[PinkString]

Originally Posted by BabyBoomers2

Wanted to make sure about a Walmart Supercenter.........no problem!

Wanted to make sure about a VA Hospital.......no problem!

Done some checking on Gun/Rife Ranges, plenty, but we have our own firearms and never/ever shoot anything military style or automatic. Doesn't bother us of those that do, but we simply don't. The two rifles we have are small caliber (.22), a handgun (.22) and another handgun (9mm). It looks rather expensive to targe shoot in Vegas.

We were members of an Outdoor Gun & Rifle Club (10 years) and paid $133 a year for the both of us. Where we live currently, it's an indoor range, for small caliber arms and it's $45 for the both of us for an hour. We have yet to go there and shoot, but will be. That "small caliber" includes our 9mm. We asked about it and they said "fine".

When we do go to a Range, we don't shoot much, but for us, enough.

Was also wondering about a Senior Center. We know that Las Vegas is a "working" city, not a retirement city (for to say).

Here in Aliante in the North Valley, the VA hospital is just down the beltway a few miles. And the shooting range exit is the other way. Both close by to each other. You have entertainment with Aliante casino, and Stations casino is building a new casino down by the VA hospital. Plus more new homes/apts are popping up all over this area.

We will be long gone from here by the time the new casino is finished. As we are moving out of state next year. Going back to live near family members.


I think if you want the real western feel, Texas should be on your list. But it's a little swampy there I heard from a sister that moved there, bought a ranch, hated the whole Texas experience, sold her ranch (for double what she paid the previous year)and moved back to Calif.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by BabyBoomers2

A 40 minute drive, towing a boat, isn't bad.
.

Lake Tahoe is a 20 minute drive from Carson City. Other lakes within 40 minutes as well. If 40 minutes towing a boat through Las Vegas traffic "isn't too bad" I'm not sure why you ruled Carson City out because of the distance to boating. .
On the other hand, I do totally agree with you that seniors (heck, any one really) shouldn't do activities they aren't physically capable of doing safely. You said you can no longer drive for long periods of time. You wisely broke the 45 minute trip to Cheyenne down into two days because you can't drive for long. So perhaps your days of driving and towing a power boat safely are growing short too. Maybe access to boating shouldn't be a priority for your last relocation? Just food for thought.

[Mike from back east]

What about boat RENTALS at some of these lakes? No towing required if such rentals exist.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

What about boat RENTALS at some of these lakes? No towing required if such rentals exist.

Great suggestion! We've rented a boat in Lake Havasu in the past. I'm sure they are available in Laughlin and Bullhead too. One thing BB should also look into is how the water flow works on the River. They release a certain number of units from the dam at different times of the day and water levels can get low in certain areas. It's been years since we went, but I seem to recall that more units are released late in the day. I'm sure all of that can be found online, or a marina could tell you . I can't help but wonder how much longer boating in a good sized boat on Lake Mead will be possible. I sure hope this dang drought breaks soon.

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

What about boat RENTALS at some of these lakes? No towing required if such rentals exist.

Mike, before we bought the boat we have, we checked on the cost of a boat rental and the deposit. A larger boat, like we have at 20 feet long, isn't cheap by no means. There is also boat clubs, but them to have an expensive membership cost per month/year. Basically, a boat club is for those that really do have the money to buy a brand new boat, but don't want to.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by BabyBoomers2

Mike, before we bought the boat we have, we checked on the cost of a boat rental and the deposit. A larger boat, like we have at 20 feet long, isn't cheap by no means. There is also boat clubs, but them to have an expensive membership cost per month/year. Basically, a boat club is for those that really do have the money to buy a brand new boat, but don't want to.

How often do you actually go boating? If it's only a few times a year, I have to believe it would be cheaper in the long run to rent for a day here and there, rather than pay for storage, launch fees, maintenance, insurance, gas for towing, etc on a boat you own. Now, if you're boating several times a week and boat all year long like you can do here in the southwest, that's a different story of course. But, as you noted, as we get older, there is less we can do. I assume that applies to boating as well.

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

Lake Tahoe is a 20 minute drive from Carson City. Other lakes within 40 minutes as well. If 40 minutes towing a boat through Las Vegas traffic "isn't too bad" I'm not sure why you ruled Carson City out because of the distance to boating. .
On the other hand, I do totally agree with you that seniors (heck, any one really) shouldn't do activities they aren't physically capable of doing safely. You said you can no longer drive for long periods of time. You wisely broke the 45 minute trip to Cheyenne down into two days because you can't drive for long. So perhaps your days of driving and towing a power boat safely are growing short too. Maybe access to boating shouldn't be a priority for your last relocation? Just food for thought.

We are use to small lakes, even though we know Lake Mead is huge, as in 1.5 million acres. Lake Tahoe is 122,160,280 acres! We've been boating on lakes of 1,500 and 1,700 acres and very accessible to drive to. And, to haul a boat to Lake Tahoe, a boater has to go into the mountains.

Other lakes, and we've checked, in both Carson City and Prescott, are for electric motors only. IOW, no engines!

As far as ruling out Carson City, we have our reasons and they are good one (for us anyway).

FYI, RosieSD, we didn't drive for two days to Cheyenne. Don't know where you go that. Our last trip was to Sheridan, Wyoming. From Loveland, we drove to Douglas, spent the night and then continued on to Sheridan. My wife worked the day we left, so we couldn't leave until 6PM, in which we arrived in Douglas at about 9PM. Then, at 10AM, left Douglas and got to Sheridan about 1PM. There is a whole lot of new paving going on on the I-25 between Douglas and Sheridan.........a whole lot!

If we want to keep our boat, we have to find a descent body of lake to put it on and I don't mean high in the mountains or miles away. That is part of our "food for thought".

Vegas hasn't been determined a "go" yet, so we are still doing research of other places.

[Mike from back east]

TONS of boat rentals at Lake Tahoe.

The internet is full of rental sites.

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

How often do you actually go boating? If it's only a few times a year, I have to believe it would be cheaper in the long run to rent for a day here and there, rather than pay for storage, launch fees, maintenance, insurance, gas for towing, etc on a boat you own. Now, if you're boating several times a week and boat all year long like you can do here in the southwest, that's a different story of course. But, as you noted, as we get older, there is less we can do. I assume that applies to boating as well.

Funny that you mentioned this. When we had our boat in Dry Storage, we found out that 90% of the boats only are used on Memorial Day, Father's Day and 4th of July, yet the owners pay for their storage each month. It's like folks who have a motorhome and it sits in the driveway by their house most of the time. They still have to pay a yearly insurance on it, if they do indeed take it anywhere. And, if it sits too long, there will definitely be maintenance that has to be done on it.

My 1/2 brother pays monthly for Medicare and doesn't ever use it. He uses his retirement health insurance or VA Medical. His wife doesn't understand why he keeps the Medicare, but as she says "it's his money and he can do with it what he wants to".

Actually, you wouldn't believe, and neither would people in Florida, just how many powerboats are here in Colorado. During summer months, the parking lots are packed with vehicles/boat trailers.

My wife's job has stopped us from using our boat that much, along with wind. We don't take our boat out unless the weather conditions are darn near perfect for us.

[BabyBoomers2]

IOW folks, we like our boat and my wife, currently, is saying "no way we are going to sell it". And, she is the Captain and I just a flunky Sailor. LOL