[MarcusBrody]

I'm interviewing for a job at Nevada State in Henderson. I've scheduled an extra day an a half to explore the area before my flight home. I was hoping for some recommendations on what to see.

Things I know I'm going to do:
1. Rent a bike (likely from All Mountain Cyclery) and ride Bootleg Canyon. I figure I'll try something like Boy Scout to Girl Scout and see how things go from there. I've never ridden desert hills before (I'm from New England) so I'm excited for that.

2. I really have no other plans. I want to drive around Henderson/BC a bit to see what it would be like to live there, but then maybe check out some other outdoorsy things. Obviously I wouldn't have a lot of time for any of them if I spend half a day riding, but I want to get a sense of the possibilities if I was to move out here.

So, any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[Sanchofula]

I'm interviewing for a job at Nevada State in Henderson. I've scheduled an extra day an a half to explore the area before my flight home. I was hoping for some recommendations on what to see.

Things I know I'm going to do:
1. Rent a bike (likely from All Mountain Cyclery) and ride Bootleg Canyon. I figure I'll try something like Boy Scout to Girl Scout and see how things go from there. I've never ridden desert hills before (I'm from New England) so I'm excited for that.

2. I really have no other plans. I want to drive around Henderson/BC a bit to see what it would be like to live there, but then maybe check out some other outdoorsy things. Obviously I wouldn't have a lot of time for any of them if I spend half a day riding, but I want to get a sense of the possibilities if I was to move out here.

So, any suggestions? Thanks!

Drive to St George and ride

 

[gregnash]

Sent PM.
Riding in the desert is like riding in dry dirt all the time.. LOL.
No really, there is some decently vast landscape down there so you should get a decent idea of whats about. Lots of things that will want to poke you and your bike. Main thing to realize about the Vegas area is that it is HOT pretty much all the time. This means that during the warmer months (starting around now until about November) you will be doing lots of riding either early in the AM or late at night to escape the heat. So get used to riding with a bike light, but the good thing is that you can pretty much ride 12 months out of the year without having to layer too much on.

 

[MarcusBrody]

Drive to St George and ride

I definitely considered it, but I feel like I should stick a little closer to Henderson just to get a feel for what it would be like to live there...unless what it would be like is driving to St. George every weekend. :lol:

 

[MarcusBrody]

Sent PM.
Riding in the desert is like riding in dry dirt all the time.. LOL.
No really, there is some decently vast landscape down there so you should get a decent idea of whats about. Lots of things that will want to poke you and your bike. Main thing to realize about the Vegas area is that it is HOT pretty much all the time. This means that during the warmer months (starting around now until about November) you will be doing lots of riding either early in the AM or late at night to escape the heat. So get used to riding with a bike light, but the good thing is that you can pretty much ride 12 months out of the year without having to layer too much on.

I admit i'm a bit worried about the heat. I did live in Hyderabad India for a summer for my wife's work where it was hitting 110 for an extended period and survived (with no in home AC), so I know I'd survive, just not sure how excited I'd be for it. That being said, I'm fine with early morning riding. Most of my riding now is done before 8. I assume I could get used to night riding. I've just never done it.

 

[big_slacker]

Just did the same yesterday. Rented from All Mountain Cyclery. Cool shop, nice folks. Bootleg was ridiculous. Rode sidewider/snakeback and OMG that was gnarly. I also rode Girl Scout down on my last lap and just as a tip it'll be way more fun on a lighter, shorter travel bike. I was on a nomad with coils and GS ended up being kinda boring which I didn't expect.

I also used to live here (SW vegas) and I feel like the pros/cons are this:

Pros: Cheap cost of living for a big city. Easy to get around a way better traffic than many big cities. Sunny all the time! No state income tax. Lots of desert fun to be had from biking, dirt bikes, shooting, offroading, camping, hiking, rock climbing, etc. The outdoor activities are pretty amazing. Makes a great jump off point to some really cool stuff like SoCal coast, Utah national parks, grand canyon, etc.

