Western – Western Skies and Island Currents

June 11, 2018July 4, 2019

Authentic Lifestyles and Cozy Couches

“Keep an open mind, because your first idea isn’t always your best. Don’t worry, your aha! moment is coming.”

The early adulthood Millennials were in full spirits at the wine and beer bar sitting on cozy couches.

Part Five of Steve and Emma’s Empty-Nest Adventures in Santa Barbara.

Scorpio (Oct. 24 – Nov. 21) “You’ll find yourself cobbling together new theories based on new information that has come to light.”

While we explored the East and West Beaches, David caught some Ventura waves.

He confirmed what we heard before that Santa Barbara, while offering everything else you could possibly want in a coastal resort town, didn’t generate the kind of surf diehards craved.

For that you had to travel north up the coast, or south past Carpinteria to Rincon or Ventura.

Driving 25 minutes or so, really isn’t too much to ask, right.

But after a morning of surfing and the drive back, well, he was tired.

So Emma and I hung out in the late afternoon at the Hotel Santa Barbara on State Street while he returned to his bedroom and tried to take a nap.

Turns out, he’s renting a place minutes from the hotel while working remotely from his Irvine employer.

And, turns out that he couldn’t drift off to slumberland.

So he decides to walk over to join us since everything we had considered for the night on the town was just a few short blocks away.

We walk together near the original Presidio, the second red rectangular box of the three on the map.

We’re always craving authentic Mexican food and found it, the top right hand red rectangle.

La Playa Azul Cafe didn’t disappoint

Maybe it started with the ice-cold blue margaritas.

Probably.

By the time we showed up the large outdoor patio had filled.

So we dined inside.

And got caught up.

We pepper him with parental variations of how are you doing, what are you doing, where are you staying?

He and I discuss books and music and podcasts we think the other might find intriguing.

His Scorpio Mom wanted to indirectly get a reading on how he was feeling and if he was still reeling from his break up.

He traded one coastal town (Huntington Beach) for another (Santa Barbara) and his Mom wanted to know if he was happy.

And, I began the cobbling some Scorpio theories as Mom’s questioning shed new light.

Like, how much of a fit will it be for him to live here compared to Coastal Orange County?

First – Huntington Beach.

Where it is.

The mix of lifestyle profiles you’d find mingling in his former neighborhood defined by its zip code.

And, if not in one of Santa Barbara’s neighborhoods where else can you find that lifestyle?

Location At-A-Glance

Region: Western United States

State: California

Travel Region: South Coast Region

County: Orange County

Patchwork Nation: Monied ‘Burbs

Town: Huntington Beach

Population Density: Second Tier Cities

Zip Codes: 92646

Profile At-A-Glance

Life Stage: Singles, Couples, Families, Empty Nests, Baby Boomers, Seniors

Ages: 25-54, 35-54, 55+, 65+

Community Neighbors

Wealthy Influentials

Portfolio Locals – WIPL

04Y2U1 25-54 Mainstream Singles Young Digerati (Chandler, AZ)

29F2U1 35-54 Young Accumulators American Dreams (Naples, CA)

Affluently Elite – WIAE

07M1U1 45+Boomer Affluent Empty Nests Money & Brains (Seal Beach, CA)

Digitally Mobiles – WIDM

26M2U1 55+Boomer Conservative Classics The Cosmopolitans (Lakewood, CO)

Community Neighbors

PermanentTemporaries

UrbanTrapped – PTUT

61M4U3 65+Sustaining Seniors City Roots (Seal Beach, CA)

You might say Huntington Beach is a lifestyle mix of Seal Beach and Naples, just minutes away without traffic to the north on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), with a dollop of Arizona (Chandler) and Colorado (Lakewood).

Where Wealthy Influentials and Permanent Temporaries call home.

It attracts side-preneurs and artists and surfers and, well Portfolio Locals and Digitally Mobiles.

So if Kym, from the night before at Jamie Slone Wines Tasting Room, who told us she was a newly transplanted stay at home mom from Arizona until her nest emptied, ever grew tired of Santa Barbara, then she could elevate Huntington Beach to the top of her bucket list.

So then, what about Santa Barbara At-a-Glance.

Where it is.

The mix of lifestyle profiles you’d find mingling along the State Street neighborhood defined by its zip code.

And, where else can you find that lifestyle?

Location At-A-Glance

Region: Western United States

State: California

Travel Region: Central Coast Region

County: Santa Barbara County

Patchwork Nation: Monied ‘Burbs

Town: Santa Barbara

Population Density: Second Tier Cities

Real Estate Phase: Late-Maturity

Zip Codes: 93101

Profile At-A-Glance (Fall 2017)

Life Stage: Singles, Couples, Midlife, Baby Boomers, Seniors

Ages: 25-54, 30-44, 55+, 65+

Community Neighbors:

Wealthy Influentials

Digitally Mobiles – WIDM

12Y1C1, Brite Lites, Li’l City, 30-44, Couple, Midlife Success, Second City Society (Santa Fe, NM)

Community Neighbors:

High Country Eagles

Satellite Cityzens— HCESC

24Y2C2, Up-and-Comers, 25-54 Single, Mainstream Singles, City Centers (Napa, CA)

27M2C2, Middleburg Managers, 55+ Couples, Conservative Classics, City Centers (South Lake Tahoe, CA)

35Y2C2, Boomtown Singles, 25-54, Single, Mainstream Singles, City Centers (San Marcos, TX)

Small Town Borders- HCSTB

60M4C3, Park Bench Seniors, 65+ Singles, Park Bench Seniors, Micro-City Blues (Palm Desert, CA)

So the State Street lifestyle community recipe includes the quality-of-life attraction of Palm Desert, Napa and Lake Tahoe (California desert, vineyards and an awesome mountain lake) with an out-of-state blend of San Marcos, Texas (historic river town) and artistic Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Digitally Mobiles, like in Huntington Beach?

