The last time I was in Reno was about 15 years ago. I didn't see much outside of the "biggest small city" mostly because I was speaking at a conference and did not have a car; I was dependent on others. Someone promised me a trip to Lake Tahoe and it never happened. I have remained bitter all these years ... finally that unfulfilled trip is checked off!
A girlfriend was on detail in Reno and asked me if I wanted to visit... YES, absolutely! Sign me up! How perfect was this opportunity? - I was going to see a friend, stay at her place, she would have a car AND I would get out of the casino zone. And the biggest surprise? The weather was gorgeous! For 2 straight days, it was clear skies and no freak storms to ruin the trip. Maybe Zeus, Hera (and the Theoi Meteoroi) are taking pity on me, finally.
My trip to Reno marked the start of a crazy fall season. I have 4 weekends in a row planned - Reno, Denver/Golden, Fort Lauderdale and New Jersey. I did do this on purpose, it just all fell on top of each other - see friends, a concert, a baby shower. Reno started me out just right.
My friend picked me up at the airport at midnight Friday, west coast time. Already it was 3am on my clock BUT this was after a week of working the 4am shift at the hurricane desk, so I was drowning in exhaustion. She drove me to a store to buy a toothbrush ...I was convinced I forgot one - (I did not). We got to her cute temporary home and I crashed. I don't remember much beyond her doggies smelling my sneaks (that I was sure smelled heinous).
The next day, we headed out to a legendary Reno/Sparks breakfast at the
Squeeze In. Tessa had been name dropping this place since I planned the visit. This was the quirky "it" place to go. And judging by the line we waited in, she was not wrong. She put us on the waiting list before we even got there... but it did not matter, the line was HUGE. After being locked away for work for weeks, I soaked up the sun and chuckled at the abundance of aliens all around (I now need to look up Reno's alien history because they obviously have one). After waiting in a lengthy line, I was salivating for some yummy food. The menu was overwhelming, but made the choices work for us. We tried the famous pancakes, I had twice baked eggs and she had some benedict concoction, we shared fresh fruit, and we split a slice of the chocolate covered bacon. I wasn't in love with the bacon, but the pancakes had me. I would order more of those in a heart-beat. Perfectly fluffy and full of sour dough flavor Yum-Yum!
With full tummies, off we went through the mountains to see THE LAKE. I was so excited. And as we rounded a mountain road switchback and crested a hill, there it was... sparkling. And HUGE! I seriously did not have any idea what I was going to see. Of course I have seen pictures, but pictures never do grandeur justice. This was one of those instances. The lake is massive. And it is BLUE. Not kinda blue. Not a soft shade. But Crayola Box Blue. They need to name a color after it. Tahoe Blue. Make it a thing people! We pulled off at a scenic overlook to take some pictures and to get the bird's eye view... and that is when I realized my camera's memory card was filled. AGH! Photography 101 failed. I was no stuck taking these grand pics on my iphone (until I realized I had plenty of room on the card if I deleted some duplicate or bad pics). So while my first overview shots of the lake were with a phone, I had plenty of time at this treasure with my camera.
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| Lake Tahoe State Park - Nevada |
First stop on our lake tour was the Lake Tahoe Visitor's Center in Incline Village. There we grabbed a bunch of pamphlets on hiking trails and boat tours, and I got my postcards (I swear I help keep the post office in business). We then headed to Tahoe State Park. There I was gobsmacked with the similarity to The Baths at the British Virgin Islands. I swear, they look similar - the water, the boulders, the greenery. It was awesome. One BIG, I mean HUGE, difference was the water temperature. I was able to stick my feet in Lake Tahoe. I promise you, it is cold. Frigid is more like it. They say that it is about 70 degrees on the surface in the summer. Below the thermal line, it is in the 40's.
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British Virgin Islands
The Baths National Park
Caribbean
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I am not sure what it was when I stuck my feet in, but they were numb for a while. I marveled once again at the young kids playing in the cold water with their purple lips... but I remember growing up in North Jersey taking swimming lessons in our lakes. I swear kids just run hotter.
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British Virgin Islands
The Baths National Park
Caribbean
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Tessa and I hung out at Sand Lake Beach for a while. I walked through the water, playing with angles to with the camera. I wanted to really get that blue. But it wasn't just the blue, it was the crispness of the water. It is so clear. Incredibly clear. Perfectly clear. I wanted to understand why, so we headed to the state park science center to learn about the water. We learned the water clarity does over 70 feet deep! That the scale used to measure clarity was made because of Lake Tahoe - the Secchi Scale, a simple black and white disc lowered into the water until you can't see it. Simple!
After soaking up some sun, we wanted to walk a trail along the shore... And it was on this trail that you got to really see the clarity of the water. Boulders sitting underneath the surface were perfectly visible. The water's color changed slightly from the rocks. And with the blue mountains in the background, the scenery was picture perfect. So perfect that a wedding was out along the trail taking pictures. They weren't bouldering along rock crevices, mind you, but I am sure that they will have an amazing photo album.
We hopped back in the car and headed over to the California side of the Lake, to grab some food and check out King's Beach. Word on the Street was that the leaves were changing right on the lake. So, off we went to the long pier. We watched a black lab beg for a Frisbee to be thrown into the water over and over. We laughed at another pooch that was a fan of the lab as well - he had his own cheering section. This dog could swim!
We returned to the Lake the next day for more fun... This time we headed to the Southern end of the Lake. We booked a tour on the water. It was officially the end of the season and all the boats were taking on last horah. Because the weather was so gorgeous, almost everything was sold out. We got so lucky and found a spot on a happy hour cruise. 2 hours on the water. It was glorious. It was here that I finally understood the saying
Keep Tahoe Blue. The water is so perfect that the Sierra Nevada's look blue as well. The whole area takes on a blue hue.
I ask why this area is not a national park. I get the politics. I get the history, but I still have to ask. Isn't there a concern that development will ruin this? State parks just are not big enough. And that water clarity will disappear in a heart beat if erosion on the banks ticks up... Tahoe is gorgeous because it is unspoiled beauty. It might be an issue worth revisiting down the road.
Yet, my loss in losing my vacation is but a frustration and inconvenience. For those islands, this marks the start of a long journey back. They have a lot of work to do. We must not forget them and their plight! I will visit when they are ready. These islands that depend on tourist jobs will need many travelers to make the decision to come back. Until then, I will be sending assistance in various forms. I sent money to organizations to provide immediate relief from the Red Cross and the Humane Society to Ricky Martin's Fund for Puerto Rico, Global Giving for Puerto Rico. I also adopted a family through http://www.adoptafamilyusvi.com/ In the box, we packed up emergency supplies like bug spray, mosquito nets, water filters, flashlights, tarps, snacks, clothes, towels, toiletries, first aid kits and more.
