Reno: layout and more...

Reno, I have lots and lots to say about this small city in Nevada where we currently reside but this post is meant to highlight a few characteristics of this city which I have observed over the past 18 months.

Two major freeways run through Reno, I-80 from East to West and I- 395 from North to South. Traffic on these freeways are very tolerable during rush hours and at other times a breeze. Though I do not want to sound like a critic, drivers always have trouble merging and over the few months alone, most of the accidents we drive by are on merges. Bike lanes are common in most of the main roads but I am not sure how popular bikers are. U-turns are allowed at about 99% of intersections which is totally a prize for someone from the east coast. Only arrow lanes can range from 1 lane to 3 lanes which can absolutely confuse drivers who are not familiar with it. Main roads like Virginia st or McCarran extends from one corner of Reno to another. One road (McCarran) goes around the whole Reno perimeter and it takes 20- 25 minutes at most to ride around the city.

The actual city lies interior in a valley with mountainous areas in the circumference. This means a lot of different things:
1)  The night time view of the city is spectacular.
2) One side of the city can be easily viewed from the other side.
3) There is often a contrast in the weather from one area to another (It could be pouring or snowing in one region while we watch sunshine at a distance). Truly it's a beauty.
4) Our snow accumulations are quite different in the valley to the foothills.
5) Almost any time of the day, you can watch airplanes at a distance for a good duration of time.
6) The high-risers in the city has an elegance to them though sparse in number when compared to big cities.

The land is open and somewhat scattered but Renonians (a name I created) loves it and that is perhaps the highlight to many who absolutely abhor cities crammed and crowded. "Claustrophobic" is a popular feeling expressed by residents here who visit big cities like NY.

Houses are generally two stories with only a handful of homes with basements. Are homes cheap? Absolutely not! The influx of Californian residents and their investments in second homes inflated the real estate prices. Gated communities are becoming more common and preferred by buyers, perhaps an influence from California.

Mountains and that also on all four sides is a blessing and quite the view. Perhaps, a  new comer most often dislike the mountains but like people say, it is like an "acquired taste". As time passes, you find the serenity and grandiosity in the mountains. All of a sudden, it's not boring or redundant anymore but inspiring and mood changing.