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Reno, Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, Elko, and Wells, NV

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Trip Reports' started by DaiLun, Jun 2, 2021.

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  1. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    My Trip Report

    2021 retirement area evaluation

    I'm so excited!!! This weekend, I'm off to perform my first evaluation of the potential retirement area of Elko, NV. I haven't been there in 50+ years.

    So, why Elko?

    Why I chose Northern Nevada

    I have no family with whom I'm close other than my sister, who lives in SoCal and my son, whom I'm encouraging to "make his own life". However, at this time, he'll probably move with me, and is welcome to do so.

    I will be "retiring" from my "high(er)"" stakes casino gambling of the past 10 years or so. No 6-8 times to Las Vegas in a year, no more $4000 for three days gambling budget.

    I wanted to be somewhere:

    1) Near an airport or train station or (god forbid) a bus station
    2) Away from populated areas (I know, contradicts the above)
    3) Has 4 seasons
    4) No state income tax
    5) Close enough to a Asian grocery store that I could go once a month or to provision
    6) Close enough to a place that sells lottery tickets that I could go once a month or two provision (Idaho is closest, but Reno and the CA border is a place where I could knock those two birds with one stone)
    7)Close enough to CET/mLife casinos that I could drive to them if I wanted (however, I will be on limited income so that should prevent that) From Elko, 290 Miles to the nearest CET casino. 500 miles to the nearest mLife casino
    8)Far enough away from the madness of a population center
    9)Somewhere where I can use my VA eligibility to buy a house (3/2 for <$250,000) I guess I should've put that first.

    Originally, I had in my mind Fargo, ND, but rejected that idea because of the potentially harsh winters. I can handle the snow, I lived in Great Lakes, IL for three years, But I'm a little too old for that kind of stuff. Grass mowing, OK. Snow blowing, not so much.

    I then considered Idaho, but they have become "not Asian friendly" in certain parts.

    I went to college in Oregon, and the rainy seasons in both coastal Oregon and Washington put a dampener on them

    So, then it came to Nevada. Northern Nevada.

    First it was Ely, but the population size (<5000) and the fact that there is NO commercial transportation in/out of Ely (even though it's on HWY 50) kind squashed that.

    So, my first choice that meets my "needs" became somewhere between Winnemucca and Wells on I-80.
    Winnemucca is 166 miles from Reno, and Wells is 180 miles from Salt Lake City. There are about 170 miles between Winnemucca and Wells.
    Both Elko and Winnemucca have train stations, and one train a day to/from Reno (to the west) and Salt Lake City (to the East)
    Elko has both a Walmart and a Home Depot, so it's not like I'm totally away from civilization
    Elko has a regional airport, and one/two flights a day to SLC

    Now, Elko is at 5,000 ft. elevation, so that is a concern. In June I will make my first trip to Elko in about 50 years, but if there are no signs that say "No dogs or Asians" allowed, that'll be a start. Elevation tops out about 80 miles East of Elko at Pequop, NV (6142 ft.)

    If the first trip goes well, I will make a second trip in November/December to see what the winters are like

    My plans for this weekend are:

    After work, drive to Reno and stay in a comped room at Atlantis. Dinner at Red Bloom (Asian restaurant at Atlantis) and a meeting with the chef, because of the negative review (about the ramen) that I gave them on my last trip. Will play to make Ruby or Emerald level since their rating year ends June 31.

    Get up early and drive to Elko, NV (pop. 20,000). It's 309 miles to Elko. My plan is to make a brief stop in Winnemucca (the western point of my retirement area search) and make a "quickie" assessment. Because @eliza made visits to every "nook and cranny" casino on her recent TR, I will try to do the same.

    There is one Chinese restaurant in Winnemucca and I may save the stop there to my return trip. The reasons I stop at Chinese restaurants are 1)I like Chinese food, and 2) to ask the resident Chinese about conditions in the area.

    After a brief stop in Winnemucca, it's on to Elko. Highlights of Elko include:

    1)Stop at one or both manufactured home "stores" to get more information on manufactured homes.
    2)Look at Wal-mart, Home Depot, and other local attractions that I will be patronizing on a regular basis
    3)Examine the geography. It IS at 6,000 ft elevation. Walk around a bit
    4)Drive out to Wells, NV (pop. 1200) (the easternmost point of my retirement area search)
    5)Lunch/Dinner at one of the local Basque restaurants Elko has a large Basque community and has a yearly Basque festival.
    6)Dinner/lunch at one of the local Chinese restaurants

    I am staying the night at the Ramada Inn, which is connected to the Stockmen's Casino in Elko.

