Veterans Day in Winnemucca

It was a rainy day in November...
The parade was small and somewhat low key, but it allowed Winnemucca to pay tribute to the men and women who have served our country and the American people. Led by the local Civil Air Patrol, the American Red Cross, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Army National Guard, Humboldt General Hospital, local firefighters and other community members made their way down Bridge Street through the heart of Winnemucca. There were no fireworks and no music, just plain old hometown respect and flag waving. The crowd was smaller in numbers than your average Winnemucca parade. Unfortunately, not everyone was able to celebrate this holiday with a day off from work, and the gloomy weather doesn't really put you in the mood for fun! It was a hot chocolate by the fire kind of day. Those of us that braved the elements, if you can refer to a trickle of rain as "elements," were rewarded with a sense of pride and patriotism that words cannot adequately describe. Not to mention a pocket full of candy! God bless our troops and God bless America.

Tri-County Fair & Stampede in Winnemucca, NV

The 2008 Tri-County Fair in Winnemucca was one of the best ever! There was record attendance, the weather was fabulous and the entertainment was awesome. From the carnival to the rodeo, there was something for everyone.

Saturday morning the floats crowded the Model T parking lot preparing for the parade. People lined Winnemucca Blvd. to watch the floats pass by and the kids scramble for candy.

Out at the fairgrounds, there was entertainment going on non -stop. The food was really great! Did you check out those BBQ ribs? Vendors were selling out of food. They were super busy.

The first annual Pig Wrestling Competition was better than ever could have been expected! There had to be over 2,000 people in attendance. There were 47 teams, including pee wee, junior, men and women divisions. These people really got down and dirty for charity, raising over $9,000! This event has been the talk around Winnemucca all week. Pig Wrestling brought people down to the fair that probably wouldn't have come otherwise. It was so much fun to watch, and those that participated all had a blast! I can't wait for next year!

Pink Piggies - Pee Wee Division

DMS Softball Team - One of the muddiest!

Winnemucca Kruise Night

America's Car Collection in Winnemucca in collaboration with the Humboldt County Chamber of Commerce has put together a unique summer event....or even better- a unique summer venue- called Kruise Night. The name itself evokes a certain feeling. Repeat after me, "Kruuuuzzzz Night." It speaks of a relaxed kinda cool jivin' vibe and that is exactly what it is. Kruise Night is a state of mind.

Winnemucca locals are enjoying having a place to relax and socialize this summer. Kruise Night takes place the second Thursday of each summer month June through September on Bridge Street in Winnemucca. The local Winnemucca car clubs really like having a place to gather and share their love of automobiles with the rest of the community. Last night was agricultural week and instead of cars tractors were showcased.

Kruise Night adds something new to the Winnemucca palette of events. There is always something going on in Winnemucca, and Kruise Night adds to an already vibrant array of fun and excitement all year round. The final Kruise Night this summer is scheduled for September 11th starting at 6p.m. If you haven't had an opportunity to check it out, don't miss what is sure to be the best one yet!

Fifties Fever - Winnemucca

This past weekend classic cars lined the streets of Winnemucca as Fifties Fever kicked off another weekend of fun! Car enthusiasts from around the West and even Canada showed off their prized automobiles. Winnemucca hosts this event annually at the end of July/beginning of August. Hot rods and poodle skirts become the norm, as locals and visitors take to the streets. The local casinos prove to be a hot venue with their own show & shines and live entertainment. The Winnemucca Convention Center hosted the events on Sunday with fun for the whole family, including the band Mad Dash out of Sacramento.

If you missed this year's event, put it on your calendar for next year! Winnemucca's Fifties Fever should not be missed!

Winnemucca Rain

I wonder if the heat is behind us? The temperature climbed above 100F a couple of weeks ago, but seems to have cooled back off. Last Monday, the streets of Winnemucca were doused in rain. More rain fell from the sky in 15 minutes than it had all year. I'm sure those that haven't lived in Winnemucca long wondered if the world was coming to an end. Living here forever, I've known that rain can eventually burst seemingly uninhibited from the sky... if you are patient enough, it will come. The Humboldt River usually fills to its brink in spring, sometimes erupting from its banks and filling the sloughs. However, rain like that in the middle of summer is not a common occurrence. The creeks and streams, not to mention the hardpan, do not have the capacity to hold all that water falling from the sky at once.

Flash flooding is actually the most often occurring "natural disaster" (outside of fire) that occurs here. Although, now you have to take into consideration the earthquake issue. I remember back about 20 years ago when they were running earthquake drills in the elementary schools because they thought a "big one" would hit. It never happened, but it has always left me wondering if it is only a matter of time. There are several significant fault lines that run through or close to Winnemucca. Rain, fire, and earthquakes....trust me, its not all that bad!

A Wagon Crossing

Winnemucca....the only town named after a Native American in the state of Nevada. Have you ever thought about how they name towns? Winnemucca was actually once called French Ford. It began as a wagon crossing on the Humboldt River. Pioneers saw this country when it was virtually untouched. But, has it really transformed that much?

There is something said for wide open spaces, as far as the eye can see. A certain holiness may overwhelm the novice traveler. Dusty roads lay across the vast desert. If you venture down one of these unkept paths, you may find deep trenches from tires that cut through what was once moist earth. It appears like jagged knives had cut through the hard earth to expose what lay beneath. Nothing but hardpan. During the heat of the summer, the region's large alkali flats seem dry and virtually unlivable. If you choose to wander from the trail, you may find secret canyons full of life and beauty tucked among the mountains. Most never find this beauty. They are too set on moving forward and not risking wasted time. This land has many seasons, which bring many changes in the scenery. Winter can bring delicate white blankets of snow, covering the landscape in pristine brilliance. Spring brightens the landscape with wildflowers growing amongst the sagebrush and rocks. But the summer...it is hot and dry. Not until you experience the full cycle, do you understand that the barren season only strengthens appreciation for the rain, the water....the green valleys....the fragile buds of spring.

The journey across the high deserts of the West soon leads to a river. The Humboldt River. This river is the curviest river in North America, snaking back and forth between the shores. A river that you cannot follow, that must eventually be crossed. The place called French Ford sprung up at a crossing.

Can you imagine what this landscape looked like to the pioneers? Most likely a lot like it does today. Only it was viewed at a slower pace.

Feeling Free

Cool crisp clean air....and miles and miles of sagebrush. A liberating freeness that settles in your soul. It's like that here....in Nevada. The wind caresses your face in a motherly way. The warm sun heats the earth bringing confidence to the flora. The smell of the earth greets your senses awakening that innate connection to nature. You begin to imagine times long past....a time when lives were being forged in a virgin desert. New beginnings of untold hardships. A community at the brink of creation.