aren’t 100% but they are coming around!

Have you ever played at Wild Creek? Leave a comment below to let me know how you liked it!

Aqua Range at the Grand Sierra Resort

Today I want to share with you the Aqua Range at the Grand Sierra Resort. The Grand Sierra Resort is a casino/resort that is positioned between Reno and Sparks. The GSR is known for its more events based entertainment rather than just a casino. It offers things such and laser tag, a huge arcade, and indoor golf where you can golf on the most exclusive courses in the world. But, this blog is about outdoor Nevada, so I chose to talk about its most unique feature, the Aqua Range.

The Aqua Range is open seven days week until midnight, not surprising, because it is built on a resort that prides itself on its nightlife. If you have ever been to a golf range before you know that it is expected that you keep to yourself and try to be quite. However, at the Aqua Range it is very laid-back and it a fun place to meet friends and catch up on old times. In fact, they even play music and sell drinks on site. They even rent clubs if you don’t have any or you don’t feel like lugging your clubs around.

The Aqua Range only gets better if you are a local to Reno because they offer a discounted rate on a buck of balls. The cost of a normal large bucket is 10 dollars but if you are a local it is only 7 dollars. Okay, it might not be that much of a price difference and it is priced higher than most area golf courses, but you are paying for the experience.  Have you ever been to the Aqua Range? Leave a comment below.

Fishing in Outdoor Nevada!

It is officially spring time in the Northern Nevada desert! Spring is my favorite time of year because I allows for a change in outdoor activities! It is officially time to put the snow sport equipment away and pull out the summer fun actively equipment! With the resent warm up in the weather I decided it was time to get ready to go fishing again!

I am a fair weather fisherman, I will shamefully admit it. The temperature outside must be warm enough for me to stand in the water in shorts and case a reel. I like to be in the river and be apart of the experience rather than standing on the shore watching the water flow by me.

To fish in Nevada you must have a fishing license and since fishing license from last year expired sometime in February, it is time to get a new one. Getting a fishing license in Nevada is very simple and there are a few different way to get it. Personally, my favorite is online because I can complete the process without leaving my home.

To get a fishing license online just go to the Nevada Department of Wild Life’s website. The site is well designed and easy to navigate. To get started just click on buy fishing licenses and go through the steps to complete the transaction.  If you want to fish in the Truckee River you will need to get a “Trout Stamp Privilege” in addition to your license.

 Photo Credit

Getting my fishing license online only took me 5 minutes and cost a total of 39 dollars for an annual fishing license. I think this is very reasonable considering all the hours I will spend standing out in the Truckee River this summer! Have you ever fished in Nevada? Leave a comment below! Don’t forget to follow me on twitter: @TravisTBC.

Wild Mustang: A Closer Look

As I talked about in my post, titled Wild Mustangs!, wild horses are a part of outdoor Nevada! Over Easter weekend I was able to get out and enjoy some of the great Northern Nevada desert landscape and in my travels I got to get the closest I have ever been to truly wild mustangs!

I was visiting a spring appropriately called, Horse Springs because the large amount of horse traffic. I have been coming here for over 15 years and it seems to never change. There is still the same old cotton wood tree and busted up horse trough that has always been there. This spring is far away from any form of modern civilization and I think I am among the only humans to ever visit the area, other than the guests I choose to bring along with me. More on this spring in a later post…

I was exploring down a wash when I saw two horses off in the distance. I calmly proceeded on, trying to make little noise as I could and present myself in a non-treating manner. When I came as close as I thought the mustangs would allow, I pulled out my camera and snapped a couple photos.

I then proceeded a little further, which the mustangs allowed and I got a little closer.

I then just went for it and got really up close and personal to these beautiful animals. As this point I realized how lucky I was to get within a respectful distance of a pre-historic creature. This was a time in my life I will not soon forget!

What is the closest you have been to a wild mustang? Please leave your comment below. Don’t forget to follow me on twitter: @Travis.TBC.

The Fernley Golf Course!

Today I want to share with you my latest golfing experience. My brother convinced me I needed to play the Fernley golf course; so today I did. Even though it was supposed to rain and be windy in the Northern Nevada desert, we hit the links anyway to celebrate the Easter holiday. The green fees, including a shared cart, were very reasonable at only $25.