    There are at least three Chinese restaurants and three Japanese restaurants in Elko.

    And yes, I will visit the four brothels (primarily souvenir hunting) :wink2:

    Saturday morning I will finish up my tour of Elko and anything I might have missed, and start back towards Reno.

    It's less than 2 hours from Elko to Winnemucca, and I will plan to have a meal in Winnemucca at the Chinese restaurant.

    Saturday night, I am staying at Silver Legacy casino on The Row in Reno. I will visit with my Reno host who was transplanted from Harrahs Reno.

    I will try to stop and take pictures along I-80 and in Winnemuca, Battle Mountain, Elko, Spring Creek, and Wells for your viewing pleasure.

    Monday and I just looked at the 10 day weather forecast. It looks to be in the 90's Friday through Sunday. Definitely something to keep in mind.

    Among the things I will spending time looking at on this trip are the feasibility (for me) of manufactured homes. I will have time to spend at the two manufactured home companies in Elko.

    My parents lived in a manufactured home in retirement, and I didn't find them to be that bad. My parent's "mistake" was buying in a community where they didn't own the land. I will be specifically looking to buy land, but with that comes other things to consider, such as electricity, water (possibly a well) and sewage (probably septic). High speed internet is also a concern, as I don't like satellite internet.

    Other considerations are:

    Move totally off-grid, with solar/generator for power, well for water, and septic for sewer.
    Buy an older home

    Any special requests for pictures, etc. are welcome.
     
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2021
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  2. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    Have a good trip. I'm quite familiar with all the places you're going, although I skipped the brothels. :)

    I look forward to hearing your impressions of those areas.
     
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  3. rsanbal9

    rsanbal9 Tourist

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    Very interesting. One thing I wish we had paid more attention to when we retired is what medical facilities, doctors, etc. were available. We just naturally thought yeah there are doctors and a hospital, and we'll be okay. We were/are lucky to be in good health, but then we got older...had to go to a bigger city to get proper and specialized treatment and driving had become harder for us in that our reflexes weren't as sharp in traffic and our eyesight had diminished even after cataract surgery. Plus our friends and family that we counted on got older also (a couple of them died). "Growing old is not for sissies."
     
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  4. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    What about Carson City? It’s pretty quiet but you would be a lot closer to the Reno airport and other conveniences.

    I drove 1-80 once about 25 years ago, and that Elko/Winnemucca region seemed pretty isolated. There was “no there there.” It may be more developed now, or perhaps isolated is what you’re looking for.
     
  5. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    Interesting thought, but:

    1)Too big a city (geographically)
    2)too close to major casinos
    3)Too many people (55,000) and too close to Reno (250,000)

    I'm far enough away that if I "really" want to go to Las Vegas, I can get to SLC or Reno airport, or even drive, but I'm not close enough to be tempted to go, like every week.

    Plus, housing prices in the Carson City/Reno area are higher that I want to pay. All of my life I've never been able to use my VA housing benefit, and now, it's time to reap it.

    I'm looking at 2/2 on 1.25 acre in Winnemucca for $120,000, and 3/2 in Elko for $175.000.

    For something decent in Carson City, you're paying about $500,000, and Reno (as discussed in another thread), about the same or more.
     
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2021
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  6. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    Yeah Carson is still going to have a Bay Area impact/influence on prices...that’s what you’re looking to get away from...
     
  7. Gaggles

    Gaggles VIP Whale

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    You had me at Winnemucca.
     
    I Like to Drink and Gamble
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  8. Mzctbb

    Mzctbb Life is a garden...dig it!

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    Just curious....what kind of “souvenir” does one typically pick up at a brothel?

    Have a great trip...I look forward to hearing your opinion on all the things you plan to evaluate on your trip. Also look forward to the winter installment. Northern Nevada intrigues me as a possible retirement locale, but the high elevation and associated cold winters/snow are a concern....I hate winter...maybe hate is too strong....I really dislike winter.

    Mike
     
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  9. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    Best wishes for a fun trip. One interesting tid-bit is that all the towns along I-80 are basically about 60 miles, or thereabouts, apart… I wondered why that was and a Nevada old-timer explained they’re all about a day’s ride (horse) from each other and that translates into about 60 miles.
     
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2021
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  10. Mzctbb

    Mzctbb Life is a garden...dig it!