Check.

But, only one Wealthy Influential lifestyle vs. four in Huntington Beach.

And with the other four falling within the High Country Eagle communities.

But, still two mainstream single lifestyles, 25-54 that loosely fit.

Oh, ok.

Cobbling this theory together has become a little too complicated, right?

That’s why before heading back to our hotel, we returned to State Street and mingled with all the 20-29 year olds, the transitional 28 – 32 year olds overlapping with 25 -54 year old singles and couples out on the town.

Oh, and we stopped in for some wine and entertainment and games and, did I say wine?

Santa Barbara Wine Therapy

With a catch tagline: “Less Whine, More Wine”

While walking to the bar, Scorpio Mom tells me later, her number one son said he just wanted his life back.

She feels he had looked forward to his next stage of development, “rooting and extending”, which we all usually embark on between the ages of 30-38.

In Erik Erikson’s theory, you’ll recall, “rooting and extenders” embark on full adulthood near the end of his early adulthood .

Approximate Age: Early adulthood ( 20 – 39)

Significant Relationship: Friends, partners

Existential Question: Can I love

Examples: Romantic relationships

Psychosocial Crisis: Intimacy vs. Isolation

Virtues: Love

The early adulthood Millennials were in full spirits at the wine and beer bar sitting on cozy couches.

We staked our spot out while listening to the solo singer near the entrance.

Not quite the caliber we saw the night before, but you have to start somewhere.

Another couple joined us at the edge of the glass coffee table after grabbing a board game and inviting us to join them.

We politely declined, soaking in the vibe where:

“Friends are therapists you can drink with, and therapy is in session.”

Scorpio Mom leaned in to conduct her own version of therapy, an intimate conversation I couldn’t make out.

She was busy cobbling her own theory.

Less complicated and more about love, romantic relationships and isolation vs. intimacy.

Maybe our other horoscope summarized an important message for me instead.

Scorpio (Oct. 24 – Nov. 21) “Keep an open mind, because your first idea isn’t always your best. Don’t worry, your aha! moment is coming.”

Part One: Quick Getaway to Santa Barbara

Part Two: Hotel Santa Barbara’s Grand Tradition

Part Three: Night TRAPs – Walk. Drink. Eat. Groove.

Part Four: Morning for the East Beach Grille in Paradise

January 10, 2018July 4, 2019

Hotel Santa Barbara’s Grand Tradition

Hotel Santa Barbara continues a grand tradition which began in 1876 when the City of Santa Barbara was still a sleepy pueblo.

Owner Neal Callahan’s Name on the Building

Neal Callahan constructed the earthquake-destroyed hotel. If you look at the front of the building you can see his name above the awning.

Part One: Quick Getaway to Santa Barbara

The Valet attendant asked if we live in Telluride, Colorado.

Why?

Oh, yeah I wore a black hat bought on our Awesome Empty-Nest Adventures in Colorado.

He said his dad loves Telluride and may have a vacation home there.

I didn’t really listen as I did the mental calculation about how to park our car and cart our clothes in without tipping.

Self-Serve Room Cart in Lobby Near Elevator

Cheap?

Yup, plus we’re on the hook for paying $15 a day already for parking.

We chatted for a couple of minutes.

“If not Telluride, where are you from?” he asked.

Of course, I told him Orange County and then launched into the traffic and accident and …

“Where abouts?” he asked.

Turns out his dad was in Ventura, so he called him to warn him and to find out more about flipped car accident.

Then he leaves to check out when we can check in.

Emma joins our valet to see if we can be upgraded to a nicer room, since we have to kill some time.

But, no.

When we get the green light signaling our room is available, we carry our stuff into the lobby.

Classic Otis Elevator at Santa Barbara Hotel

The Ventura valet-son instructed us how to operate the old-time, double door elevator which took us to our fourth floor room that overlooked the hustle and bustle on State Street.

“The modern Otis elevator contains antique design elements including the original spring-loaded scissor gate. Hop on board to enjoy the remaining historic details.”

The lobby and ambiance so reminded us of the Montecito Inn, so we felt right at home again in Santa Barbara.

My wife inspected every nuance of our room.

She revisited a map handed to her by the registration hostess.

She declared each of our Friday evening events were all within walking distance.

And, then calculated just how long we could enjoy our non-driving relaxations before dressing for dinner and a concert.

Meanwhile, I conducted my deep, background research.

Oh, okay I got the history from a card on our desk next to the other card telling us how to log into WiFi.

Historical Society Shows Hotel Santa Barbara’s Earlier Days

“Past and Present

Hotel Santa Barbara continues a grand tradition which began in 1876 when the City of Santa Barbara was still a sleepy pueblo.

Since the early days, a hotel has always been located on the site now occupied by Hotel Santa Barbara.

Southern California Earthquake Data Center at Caltech

In 1925, a major earthquake destroyed much of downtown Santa Barbara, including what was then called the Santa Barbara Hotel.

Vowing never to lose another building to an earthquake, the owner constructed a new hotel, the Saint Barbara, to specifications far exceeding those required at the time.

(Neal Callahan constructed the earthquake-destroyed hotel.

If you look at the front of the building you can see his name above the awning.)

Apparently the Saint Barbara was not always quite a saint.

Local legend has it that liquor was always available in the hotel during Prohibition, and that for years, a “secret’ gaming room flourished somewhere near the lobby.

The Saint Barbara eventually became The Barbara Hotel and a getaway for many of Hollywood’s brightest stars.