Normally, on Easter Sunday golf courses are very crowed but the weather kept the “fair weather” golfers away today. We were the last ones to hit the golf course at 11 am because the weather looked so bad; it was supposed to rain and thunder in the afternoon. The guy in the clubhouse tried to talk us out of playing because the weather conditions were going to be so poor.  As it turned out, the wind died and the clouds parted to allow us to have a great day out on the course.

The golf course conditions were surprising good given the time of year; in fact, they were better than all the popular courses I have played in Reno thus far. The greens were very green and up kept, while the fairways were also green, lush, and well-trimmed. My only complaint would be that the “ponds” were not filled as the “Newlands Project” canal was not filled, which is the major source of water for the golf course. However, I imagine it is still too early in the year to expect the course to be in perfect shape.

If you are a golfer and haven’t played the Fernley course yet, you must give it a try. The course is very well kept up and the price is very reasonable. If you have played or want to play please leave a comment below! Please follow me on twitter @Travis.tbc. 

Spring Golf in Nevada!

Its spring time in the Nevada desert and you know what that means…Right? It is time for spring activities such as golf! I really enjoy golfing because it is such a simple game but at the same time is so complex. All you have to do is hit the ball on green then just tap it in the hole. Sounds simple right?

I saw the weather forecast on Monday of this week and started making the calls out to my buddies. We have all grown up golfing together since we were about fourteen years old growing up in Reno, Nevada.  Throughout high school and into college we have enjoyed the competitive nature of the game and we try to get together as often as “life” allows to hit the links.

The last time we all golfed, either together or separate, was October of 2012. So, we decided to ease back into it by playing the par three, executive course at Wild Creek. This is just a walking course, so there is no need for a golf cart. All that is needed is your trusty golf clubs and some golf balls to compete at this course. I personally just carry a seven iron, a pitching wedge, and a putter to get me through the executive course.

Here is a picture of my 5^th tee-off swing. I came so close to a hole in one! The greens and overall conditions of the course was surprisingly good considering how early in the year it is, for a golf course.

Are you excited for spring time in Nevada? Let me know by leaving a commit below and don’t forget to follow me on twitter: @TravisTBC.

Nevada Desert Uniqueness!

Today I want to share with you some of the uniqueness that outdoor Nevada has to offer. I was exploring some of Nevada’s high desert and I came across this gem. It was really strange because it is positioned right in the middle of a little wash where rain and snow melt run off in the spring. The other unique thing about this rock is its massive size. Most rocks in the Nevada high desert are no larger than mini-refrigerator.

I put my machine in the photo for a frame of reference so you could get an idea of its actual size. Notice the small cave like indentations that make a natural shelter for small animals.

Here is where something dug a home between the bottom of the rock and the earth. I wouldn’t sick my hand in there for a million dollars. I’ll keep my hand safe and the critters happy by just keeping my hands to myself.

Here is another angle where I am standing right next to the rock. I was just happy a mountain lion or bobcat wasn’t up there getting any ideas. I would imagine this would be a good place for a mountain cat to frequent.

This is why I love the Nevada desert. A few more miles up the canyon you get to a ridge and enjoy vast nothingness. There are hundreds of square miles of untouched terrain just waiting for me to get out there and explore.

Leave a comment below if you love the Nevada desert!

Hole in the Ground Spring

Today I want to share with you a remote mountain spring. A cattle farmer built this  spring up for his cattle operation. In the harsh Nevada high desert there isn’t much water, let alone to be enough to suffice a herd of cattle. Cattlemen had to make do with what they had available to them. I will share, in later blogs, this reoccurring theme about hard working Americans doing what they had to do to make a living.

This spring is located way off the beaten path, about 20 mile off highway 95 between Fernley and Silver Springs. I could only imagine what kind of time, effort, and resources it must have taken to make this spring into an effective watering hole. From the looks of how it was built and the materials used; it must be really old. There is no use of wood or other modern building supplies. It is made from rocks from the surrounding area and cement.I could only imagine gathering enough water from the spring to mix the cement to create the shelter for the spring location and holding pond for the collected water.

