By Dan Hixman, Reno Gazette-Journal

You’re concerned that your 2012 Chevy Tahoe isn’t going to make it up to Squaw Valley this time.

It’s made it time and time again for a day on Squaw’s famed 1960 Olympic terrain or to Mt. Rose for the kids’ lessons. But it’s 10 years old now and has 140,000 miles on it. You were just happy to get to Mackay Stadium the other night so you could join tens of thousands in Reno and millions around the world who watched the opening ceremonies on TV.

You’ve sacrificed. Sure, you could have upgraded to a newer SUV. But the kids and their activities always came first.

One resort is no longer able to host an entire Olympics. Photo/LTN file

So, today you press on, fingers crossed. You have the tickets, and your children — whom you thought at one time might be Olympians themselves one day — are eager to see Lake Tahoe’s latest Winter Games superstar and maybe even get her autograph.

On this day, a February afternoon in 2022, tomorrow’s Julia Mancuso gushes with pride as she represents her country and her hometown.

This isn’t a dream. It’s all very real and very possible.

After multiple unfulfilled or truncated attempts dating back as far as the 1980s, Reno-Tahoe is in the hunt for the Games again. The pieces must rightly fall into place, but the Reno-Tahoe Winter Games Coalition’s interest in bidding for the 2022 Winter Games is a serious one.

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Join California State Park Rangers and West Shore Sports at Ed Z’berg-Sugar Pine Point State Park for this unique kayak tour as we take a leisurely paddle along the shore line at dawn.

Experience the early morning beauty while learning about the natural and cultural history of the area.

No previous experience required.

Kayaks, life vests and instructions are provided. Wear synthetic clothing rather than cotton (swimsuit, shirt, shorts, lightweight pants, jacket and warm cap). Bring water, retainer strap for glasses and water shoes.

Dates are July 19 (arrive at 4:50am) and Aug. 23 (arrive at 5:50am).

Cost is $25 per person, with an 18-person limit.

Reservations required: (530) 525.9920.

Proceeds benefit the Sierra State Parks Foundation.

By Dan Hinxman, Reno Gazette-Journal

The Reno-Tahoe Open isn’t the only prominent local golf tournament making changes to its course this year.

The 22nd annual American Century Championship celebrity tournament, which starts today at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, has switched its first and second holes with Nos. 10 and 11 in an effort to create more drama, just as the RTO will do by switching the nines for its PGA Tour event, Aug. 4-7 at Montreux.

Edgewood Tahoe has tweaked the course for the ACC tourney. Photo/LTN file

“The original No. 2 (now No. 11) is going to play 315 yards,” ACC spokesman Phil Weidinger said. “(Tournament organizers) wanted to switch it to the back nine because it’s a drivable par-4 that can create more drama on the back nine.”

Edgewood constructed a tee box on the new No. 11 to create the drivable opportunity, though some of the big hitters in the field of about 85 celebrities will probably have to go with something other than a driver.

The change also adds a little more pressure to the start of the round. Both No. 1 and No. 10 have water guarding the left side of the fairway, but water comes into play much more with the new No. 1. Players tee off the front and back all three rounds of this 54-hole tournament, and it will be the lead half of the field that goes off No. 1 on Saturday and Sunday.

“I really like it,” former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer said of the changes. “This start is much harder than the other start, the old 1 and 2. Driving the ball early in rounds is a challenge many times.”

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By Roman Stubbs, Reno Gazette-Journal

The homemade plywood start gate sits in his front yard in Truckee, not far from the garage, where several sets of skis are carefully stacked against the back wall.

They were essential pieces of Errol Kerr’s ninth-place finish in skicross at the 2010 Winter Olympics where he competed for Jamaica, but they sit unnoticed in the mid-summer heat.

The real tools of Kerr’s trade are the welder and plasma cutter hanging from cords in the cluttered garage. They help the 24-year-old do what he has been doing all his life — they help him take risks.

His latest project involves attaching steel brackets to a Canon HD camera. The camera soon will be mounted to a remote control helicopter and flown over the New York Jets training camp by Kerr, as part of an aerial photography deal with HBO’s NFL series “Hard Knocks.”

But if he could, Kerr would be somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere right now, searching for the formula that ultimately could lead to gold in 2014.

The truth is, the 2010 Olympics still haunt him.

All the romanticism that came with being Jamaica’s one-man ski team and of continuing the tradition of the bobsled team that inspired the movie “Cool Runnings,” is muted in his mind. He was part of the inaugural skicross competition at the Olympics, and though Kerr smiles with one mention of memories created in Vancouver, the skiing left him feeling like he failed to finish the job.

“Ninth place, nobody remembers who got ninth. By me not winning wasn’t a complete fail, but it wasn’t a complete success,” Kerr said. “If I went and got a gold medal right now, (Jamaica) would be on the map. So I think, you know, by not doing that, it’s a much slower and painstaking process.”

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By Brian Nordli, Reno Gazette-Journal

MARKLEEVILLE — It’s 5:30 a.m. and the day is just beginning at Turtle Rock Park.

