Reno Family Reunion

 

We started our trip after work with a layover near the Seattle airport and found Angle Lake Park nearby to walk around after an incredible meal at Mango Thai Cuisine restaurant.

After many hugs and a bit of catching up, our first outing as a family of eight was to the Sparks Marina where this new development looks a lot like Venice.

Our next was a trip with Tibor, Dora and Tia up to historic Virginia City.  This was the view of Reno and the mountains that border Lake Tahoe from the drive over the mountains to get there.

We saw wild horses on our walk around the cemetery.

Downtown Virginia City is very much like a set from a Western movie.

Back in Reno, I took a walk with Hanna and Mom by the pond to catch up.

Our next big adventure took us to Lake Tahoe and this beautiful hike to see the birds and view above Incline Village.

What a view of Lake Tahoe!

We drove a bit by the lake to get to another hike.  This is the aquamarine water at our lunch spot.

This hike to monkey rock was on Tabor's hiking app and the views were stunning!

Dave and Tibor admiring the lake.

We drove west to Mayberry Park and walked along the Truckee River there.

There's a nice paved path that runs alongside the river and even a garden exhibit.

This was a nature preserve that Dave and I found near Idlewild Park called Oxbox Nature Study Area.

It was an awesome find!  Nobody there, great loop trail and right on the river!

We all went bowling at the Grand Sierra Resort (the gorgeous resort casino complex where Grandparents worked when it was called the MGM, before it was Bally's).

I can't ever remember who wins, but I certainly remember some extraordinary strikes and spares. 

Downtown Reno was a fun place to take early morning walks.  Lots of art sculptures, wall paintings and a beautiful skyline against an ever blue sky.

One morning we met Tibor & Dora downtown for a coffee and walk.  It was one of my favorite things!

We took a picture with our beautiful nieces near the family photo wall, as I love all those memories.  Can't believe how fast they grow up and so proud of these two athletic, brilliant beauties!

Snapped this fun family pic the morning of our departure.  Have a lot of fun ones of the four of us over the years and as it turns out, their family room was a perfect place for it.

The sweetest farewell.

Sisters at the airport.  Was so wonderful to see them again!

It was still very much winter in McCall when we returned for the weekend.

Payette Lake was still far from melted.  This is the view from Rotary Park.

So we decided to continue the spring weather we had in Reno by going to Riggins.

It's always much warmer there at the lower elevation and the trillium and buttercups were out!

We've been on this hike in the past but this was the first time we made it to the top.

We were so excited to get the 360 degree view and fly our new drone there to see more.  Of course it was a long, long hike back down.  After the flowers and sunshine on this hike, and sun drenched days in Reno we really felt like we were starting to shake the winter months off and that our very own springtime and summer in McCall were within reach.  Love you!

Winter 2022

 

Mountain view from the airplane flight south from Deadhorse to Anchorage.

Just before landing in Anchorage.

Went to Reno for New Years to help my parents and got to drive Dad home from the hospital.  Here he is looking great in the sunglasses Tibor & Dora got him for Christmas. 

I made some flower arrangements in Hungarian colors for them.

We took some pics before I flew to Boise to drive home.

Dad & I with flowers.

Dining room selfie.

Back in McCall we took our drone out for a flight on Payette Lake.

And up on Lick Creek Road in front of the Snowdon Wildlife Sanctuary.

The deer got very brave in our neighborhood and walked up to our garage.

Payette Lake with the bear sculpture.

Flowers that Dave bought me to celebrate my Birthday.

This is Tamarack Resort's Village and view of the ski hill.

Tamarack's Village construction is coming along beautifully.

Our townhome photographed from the back (our unit has the windows on the left.)

Winter pic of our condo building.

South from work my Anchorage flight got cancelled so I was rerouted through Juneau.  These are the mountains outside of Juneau on the descent.

Winter Carnival fireworks in McCall!

The fireworks show from above.

They lit the lake and sky up beautifully.

Dave and ice carving in front of the chamber of commerce.

Always love seeing the snow and ice sculptures during Winter Carnival.

Cafe 634's sculpture.

The Mill's sculpture.

Our friend Todd came to town and we got to go on a great walk around town with him.

Another one of our favorites.

We flew to Colorado to visit our sweet Palmer Station friends from 2004, Johan & Sonja in Boulder.

It was a bittersweet visit as we had to say goodbye to our good friend Johan who recently passed away. He gave us all the penguin rocks we wanted to remember him by, so Dave and I chose one from each island.  Penguins choose the smoothest rocks to make their nests out of.  This one was from Dream island.

Before returning to work, I flew to Reno to visit my brother and parents, take a Red Cross Instructor course and celebrate my Birthday.

They left the Christmas decorations up so that the Tia & Hanna could celebrate Christmas with them.

It was a short visit, but great to see them and catch up, and especially enjoy after class hours with them with a meal.  Wonderful Indian food, thank you again!

Back in Idaho after work, Dave and I got to flying our drone more often.  This picture of us on the bridge is off of Warren Wagon road at the Snowdon Wildlife Sanctuary.  We practiced flying in the narrow canyon over the river.

This day of flying was on frozen Payette Lake.  There was warm soup in the insulated thermos I'm holding.  

The photo above is of our property on West Mountain Road.  You can see the road on the upper left hand corner, the roundabout with our car parked on the lower left hand corner.  What a cool arial shot!  And below is a pilot selfie which we have gotten into doing also.  Nice to get a pic with both of us in it!

It seemed that we had a lot of fun outings this winter, with the drone flights and mid-week hot springs soaks with our friends.  Love you, more soon...