A menu of some fun things to do in the outdoors this weekend

Here are some "Don Q" suggestions for having fun, outdoors, this weekend.

Pick one or more and enjoy.

Apple Hill

If you've never been there, Apple Hill, Calif. is a large geographic area consisting of about 40 different farms. It is about a two-hour drive from Carson City and easy to reach: Drive west on U.S. 50 toward Sacramento until you reach the Carson Exit, just before Placerville.

Apple Hill's main attraction is apples and you can buy them by the individual apple, the bag, the box or you can even pick your own, right off the trees.

You can also purchase "yummy" apple products such as cake, cider, doughnuts, fritters, juice, muffins, baked pies, unbaked pies, strudel, turnovers, etc.

If you are interested in buying other fall fruits or vegetables, pick and choose from blackberries, blueberries, Indian corn, dried fruit, grapes, honey, jams, jellies, assorted nuts, peaches, pears, persimmons, plums, pumpkins, etc.

And, you will find many different arts and crafts shops, cider mills, a rainbow trout fishing pond, a winery, Christmas tree farms, picnic areas, pumpkin patches, etc.

CHUKAR hunting

October-November is great for hunting Chukar Partridge. This upland game bird hunting season is open in all 17 counties.

There is a bag limit of six daily, and 18 in possession.

Chukar are physically larger in size than a quail and smaller than a pheasant. Be forewarned that it is a very wily bird that is equally adept at flying or running.

The Chukar has white-colored flesh and has provided many enjoyable gourmet dinners for those bird hunters lucky enough to have bagged some of them.

Be advised, if you hunt Chukar in Nevada, you need an Upland Game Stamp ($10).

For information, call the Nevada Department of Wildlife at 688-1500.

Fall colors

You don't have to leave town, this weekend, to enjoy the beauty of the Fall colors of this area.

There are spectacular colors currently right here in Carson City.

For some of the best colors, take the time to walk, bike or drive the length of such north/south streets as Curry, Nevada, Division, Minnesota, etc., or along such east-west streets as Fifth, King, Telegraph, Long, all of which are located in the older, western portion.

At those locations, you'll see the Fall colors of leaves on such trees and bushes as apple, cherry, cottonwood, elm, hawthorne, lilac, maple, peach, pear, plum, etc.

The best colors are when the early morning or late afternoon sun is slanting through the leaves.

PARADE

If you're lazy and don't want to go anywhere this weekend, just wait until Saturday. Sleep in and have a leisurely breakfast.

After breakfast, head for Carson Street, pick out a suitable spot along the sidewalk and enjoy the huge, two-hour-long, 67th Nevada Day parade that begins about 10 a.m.

There will be lots of bands, marchers, floats, vehicles, horses and politicians to watch.

After the parade, spend the rest of the day enjoying any of the various Nevada day activities, such as the rock drilling contests, RSVP carnival, etc.

trout fishing:

There is excellent fishing for Lahontan cutthroat trout, at this time of the year, at Pyramid Lake.

Take U.S. 395 north from Carson City to I-80 in Reno. Then, take I-80 east to the Pyramid Way Exit in Sparks. Take Pyramid Way and the Pyramid Lake Highway north for about 30 miles to the lake.

You must fish with artificial flies or lures only, and there is a two-trout possession limit.

You can catch Lahontan cutthroat trout, up to about 15-20 pounds (if you're super lucky!).

You can keep two trout 16-19 inches in length or you can keep one trout 16-19 inches plus one trout over 24 inches. These trout are the ones known as "Keepers."

You will need a Tribal fishing permit ($10 daily or $75 for an annual permit). You do not need a Nevada fishing license nor a Trout Stamp.

For information, call Crosby's Lodge at Sutcliffe at (775) 476-0400 or the Pyramid Lake Store on the Pyramid Lake Highway at (775) 4766-0555 or the Gilly Sporting Goods Store in Sparks at 358-6113.

Finally

There you have it, everything from buying apples to hunting Chukar to fall colors to watching a parade to catching trout. Pick one!

-- Bet Your Favorite Pigeon

Bet your favorite pigeon he can't tell you where I'll be this weekend.

If he grins, and says, "Don is going to spend the entire weekend, goofing off, at his cabin near Davis Lake, Calif.," he could be a close friend of mine.

-- Don Quilici is the Outdoors editor for the Nevada Appeal.