The history that surrounds this ground must be extensive. As of the time these photos were taken, there was evidence of multiple fires created by hunters, outdoors men, and recreators in general. This spring provides life to the animals in the area, including wild mustangs, that would go thirsty without this water source. As I have described in earlier posts, this is an artesian  spring that forces water out of the ground from a higher water table. Leave a comment below if you have ever seen an artesian spring!

Wild Mustangs!

Today I want to share with you wild mustangs! In my previous post I have shared a natural spring that supports life on the open Nevada range. Well I thought it was time for me to share just what exactly what some is in their natural Nevada desert habitat. It is not too uncommon to see Wild Mustangs out on the Nevada high desert range. They usually travel in groups and often have little colts by their side.

It’s incredible these are prehistorically animals that have evolved to adapt to the harsh desert conditions. However, with Nevada’s natural springs they have plenty of water. Finding food to keep them alive is more challenging then just returning to a spring. Luckily  these horses are adaptive and have even made their own network to trails around the desert to get around. These are truly amazing animals because they have done such a great job at adapting to their conditions.

Unfortunately, the wild mustang population is exploding and is taking its toll on their food resources. This forces some mustangs to travel to lower ground and look for food. As you can see below, this neighborhood has been negatively impacted by the horse population. The horses have come down to eat the grass and other shrubs in peoples yards because there are too many horses for the range to sustain.

The BLM is trying to address the problem with the wild mustang population problem by doing round-ups. This has been very controversial though and has sparked resistance from groups like Wild Horse Education.

It seems there is no clear answer to the horse population problem. However, one thing most can agree on is these are beautiful animals.

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Nevada’s Spings

Today I want to share with you a source one of the few and far between life lines in the desert. This is a natural spring that many critters go get some water. It is unusual to see a tree in the middle of the desert, let alone a cottonwood tree that requires a fair amount of water to stay alive. A cottonwood tree this size would be around for a long time so there must be some sort of water source. You there is a usually a spring anytime you see a cottonwood tree in the middle of a Nevada desert.

Most springs in Nevada are artesian well type springs. Artesian well type springs are created when ground water rests at a higher elevation than the outlet of the spring. In this case, the water is being forced out of the ground by gravity. Most of the springs I have discovered in Nevada are springs that produce small amounts of water; just enough to keep the wildlife alive and hydrated.

As I said in my first blog post, I want to share with you the uniqueness of the Nevada desert. In future posts I will share some of the remote springs I have discovered. It amazes me there are some spots in the desert that just spit out water all the time. Without them it would make supporting life out in the desert very difficult if not impossible.

Have you ever seen a cottonwood in the middle of the desert and wonder how it was staying alive? Leave your comments below!

Nevada Snowfall

I love Nevada’s weather because it is such a mixture of all the elements. In the summer it gets hot and rains; in the winter it gets cold and snows. What’s the big deal you may ask? Nevadans get to enjoy the best of all weather conditions. For example, let’s talk snow.

I like snow, don’t get me wrong, but I like snow like I like my family on Thanksgiving. They are fun for the first couple of days then you are ready for them to leave. Reno gets about a dozen snow days a year and that only stick around for a little while. Most of the time I don’t even bother shoveling the snow off my driveway because I can count on the snow being gone in a day or two.

Another reason to like snow in the Reno area is because it makes an already good looking landscape look great! The Truckee River in particular transforms overnight with a little snowfall. In the winter the river loses some of its beauty because the water level falls and the cottonwood trees lose their leaves. However, when the snow falls it transforms back into its wondrous, almost mysterious, self.

Even the trees around my house get prettier with the added snow. The landscape transforms from a sea of sagebrush in the Nevada desert to winter wonderland. Again, the best part of snowfall in the Reno area is it is here today in its fluffiest form and is gone just a few days later.

Let me know what you think about snow in the Reno area by leaving a comment below!

“the ridge”

Today I want to share one of my favorite spots to go with I want to get away from the day-to-day rush of my busy life. I go here to gain perspective on my life and reduce stress. With views of the Truckee River, Fernley, the Stillwater Range, and Pyramid Lake it reminds me how small my biggest problems are in the scheme of life.  Since it is easy to get to and only 10 miles off the trail-head it is the perfect quick getaway in the Nevada desert.

