S

stephmar

Member
We are looking at making our reservations for this year's Reno Air Races!!!!

We are looking at the Grand Sierra Resort, but I thought it would be fun if other Vans folks were going for us to get together!

Not that anyone really spends that much time in the hotel
 
There are quite a few RV's at Reno and Greg Areheart (sp?) usually hosts a Saturday evening BBQ at his hangar for a bunch of RV'ers...he'll probably chime in here.

Best,
 
The Peppermill Casino is always a good spot, that's usually where I stay.
 
our plan

We made reservations at John Ascuaga's Nugget for the weekend of the air races. We have not been there for 20 years so don't consider our choice a recommendation based on any personal knowledge. Looking forward to attending and hope there are some RV group activities.
 
also doing Reno....

any promos or 'coupons' that us 'outta towners' should know about?
I imagine it's quite the opposite, with every room booked, but never hurts to ask.
I can even say I'm aneraser if it helps!? :)

my wife is coming, but probably won't want to stand in the pits for 173 consecutive hours like I will, so good activities for her are a big plus!
 
There ought to be a RV class at Reno but ...

Last year in the Bronze part of the Sport Class there was a RV-3, a RV-8, a RV-Super 6 (540) and a RV- Super 8 so even in this setting the RVs are making their presence known. The day at Stead and the nights in Reno night life with dinner and shows can make it a pretty enjoyable week for the adult visitors. I don't know how the fun holds up for the youngsters.

Bob Axsom
 
My family and I also stayed at the Grand Sierra last year. It was very nice; I highly recommend it. The races were awesome!

Jerry
RV-8 N84JE
 
Most of the big name brand places in Reno you'll be happy with.

Favorites are:

Grand Sierra, easy access to the interstate to get to Stead
Silver Legacy, middle of down town, nice hotel/casino
Peppermill, best pool/spa of all the places
Nugget, easy access to highway to Stead, Victoria square across street with good bars and eats
Harrahs, nice casino and PHENOMINAL steak house

There is also Circus Circus, Eldorado and Atlantis.

If the whole family will be at the races, I'd stay at the GS or Nugget however if you have kids or a spouse that will be staying behind and abusing the ammenities I'd leave them at the Peppermill. YMMV.
 
more time in RENO = more ideas required please!!!

Looks like we're hitting the Eagles concert in Vancouver first, then pretty much will have a whole week in Reno.
Flying down and booking hotels thru Southwest airlines, a lot of the other 'cheap' carriers want $50 to take your bag along! :eek:

I plan to do the races Fri, Sat, Sun.....so have a few days before to see the sights around town.
Any must see things for an airplane nut and his best girl to do? we are late 40's, semi active, and on a modest budget. ( but hey it is my 50th, so some foolishness is justified, eh???) :)

thanks for any feedback folks!
 
flyboy1963;774231 I plan to do the races Fri said:
I don't care about gambling myself, so my advice is to get out of Reno and go up to lake Tahoe for a day trip. The lake is beautiful and you can rent some kayaks and do a little paddling, or maybe drive down toward emerald bay and do the hike up to eagle lake for the view down or a nice swim if the day is warm. Lunch at the Sunnyside on the north shore is a bit pricey, but worth it for the setting and view alone. Your wife will love you for it.
Erich
Click to expand...
 
America's Cup

The stars are really aligned this year. America's Cup finals will be happening in San Francisco Bay concurrent with Reno. This Cup Challenge is best of 17, starting on the 7th, so it should bracket Reno, unless it's complete blowout. My wife loves airplane racing AND yacht racing, and I am a lucky man.

We've been to the Reno races 10 times now, and we usually fly in to SFO and rent a car to drive over the mountains, so this works out well.

This year's boats are really something to behold. Love 'em or hate 'em (and I think I'm the in the latter group), they are technologically impressive. They're powered by wings!

-jon
 
still looking.....anyone?

thanks for the ideas.....what about if I rent a car, and consider attractions and activities within an hours drive or so. Is lake tahoe the most stuff per square mile?....what would you recommend there?
I'd hate to end up at that place where all the college kids hang out!:rolleyes:
..is the water really warm enough to play in? ( if you're sober!?)
 
Virginia City.

Go up to Boot hill and read the tombstones.......

Sobering stuff.

Those guys were not old.

Then go into town and make merry and raise a glass to them all :D

2 of us Brits will be in the Silver Legacy with some Reprobates from Maryland.

We normally grab a margarita after the last race and lounge around in the corporate areas while all the traffic is dying down - you can blag in there free after racing has nearly finished. Usually good for a free beer or two if you have a British accent as well :cool:

You will see us - we re loud !!!

Some of the best sights at Reno have been 'after hours'.

The first jet race for example....

If anyone is coordinating an RV meet - say Saturday evening, let's get something started. Either at Stead after racing, or down town.
 
what tickets to buy????

can those who have gone before tell me....do i need reserved granstand seats on the fri,sat, sun race days, or will i want to watch the whole thing standing in the pits?
I have heard there are a few spots to sit in the pits, but not sure.
If my wife is along, I'm sure she'd appreciate a place to sit, meaning reserved grandstand.
what have you guys done, and why, or how did it work out?
how late did you stay; what goes on after the races???
thx
 
Lots of things to do in/out of town as already noted. Usually the pits are fairly quiet after the races finish for the day. General admission ticket will get you seats in the grandstand, unless you want to pay extra for some reserved seats. I've never seen it so full you couldn't find a place to sit.

Stead residents have hosted an RV BBQ for the past several years, Saturday night after racing. I have organized this in the past along with Mike Barrow and Dan Ross, and we hold it at Dan's hangar. This year I am probably going to be out of town for the races, so maybe Dan or Mike will post something as time gets closer.

