World-traveling photographer and storyteller Rick Gunn will be bringing his multimedia show detailing his travels through Iran and Oman to the Carson City Library at 2 p.m. Sunday.
“It’s my first Iran show,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting for me.”
Gunn, who rode his bike around the world in 2005, will tell of how he met fellow cyclist Mohammad Tajeran, from Iran, on that trip.
Despite their differing cultures and ideologies, the two formed an easy friendship.
Last year, the two joined forces, each collecting letters and drawings from children in their own countries, and exchanged them with one another.
They shared the letters and artwork as they rode across Oman and Iran together.
“Iran is really important right now,” Gunn said. “We’re talking about going to war with them.”
He hopes to offer a different perspective.
“It’s important for me to say, ‘I’ve stood here,’” he said. “I’ve been in these places. I’ve traveled by myself as an American. It’s completely different that what you see on TV. I’ve never been treated as well as I have when I’ve traveled through Muslim countries.”
In April, Tajeran and Gunn gave a TEDx talk, explaining their Wheels of Peace project.
“This will be very close to what I did for TEDx,” Gunn said. “But it will have more photos and background.”
He said most people won’t have the opportunity to travel to the places he’s been and wants to share his experiences.
“That’s my job,” he said, “to bring other faces and places to people.”
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Sassafras Electic Food Joint is organizing the Sassabration to celebrate diversity, community and equality on Aug. 16.
It will begin at the Brewery Arts Center, 449 W. King St., at 11 a.m. with a bike ride to Sassafras, 1500 Old Hot Springs Road, for the Sassabration, which will begin at noon.
Adam Whitney as Bea Arthur will serve as grand marshal. The event will feature live music, food and a free pool party at the Carson Hot Springs from 2-6 p.m.
The format follows the Save our Sass fundraiser, organized by the community to raise money to help the restaurant move to its new location.
“We always said when we could we wanted to do another one to help out the community,” said co-owner Jayme Watts.
Funds raised will benefit SPCA, PFLAG and Reno’s Build Our Center.
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Muscle Powered’s next Trash Mob is going to be 8-9 a.m. Aug. 15 along the Lone Mountain trail just north of the cemetery. Meet up at the parking lot at the southwest corner of Northridge and New Ridge drives.
Teri Vance is a journalist, freelance writer and native Nevadan. Contact her with column ideas at terivance@rocketmail.com.
