While summer may be winding down, northern Nevada is lucky enough to have weather that calls for outdoor leisure for a few more months. Here in Carson City, we are just getting started on breathing in the mountain air and taking in the beautiful sights. Earlier this month, we debuted the Carson Canyon Railbike Tours at the V&T Railway Eastgate Depot. The pedal-assist, four seater bikes are a perfect mix of your daily cardio with respect to social distancing and an intake of vitamin D.

Recently, Visit Carson City and the V&T Railway hosted a media day to help introduce our new rides to the community. Kudos to ThisisReno.com and KTVN 2 News for their coverage from the day, and thank you to the bloggers, photographers and reporters that joined us for the inside scoop. Here’s a few things they learned that day.

1.Gray clouds made way for blue skies. COVID-19 has put a wrench in plans for all of us. But, we are resilient and we adapt. Unfortunately, we were not able to run the wine and beer trains this summer, but thanks to our partnership with Freedom Rail, we were able to bring something new to Carson City while still making great use of the V&T Railway, it’s breathtaking views and the uniqueness it brings. Bonus tip: stay tuned for what the V&T Railway has in store for the holidays in lieu of the Polar Express.

2. Don’t do a virtual spin class before you come out. Take it from someone who did. While there’s a nice pedal-assist feature that will help you and your fellow riders make it up the hills and for when you really need the extra umph, you’ll still want to save some of that leg muscle to get through the course. Of course, the bikes do cruise at a nice slow speed for those that may want to take a more leisurely approach to the ride. Trade off taking breaks with your bikemates to make sure everyone gets the chance to close their eyes and inhale the fresh Carson Valley air. Wear comfortable shoes and sunscreen and keep a lookout for wildlife like deer (we saw a momma and her doe) or wild horses.

Photo courtesy of @melissajaneung

3. Take a LOT of photos. There’s a good chance you won’t be able to explore the Carson Canyon like this too often. Be sure to snap the memories and upload them to Instagram. And while masks will be required while in the waiting area and when the Freedom Rail team is assisting you, once you’re on the tracks and distanced from other groups, you’ll be able to remove them to reveal the genuine smiles you might not have seen in a while. Embrace every bit of beauty that’s around you.

4. Learn something new. We won’t give anything away and we won’t quiz you later, but your Freedom Rail and V&T Railway tour guides are prepared to blow your mind with interesting Carson City history tidbits. Pay attention to the details and use them to impress your friends and family later on when you tell them about how much fun you had riding the Railbikes.

Here’s a few more details you might find helpful. The team at Freedom Rail is going the distance and cleaning each Railbike thoroughly in between rides. Each bike is equipped with a basket for small purses. Your admission includes water and a small snack (aka carbs you can turn into energy) for the ride. Definitely remember your camera and be sure to stop by the souvenir shop when your ride is complete.

Grab your conductor’s hat and shout “all aboard!” It’s time to ride the Carson Canyon Railbikes! Get your tickets today at vtrailway.com.