As the sun begins its daily ritual, hundreds of cyclists wearing jerseys and windbreakers that are so bright they could hurt the eyes are unloading their bikes. They are preparing for a journey that hundreds more have already started.

Every cyclist brings the same attitude to the start of the Death Ride. With 129 miles to go and 15,000 feet of climbing over five peaks in the California Alps, they are optimistic.

There were more than 3,000 participants in Saturday’s daylong ride, which stretched well into evening for some. They were hoping to hit each of the five checkpoints, receive the colored sticker that serves as confirmation for each summit and at the end the elusive pin that comes with a finished ride.

But in a ride this difficult, motivation is more personal. Some want to cross it off their bucket list, others are riding to complete unfinished business and others still do it to honor the wish of a family they’ve never met.

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Navigating your kayak by moonlight is a mystical experience you won’t soon forget. Join California State Park rangers and West Shore Sports at Ed Z’berg-Sugar Pine Point State Park for this unique kayak tour watching for a grand view of the moon rising into the night’s sky while learning about the area’s unique history.

Paddle leisurely while admiring the moon’s silvery light reflecting off the water’s surface.

No previous experience required.

Kayaks, life vests and instructions are provided. Wear synthetic clothing rather than cotton (swimsuit, shirt, shorts, lightweight pants, jacket and warm cap).

Bring water, retainer strap for glasses and water shoes. Proceeds benefit the Sierra State Parks Foundation.

Dates are July 14 and Aug. 11 starting at 7:30pm.

Cost is $25 per person, with an 18-person limit.

Reservations required: (530) 525.9920.

By Adam Blauert, Sacramento Bee

To John Muir, the Sierra Nevada was “The Range of Light.” This year, it has become “The Range of Water.”

The waterfalls are better than ever. Creeks and rivers are running higher and faster than they have in years. Meadows are flooded and water plummets, splashes and drips down nearly every rock face.

On a few parts of the Tioga Pass Road the runoff is overloading the culverts and flowing onto the road. Not enough to close the road, but enough to make drivers cautious. While this week’s high temperatures will melt more snow, many popular areas are still difficult to reach.

Last weekend my buddy John and I backpacked to Laurel Lake on the northwestern edge of Yosemite. At 6,490 feet, this large pine-ringed lake is peaceful and just warm enough for a comfortable swim. It’s a good destination for a year when snow lingers in the higher elevations.

The easiest access point is from Lake Eleanor. The road is paved up to Cherry Lake, but becomes gravel and dirt as you cross the dam. Follow signs for another three miles to a parking area just outside the park boundary. The final mile is rough and high clearance is needed.

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The Arbor Day Foundation will plant 10 trees in national forests that have been devastated by wildfires, insects and disease for every new member the organization signs up this month. The cost to join the Arbor Day Foundation is a $10 donation.

To join the Arbor Day Foundation, send a $10 membership contribution to Replanting Our National Forests, Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, NE 68410, or go online.

One of the oldest and fastest growing sports in North America has gained a toehold in Northern Nevada and Tahoe-Truckee, thanks to the efforts of the Tahoe Truckee Lacrosse Association whose mission is to promote the game with local grade school, high school and college programs.

While many young athletes of all ages are joining the league, there is room for those who are lacrosse savvy.

The greatest need is for coaches and individuals with knowledge about lacrosse.

Volunteers are needed for the league’s Tahoe Tournament slated for July 22-24 (Open Division) and July 30-31 (U19 or high school division). Later in the fall, additional volunteers are needed for the Laxtoberfest Tournament on Oct. 1 at Squaw Valley.

Additionally, the Tahoe Truckee Lacrosse Association is always on the lookout for newbies to participate in the sport.

Those interested in playing lacrosse or volunteering for the Tahoe Truckee Lacrosse Association should contact Bud Haley at (775) 636. 5978 or haleyventures@charter.net. For information on lacrosse in Northern Nevada and Tahoe-Truckee, go online.

By Michael Doyle, McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Go ahead, blame harsh weather or high gas prices for a marked reduction in visits to Yosemite and other national parks so far this year. The summer droves, though, are returning.

In other words, the time to really beat the crowds may have passed.

At traditionally popular parks from Yosemite and Yellowstone to Mount Rainier and the Great Smoky Mountains, visitation from January through May fell compared with last year, sometimes dramatically. The smaller crowds thrilled park visitors but worried the businesses that depend on them.

“The concessionaires and the gateway communities had a very tough spring,” Yosemite National Park spokesman Scott Gediman acknowledged Tuesday, “but the summer will be huge.”

Through May 31, Yosemite reported an approximately 7 percent decline in recreation visits compared with the same period last year; the Great Smoky Mountains’ decline exceeded 8 percent.

Elsewhere, the falloff has been even more dramatic. Yellowstone recorded a 14 percent decline in recreation visits through May 31 compared with 2010, and Mount Rainier reported a stunning 26 percent reduction.

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