Right after college, I worked as a ski photographer at Squaw Valley, and we’d make occasional forays into
Truckee to hang at the bars, mingle with the locals, eat some vittles. I remember
the town as being a lazy, kinda down and out place. It had a solid Western feel, was kind rough around the edges, but
it was hardly a destination place. It was also the place where the Donnor party had it’s well-known “Family Brunch”, as
it were.
Looks like
Truckee
has changed since those long ago days. In other words, maybe Truckee ain’t so yucky anymore.
Paul McCartney now spends time in Truckee along with an assortment of other skiing glitterati who are turning the
woodsy hamlet into the next Aspen (OK, not quite). Downtown now boasts patisseries, curio shops, antiques stores and
full-fledged galleries. The places that used to serve coffee called “bellywash” now sell double-half-caff mochas and
biscotti. The gentrification is great for property owners, but obviously not everyone is happy. Many folks there miss
the rustic feel of the place and hate to see it go. Myself, I haven’t been back in all these years, but I confess I’m
curious to see how good ol Truckee has changed.