Originally Posted by volosong

Thank you both for correcting my incorrect information. Not that it was an option for me anyway. Used to be easy for us Yanks to get into Canada.

Since we had the extra day this past weekend, I took the opportunity to go on a road trip with my lady friend. We traveled up U.S. 395 through the Owens Valley, spending a night in Tahoe, and visiting Carson City/Minden/Gardnerville on the way back. Had fun too, spending time at the Mono tufa towers, Bodie, and Mammoth.

Tahoe is really nice! Lots of cyclists on the roads with "share the road" signs everywhere. It seems to be a bicycle friendly environment. South Lake Tahoe city is just a city, but with pine trees. Nothing special about the place. The Nevada side of Lake Tahoe looks like a very desirable place to live. Other than the casinos right on the edge of CA, the Nevada shore was not commercialized at all. I could like living there, but wonder about living my retired years (70's and 80's) at altitude. It's something like 7,000 to 8,000 feet. Kind of expensive too.

I'm intrigued with Minden and Gardnerville. It's in a valley at the foot of the Sierra Nevada below Lake Tahoe. There are low hills to the east. Decent medical in Carson City, the capital of Nevada. Nearest Costco is up the road a bit in Reno. It's arid, which is fine with me. Great cross country skiing with mile after mile of groomed trails in Tahoe and lots of cycling hill climbing miles all around. The area has moved up my list of possible retirement places. Will try to visit again in the mid-summer to check out just how hot and miserable the summer weather can be.