“After the rebuild the hotel became a celebrity getaway.

Clark Gable and Carol Lombard were frequent guests, and eyewitnesses claim Leo Carrillo rode his horse around the lobby on several occasions.”

Following World War II, the area and hotel’s popularity gradually declined and eventually the doors closed to Hollywood’s celebrities and travelers from around the world.

The hotel wasn’t reopened until the late 1960s, and in 1975 was purchased by Rolland and Venetia Jacks.

With the help of their children they revitalized the hotel and for many years served both residential and leisure guests.

By the mid 1990’s the Old Town area in which the hotel is located had improved so dramatically that the Jacks concluded it was time for a major renovation.

The hotel close for renovation in November 1966. Nine months and $ million later it emerged as a reborn classic … Hotel Santa Barbara.”

But, enough about that.

That was then.

Time to join the bustling parade buzzing on State Street below our window for our night out on the town.

Part Three: Night TRAPs – Walk. Drink. Eat. Groove.

December 20, 2017July 4, 2019

Quick Getaway to Santa Barbara

We’ve always enjoyed spending weekends in Santa Barbara, especially at the Montecito Inn once owned by Charlie Chaplin.

Emma gets the best deal at the Santa Barbara Hotel, evaluates many weighing price, location and reviews.

Road Trip!

A three-day getaway.

Kind of a staycation.

Santa Barbara. It just doesn’t get any better.

Another of Emma and Steve’s awesome empty-nest adventures searching for reunion destinations.

Why?

This time a celebration of three Scorpio birthdays.

Three empty-nest couples converge on the “American Riviera.”

One couple visits twice a month staying Thursday through Monday each time.
One couple lives in Santa Barbara year round.
And, we visit our son, post-breakup and move-out-of-Huntington Beach rental.

In Santa Barbara he’s renting a room while working remotely from an Orange County technology company headquartered in Irvine, California.

Who?

Three of us have “Scorpio” birthdays. And, only the good stuff applies.

“Beneath a controlled, cool exterior beats the heart of the deeply intense Scorpio.

Scorpios On the Loose in Santa Barbara

Passionate, penetrating, and determined, this sign will probe until they reach the truth.

The Scorpio may not speak volumes or show emotions readily, yet rest assured there’s an enormous amount of activity happening beneath the surface.

Excellent leaders, Scorpions are always aware. When it comes to resourcefulness, this sign comes out ahead.

Strengths – Passionate, stubborn, resourceful, brave, a true friend.

Likes – Truth, facts, being right, teasing, longtime friends, a grand passion, a worthy adversary.

Dislikes – –Dishonesty, passive people, revealing secrets.”

Where?

Emma and not-a-Scorpio Carol plan the trip.

Emma gets the best deal at the Santa Barbara Hotel, evaluates many weighing price, location and reviews.

She quickly eliminated eight profiled on John Dickson’s Santa Barbara Hotel Lodging Guide.

Avania In – One block from the oceanfront, beaches and harbor.
Inn By The Harbor -Spanish Colonial Tradition near the beaches and yacht harbor.
Lavender Inn by the Sea – lavender gardens and two blocks Stearns Wharf and bike path
La Quinta Inn & Suites – Boutique hotel on historic State Street
Harbor View Inn – Boutique resort hotel across street from West Beach
Brisas del Mar, Inn at the Beach – Santa Barbara classic villa two blocks from harbor
Pepper Tree Inn – on 5 acres of tropical gardens
Hyatt Santa Barbara – Historic resort, built in 1931

Not-a-Scorpio Carol and her Newport Beach husband stay in Montecito, at a cottage they rent on an estate, twice a month to be near their married daughter and their grandchildren.

The only thing we Empty Nesters live for.

When?

They leave from Newport Beach traveling on the Interstate 405 and US Route 101 on Thursdays after 7 pm and don’t return to Orange County until Mondays after 10 am to miss the majority of traffic.

What?

Google shows us details about our 148 mile road trip which if all goes well lasts for 2 hours and 33 minutes.

Give or take, don’t you know?

On the road to the American Riviera.

Feeling Willie Nelson in our bones.

We can’t wait to hit the road.

Escape.

Freedom.

Top two highway driving songs on my playlist.

One of America’s hits, “Ventura Highway”

About a month earlier we weren’t able to attend an “America” concert at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano with our friends. And we missed a visit to the Newport Beach house they’re currently renting after building and selling a spec home in Shady Canyon.

“Ventura Highway” theme for the Road Trip (vs. “Horse With No Name” about which decades earlier my mother grilled me about the meaning of the lyrics.)

Dewey Bunnell, according to Wikipedia, explains:

“I remember vividly having this mental picture of the stretch of the coastline traveling with my family when I was younger. Ventura Highway itself, there is no such beast, what I was really trying to depict was the Pacific Coast Highway, Highway 1, which goes up to the town of Ventura.”^[

Next up? Jackson Browne’s “Running On Empty.”

Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels —

Looking back at the years gone by like so many summer fields.

In ’65 I was seventeen and running up 101

I don’t know where I’m running now, I’m just running on …

Great. Just great I need to crank back on Jackson’s song.

We’ve planning a trip to Italy in a year with another couple.

Emma updates Elle on what she learned from other friends about recommended tips and ideas

Traffic defines the boundaries of every day bubbles- traffic to and from Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura and finally Santa Barbara counties

Expected traffic traveling north in Los Angeles on the 405.

LAX airport congestion.
Up the incline past Westwood, the Getty Center, and Skirball Cultural Center to the crest at our old exit Mulholland Drive to Emma’s parents former home on Tobin Way,
The 10 to Santa Monica
View from the Getty

Emma gets an update from her younger brother. We admired their refrigerator on our epic, awesome empty-nest adventure in Dillon, Colorado. And trekked to Cathedral Rock while swatting mosquitoes away.

