View ProfileWhy do I live in NV? Let me count the reasons ...
The weather can be hot and dry and sometimes not very cold and dry, but usually it’s perfect. The sun is a nearly constant companion. On the rare occasions when it leaves, the spattering of rain or snow is a delightful change.
Did I say it was dry? The low humidity is unattractive to bugs. It’s possible to have a BBQ without seeing a single fly. Flying insects are rare. I grew up with gnats. There aren’t any gnats in Nevada.
The mountains in the south are sharp and defined. We can see their bones from miles away without the blurring obstruction of trees. In fact, the vistas across all parts of Nevada are spectacular. We never feel caught in a maze of highways walled by impenetrable sixty-foot pines.
The desert is beautifully brutal and surprisingly colorful as sere plants project their blossoms through their annual cycle. I run on trails made by wild burros (or SUVs), the thrill of a victorious return made more precious by the horrible penalty of running out of water or falling into a rocky arroyo.
Las Vegas is a blend of vast brand new subdivisions with all the amenities, older suburbs, and the peculiar industry of sex and gaming for which it’s known. Within the last fifteen years, the town has added to its reputation as a resort town marked by good restaurants and amazing shows.
Some of those shows feature names from so far in our past that they are amazing just because they are still alive. We saw Chubby Checker a couple of years ago and got his autograph. He looked great. Johnny Winters, on the other hand, looked very old.
Nevada is a monstrous state, 500 miles tall and 300 miles across. The Reno north is much different from the Las Vegas south: more trees on the mountains, more snow, more water, another destination if we want a break from the desert. If you drive the 450 miles, you have to keep a close watch on the road ahead for cattle, gazelles, mountain goats, wild horses, and elk.
It’s an intriguing place in the real Old West where you don’t have to do without today’s amenities. And a great airport with more than forty million visitors each year will sometimes bring a set of our kids with a grandbaby for us to baby sit.
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