Visitreno

[john]

This is my first "tome" on Virginia City". If you are a vacationer or a Reno/Carson resident and have NEVER been to Virginia City (VC), you are in for a treat of a lifetime - guaranteed, you will come back year after year. There are plenty of hotels and B&B's (but no brothels) It's an unforgetable place for the entire family.

Since the"Event of the Summer "Into the West" just started, no better place to go back in time and that historic era in American History than to Virginia City. (put on your cowboy hat, boots and six-shooters n' c'mon up, but PLEASE don't forget the jeans and shirt. The "Naked Cowboy" lives in Times Square, NYC)

Now that summer has finally arrived (we hope it will stay for more than two days at at time), take your best friend(s), whether wife, children, sweetheart, grandma or grandpa, or everyone, and come on up to The Comstock, where the mother lode (silver) of all times was hit in 1856. (Three working mines going on right now and some that are SHHHHHHH)

The Way It Was Museum is a terrific place to start your explorations at the North end of "C" Street and you finish off the day at the South end of "C" Street with a tour of the Chollar Mine (and panning for gold $6.00/person with a guarantee of finding gold). Take the trolley ride for $4.00 or the V&T Train, also for $4.00

A new Railroad Museum is in the process of being built on the corner of "D" Street and Union Avenue. It should have been completed by the end of June, but since we've had a tough winter, it will be completed on "Comstock Time" (which means, whenever), but you can see work in progress.

Grandma's Fudge Store has the best home made ice cream, hand rolled fudge (you can watch them make it in the window in huge vats) I've ever tasted (10 lbs up since last summer); then of course, there is the horse-drawn carriage, and you never know when someone will be out and about in period dress.

Now, if you prefer wine, women and song, bring your woman to The Bucket of Blood on any given Saturday afternoon (around 1:00 pm) and the Comstock Cowboys will beckon you to "Git Up and Do the Two-Step" with your partner (or anyone, as a matter of fact). You can also catch the Cowboys at the Nugget in Sparks (for a fee of $35.00 per person). The Bucket charges you the exhorbitant price of four hours of your time and a short drive up from Reno or Carson. The Bucket also has some of the "loosest slots" in the area. Now, I will dare anyone to have one of the Bucket's Bloody Mary's. Tell the bartender, Brian, that Gracie sent you, I am sure he will make the drink well worth your trip to VC (one is enough)

And again, if you do not want to be in the company of the Terrible Slot Machine (a/k/n as the One Armed Bandit or Bandito, if you're from south of the Border) stroll down the street to The Old Washoe Club where there is not a slot machine in the place. Every Saturday at 1:00 pm, an audience interactive band known as "Bobby Kittle and the Chix E. Dix" are in residence 'til about 5 pm. Then at 8:00 pm, the best live music (not western) anywhere begin to play. There is no cover, but oh the fun and dancing continue into the wee hours of the morning.

There are, I have to admit, an abundance of ghosts at the Washoe (bring a digital camera so you can capture the many spirit orbes). This is known as "The Millionaire's Club" and you can see by the original fixtures, that it truly was a place where The Comstock millionaires entertained their brandies, hand-rolled cigars AND the ladies. If you don't believe in ghosts, and many skeptics have come into Ole Virginy but left, a bit ashen-faced. let me know of your encounters The girls, Sherrie, Jen and Trouble, will be more than happy to tell you all about the resident "guests" of the Washoe Club. Tell them Gracie sent you and you might get special treatment.

And there is silver, silver and more silver and Black Hills gold to buy in the shops of VC. And food everywhere. RV parking in many lots on D and E Streets. Or anywhere BUT C Street (just don't get stuck - streets are steep and narrow up towards A Street).

Do I love this City???? - You BETCHA!! (Can't you tell?)

Our next BIG event is the 4th of July Celebration with parade (NOT the Tournament of Roses Parade) beginning at 12:00 noon (Comstock Time) and fireworks to rival any in Reno (but not quite the Macy's Fireworks in NY - sorry folks).

If you will notice, everything that has a time schedule in Virginia City is followed by the phrase "Comstock Time". That means whenever it gets rolling. Although we try to organize every event as per modern times, we are hopelessly stuck in the Old West, so you have to be laid back and relaxed when you come "Up the Hill".

Am I going to tell you all about the forthcoming events? You Betcha, cowboys and cowgirls.

See you all on C Street on Saturday and/or Sunday,


Ps. For your own safety ladies, please don't wear high heeled shoes. The Boardwalk gets you every time (been there, done that)


Grace