They recently returned from a trip to Australia having briefly met David for a quick lunch and stopover before moving on to New Zealand.

David had been in Australia and left the same day to Bali

Wait, what, not on this section of the freeway.

Smooth sailing turns into unexpected parking lot bumper-to-bumper as we turn into the Ventura Freeway (101) from the 405.

Exit signs we expect to miss in a blink of an eye

The irritating kind at exit signs for Moorpark around Thousand Oakes.

We normally expect traffic when the Ventura Freeway drops into the valley at Camarillo and Oxnard on its way to Ventura.

The kind of traffic that encourages In-and-out slalom lane-switch drivers

The kind of traffic that encourages your driver to space out and lose track of just exactly where you are.

Isn’t this the two-lane just south of Santa Barbara?

“Wait, have we already driven through Ventura or are we still on the way to Ventura?”

And, wait what’s that up there ahead?

Lights flashing.

Traffic moving shrinking from two lanes down to one lane – actually half in the slow right hand lane and half on its shoulder.

OMG

Two fire trucks.
An ambulance.
Two California Highway Patrol cruisers and maybe a motorcycle cop.
One small car crunched like an accordion.

Another flipped up and balancing on its side with the bottom blackened where everyone can see the drive train and muffler and motor.

Wow.

Karma caught up to a slalom lane-switcher?

“How long, maybe 5 minutes or 15 minutes, will it take before drivers resort back to their bad old habits of trying to get ahead of everyone else?”

Earlier I had fantasized the two-lane portion of the 101 was actually that section leading into Carpinteria and maybe Summerland and maybe Montecito – near the Olive Mill Road exit – at the southern border of Santa Barbara.

Rincon is tucked slightly off Highway 101 between La Conchita and Carpinteria.

The neighborhood of La Conchita has suffered from large landslides in the recent past that have wiped out homes and even killed local residents.

The worse of these was the tragic slide on January 10th 2005 when a huge rain-caused side killed 10 residents.

Carpinteria’s home to ten beaches alone.

But, no.

Turns out we were just south of where the 101 grows multiple lanes – maybe 3 or 4 – but who’s counting.

It’s that section where everyone can drive 70 miles per hour while spreading out and while looking out the drivers side window to absorb the surf pounding the beaches bordering the Pacific Ocean.

Later, we discovered that’s exactly where our son drives to surf.

There and north of Santa Barbara is where he can more consistently find surf-able waves.

So, over the years we’ve driven through Santa Barbara many times on our way up the Central Coast to Cambria and less frequently to Big Sur.

We’ve always enjoyed spending weekends in Santa Barbara, especially at the Montecito Inn once owned by Charlie Chaplin.

Usually we spend time at Stearns Wharf or the Funk Zone, but not a lot of time on State Street.

Which is what triggered an argument.

About directions.

As the driver usually, I’m involved.

Not this time.

Emma kept telling Siri, “No.”

That’s not the exit we should take.

I’d drive on to the next exit.

“No”

Next?

“No”

And, then this.

“Oops” the apology to Siri.

“Yes, ok you were right all along.”

We arrived at 2pm a little too late to stop on the way for lunch and a little too early to check in.

Santa Barbara Hotel

We’re cheap travelers.

So once Siri directed us on what seemed like a convoluted route involving a maze of one way streets we first drove past and then returned to Valet Parking on a side street.

The Valet attendant asked if we live in Telluride, Colorado.

Why?

Part Two: Hotel Santa Barbara’s Grand Tradition

Part Three: Night TRAPs – Walk. Drink. Eat. Groove.

November 8, 2017November 8, 2017

Stranded in Mono Lake

At the end of an hour it approached a jutting cape, and Higby ran ahead and posted himself on the utmost verge and prepared for the assault.

On Hwy. 395 between Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes

The agony that alkali water inflicts on bruises, chafes and blistered hands, is unspeakable, and nothing but greasing all over will modify it– but we ate, drank and slept well, that night, notwithstanding.

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

Calvin Higby and Mark Twain decided to explore the area in and around Mono Lake.

They surveyed all its wonders in a small boat to explore the lake, just as a storm brewed.

Things go from bad to worse.

But we found nothing but solitude, ashes and a heart-breaking silence.

Finally we noticed that the wind had risen, and we forgot our thirst in a solicitude of greater importance; for, the lake being quiet, we had not taken pains about securing the boat.

We hurried back to a point overlooking our landing place, and then–but mere words cannot describe our dismay–the boat was gone!

Surely, they felt. There’s couldn’t be the only boat on the lake today.

The situation was not comfortable–in truth, to speak plainly, it was frightful.

You Can Imagine Twain Hiking the Terrain

We were prisoners on a desolate island, in aggravating proximity to friends who were for the present helpless to aid us; and what was still more uncomfortable was the reflection that we had neither food nor water.

But presently we sighted the boat.

For over an hour Twain and Higby paced up and down the shoreline.

It drifted, and continued to drift, but at the same safe distance from land, and we walked along abreast it and waited for fortune to favor us.

At the end of an hour it approached a jutting cape, and Higby ran ahead and posted himself on the utmost verge and prepared for the assault.

If we failed there, there was no hope for us.

The winds didn’t cooperate as hoped for.

But when he gave a great spring, the next instant, and lit fairly in the stern, I discharged a war-whoop that woke the solitudes!

But it dulled my enthusiasm, presently, when he told me he had not been caring whether the boat came within jumping distance or not, so that it passed within eight or ten yards of him, for he had made up his mind to shut his eyes and mouth and swim that trifling distance.

