Sunday, September 2, 1990 - North Shore News - 34 Hitting the road to Reno | 4 e inipe Highway system has improved for Nevada trek 1 DON’T know how long it’s been since we've driven down to Reno, but last week on the spur of the moment we hopped in the car and headed south. You may know all about the best route down (Eugene, Oregon, Klamath Falls, etc.), but you may not have driven it recently. There are some changes. First, you no longer need to fight that awful system of over- passes through Portland. Just past Kalama, Washington, is a new highway, the 1-205, that runs parallel to 1-5 but skirts Portland. It's slightly longer in miles but a better bet in time, especially if you hit rush hour. Highway 205 is four lanes, brand new and has easy access at both ends. It rejoins 1-5 im- mediately south of Portland. vegon has done some great things with their highways, even the secondary ones. The road be- tween Eugene and the California border is improved 100 per cent. It’s been resurfaced and has new passing lanes every few miles — more going east than coming home west. For map reference, the highways are $8, leading into 97 about five miles north of Chemult. There is still a curtain of secrecy around a shortcut that saves the driver about 14 miles. For 25 years at least, the town of Susan- ville tas fought to have Reno traffic diverted in their direction, bypassing the obvious cutoff, highway A-3 at Litchfield, CA. We saw two B.C. cars, both go- ing and coming from Reno, take the fool’s route. The shortcut is marked but not well! Summarized: Best route from the North Shore is #1 to exit 264 (Aldergrove). This becomes Guide Meridian and joins I-5 at Bell- ingham, right at Bellis Fair Mall. Stay on 1-5 until you pass Kalama, WA and watch for #205 (Salem). This leads directly to I-5, south of Portland. At Eugene take #58 (Klamath Falls) leading to #97 north of Chemult. This route takes you through Alturas, CA. About an hour and a half later, youll come to Litchfield. Take A-3 at the stop sign. The links back up with #395 near Milford and takes you direct- ly to Reno. Got that? Now, for a few stops that you might like to make. We have traditionally broken the trip for an overnight in Eugene. This trip, due to a chem- ical spill on 205, we ran late and decided to stop in Albany, Oregon. We liked the stop so well that we returned on our way back. There are two Albany exits on 1-5. Going south, take the first (second returning). The Best Western, Pony Soldier is right there — super clean, wonderful pool and hot tub and fairly rea- sonable — 1 pulled out a press card and got the corporate rate (about $50). The biggest advantage is the ad- joining restaurant! Yaquina Bay serves wonderful dinners at decent prices and in pleasant surroundings. Do not order appetizers! Each entree in- cludes soup and salad and unless you're a glutton, you'll never finish the whole meal. 1 recommend the filet, bacon wrapped and fork tender, the scampi and the scallop casserole. Another stop we made was Kalama, WA, just for gas but if you’re an antique hunter, there are two antique warehouses right by the only gas station in town, 2 Barbara NicCreadie TRAVELWISE BP, where Brian filled the car and then joined me for a china hunt. Here again, very easy access to 1-5. In Alturas, the old Niles Hotel is a good watering hole. The owners are slowly restoring this historic building, and you’re wel- come to prowl around. The two bars are ‘‘around the Horn” vintage, both topped with nude paintings. The nudes aren't sexy or even well done but the history is hilarious. They are painted by a well-known (1890s) landscape artist who should have stayed away from women. But he took a commission from some unnamed wealthy lumber- man to paint pictures of his wife. Regrettably, the lady had been unfaithful and the lumberman wanted to publicly humiliate her. Six were painted, three are in the Niles. 1 think the lady would be more humiliated at the poor art work than her lightly-draped frame, but * Woolco * Eatons Save-On-Foods > friday * The Bay > sunday Safeway * SuperValu * Zellers f you miss any of these Distribution 986-1337 * istered ta selected: areas only > wednesday Moores the Suit People * B.C, Furnace Services Shoppers Drug Mart flyers call North Share News TRAVEL who knows what the impact was in 1899? ke I made phone reservations at Circus-Circus in Reno. They have a toll-free number which | will not give you, Don’t stay there. The rooms are fairly cheap ($34-S40) and used to be a good stop. The housekeeping has deteriorated to awful. All you can expect — maybe — is your bed made and a couple of clean towels. One lady { talked to didn’t even get that. She and her family were down for a horse show and left their room at 7 a.m., leaving the card for maid service on the door. They returned late at night and the room was untouched. We left the ‘‘do not disturb’’ sign out and got pounded awake. I will never return. One advantage to staying in a hotel with a casino is late-night gambling. If one of us is doing poorly, we can take the elevaior home without a walk through the streets. Gambling at Circus-Circus isn't fun. I don’t know what they are doing with the staff but there's more than enough snarly dealers. Incompetence, too. Shouldn’t a roulette dealer have some idea of the payoffs? 1 play that game and know the odds. Some poor creature on the other side of the table shorted me so many times | could have kicked her. I also play Red Dog. One dealer was so incompetent that she sug- gested 1 make illegal bets. Another was so nasty that I feft the table. He griped that he wasn't being Upped. Small wonder. Circus-Circus has one redeem- ing feature, the Hickory Pit Res- taurant. It’s the best choice in all * Cloverdale Paint * The Bay * Lumberland * Sears enters If you can afford a vacation You can afford a cruise vacation For more detaiis calt 985-7447 (SHIP) 1823 Capilano Rd of Reno for a prime rib dinner. Next week, some Reno yossip and a run-down on the newest games in town. 50% off 2nd Passenger MEXICO on the Viking Serenade, Oct. 13, 20, 27, Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24, Dec. 1, 8 includes air- fare from Vancouver. 7 days from just $831.25. USD. per person CARIBBEAN on the Sun Viking, Nov. 18, 25, Dec. 2, 9, 16 includes air from Seattle. 7-days from just $1083.75 USD per person CALL NOW!!! 926-7245 (SAIL) 2383 Marine Drive, West Vancouver TLEELEEEC ; Cruise Week Featuring A LINE A NIGHT Monday Royal Caribbean Cruise Line with Sept. 17 Lorie Irvine — Caribbean & Mexican Riviera , Tuesday Princess Cruises with Geraldine a Sept. 18 Durrant — Christmas & Hong Kong- Singapore Wednesday Holland America Line with Glynis Sept. 19 Boulton — Christmas, Caribbean & South Pacific Thursday = Crystal Cruises with Kathy Dunbar — Sept. 20 Panama, Trans-Atlantic & Mediterranean SPECIAL ROSEWAY PRICES Wi N CRUISE CREDITS & OTHER PRIZES Your chance to meet informally with official cruise line staff. 5:00-8:00 p.m. each day, at our office SPECIAL DEALS PANAMA CANAL 9 days, Golden Odyssey between Curacao & Acapulco trom? 1 45 Cdn. Jan. 24, Feb. 3, 25, March 7 HAWAII 8 days, Crown Odyssey between San Diego & Honolulu, from $2095 Cdn., Jan 21, 29, Feb. 6, 14 MEXICAN RIVIERA 9 days, Crown Odyssey, Los Angeles return, from $4495 U.S. Jan, 3 & 12 Includes FREE AIR & other amenities, extensions & deviations available. Port charges extra. 926-4344 106-Kapilano 100 Tower, South Park Royal (ground floor of black office tower)