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    Great news DaiLun...no worries about airports, trains or buses now...just buy a horse and you’re all set!

    Mike
     
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  11. SMG

    SMG VIP Whale

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    I've driven I-80 between Reno and Salt Lake City a number of times so I'm also familiar with some of the towns along that route. Although, I haven't been out that way during the winter. My last trip out there was before the pandemic hit. I usually fly into SLC and rent a car, since I like to make a stop in Wendover where there are several casino properties too before making my way towards Reno. The only thing that I don't like is that during the dry summer months, there is always the chance of wildfires breaking out. I remember one year they had to close parts of I-80 when the fires jumped across the highway.

    Since you mentioned wanting to try a Basque restaurant, the Star Hotel Basque Restaurant in Elko is very good. I've been there for lunch a couple of times. https://www.elkostarhotel.com

    I'm actually surprised at the number of good restaurants in Elko, even the ones in some the casinos like the Red Lion and Gold Dust West. I've been wanting to try some of the Chinese and Japanese restaurants, but haven't had time to check them out. That city has really grown over the years.

    If you like BBQ, the Pig BBQ & Pub in Winnemucca is also very good.
     
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  12. 393fitter

    393fitter Tourist

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    This, especially since you state you might not have family nearby.
     
  13. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    Yes, the Star Hotel is on my list of Basque restaurants to try, especially if crawfish are in season!! :feedme:
     
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  14. NittyOne

    NittyOne VIP Whale

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    This is what concerns me about retiring to a place too remote. Not a problem I’ll have for quite some time.
     
  15. NittyOne

    NittyOne VIP Whale

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    Wow I’m super excited for this trip report. This intrigues 100X more than a trip to the Wynn or something.

    These small town Chinese restaurants do they have a separate menu for Chinese/Asians? I remember they use to do that when I was in college but maybe because it was a college town.

    What is this benefit?
    9)Somewhere where I can use my VA eligibility to buy a house (3/2 for <$250,000) I guess I should've put that first.
     
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  16. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    Covered in detail here:

    https://www.benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/benefits-summary/SummaryofVAHomeLoanGuarantyBenefits.pdf

    Some of the benefits:

    VA home loans can benefit you in many ways:
    » VA home loans often have lower interest rates and closing costs than conventional loans
    » You may not have to make a downpayment and mortgage insurance is not required
    » You do not have to pay a penalty if you pay off your VA home loan early
     
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  17. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    OK, 4PM on Friday. I'm in Elko, in My hotel room. I will summariZe the last two days:

    Drove to Reno from San Jose, a drive that I've made many, many times before. Hundreds of times before. Traffic was "lighter" than normal (pre-COVID-19).

    Got to Atlantis in 4.5 hours. Decided to eat first, then check into the room. The parking lot was VERY crowded and valet was closed.

    Well, I'm glad that the Chef had left to go home, because I didn't want to face him with the news that there was only SLIGHT improvement in the Spicy Miso Ramen. Here's what I was served.
    RB_ramen.jpg

    Slightly better looking, and they used jalapeno peppers instead of the habanero or serrano peppers that they used last time. It tasted a little better, but since I had ordered Gyros On the way up, I was kind of full and not fully prepared to evaluate the ramen bowl.

    Finished with dinner, I checked into the room.

    The rooms at Atlantis are very, very nice. I was on the 15th floor
    Atlantis_room1.jpg
    nice sized safe
    Atlantis_safe.jpg
    Keurig coffee maker
    Atlantis_Keurig.jpg
    Standard bathroom
    Atlantis_bathroom.jpg
    The only thing lacking was a chair that pulled up to the desk, so that is why I didn't provide an update.

    That, plus the fact that for the first time in "forever" I stayed up until midnight gambling downstairs. No slot porn because I was getting beaten pretty badly, but accomplished my goal of getting close to making Jade level. I will have until Saturday to figure out if I'm going to attempt to make Jade, because Atlantis tiers refresh on June 30, 2021

    So, that finished, I turned in.
     
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  18. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    OK, up at 7:15AM, got a good night's sleep. I departure target was 8:00AM, and I made it slightly after 8AM.

    Ate breakfast In Fernly about 30 miles east of Reno on 80. Got take out from Wendy's.