Only a long swim would probably do them in, but safe in the boat they made little progress.

When we had pulled a mile, laboriously, we were evidently in serious peril, for the storm had greatly augmented; the billows ran very high and were capped with foaming crests, the heavens were hung with black, and the wind blew with great fury.

We would have gone back, now, but we did not dare to turn the boat around, because as soon as she got in the trough of the sea she would upset, of course.

Our only hope lay in keeping her head-on to the seas.

It was hard work to do this, she plunged so, and so beat and belabored the billows with her rising and falling bows.

Both drenched by the alkaline sprays they pushed on forward, against the storm winds.

But things cannot last always.

Just as the darkness shut down we came booming into port, head on.

Higby dropped his oars to hurrah–I dropped mine to help–the sea gave the boat a twist, and over she went!

The agony that alkali water inflicts on bruises, chafes and blistered hands, is unspeakable, and nothing but greasing all over will modify it– but we ate, drank and slept well, that night, notwithstanding.

But Twain surveys Mono Lake’s near unchanging landscape and asks an almost universal question on every visitor’s lips.

… picturesque turret-looking masses and clusters of a whitish, coarse-grained rock that resembles inferior mortar dried hard; and if one breaks off fragments of this rock he will find perfectly shaped and thoroughly petrified gulls’ eggs deeply imbedded in the mass.

How did they get there?

Well, of course, if he were alive in the winter of 2009, he’d have his answer.

Tufa is rock composed of calcium carbonate, or common limestone.

It is formed when calcium-rich underwater springs in the lake combine with carbonates, known to cooks as baking soda, in the water.

The result is calcium carbonate, which settles around the springs.

Decades or even centuries later, these tufa formations slowly grow into towers that may climb to more than 30 feet tall.

All this takes place underwater.”

Steps:

(32) Plan extended seasonal vacations during summer and winter months. Group destination locations together in regional trips to explore what several bucket list towns have to offer in the general vicinity – with only a week or two vacation time to spend, we recommend organizing your itinerary by travel regions.

October 14, 2017November 8, 2017

Twain

“… picturesque turret-looking masses and clusters of a whitish, coarse-grained rock that resembles inferior mortar dried hard …”

Shuttling as much as he did between Carson City and Virginia City, it was San Francisco that captured his imagination – but it was Mono Lake that almost killed him – and his curiosity.

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

We had just visited Lake Tahoe, where Mark Twain set the forest on fire and now Mono Lake appeared before us – the scene of another of his misadventures –

According to the 2009 LA Times article, Twain once said

“There are no fish in Mono Lake – no frogs, no snakes, no pollywogs – nothing, in fact, that goes to make life desirable.”

He and Calvin Higby – his mining partner — in “Roughing It”-

“… made a walking trip to Yosemite, carrying their packs, camping and fishing in that far, tremendous isolation, which in those days few human beings had ever visited at all.

Such trips furnished a delicious respite from the fevered struggle around tunnel and shaft.

Amid mountain-peaks and giant forests and by tumbling falls the quest for gold hardly seemed worthwhile”.

More than once that summer he went alone into the wilderness “to find his balance and to get away entirely from humankind.”

Get rich schemes and tall tales – both consumed and sustained Mark Twain.

Shuttling as much as he did between Carson City and Virginia City, it was San Francisco that captured his imagination – but it was Mono Lake that almost killed him – and his curiosity.

Higby and Twain decided to explore the area in and around Mono Lake.

They surveyed all its wonders in a small boat to explore the lake, just as a storm brewed.

Things go from bad to worse.

Twain actually said “They go from worse to a near fatal accident.”

First there’s the matter of all those seagulls.

Mono Lake is a hundred miles in a straight line from the ocean–and between it and the ocean are one or two ranges of mountains–yet thousands of sea-gulls go there every season to lay their eggs and rear their young.

One would as soon expect to find sea-gulls in Kansas.

Then there’s the alien landscape with both hot and cold water.

Hard Boiled and Fossilized Sea Gull Eggs

The islands in the lake being merely huge masses of lava, coated over with ashes and pumice-stone, and utterly innocent of vegetation or anything that would burn; and sea-gull’s eggs being entirely useless to anybody unless they be cooked.

Nature has provided an unfailing spring of boiling water on the largest island, and you can put your eggs in there, and in four minutes you can boil them as hard as any statement I have made during the past fifteen years.

Within ten feet of the boiling spring is a spring of pure cold water, sweet and wholesome.

And that’s not the only odd thing.

Half a dozen little mountain brooks flow into Mono Lake, but not a stream of any kind flows out of it.

It neither rises nor falls, apparently, and what it does with its surplus water is a dark and bloody mystery.

Though they arrived in the July, Twain and Higby couldn’t resist rowing 12 miles to the “big island.”

About seven o’clock one blistering hot morning–for it was now dead summer time–Higby and I took the boat and started on a voyage of discovery to the two islands.

We had often longed to do this, but had been deterred by the fear of storms; for they were frequent, and severe enough to capsize an ordinary row-boat like ours without great difficulty–and once capsized, death would ensue in spite of the bravest swimming, for that venomous water would eat a man’s eyes out like fire, and burn him out inside, too, if he shipped a sea.

It was called twelve miles, straight out to the islands–a long pull and a warm one–but the morning was so quiet and sunny, and the lake so smooth and glassy and dead, that we could not resist the temptation.

They filled their canteens, just in case as a precaution and pulled ashore at their destination.

The island was a long, moderately high hill of ashes–nothing but gray ashes and pumice-stone, in which we sunk to our knees at every step–and all around the top was a forbidding wall of scorched and blasted rocks.

