Sam Bauman: Where has all the sagebrush gone at Boys & Girls Club?

If you think the dirt was flying when all those officials came over dug into the ground-breaking rituals for the new multi-purpose athletic center at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada, those flying clod were nothing to what has happened the following week. My apartment overlooks the building site, and since last Monday the big machines has been carving up the acres of sagebrush where the MAC is going to reside.

There earth movers, a giant shovel, a large grader and a hefty front loaded have churned the site up all up, while long dirt-haul trucks have been taking the dirt away.

Can’t tell where the MAC is going to wind up, but all the sagebrush ground from the Club building to the fence at the large playground has been denuded and leveled. Looks like the beautiful playground is not going to be hurt.

I haven’t spent a lot of time watching the earth-movers do their job, but several of apartment seniors have come over to my north-facing apartment and enjoyed the show. It’s fun for a change to watch our tax dollars at work, doing something for all of us right there in those yellow machines.

“The best of times”

That’s what spring is in Nevada. Spring skiing is a sheer delight with warm days and cold nights resulting in corn snow formed when the snow melts during the days and freezes in corn sized pellets at night. Easy and fun and you don’t have to dress for Arctic cold, just easy layers.

Low runs turn a bit mushy in the afternoons but pick a north facing slope and snow will hold up better. And because it’s spring Bay Area snow-sporters tend to switch to tennis and the like, so no crowds.

Then there’s hiking, something Nevada was made for.

Here’s some fun walks at Washoe State Park: I’ve done all and recommend them for seniors in moderate condition. First hike is this Thursday.

It’s a little more than a mile from trailhead to destination for full moon viewing. Meet at the overflow parking lot, first on the right after entering the park No dogs here.

A nice afternoon stroll will be guided March 22 at Dead Man’s Creek. If you’re early you may squeeze into the small parking lot on the right on East Lake Blvd. Otherwise, go into the park entrance just a couple of hundred yards along the highway. Entrance to that lot is $7 but Nevada residents get $2 off.

The trail starts off flat, crosses a bridge past a monument for a fallen pet, then takes a sharp up sweep for a couple of yards and then follows the usually dry creaked through a patch of trees. The incline in gentle and you reach a path split, one way going on to an animal viewing area, the other loops back and up the hill to the gazebo at the end. Views of the lake, way down these days, are fine. There are benches along the trail as it is a bit more than moderate.

There’s an old trail going back down but the rangers don’t maintain it and it can be steep.

Last hike of this bunch a 2.5 miles through the sand dunes on the east side of Lake Washoe. It will take place 10 a.m. to noon March 14. This is an easy go and lots of fun, wading through sea shells in the dunes. The sand is work of the wings carrying sand from Slide Mountain across the lake and dumping is to make the dunes.

Hikes are free but you pay to park. Call 775-687-4319 to make our reservation or go to washoelake@hdiss.net.

Sam Bauman writes about senior issues for the Nevada Appeal.