Before leaving the Super 8 (which really was super) we asked some nice bikers if Marsh could sit on their Harleys for a picture and they said, “Sure, your duck can sit on our bikes…just not your dog.”* They must like waterfowl.

We wandered around California before our serendipitous discovery of Tahoe City. The Northern end of Lake Tahoe in California is beautiful, relatively untouched and a true bit of eye candy. We found a marvelous campground only a few hundred feet from the end of town, so we were able to give Sam a well deserved rest while we camped there.

The weather patterns were awesome during our stay. We’d wake up in the morning with a light chill in the air (the perfect setting for hot tea and toast), by lunchtime it was nice and hot (perfect for an ice cold drink and some fresh fruit), a slight breeze would start up around two and it would cool back down by dusk (yet another perfect moment to break out the stove and cook a hot meal.) You couldn’t design a better day.

As far as our surroundings go, they were near perfect as well…the campground was small and quaint with the nicest bathhouse/restroom accommodations we’ve seen. Each site had its own picnic table, bear box (for food storage) and parking area as well as shared water spigots. The view from our site – as well as around town – was always beautiful. From the misty waters in the morning right down to the sun setting behind the mountains at night, the lake never failed to impress.

We enjoyed daily strolls around town and took in the views from the many pubic areas that Tahoe City provided. Simple picnics on the lake and window shopping in the little stores lining the main street never got old. In addition to loving the area, we also fell in love with the local pizza parlor, Jimmy’s. There, we ordered a ‘Wall Street’ pizza with no cheese…when we got it we were completely floored. It was brimming with vegetables – including zucchini!

One day, following the recommendation of a new friend, we drove around the entire lake (all 72 miles) and stopped along the way to take in the ever changing views. We were constantly amazed at how diverse the lake shores were. From soft sand to large boulders and everything in between, our eyes were never bored. (If you’re curious, we’ve passed up all opportunities to gamble…the glitz is fun, but the traffic and the people that one must deal with to get to a slot machine seemed a bit too labor intensive in our relaxed state.)

We were fortunate to have enjoyed a couple tours of historic homes** around Lake Tahoe. The care that went into each of the dwellings was a testament to the lake’s profound effect on its visitors. Attention to detail and a respect for nature were evident at each home. We met some really wonderful people during our strolls and had great conversations with our guides which went far beyond the typical “tour speech.”

Emerald Bay was our last view of Lake Tahoe. We both felt a little heart sick leaving our new friends and the beautiful shore, but we promised them (and ourselves) that we would most definitely return.

* For the record, we do not have a dog in tow…we have no idea where that comment came from.
** We could go on and on about the places we saw, but it wouldn’t do them justice. Check out these links for more information if you’re interested: Ed Z’berg – Sugar Pine Point State Park, home of Pine Lodge and Emerald Bay State Park, home of Vikingsholm & Fannette Island.

Filed under: Mighty-Flighty by DariceJoy
Tags: Travel