Cons: LOTS of vapid money obsessed people and not just the tourists. Also lots of transient population. It might take some time to make real friendships because of this. Pretty awful schools if you have kids. HOT during the summer, you're in AC constantly. Lots of the town revolves around the strip, it's annoying to want to take your wife to a nice dinner and have to go to a casino. Fairly high crime rate. Bland, homogeneous, non-walkable neighborhoods.

All in Vegas/Hendo isn't a bad place to live at all if it's a good fit for you.

 

[MarcusBrody]

That's great information, thanks! I was considering which bike to rent, though in the end I'll likely rent a Spec Enduro just because it's the only mtb that they seem to have in an XL frame size.

I do like basically all those activities (though I've done more of some of them than others in the past few years). I do also have a three year old son though, so schools are somewhat of a concern. The place I'm applying is as close/closer to the center of Boulder City than it is to the center of Henderson, so I was thinking I might look there if I end up moving out. Have any thoughts on it? Certainly close to some of the better mountain biking, but also supposedly pretty homogenous in a few ways.

 

[Mojave G]

big slacker pretty much sums it up, I live here in Vegas.

There's a ton of places to ride, mostly on the western side of the LV valley. Closer to BC/Henderson is the Nitro trails if you're not going to Bootleg. Yep public schools here suck, it's one of the largest school districts in the nation and they are more concentrated on administration than teaching kids (so I've heard). It's hot, but I ride all year, just have to get out extra early from June thru August. And carry ALOT of water!

Also not far away, an hour's drive is Lee Canyon, or Mt Charleston. Ski resort, 12K' peak, and some fun MTB downhill trails, with trees, and shade! :lol:

https://www.leecanyonlv.com/ It's closing week right now in April this year!

Not in Lee Canyon, down the road a bit.

 

[MarcusBrody]

big slacker pretty much sums it up, I live here in Vegas.

There's a ton of places to ride, mostly on the western side of the LV valley. Closer to BC/Henderson is the Nitro trails if you're not going to Bootleg. Yep public schools here suck, it's one of the largest school districts in the nation and they are more concentrated on administration than teaching kids (so I've heard). It's hot, but I ride all year, just have to get out extra early from June thru August. And carry ALOT of water!

Also not far away, an hour's drive is Lee Canyon, or Mt Charleston. Ski resort, 12K' peak, and some fun MTB downhill trails, with trees, and shade! :lol:

https://www.leecanyonlv.com/ It's closing week right now in April this year!

Not in Lee Canyon, down the road a bit.

Looks like a blast. I'll have to see how the interview goes. Outside of the public schools, it seems like it would be a good fit in a lot of ways.

That video of Mt. Charleston looked like great fun, but I had to laugh a bit. I've checked out some videos of Bootleg and other places and am often like "Holy crap, that looks like some sharp rock" but the "tightness" that the video maker keeps remarking on at the beginning of the clip is almost open by northeast woods standards. It's funny how you get used to the type of stuff you ride regularly.

 

[big_slacker]

Bootleg was a strange experience for me as well after riding in the PacNW. Everything is wide open and you have great sight to spot your lines, which you need due to said scary sharp rocks.

I've only visited boulder city, the old town area seems cool but have no idea what living there would be like. I'd only BUY a place there if I knew I wouldn't ever have to switch jobs and commute into the strip, cause that would be a LONG drive every day.

 

[MarcusBrody]

Bootleg was a strange experience for me as well after riding in the PacNW. Everything is wide open and you have great sight to spot your lines, which you need due to said scary sharp rocks.

I've only visited boulder city, the old town area seems cool but have no idea what living there would be like. I'd only BUY a place there if I knew I wouldn't ever have to switch jobs and commute into the strip, cause that would be a LONG drive every day.

I teach college, it seems unlikely that I'd switch jobs and stay in the area. UNLV would really be my only other employment option. But...I have to get them to offer me the job before I start planning my housing.