Jane and Hal's West Coast Trip
Summer 2006
Reno, Nevada
Mt.St.Helens
   

Tuesday, August 1, 2006 - We left San Franciso and headed east on Interstate 80 toward Reno. Stopped outside of Sacramento for a respite and checked out the Fry's super electronic and everything else store. This is a chain that is on the west coast and there is nothing like it on the east coast (yet). The store is huge and they sell everything from computer mother boards to washing machines. Everythiing you need to build your own computer plus all sorts of appliances from TV's to dishwashers. Also books and dvd's.

We stopped for a bite at the local Subway's, there didn't seem to be much choice. Not terrible. Saved by having lots of hot peppers. We continued on to Reno going over the Donner Pass. We did NOT eat each other and much to our surprise there was not a stand selling body parts for lunch  
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We found the SC Group Estate, home to the SC Group as well as Mike Levitt and Stewart Nelson. The house is huge and is situated on a lovely 2 1/2 acre plot with a lovely pond as well as a barn.
We then went for dinner at the Atlantis Hotel and Casino. Mike and Stewart had the ribs, Jane had a hamburger and Hal had a huge slab of prime rib.
We then went on a ride to downtown Reno. Reno is without question the tackiest city in the world. It makes Las Vegas seem like the height of sophistication.
Their living room is a fantastic screening room complete with 106" screen and fancy electric lazy boy type seating. We watched the Yankee game as they played the Tornto Blue Jays. Watching it on the giant screen was a real treat - made even better when the Yankees won.
  The rest of the house consists of bed rooms for Mike and Stewart at opposite ends of the house and storage rooms everywhere else - the dining room, the basement, the ... well everywhere. They did leave one bedroom clear for guests. Their philosophy is if Costco sells it, the buy it. And mostly keep it. The also have every part necessary to build their SC40 computes. And more. The result of the trip was that Jane realizes that as a pack-rat I am far from world class.
What would such a large property be without the necessary tractor!
   
Tractor Movie 1 Tractor Movie 2 Tractor Movie 3
   
We had a wonderful time visiting with the "boys." They were wonderful hosts and opened up their house to us. It was a very pleasant visit -- and the house is about as different from their Paris apartment as one can imagine.
Hal had to stop for a blood test. Then to a Reno Starbucks for some coffee and scones. We then headed for Interstate 80 west. Over the Donner Pass again. We stopped for a quick bite on route at a Taco Bell. Surprisingly good cheap tacos. Then off to Napa.
Mt.St.Helens Seattle