Graeagle: From lumber to links
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this package:
As my friends and I left Portola for Truckee, it began to sprinkle. We continued west on Highway 70 for a few miles and turned south on Highway 89. About five miles down Highway 89, we drove through the village of Graeagle, which is lined with identical red buildings along the roadside. The rain drops were becoming larger and falling more frequently, so we decided to turn around and check this place out instead of driving another hour to Truckee.
Graeagle is located in the Mohawk Valley, an area rich in logging history. Shirley West wrote on Graeagle's Web site that over a period of 30 years, 18 million board feet of lumber was produced annually.
But now Graeagle, population 2,600, is more well known for its golfing. The area features five golf courses with a sixth under construction: Whitehawk Ranch, Plumas Pines Golf Resort, Graeagle Meadows, Feather River Park Resort and Feather River Inn.
Travel author
Mike Carrigan, who wrote a chapter on golf, explains the
area's golf popularity. "The reason golfers like the
Graeagle area is because the courses are heavily wooded.
Most of the courses in or near Reno are links style, with
few
trees."
Photo by Joe Gosen
Golf enthusiast Jacque Ewing-Taylor of Reno usually spends six weeks with family in Graeagle during the summer. Much of that time is spent on the area courses.. "The golf courses are gorgeous, you can always get a tee-time and the green fees are reasonable," she said.
It was raining pretty heavy by now, so the three of us ducked into the Knotty Pine Tavern, a bar with a restaurant and banquet room in it. We were immediately welcomed by the patrons, a sharp contrast from the reception we received at the diner.
A guy named Pat immediately filled the jukebox full of quarters and talked us into a game of pool. Another patron, Julie McBurney of nearby Clio, learned that it was my friend's birthday and bought him a shot of tequila.
I concluded that McBurney was a regular customer after seeing a photo of her holding a 30-pound, 42-inch mackinaw, which was pinned to the bulletin board next to the pool table.
"I caught that
last May at Bucks Lake and spent 500 bucks to have it
stuffed," said McBurney, who works at local
bank.
Photo by Joe Gosen
We were in this place for about 10 minutes when my other friend Brad Mangin smiled and said, "You know, I think were'going to be here awhile."
He was right.
Nearly three hours went by and it was already 6 p.m., and time for dinner. McBurney recommended O.B.'s, a restaurant on Commercial Street in historic downtown Truckee. And with that, we headed south on Highway 89, 48 miles to Truckee.
Posted
Dec. 11, 1998
Copyright 1998 Nevada Outpost