When we reached the top and got within the wall, we found simply a shallow, far-reaching basin, carpeted with ashes, and here and there a patch of fine sand.

In places, picturesque jets of steam shot up out of crevices, giving evidence that although this ancient crater had gone out of active business, there was still some fire left in its furnaces.

Twain found the island’s single brilliantly green pine tree amusing.

It contrasted strangely enough, did this vigorous and beautiful outcast, with its dead and dismal surroundings.

It was like a cheerful spirit in a mourning household.

Across the two or three miles they explored in vain. And then …

Steps:

October 6, 2017

Rafting

“Ready to surf? The turbulence sucked and pushed at the same time so we were trapped temporarily facing upriver as the back-wave swirled underneath us, like riding a bucking bronco.”

Durango Day Two: Rafting, Mountain Biking, Rodeos and Bar D Chuck Wagon.

An excerpt from Book Three in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams.

Packing the fun into the final day in Durango.

Beautiful Animas River Flowing Past Durango

The next morning we walked down two blocks to “Mild to Wild’s” booth off of Main Street to board their bus to the Animas River.

We put in north of town.

Local river guide, Brad, expertly guided us down the “2 and 3” rated rapids.

This wasn’t his only gig.

He guides on several rivers and planned to try it year ’round by getting passage to Australia and New Zealand.

With a mountain man look of black hair and black bushy beard, he memorized and quizzed himself with our names.

What a hustler.

The father of a family with us on our raft sold wave runners.

Brad’s interest perked up.

For the several hours he tried to get samples — shirts, hats, leads of equipment from him.

“I’m planning to get into sales he said.”

Meanwhile, we got into a water fight – fun for us, canned and scripted for them.

We soaked another raft, whose guide was rafting his last trip.

Brad barked the orders.

He caught my attention when he told us he thought we were ready to surf.

So we paddled back upriver to a hole.

The turbulence sucked and pushed at the same time so we were trapped temporarily facing upriver as the back-wave swirled underneath us, like riding a bucking bronco.

What’s the term they kept throwing around – “ducks?”

We, all the rafters, kept our eyes peeled for the ducks – about 20 kayakers, shooting the rapids in and around us with their leader.

One “duck” kayaker dumped upside down and bobbed that way for a while.

We maneuvered over to give him a platform for catching his breath while he righted his vessel and tried 3 or 4 times to get back in.

Making up for early morning and slow train delays the day before, we practically ran to our SUV to head out to Hassle Free bike rentals

We jumped at the chance to enjoy mountain biking adventures near the arena where Fiesta Days brought the rodeo to town.

After biking, we changed and retraced our path back to the Bar D Chuck Wagon for dinner

And the show featuring aging Western singers full of themselves, yet somewhat entertaining.

Steps:

(21) Spend the time to find the best places to live and invest. It will be worth your while. The great thing about living where others spend their vacation is the year round quality-of-life.

September 30, 2017September 30, 2017

Saturday

“See the bear?” she asks. The kids’ eyes widened like saucers. “Yeah,” she continued. “They wrecked our car carrier and coolers … “

No sense crying over spilled milk, right?

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

We spent Saturday hiking down the trail into Emerald Bay to check out the Vikingsholm.

A 38-room reproduction of a ninth-century Norse fortress from the land of my wife’s ancestors that flows through half of my kids bloodline.

After the tour we talked our way into D.L. Bliss State Park — at first they wouldn’t let us in for day use.

We found out the park is named in honor of timber and railroad magnate Duane Leroy Bliss.

His heirs donated 744 acres of land to the state in 1929.

It has since grown to 2,149 acres.

We just wanted to go to the beach.

And, I wanted to see the light house built in 1916, Rubicon Point Light.

For that minor request they kindly gave us permission.

Wikipedia says …

Over the years it has deteriorated to the point that many people mistake it for an outhouse; today, however, efforts are being made to restore the tower.

The lighthouse at Rubicon Point has the highest elevation of any American lighthouse; it stands 6,300 feet above sea level, at a point where it could be seen from most places around the lake.

We spotted an eagle’s nest in an old diseased, leafless pine tree along the way.

The beach turned out to be a local boaters cove with about a dozen boats anchored.

Their owners had set up their portable grills on the beach.

Our kids climbed the rocks they found around the southern edge of the beach and swam in the ice-fed lake.

One day back at the campsite a woman walks over while we were cooking some breakfast.

“See the bear?” she asks.

The kids’ eyes widened like saucers.

“Yeah,” she continued. “They wrecked our car carrier and coolers … “

She had left them out against better judgement and in spite of all the signs saying bears were on the prowl for food.

Everything.

Including suntan lotion.

Need to be locked in cars, not tents.

Not anymore.

Bear lockers are the ticket.

Just ask the owner of the car in Truckee years later when a black bear turned up locked inside of his car prowling for something to eat.

Another night in the camp latrine I overheard a guy telling another camper that only black bears frequent the campsites.

The one sighted was about 5 feet tall.

Scary enough, right?

So you can see why we kept the discussion about bears to a minimum.

Especially at night.

We didn’t want to spook the younger kids, girls and wives.

Oh, ok and me.

Needless to say, when tucked away in sleeping bags in our tents almost any sound heard in the dark is sleepily interpreted as a would be bear ready to break in looking for something we forgot to lock up.

We still talk about it.

Sadly, when our vacation ended.

I couldn’t bear or bare returning by the long and boring way home.

Instead we took the scenic back roads.

We drove counter-clockwise on the 89 to the 50 past the “Y”, north up the Nevada side of the lake and east out to the US 395.

We normally take US 395, the southern section, on our yearly trip to Mammoth Lakes but, on the other side of the Sierra Nevada range.

