by 
This week, for the first time in 2 years, I got on an airplane without a bike. It felt kind of weird, if not just plain uncomfortable. But there I was, standing in the Reno airport, snowboard under my arm and ready to tackle some Sierra snow. It’s not often that i leave home without a bike (or two) so this was kind of a big step.
My old friend Rose took me on a whirlwind trip of everything Reno and the surrounding mountains. I will be in debt to her for a while for the incredible hospitality she showed me. I really don’t know what to write when I don’t ride my bike so I will give you a pic:
Yup, that view was worth the walk, and the picture doesn’t even do it justice. Contrary to most rumors, Reno is a pretty cool little town. It seems like there is always something going on. This mini city has a thriving art scene, snow sports, cool bars, gluttonous casino buffets, and even a bike themed coffee shop that is pretty awesome called The Hub. The guys at The Hub were fantastic, total bike lovers, and you should look them up any time you are even near Reno.
That’s all I’ve got for this week. I haven’t been on a bike in 5 days and for some reason my legs still hurt. Good times. Keep it dirty.
by 
6 hours and counting and I head to the airport with snowboard in tow. Hopefully by the time I get home, it’ll be OUTDOOR riding season.
good on ya dirty, go get it while its there. reno is pretty cool. don’t know about livin there, but its a good place to get your drink on.
me & my board are leavin in 6 days for a snow & booze filled week @ mammoth mt. for some reason, delta is only charging me 20 bucks for the privilege of stowing my board in their aluminum tube. (so why the fuck is a bike @ least $50?)
in total agreement w/sfb tho. hopefully the frozen tundra around here (upstate n.y.) will dissipate enuff to get my ever-widening ass on the bike upon my return.
not that it will help w/ my ever-widening ass.
$50 bucks for putting bike on a plane is a *steal* these days! ..a fucking deal at twice the price!
Air France, Swiss Air, Luftansa and a few others are dishing out the ass fucking to the tune of $200-300 each way for checking a bike as luggage. Just try getting to the Alps without hitting a leg on one of the three carriers I listed. It ain’t easy. (at least not from Eastern Canada)
anyway, 50 bones is a smile from a pretty girl by comparison.
hey db – looks beautiful, but you know what? i am so sick of looking at snow. :) i’d rather see pics of your beautiful az mountains. anyways, glad reno was fun. you got to experience it the right way.
Judi, i will be sure to have a desert intensive post next week for ya
I’m stoked to see the love on Reno. I grew up in AZ and ended up here in the dirty “NO” a few years ago to knock out an engineering degree. It sounds like you made the rounds to the best the area has to offer, The Hub coffee shop with the Bootleg bike courier company next door is bringing the next wave of progressive business concepts to Reno. There are many flaws here but if you like skiing, mtn biking, need a university and an economy for a job then Reno is pretty sweet.
I checked out Reno a month or so ago for job. Had some beer at the St James Infirmary, too. Found it to be a cool town with some potential, an urbanized downtown – and a lot cheaper to live in than Tahoe. Mtbing out your back door, milder winter climate than tahoe, skiing close by, etc. Seems to be a growing outdoors scene. I was surprised to be more than a little bummed when I only got a part-time job offer.
$50 to fly your wheels might be cheap, but seeing and hearing stories from baggage handlers and getting the airlines to pony up for anything other than lost or stolen clothing is not something I’d wish on even my worst enemy. Read the fine print on what the airlines will cover and see if you ever want to fly your bike again.
I’ve flown with my bike a few times in the past 4 years and haven’t paid once. I even use a bike box too.
nyhc00,
Frequent flier eh ??
Trust fund eh ??
Silver spoon eh ??
Last flight I took I had to pay additional for an over weighted suitcase.
I stashed my balls in it so I was all good.
You ??
i was stuck in the reno airport with the husky midget for 36 hours. no shit. our buddy Klonopaul Naugle (clonazepaul if you prefer generics) dropped us off for our standby flight and then split back to South Lake. we didn’t catch the flight. or the next one. and so on. dick in one hand, buddy pass in the other, we stood there by the flight counter watching flight after flight leave without us.
we were plum out of cash, but a nice old lady gave us 10 bucks with which we bought some burger king. that was pretty much all we had to eat the whole time. we’d spent the rest of our cash that trip on a wad of humbolt county’s finest and beer. two sleeps on the airport floor, a meal of burger king, and 36 non-stop hours of the husky midget.
i heart reno.
Wow. I lived with the dude. But I don’t think I ever spend 36 straight hours with him.
You’re lucky to be alive Mr. Snake Hawk sir. How did Husky get his guns through the airport security?
Surly Traveler’s Check or a BMX bike shoved in a golf bag. either way results in no extra fees at the airport
Colonel, yes to all of those. And actually my mom pays to have my bike broken down and rebuilt at a local bike shop anytime i travel. That way I don’t have to get all dirty and sweaty. yuck!!!
Spent the last seven nights at 8000′. Today will be my ninth ski day in the last ten. Sun Valley, Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole. Tomorrow I have to leave and go to Lookout Pass MT, then a few days at Schweitzer. Winter’s so short.