Cheers,
Greg
 
Hi,

My wife and I have been to Reno ten times now. We usually get reserved seating on Sunday only and stick to the unreserved bleachers for Thursday through Saturday. The crowd thickens up on Sunday, and I don't think it's much fun trying to carve out space in the unreserveds then, but there's plenty of room on the earlier days. For the Sunday Unlimited Gold race, they pull the planes out in front of the reserved stands and do introductions, etc... and after the race, that's where the champagne is spilled. My wife insists on reserved seats for the Sunday Gold, she says she enjoys the pomp of it all.

You'll want pit passes of course, but there's not a lot of seating options down there, so you'll probably split your time between the pits and the bleachers. Don't forget the static display area at the east end, also!

Other blanket advice -- we usually bring binoculars and find we use them a fair amount. Also sun screen... whatever you do, don't forget the sunscreen. You'll also want to prepare for all climate possibilities. We have seen everything from very high 90s to blowing snow (although not within the same year, thankfully).

You're going to have a great time!

-jon
 
good advice, thanks!

mosquito said:
Hi,

My wife and I have been to Reno ten times now. We usually get reserved seating on Sunday only and stick to the unreserved bleachers for Thursday through Saturday. ..... My wife insists on reserved seats for the Sunday Gold, she says she enjoys the pomp of it all.

You'll want pit passes of course, but there's not a lot of seating options down there, so you'll probably split your time between the pits and the bleachers.

-jon
Click to expand...

Great advice Jon, thanks, that really helps me buy tickets.
 
site map anyone????

mosquito said:
Hi,

Don't forget the static display area at the east end, also!

-jon
Click to expand...

hey gang, anyone have a better site map than on the RARA site? I am trying to figure out where the pits are, static display etc., and which end of the reserved granstand to buy tix for.... it's nearly impossible to read the darn pdf.

Is the site map on RARA north up? when someone says 'east' I'm not sure how to read that.
any help appreciated.
 
Last edited:
If you are looking at the same one I am...

The numbers on the runways help "26" is on the right edge of the diagram and the runway extends across the page to the left where the "8" would be but that end is covered by the index. The green roads are the area streets and they are south of the airport. The grandstands are at the back of the ramp (south) and they are assigned "H" numbers. The pits cover a very large area. The big iron is sittng on the ramp in front of the grandstands and the full length of the ramp. The pits for sport, F1 and biplanes are three huge hangars shown as A1, A2 and A3 at the west end of the ramp. As you walk to the west along the pedestian and people mover way the ramp area extends south all the way to the parallel street south of the airport (there is a fence and a security gate). There is a "no prop" line running east to west on the ramp and all of the racers must be towed past that line to their assigned spot before the engines may be started. The "pit" hangar where any RV's will be is A3, AKA home of the "Bronze Gods" I have been told.

Bob Axsom
 
Last edited:
need ticket advice!

I decided to buy reserved grandstand for the wife & I, probably section A, which is closer to the pits....and pits for the 3 days I'm there.

What's the pros & cons of being lower, but closer to the flightline?
are seats up in the back better to view aircraft on the ground, i.e. the winner's circle presentations I've heard about?

thanks for any feedback!
 
We are starting to get close to the Races!!! We are flying ourselves out the Friday before, staying at the sands and have a rent car....SO STOKED!

We were hoping to be racing this year, but the motor just didn't cooperate so we are going to want to drown our sorrows if anyone wants to join! :p

Have parties already been organized, and if so how can I help?
 
So what you are saying is that we probably bumped into each other last year.

Were you there the night before the races opened for the lingerie shoot on the F-15s?
 
Any Reno locals with KRNO advice for Race Fans? My plan is to fly the RV down Friday (13th) in the AM and depart Monday morning.

I've talked to a couple people who have done it, just not recently. I'll be coming from the North and am aware of the MOA's, Stead TFR, Class C, Glider Ops, etc. Just wondering if there's a route that works best with the controllers.

Also once on the ground which FBO typically takes care of parking for Air Race fans? I've heard tie downs are tough to find and I've heard they set up a big rope in the gravel / dirt. (not sure what they're doing this year) Do they charge you for overnight if you fuel up?

Anyway just looking for some advice. I'm getting pretty excited for the races!!!
 
boom3 said:
Any Reno locals with KRNO advice for Race Fans? My plan is to fly the RV down Friday (13th) in the AM and depart Monday morning.

I've talked to a couple people who have done it, just not recently. I'll be coming from the North and am aware of the MOA's, Stead TFR, Class C, Glider Ops, etc. Just wondering if there's a route that works best with the controllers.

Also once on the ground which FBO typically takes care of parking for Air Race fans? I've heard tie downs are tough to find and I've heard they set up a big rope in the gravel / dirt. (not sure what they're doing this year) Do they charge you for overnight if you fuel up?

Anyway just looking for some advice. I'm getting pretty excited for the races!!!
Click to expand...


Atlantic Aviation on the east side of the field has always been good to me in whatever I've landed in. They're really the best GA game in town at RNO. Call ahead, they'll be able to tell you what the parking situation is like.

http://www.atlanticaviation.com/locations/RNO.aspx

Can't advise on the MOA's up around Klamath, but the Reno MOA northeast of KRNO starts at 13K so if you're below that you're fine, assuming you're that far east.
 
wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyt a minit!!!

stephmar said:
So what you are saying is that we probably bumped into each other last year.

Were you there the night before the races opened for the lingerie shoot on the F-15s?[/QUOTE]

I think you guys may have missed telling us about this!

ok, so I will have to use my -9a as there will be no F-15's around!!! :D

sure glad I bought that new 300mm telephoto lens eh???
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.