Sam Bauman: Places to get some exercise

For seniors some of the more challenging hikes around Carson City might be daunting, such as Prison Hill or Dead Man's Creek. Both are rated moderate challenges and both offer superb views of Carson City or Slide Mountain.

For a less demanding walk, consider Carson City's Riverside Park.

Riverside Park is 109 acres of wetland right off the Korean War Memorial Park and it includes the banks of the Carson River, not very river-like these days. To reach the War Memorial take 5th Street east to where it dead ends. The Memorial Park is right there and with plenty of parking. There are some relics or the past here at the trail head, including the remains of a bakery used by early settlers.

At the trail head go left at the facing fence until you hit another fence on the left; houses look down on you here. Take the trail along the fence to the right about a quarter mile and you come to a path leading along the Carson River. This is wetland area and you can get an idea of how high the waters sometimes come by looking at tree trunks along the river. Mud on the trunks marks the height of the flooding.

When the river is running you can often find fishermen casting lines and wading across the river. Nowadays it's pretty much of a dry run. You can walk down onto the dry riverbed and check out some unusual rocks, smoothed over the years by the water flows. No gold discovered here recently.

Along the way are some benches, ideal for sitting and thinking long thoughts while perhaps sharing a bagel or doughnut. With the autumn weather the aspens will be turning bright yellow. You could even pull out a soft cover book and read a bit on these benches. No water fountains so you might want to bring a bottle.

The trail finally loops back to the Korean Memorial, all in all about a mile plus.

There's also a sort of mile and a half exercise course as well as lots of dirt trails branching around the flat area. If you're taking a dog the pets are allowed off leash when the park is open, sunrise to sunset. And there are reports of wild mustangs occasionally dropping in when the river is running for a quick bath.

One of the benefits of such a modest walk is that it gets one away from the bustle of town, where these days the political signs blear the scene. I often wonder how a sign with a candidate's name of office being sought it supposed to win your vote. Name recognition counts, I guess.

As I have mentioned, another no-stress walk is on the Capitol grounds, where the trees are shedding and the flowers in final bloom. A walk around the old Capitol does much to revive one's feelings about the state.

RSVP at work

I just attended a Alzheimer's meeting presented by the Alzheimer's Association of Northern Nevada. I thought I knew a lot about the mental illness, but there's so much that I'll share it with readers in a future article. The four and a half hour meeting was led by the Association's Dori Ward, a tall, witty lady who know how to keep an audience involved. She makes an illness like Alzheimer's something one can live with.

And incidentally, RSVP needs three days' notice to arrange a ride for a client with the RSVP driver corps. Not two, as I said last week.

DOUBLE BILL SLATED

Seniors may want to relive a golden movie era with the double feature at the Fandango Galaxy on Wednesday. It's a double bill, "Frankenstein" and "Frankenstein's Bride," both classics.

• Sam Bauman writes about senior affairs, among other things, for the Nevada Appeal.