Over one pass we encountered three cows meandering on the pavement.

As I came out of a blind hairpin curve.

Just living large and enjoying their almost shortened life.

Steaks anyone?

No sense crying over spilled milk, right?

Steps:

September 17, 2017September 30, 2017

Vikingsholm

Somewhere past Sacramento and Placerville, but before reaching the Lake Tahoe valley we witnessed a blackened forest surrounding new homes during construction and post wildfire ash covered terrain.

Neither one of our 5-year or 8-year olds liked the hike very much – climbing the mile trail to get there.

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

We had a schedule to meet.

Which led to the wrong choice.

Forgoing the scenic route, more on that a little later.

No, instead we piled everyone and our outdoor gear into our SUV in Orange County and drove for 10 hours straight on the most boring route you can take – Interstate 5.

I cursed at traffic that never ended through Los Angeles.

It wasn’t so bad once we put that behind us, but this was August and it was hot.

Tourists on the freeway for the first time seemed clueless until we drove near the Angeles National Forest.

Fewer cars, trucks and SUVs, but then we entered the longest section of our trip — the Central Valley.

Flat.

Sparse.

Miles turned into hours.

The road signs told us how many miles separated us from hotspots like Modesto and Stockton and finally Sacramento.

The good folks at AAA routed us over I-80 just like the way most of the Bay Area vacationers prefer.

But being enough of a contrarian they didn’t convince me with their recommended route that took us north towards Truckee first.

Then south on CA 89 to the western shore of the Lake.

We opted for the more direct US 50 east to South Lake Tahoe.

Somewhere past Sacramento and Placerville, but before reaching the Lake Tahoe valley we witnessed a blackened forest surrounding new homes during construction and post wildfire ash covered terrain.

We couldn’t help wonder after homeowners sink a ton of money into the homes and vacation homes how long it would take to return to a healthy, green wilderness that attracted the owners in the first place.

Months?

Probably not?

More likely years, right?

We, however, needed to move on so we still had enough daylight left for pitching our tent and setting up our campsite.

We found the entrance to Sugar Pine Point State Park in the southwest corner of the Lake (by the 7 or 8 on the Washoe clock) between Meeks Bay and Tahoma.

Sometime after 2003 Sugar Pine name changed to Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park.

Nothing else changed.

It still occupies nearly two miles of the Lake Tahoe’s western shore and a total of 2,500 acres of forested mountains in El Dorado County.

The name change honored …

Edwin L. Z’berg, a California state assemblyman who specialized in environmental legislation and worked to develop state parks and other natural areas.

Luckily, our friends arrived just in time from Cambria to unload their tent and pitch it while it was still dusk.

That was the good news.

The bad news came when we checked in with the ranger station and inquired about extending our camping a few more days than what we had been able to reserve.

Friends had told us that our original campsites butted right up against the road.

For that reason we switched our reservation at the last-minute to Sugar Pine.

But we’d have to leave mid-week.

The ranger’s advice was to check back for last-minute cancellations.

We settled for one of the two overflow campsites vacant through Sunday.

What we wanted.

But, that meant we’d have to break camp and move the very next day.

Did we explore and do everything the park had to offer?

No.

But, we tried after we learned a little more about it.

We found out that General Creek runs from the Desolation Wilderness into Lake Tahoe.

Along the stream you see lakes, mountain meadows with wildflowers.

And two large moraines (debris leftover from Tahoe’s glacier period).

The trail leaves the park and enters Eldorado National Forest

The trapper William “General” Phipps was the first white settler on the land, having been seasonally inhabited by the Washoe before him.

The cabin he built in 1860 still stands.

Roughly 40 years later, ok, 43 years later the wealthy discovered and began building along Lake Tahoe’s shores.

Wikipedia fills in some of the details …

In 1903 the wealthy San Francisco banker Isaias W. Hellman obtained land and built the Pine Lodge, now also known as the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion.

The house was designed by Walter Danforth Bliss and featured electric lighting, indoor plumbing, and water directly from the lake.

The estate included a tennis court, two boathouses, and cabins for the 27 resident staff. Hellman’s family spent summers on the estate for decades, and sold it to the state in 1965 when the park was established. The family still provides funds for the upkeep of the mansion and property.

Fun fact.

Again, thanks to Wikipedia …

This is the only California state park in the Sierra Nevada that operates recreational facilities during the winter.

There are 11 miles of skiing and snowshoeing trails for public use, some of which were sites of the Olympic events in 1960.

Some snow paths are machine groomed. Park rangers lead occasional snowshoeing tours of the park. Winter camping is available, with many more sites opening for the summer.

We were there for the summer recreation – swimming and other beach activities, fishing, and hiking.

With having to set up and take down and set up camp again, nobody felt settled until the following evening.

But, we felt more like we were on vacation when on Wednesday.

We drove down to Meeks Bay to lay on the beach.

On Thursday we rode bikes along the 5-mile Truckee River trail.

Next up we toured the lake driving clockwise in one of our SUVs stopping at Incline Village on the Nevada side.

We marveled at the beautiful homes in the North Lake area.

And, noticed how the gambling casinos on both the north and south Nevada borders welcomed tourists, and more importantly for them, their money.

Instead, we kept our money and drove on to check out Camp Richardson’s Resort back on the South Lake side near our campsite.

Each night after long days enjoying ourselves, we’d eat dinner in the dark, settle down in our lawn chairs and recall the highlights of the adventures around our campfire.

On Friday we hiked into Eagle Point Falls and Lake.

The forest is not pristine.

Having been subjected to heavy logging in the late 1800s, as we already know.