    Along the way, there was a lot of road construction, as they were repaving US-80
    upload_2021-6-4_16-27-40.png
    Some of the interesting things that I saw:
    upload_2021-6-4_16-26-7.png
    one of the few area in the US where the speed limit is 80MPH. I applied the "over 10 miles is safe" equation and drove between 85 and 90. The road was straight and flat, and visibility is to the horizon.
    Stopped in Winnemucca for a bio break. Pulled in to the Model T Casino
    upload_2021-6-4_16-28-39.png
    The casino itself was small, but lively for the time of day
    upload_2021-6-4_16-30-0.png
    They had some of the latest machines, like "American Gods"
    upload_2021-6-4_16-30-26.png
    I went to the Player's Club booth and applied for a card. They didn't have the "ATM like" pad to enter your PIN, to gave it to the boothling by speaking it. The guy behind me said "I can hear you" jokingly (or at least I thought so)
    I ended up losing $70 at American Gods, I got the Mr. World bonus to get me back to -$70. Figured that was enough and left
    Here's the restaurant at the Model T casino
    upload_2021-6-4_16-34-42.png
    upload_2021-6-4_16-34-50.png
    So, on to Elko. Boy this Nissan Kicks sure has terrible range. The mileage is about 30-32 MPG, but I went through a tank from San Jose to Reno, and another tank from Reno to Elko.

    I explained to the boothling at the Model T my purpose for being here, and she told me to "skip Battle Mountain", I asked why, and she told me that there wasn't anything there. I found that to be true as I made my way to Elko. Plenty of small casinos, especially at the gas stations. I'm not one for playing slots at a gas station, so I didn't spend any money there.

    So, as I thought might happen on this trip, i "caught" a rock which cracked the windshield
    upload_2021-6-4_16-48-27.png
    Here goes, another round with American Express.

    I pulled in to Elko at about 12:30 and went to the first manufactured home company, but their office was closed until 2:30, so I went back to Westwind homes. So, I got to Westwind homes and after sitting in the car from 2-3 hours, I suffered from "no blood to the brain", and I couldn't make thoughts into words, so the people at Westwind must've thought that there was something wrong with me. At the end of the session with them, I explained to them what had happened and everything was "better".

    So, I really got an education about manufactured homes. Among the things that I didn't know were:

    1)It takes a year for a manufactured home to be built, once ordered
    2)Site costs are about $40,000 on top of the land if you are not building in the city limits where water and power are readily available
    3)The foundation costs about $25,000

    more to add later

    So, after that, I had lunch at Chef Cheng's, one of the three Chinese restaurants in town.
    I talked with one of the waitresses, and explained to her why I was here, and how long had she been in Elko, and did she like it, and what, if any, were the drawbacks?

    She had been in Elko for 10 years and "enjoyed" living in Elko, she said that the cost of living (except for housing) wasn't that much different than anywhere else.

    I ordered Hong Kong style Chow Mien
    upload_2021-6-4_16-51-30.png
    It was good and filling.

    I then went over to the Ramada Inn at Stockmen's Casino and checked in.

    I was given a room on the 4th floor, right next to the elevator. Convenient to the ice machine and the elevator.

    The room was clean and relatively spacious
    upload_2021-6-4_16-55-1.png
    upload_2021-6-4_16-55-16.png
    Standard bathroom
    upload_2021-6-4_16-55-46.png
    So, with my stuff moved in, I went downstairs to the Casino.
    First thought
    Mirrors on walls to present the casino as "bigger"
    upload_2021-6-4_16-57-4.png
    upload_2021-6-4_16-57-27.png
    Obligatory slot porn. I made back $400 today, which covered the $70 from this morning and $300 from last night.
    Random bonus here for $300
    upload_2021-6-4_16-58-38.png
    Same Bonus, but after things settled down
    upload_2021-6-4_16-59-36.png
    So, with that, I am caught up on the major details. This evening will be devoted to sightseeing and a visit to the town's attractions.

    (Starts with a B and ends with an L) :wink2:

    Dinner is TBD. Since I have a microwave in the room, I can eat the leftovers from Arby's yesterday, but I think I'm going to wander over to the Star Hotel and see if they have crayfish for dinner.
     
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  19. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    Oh, and a last note. When I brought the $600 TITO to the cashier (which doubles as the Player's Club) the gal said "Wow, is this a high five moment?". I said "No, not really", but after thinking about it, for that casino $600 might have been much, so I raised my hand for a high five and received one in return.
     
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  20. pebbles

    pebbles Micro Roller.

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    I’m interested. Sounds like a good exploration of your options.

    We have visited a couple of the more popular places on your list on a Nevada drive through several years ago. I’m interested to see how they have changed in the intervening years. I think our driving trip was 2009 or 2010.
     
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