Truckee food institution changes hands
By Dave Zook, Moonshine Ink
Overlooking downtown Truckee, with the huge glowing “Hilltop Lodge” letters, Cottonwood has became a Truckee staple, offering comfortable reverie, fine dining, and live music. After 26 years, ownership is changing hands, but with a plan to keep the same atmosphere and food flowing for years to come.
“People deserve to know that it’s going to stay the way it has been, and the consistency will remain,” said Mike Blide, who became co-owner of Cottonwood in 1996 and served as its general manager. “We are happy that it’s going to stay family owned.”
Cottonwood opened on New Year’s Eve in 1988 with Jennifer Haag and then-business partner Ed Coleman as the initial owners. In 1995, Blide and Jennifer married, and the following year the couple bought out Coleman. Cottonwood grew in popularity due to its nightly specials, busy bar, and live music on Thursday and Friday nights.
I have a very fond memory of the Hilltop Lodge, which I may as well babble about hereon since no one has made this thread political (yet), and the space is free.
I believe it was in the mid to late eighties; I was in my forties, considered myself a serious runner and was training for my first, and, as it turned out, last marathon.
A 19 mile race had been organized to run from Tahoe City, over the mountains, to Truckee, with a finish at the Hilltop Lodge. Deeming it a great training run, I signed up and rode up to Tahoe City with a pair of South Lake Tahoe running legends: Steve from “Fleet Feet,” (Peggy, I believe you’re out there somewhere) and Angel, who probably is well beyond legendary.
It, for me, was a killer run. I only recall one water stop, but perhaps that was just the only one I slowed down for. In any case, I was thoroughly dehydrated by the time I found myself sitting, dizzily, on the Hilltop Lodge deck. Not to be confused with actually sitting in a chair.
Steve and Angel were relaxing, laughing and enjoying a beer (each). No one who knows me has ever seen me turn down a beer, but that day I was strictly on water.
Eventually we headed home. But I was impressed that the Hilltop Lodge would play host to a gathering of sweaty runners, none of whose nylon shorts had room for a wallet. And the atmosphere of the place, once one cancels out the aura of a bunch of runners who’ve just done 19 miles of steep hills, was magnificent. I always promised myself that I’d go back with my head on straight and beer money in my pocket, but I never did.
I wish nothing but success to the new owners. I may yet follow through on my promise.
And, oh yeah, I did run my marathon. I was aiming for 3:30, made it in a disappointing 3:42, and vowed that I would be a 10Ker and half marathoner the rest of my life. Not quite true – I ran three 10ks at 70, took “gold” in the first two (the over 70 division is not especially competitive)and dropped out of the third with an expensive injury and a decision that I was coming close to making a fool of myself. So, instead, I took up posting on forums. Risk free, as I see it.