Paul McCartney, a bass player formerly with a British band of some repute forty years ago, has been known to crash gigs at Moody's Bistro and Lounge in the Truckee Hotel. This happens with some regularity when he's skiing in the area. Perhaps the same controversial tactics used to deter nuisance bears in the area -- beanbag shot, flash-bang charges, etc. -- can be deployed here to discourage washed-up rock icons from taking the stage and shredding through a fakebook of jazz standards.

For PCT hikers, the biggest development to hit the Truckee region in a long time is the cafe and bar at Donner Ski Ranch, a charming little ski area just a few hundred yards to the west of the trail on old Highway 40. This is the closest you're going to get to an on-trail restaurant until Belden at the earliest. As of 2008, there was a menu flyer posted (placed under a rock, actually) on the trail just after the highway crossing. Lunch and dinner hours seven days a week and breakfast Saturdays and Sundays. A most-welcome tradition-in-the-making: The bartenders reportedly offer a complimentary 40 of malt liquor to thru-hikers, the "40-at-40" plan. (Hey, who said you were out there hiking for your health?)

As far as we can see there are no outstanding deals in Truckee or Tahoe City -- for either lodging or food. Blue Agave (425 N. Lake Blvd., Tahoe City, 530-583-8113) is a large, bustling, family-friendly Mexican restaurant on the main drag with decent but unremarkable food. As is the case in South Lake Tahoe, the motel bargains in Tahoe City are weekdays only -- $45 to $55 at a half-dozen clean places on the highway. Tough to find any good deals under $90 on Friday or Saturday. You may not see any motel room under $120 in Truckee. For a rowdy, loud-as-bombs dinner experience in Truckee, we can recommend Bar of America (10040 Donner Pass Road, 530 587-3110), which is often billed as "Mediterranean cuisine" but comes closer to updated classic American chop house. Maybe it was just the extraordinarily gregarious people seated around us that night, but the whole thing felt as warm as a house party.