I call it “the ridge” but in reality it is just below the true ridge of the mountain. I like this spot because it the true ridge acts as a wind block in the winter and provides shade from the west sun on a hot summer day. This spot is enjoyable all year around but I like it best in the cold months because I can make a small fire to keep me warm while I enjoy the Nevada desert.

Once on top of “the ridge” you can views of the little town of Fernley below. On a clear day you can see clear to Pyramid Lake more than 50 miles away. In the opposite direction you can see the Stillwater Range that boasts some of Nevada’s highest points. I never get tired of looking around on top of the Ridge.

Here is a photo looking north-west to Pyramid Lake.

Here is a photo looking north to Fernley.

Here is a photo looking north-east to the Stillwater Range.

Also, you can see Pond Peak and Virginia Peak from the top of “the ridge.” Look forward to posts about those locations in the future.

Let me know what you think of “the ridge” by leaving a comment below!

Sand Mountain, Part 2.

I just got back from a trip to Sand Mountain and, as usual, it was a blast! The weather was oddly warm in the low 60’s with just a slight breeze. My brother came along with me and we took our machines to have some fun on and around the mountain. We were not the only ones enjoying the nice weather out on the sand. Since it is a three day week there were several other people out there as well.  I took a few pictures to share my experience.

First, here is a picture of the mountain driving to it on highway 50. From here it doesn’t look very big or impressive but just wait until we get closer…

Here is a picture a little closer to the mountain on the access road from the highway…

Here we are unloading the machines. We got there pretty early in the morning so there still wasn’t very crowded at this point.

Here is a picture of the south side of the mountain looking south towards the highway. This is one of my favorite spots on the mountain because there is so much activity down below.

This is a picture on top of Memorial Hill looking south towards the highway. This is by far my favorite place to see Sand Mountain in all of its greatness. The photo is only enhanced by the American and Nevada flags flying on our machines, as required by the BLM for “safety.”

 

Sand Mountain is one of my favorite Outdoor Nevada destinations! Let me know what you think by leaving a commit below!

Sand Mountain, Part One.

Most of Nevada is desert so it is not that unusual to come across vast areas of sand. Most people just consider Sand Mountain to just be a huge pile of sand that is unique in the way that it is relatively rare because of its size.   I decided to make this a two part blog because I think it is just that important. This is part one of a two part blog.

I have been going to Sand Mountain for over 20 years. Year after year, I gain more application for it than the last. Sand Mountain has always been a place where I go to have fun with friends and family. In my earliest years it was a place to go sledding…year around. Since it is literately, a mountain of sand, you can climb to the top and sled down with no snow required. Of course, snow only enhanced the experience because it allowed for faster speeds.

Since I have grown older and wiser I have begun to develop a new application for Sand Mountain. The unique beauty it offers is one of the true gems Nevada has to offer. My favorite time of day is just before sundown because the low level sun light adds contrast and shows off the curvature the sand provides.  Sand Mountain is truly one of the best places to watch a Nevada sunset.

In part two, I will share some of my favorite Sand Mountain spots. Please let me know what you think so far by leaving a comment. 

Welcome to Outdoor Nevada!

I was born and raised in Reno, Nevada.  I have been enjoying all the outdoor activities this area has to offer for almost 25 years. On any given weekend it is not unusual for me to go to the top of a mountain just because it’s there. I have been to some of Nevada’s highest points and experienced the amazing views on the top.

I want to share some of my experiences with you and show how beautiful the desert can be from some of the most remote spots in Nevada. Many of t these areas there is evidence of only a handful of people had ever been there. It’s a unique feeling to know you are among the few to have ever journeyed into such a remote location.

My goal is to make my readers feel like they have been there and experienced these areas with me. I will do my best to share the challenges and experiences of the journey there. A picture is worth a thousand words, and in light of this, I will provide several pictures and even some video to further enhance your understanding of the beauty that remote Nevada has to offer.

I am really looking forward to sharing the beauty of the desert. People assume there desert in bleak, plain, dull, and empty. In reality, it is full of wildlife such as wild mustangs, deer, and antelope just to name a few.  Outdoor Nevada is an amazing place and my hope is to be able to show you some of its most unique features.