23 July 2006

last minute trip...

Had a last minute trip to a national conference in Reno this past week. Chicago is hot; Reno is hotter - 104°! The one difference is there is very little humidity. You feel the heat, but it's not as uncomfortable.

The conference - Reading First - was one of the best I've ever attended. Learned lots and bolstered things I have been saying about the teaching of reading for years.

I visited Reno once about 30 years ago. At that time I had great fun and was really impressed. I never really liked Las Vegas until my last visit a year ago. Reno is kind of sad now. The downtown area is really rundown and sleazy. I was disappointed. I also went to Virginia City. It had been a mecca of antique stores and history. Now it's just touristy. The antique stores are all but gone and the stores left sell trinkets, or bijoux as the French say.

The highlight, and what has not changed, is Lake Tahoe. It is still naturally beautiful and they have maintained it's level of quality. I definitely want to return. Here are a couple of pictures.

Lake Tahoe 2

I love the mountains. This and the next picture are from the top of the gondola at Heavenly...

Lake Tahoe

Bears on the street...

bears on parade... These were up and down the street. Chicago did something similar several years ago with cows. They were all fun, just as the bears in Tahoe...

Keep wildlife wild...

a great motto to live by... don't you think?

just asking...

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