Over the years, we’ve visited Reno numerous times. But usually, we were tearing our hair out in an effort to get a new theatrical production ready. When we came through this time, it was one of the few occasions when we were able to just enjoy what the city has to offer, in a (mostly) stress-free mood.

There were certain items of business we needed to take care of, however, like replacing a lens on Kimberly’s camera. And getting photos done for visas and work permits when we would return to Cambodia later in the month. And we did some more downsizing with our belongings, minimizing our minimalism even more. Because one other thing we had to do was list our RV for sale on Craigslist, so we needed to get it as empty as we could. Other than that, we mostly had a leisurely visit with Kimberly’s parents, brother, niece and nephew.

We all went out to eat at a great place called Great Full Gardens, which serves healthy and imaginative dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. It offers plenty of options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, paleo and other special dietary needs. On top of which it’s just damn good.

Our nephew Joey has an actual honest-to-goodness limo that he picked up at a bargain somewhere, and he likes to give rides in it. Who are we to turn him down?

Having driven an RV or large van for over 30 years we are also amused by automatic carwashes. They are so much fun. So when it was time for mom and dad to get their car washed we felt like we were on a ride at Disneyland.

Reno Improv Experience

The two of us returned to the Reno Improv, where as we mentioned before, we’d attended a performance with niece and nephew already. This time, we not only caught another performance by the troupe of regulars, but just before it began, we participated in an improv class, which is something we hadn’t done in years.

Although we have decades of acting experience under our belts, improv is a skill in its own right. But improving at improv certainly helps with thespian skill in general, since acting requires being able to think on your feet. So we always welcomed the chance to hone our improvisatory capabilities, which (being ever prone to self-criticism), we always felt ourselves to be a bit deficient in.

When we lived in San Francisco many moons ago, we were astoundingly lucky to be able to take improv classes every Saturday under a legendary teacher, the late Jim Cranna. You can see Jim in the Robin Williams move Mrs. Doubtfire as the bartender in the poolside scene. He also had bit parts in American Graffiti and other films, and when he was younger he played a hippie in an episode of the TV sitcom Green Acres. When it came to teaching improv, there was none better or more fun.

We began going to these classes when our son Zephyr was just a baby. One day, Kimberly was participating in a skit, and she was holding Zephyr in her arms. At one point, she decided to dangle him upside down by his feet. It got a laugh from the other students, but Jim was a bit concerned. “Have you done that before?” he asked her. She replied that she had, and he said “Good; if you’d done that the first time just for this scene, I would have kicked you out.” Later, when Zephyr was older and had done some performing himself, we’d drop into the class whenever we were in town, and he’d take part too. In fact, he and Jim played off each other quite well.

Anyway, it was good to get back our “sea legs” for improv at this session in Reno. And we had a great time with the performance that came afterward, during which each of us took a turn at getting up on stage and being part of a scene. We weren’t brilliant, but we were very okay. We’d like to think that Jim would not have kicked us out.

Kimberly has missed her skateboard and her slackline during our time abroad. But at least she’s been able to jump rope. And she continued doing it in Reno.

Historical Virginia City

One of the family outings we took during our stay was to Virginia City, about 50 miles away, and up into the mountains. With a population of no more than 1000 or so today, Virginia City draws a healthy influx of tourists because of its history as a silver boomtown a century and a half ago. Its population swelled to 25,000 at one time (a pretty big city for those days), and it had an opera house (which still stands) among other things. For about two years, one of the journalists for its local newspaper was one Samuel Clemens, who first began using the nom de plume Mark Twain there.

Quite a few of the old houses and buildings are still extant, and the residents and merchants do all they can to capitalize on the city’s colorful past. Most of the businesses now are limited to the main thoroughfare, so you can pretty much see the whole town in an hour or two, but it’s always a charming place to visit.

Since some of us were craving some variation of coffee, we ducked into a quaint little coffee shop called Larry’s — which was quite appropriate, since that’s also the name of Kimberly’s dad. The Larry who was doing the barista-ing was decked out in silver rush period attire, complete with handlebar mustache and goatee, and he was quite the character. And quite fastidious in his preparation of beverages.

On one wall in Virginia City, we saw one of those maps equipped with a supply of pins so visitors can mark where in the world they came from. And we couldn’t resist putting one up for ourselves, right on Cambodia. Because that was where we’d been, and that was where we were headed, for an extended period of time. It’s as much home as anywhere else.

From Virginia City, we headed down to Carson City, the state capital, and briefly visited some old friends of Kimberly’s family that she had not seen in some time.

And then it was back to getting our RV ready to say goodbye to us.

8/3-8/2023