NOW WE'VE SEEN IT

FINDING TRUCKEE

     What I knew about Truckee was that it was at or near the Donner Pass. And that is snowed a lot. We had also heard that modern Truckee is a fun and charming mountain town above Lake Tahoe.

      The Truckee River runs from Lake Tahoe into Nevada. A beautiful bike and hiking path follows the sparkling river through the canyons to Historic Truckee.

    Truckee is pleasing to the eyes and breathes with history.

     The Odd Fellows building, still in use, was built in 1871. Odd Fellows were a strong lodge in California's gold country and mountains.

     On the way from Lake Tahoe to Reno, the Truckee River passes a lot of back doors and porches.
      In the autumn it certainly is a charming spot.  Now when winter starts to bring the hundreds of inches of snow to the Sierra, things no doubt change a bit.  But snow boarders and skiers have different appreciations. I don't know that I will see Truckee in the snow, but we enjoyed
it as it looks above.

     See you down the trail.

COLOR IN THE SIERRA

NATURE'S PALETTE 

    It was a default autumn behavior in Indiana to look for spectacular fall color. It's probably that upbringing and conditioning then that sent us on our search in the high Sierra.

     Each of these frames represent a special moment of light
in one of the earth's most beautiful places, the eastern slope and in the June Lake Loop and Virginia Lake areas.

It was with joy and gratitude that we could pursue

these scenes to share with you.

See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER-A JUMBLE

WHAT WE SEE
Our first WEEKENDER offering came to my
attention thanks to tennis pal, Art.
This is a stunning visual.  If you can, watch it
in HD mode.

IT'S ALL IN THE VIEW

     Luke had a frustrating day.  Stuck inside, watching life unfold out there.

     Brother Hemingway on the other hand, with a great view.

   Check up and vaccination day meant he missed his morning romp outside, consigned to fresh air only through the screen. 

    While little brother finds an endless world of fascination

       as does little sis Joy.  

   Oh, just to be able to hit those open space, and work that gopher hole again. But, time for another cat nap....

SLEEPING TIGHT

The box was intended for the kitten, Joy, but Luke never passes a chance to nap in box, no matter the size.

RUMINATIONS FROM THE ROAD

A few fleeting thoughts from my just completed 

1000 mile plus trip up to the Sierra Nevada.

--California is a state of extraordinary grandeur and beauty

--DNR, National Park Service, and State Park information centers are treasures

--Bad news from elsewhere-

The story of the hanging "no-bama" chairs is troubling.

Regardless of your politics that kind of racism, throwback to the age of lynching and lack of respect is repulsive and obscene. There should be no place in America for that kind of action. Perpetrators must be the spawn of pond scum.

See you down the trail. 

EMERALD BAY

PICTURE PERFECT

      Friends advised that we go up to the Emerald Bay overlook when they learned of our first trip to Lake Tahoe.

   The magnificent scene was created by glacial melt, leaving Tahoe's only island, Fannette where the Vikingsholm Tea house perches.  The Vikingsholm Castle, built in 1929, nestles on the facing shore, wrapped and hidden by towering pines.

   The owners hired a retired British Royal Navy sailor as a caretaker during the hard winters.  Tough old salt that he was, he would take a dinghy several miles to Tahoe city for supplies and a stop in the tavern.  Once a storm tossed him and he bound himself to his small boat and rode out the winter blast, later amputating a couple of his own fingers.
After another round in the tavern a winter storm dumped him and his body was never recovered.

    Thanks to our pals for the great tip.  Emerald Bay is an extraordinary scene.

     See you down the trail.

MOUNTAIN RETREAT

FACES OF TAHOE

     Here's the moon over that "Mystery Pier" some of you guessed at yesterday. It's in South Lake Tahoe.

     It's our first visit to the beautiful blue lake on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada range.
     TAHOE FACTS
           Elevation 6229 feet
           Maximum Depth  1645 feet  Average Depth 989 Feet
           Length 22 Miles   Width 12 miles
           71 miles of shoreline--42 in California 29 in Nevada
           Annual Snowfall  18 feet

     The legendary blue is indeed beautiful and the water is incredibly clear.

     The top half of the frame below is underwater.

      In the winter the mountains become a ski and winter sport playground. The lake never freezes.

     The surface water temperature ranges from 68 to 41 degrees. It is easy to see why generations have delighted in

Lake Tahoe.

      See you down the trail.