Visit the City of Reno in Nevada

Travel with Bennett-Watt and discover the city of Reno in Nevada.

Male1: Though most think of Nevada as dry and airy, much of the state is in the mountains with over 4,000 feet. The valley floor here just outside the Gardnerville is about 4,000 feet and in 10 miles this road climbs up to over 8,000 and then drops in to the forest to the Lake Tahoe basin at around 6,200 feet. A dramatic change in environment where in May, there is still sufficient snow just across country and runs snow machines. Ski lifts are closed but there is still plenty of snow around in the higher elevations as a reminder winter is not that far removed. Lake Tahoe is divided between California and Nevada taking advantage of every last inch of Nevada territory, Casino foundations are right against the state line on the south end of the lake. Dropping off the mountains into the trucky valley, Nevada’s second largest city Reno hails in comparison to the glitz, glamour, growth and sprawl of Las Vegas. Male2: There is always been a very conscious division in the north between the old time wide open yippee everything goes and a very mid western business orientation, solid citizens, and we are little suspicious of growth and it’s still laid business banking insurance, medical center for not just northern Nevada but part of northern California even in the Idaho and Utah. Male1: Reno is a town comfortable with its past and present. Gaming is of course still big business here with casinos like the Silver Legacy contributing significantly to the community’s economy. The city’s 1927 Virginia Street Art says it all. A block away bowling, bowling for dollars, 2.7 million of them the largest purse in the history of the Women’s International Bowling Congress Championship Tournament. Ruth: We are open on March 20th and we will be bowling until July the 9th. That is seven days a week holidays and all. We start bowling at 07:30 in the morning and then get off the lanes about 2 AM in the morning. Male1: For 112 days, 67,000 competitors bowling 16 and a half hours a day for 16 weeks, these women will walk 68,000 miles sending their balls down the alleys which if your endostatistics is more than two trips around the world if you eat greater. The ladies will bring approximately 134,000 bowling balls to Reno with an average weight of 12 and a half pounds. They will roll over 837 tons of balls down the hour. Ruth: This is the cream of the crop for a bowling center. There are not very many bowling centers that are this large so it is a real experience for the women that come from these little towns that bowl in a bowling center that have four or six lanes in them. They come in here and bowl in the center that have 78 lanes. Male1: The Women’s International Bowling Congress is the largest and oldest women sports organization with a membership of over 1.3 million members. Female1: The magic about bowling is you do not have to be good to come here. All you have to do is be willing to play the money. And anybody could come in and have a good time with the husband and kids at home. Ruth: Well, it is actually a sport that they can do for all ages. They can start when they are children and they can go until they are in their 90s. We have ladies that are bowling in 92, 93 years old.