The Popcorn Stand: What’s not to love about Nevada, Part II

In Wednesday’s Opinion page of The Recorder, we featured a piece by Bakersfield California columnist Herb Benham about a recent trip he took to Gardnerville, Nev., and how much he enjoyed the area. Since I consider Northern Nevada my second home, I thought I would follow up on Benham’s sentiments and also express my love for the area.

I’ve also written before about my love for the Porterville area. Over the last 20 years my profession has taken me back and forth from Porterville to Carson City, Nev. I’ve worked for two newspapers during my entire professional career — the Porterville Recorder and the Nevada Appeal in Carson City.

Each time I’ve returned to Carson City I’ve fell in love with the area again. And each time I return to Porterville I fall in love with this area again.

And I’ve made a few quick trips back up to Carson City since I’ve returned to Porterville. I first visited the Carson City area in 1989 and immediately fell in love with the area.

Gardnerville is about 10 miles south of Carson City, which is the Nevada state capital. Carson City is about the same size as Porterville. There have been rumblings over the years the State Capitol could be moved to the sprawling, much larger Las Vegas, but I could never see that happening.

The once Oakland/los Angeles/inglewood/irwindale/ San Antonio (those are all the cities the Raiders have flirted with or located to) can move to Las Vegas but the State Capitol can stay in Carson City.

And you can have Las Vegas. As much as I love Carson City, that’s how much I really don’t care for Las Vegas.

When I first visited Carson City I was truck by the fact that there were slot machines in all the convenience stores and grocery stores. I obviously also knew sports betting was legal in Nevada, but was also struck by just how big sports betting is in the state.

Which reminds me of a funny story. Longtime Carson High educator and wrestling coach Tim Mccarthy actually had plans to start out as a sportswriter.

Mccarthy applied for a sportswriters’ job at Harrah’s

and actually got the job. He was given a Harrah’s jacket. He thought that was kind of strange, but he thought oh well.

Mccarthy then was taken to the sports book where all the sports bets are placed. Mccarthy asked “What am I doing here, I’m a sportswriter?” His manager replied “You’re right, you’re a sportswriter. You’re going to write the tickets in which the sports bets are made.”

And when it comes to sports betting, winning and losing doesn’t matter as much as the point spread. That’s why I always joke in Nevada, “It’s not whether you win or lose — it’s if you cover.”

Benham was accurate in his description of Gardnerville and Northern Nevada. It’s a high desert area with an elevation of 4,700 feet right below Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada. Reno and Virginia City are also nearby.

And yes the high desert area of Northern Nevada, which includes Carson City, can receive its share of snow in the winter.

Spooner Lake, one of my favorite spots, is about 20 minutes away. Carson City also has its share of beautiful spots, including a waterfall on the east side of town at the end of Kings Canyon Road. And of course the amazing Lake Tahoe area is a short drive away.

Benham was also right about the 395 being a beautiful drive. Highway 88 which is my normal route to Carson City when the weather allows is also a beautiful drive.

One of the things I love most in going back and forth between Carson City and Porterville over the years is the drive. I love taking Jack Tone Road out of Ripon on my way to Highway 88, although it seems like another stop sign is added on the road every time I take it.

I’ve also gone the back way from Jackson, Calif., through Angels Camp, the home of the jumping frog of Calaveras County made famous by Mark Twain, and the Jamestown/columbia area, which is also a beautiful drive.

I’m proud to call Carson City home. I’m proud to call Porterville home. It’s pretty cool to have two homes. If home is where the heart is, it’s pretty cool to have two hearts.