Nomad Life - Day 347

This morning, I woke up at 0400 (with alarm) and started teleworking.  My weather app said it was 27 F outside at the David Walley's Resort by Holiday Inn Club Vacations (Genoa) - yikes!  Comfy and warm in my spacious room, I made and ate breakfast in my room.  After working for several more hours, I made and ate lunch in my room.  I then stayed online (working) until 1545 and then went outside.  By that point, the day had turned sunny and pleasant (51 F) and it was great to be able to get some walking in and around the resort.  Like yesterday, there were plenty of birds for my daily eBird checklist - the hot water must be some kind of a magnet for them.  In a little while, I stopped in at main building so I could get a workout at the Fitness Center.  I was able to do my regular 20 minutes on the stationary bike (4 miles).  Just after I was done (1620), I stopped by the Reception Desk and asked for (and received) a late checkout the following day.  Next, I walked over to the Spa area and spent some time in the rejuvenating hot springs.  This time, I tried five of the seven pools - each was similar in temperature but I found the ones closest to the mountain (west of NV-206 and the Resort) seemed warmest.  Along the way, I met a couple from Oklahoma that were making their first visit to the area.  We had a nice talk and they confirmed that it was, in fact, snow that was visible on the high peaks towards the south.  Afterwards, I walked back (did some birding on the way) to the Canyon Building; I was in my room at 1745.  During this window, I made the final decision to skip the 4th Annual Mark Twain Days (which I've heard about from a bar-buddy) because I wanted to check out nearby Gardnerville instead.  So, at 1750, I left the Resort and drove (via some local streets) to another place I'd heard about from the locals: Jethro's Oven and Grill.  I arrived just after 1800 and happily joined in with their weekly "Taco Tuesday".  The menu for the restaurant was very complex and I wasn't sure what I wanted to eat anyway - fortunately, my server was wonderful and I completely took her advice.  In the end, I had two plates of three "street" tacos (chicken, beef, pork) and enjoyed some more local brews.  Seating was at a premium so I felt very lucky to be eating at a table.  When I was done (1900), I went out into the parking lot and was treated to a spectacular view of the High Sierras, silhouetted in the dimming light of the day - a crescent moon, rising just above the ridgeline, made the scene even more beautiful.  I think I could actually see Tahoe Ridge Resort, where I hoped to stay during the next week.  Back in my car, I took the "scenic" route back towards David Walley's and explored the towns of Gardnerville (surface streets and US-395) and Minden (more US-395).  I'd last traveled through on this same road back in November 2025 but I had no context on anything at that time - now, everything seemed more familiar and relevant.  Along the way (1925), I stopped at one of the cheaper gas stations in the area (Smith's, which also offered a Kroger discount) and I filled the tank of my Subaru in anticipation of my travel day tomorrow.  Once I departed from the last vestiges of civilization, I found myself on the lonely part of US-395 that transits towards Carson City.  After turning west, I was able to reach the Resort quickly but then made the decision to continue north towards Genoa.  During my earlier visit, I had seen a place called the Genoa Bar & Saloon, which claimed to be the oldest bar in Nevada (1853) and I wanted to try it out before my time in the area ended.  There was a fire pit outside but I went indoors initially to see some of the American Kitsch they had (e.g., Raquel Welch's bra, the huge "diamond dust" mirror, etc.).  The place reminded me of the Haunted Mansion from Disneyworld (lots of cobwebs, dust and an "ancient" vibe).  The bar was moderately busy and the people at the fire pit came in/out while I was sitting there.  I befriended the young bartender, Gabbie, but also got into an interesting local named Thom/Tom, who had originally hailed from Germany but was now retired in Genoa.  He told me so many more things to do and see and made me feel very welcome.  It wasn't the first time I've had this happen but it almost seemed like he was making a pitch for me to become a permanent resident of the area.  He sweetened the pot by offering me a free pass to a cross country skiing report to the north of Lake Tahoe "if you are in the area during the season".  Gabbie gave lots of ideas on the same subject too.  Maybe...  The visit was very nice and I was invited back for the following Tuesday.  After I said good night to everyone (2120), I drove back to David Walley's (arrived 10 minutes later).  It was dry and not too cool so I finished up my walking for the day (1.5 miles).  In my room again, I didn't have much time for anything before bed - I did some reading, Duolingo and watched YouTube videos before turning out the lights at 2215.  Great day in the Carson River Valley!