Neither one of our 5-year or 8-year olds liked the hike very much – climbing the mile trail to get there.

But they loved the destination.

Because I took so many photos and video shots along the way and had the lunch we packed they had to wait for me to catch up.

A little food and they were good to go.

That was the last time they entrusted me to carry it.

Especially on Saturday.

Steps:

September 2, 2017

Moose

“ATTENTION! Moose In This Area.”

Pop Quiz: Which of the following signs signal that when a moose sees you and walks slowly towards you something bad is going to happen — to you?

An excerpt from Book Four in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Rocky Mountain State.

All that sight seeing, first in a warm sun-drenched day, and later in a cool, clear mountain evening made us appreciate chilling out in the massively wood-beamed home.

You learn a lot about people based on what’s attached to their refrigerator.

On our annual ski and snowboarding trips to Mammoth Mountain in the Eastern Sierras of California, you find instructions about how long it takes to boil water in the high altitude.

Much longer, especially if you need to feed a dozen starving stomachs.

On our hosts’ refrigerator the notice hand dated as 4-17-15 in bold red letters warned us —

ATTENTION! Moose In This Area.

I expected the Cookie Monster, since this was the kitchen after all.

Moose, the Colorado Parks Wildlife said, regularly use this area.

It is important that you take precautions to avoid conflicts with moose.

So, I’m guessing you have to pay attention, unless it’s Bullwinkle and Rocky the Flying Squirrel.

Continuing.

What to do if you see a moose — listed four bullet points followed by six more under the heading of Physical Appearance.

They sport “dewlaps.”

Say what?

You know, a loose flap of skin hanging below the neck.

Probably not that many hanging out in Beverly Hills, or that unsightly sagging can be taken care of — just ask one of the “Housewives.”

Should you approach them?

No.

How about letting pets play with them?

No.

How about feeding them like the bears in national parks?

Yes.

I mean no.

Which of the following signs signal that when a moose sees you and walks slowly towards you something bad is going to happen — to you?

Ears laid back?

Long hairs on hump raised?

May lick snout?

Yup, any and all of them.

If a moose in Beverly Hills charges you it is customary to leave a 20% tip.

In Colorado, not so much.

Run like hell.

Look for something to put between you and the moose.

In addition to finding a slower runner, you should consider the following.

Keep a Boulder Between You and Bullwinkle

Tree.

Car.

Large rock.

Steps:

August 27, 2017August 27, 2017

McGee

“When you turned us perpendicular to the steep drop and the loose gravel spun the tires so we lost traction, we tilted over so far I thought we might slide and flip the SUV with us in it.”

Dave McCoy and McGee Mountain: The 1930’s Origin Story of Sierra Nevada Alpine Skiing.

The next day most of the family herd split off to rent a boat and try their luck at fishing and trolling around the lake.

That was plan B for some of them.

Plan A was horseback riding.

Plan A required planning ahead and came with a hefty price tag according to Rock Creek Lodge website.

ROCK CREEK PACK STATION

P.O.Box 248

Bishop, CA 93515

(760) 872-8331

email: info@rockcreekpackstation.com

http://www.rockcreekpackstation.com/

TWO HOUR RIDE – Spectacular mountain trail overlooking Little Lakes Valley. $45.00

HALF DAY RIDE – 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. departures. Scenic trail rides in Rock Creek. $60.00

DAY IN THE SIERRA – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. A leisurely day. Includes sack lunch. $75.00

ALL DAY RIDE – 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Bring your fishing pole! Includes lunch $90.00

My son whispered in my ear the night before.

“Dad, want to go off-roading?”

“Heck yeah,”

I said.

He wanted to get a feel of what it would be like to live up here revisiting the questions he asked at the canyon’s entrance on Tom’s Place porch.

So, we piled into the SUV, scrambled down Rock Creek Road and crossed over US 395 and took Owens Gorge Road.

Which it turns out ran out of asphalt and became a rustic dirt road.

We followed it slightly downhill since it bordered Owens River for as far as it still carved a dirt path through vehicle-high bushes on both sides.

You could tell this was still high desert country with very little but scrub bushes and rocks populating the opposite side of the river.

We found a wooden bridge.

Directly below the river – about the size of Rock Creek in width – cascaded a few feet into a dark pool.

In bright sun, green grassy bushes, individual reeds and other vegetation seemed to take over the river as bushes had Owens Gorge Road.

We clicked off several shots of the deep dark blue pools reflecting a drifting cloud formation.

We had to turn around and drive slightly uphill and deeper into dirt road desert scrub.

We stopped captivated by the yellows bobbing in the breeze.

Up close the cotton ball tops showed a dark brown shading on one side and a fuzzy white – almost dandelion edge on the other.

Yellow pre-fluffy buds vied for attention here and there.

Taking the long view the high desert filled in slight erosion valleys with the blanket of yellow cotton balls, gave way to a mix of black, gray and lightly orange brush before ending with another line of lodge pole pine trees.

Off in the very distant a mountain range framed the photo.

Out of the dusty windshield a deep cloudless sky dominated the upper half of a landscape with a hazy light purple range.

Three rounded peaks moved your eyes straight ahead to where the dirt road seem to disappear before we reached a sliver of blue water.

We reluctantly found asphalt again.

Owens Dam came into view at the bottom of an S-curve.

Lake Crowley curved around one of those bends away from us as we dropped in elevation.

Now what?

Return to the cabin?

Nope.

We wanted to find the next dirt road with a different landscape.

There it was.

Off into the evergreens.

Following a narrow trail with two ruts to guide us with brush in the median between.

We drove.

We admired.

We found shade.

We stopped when the stiff brush threatened to leave deep scratches on the SUV doors.

We backtracked to Tom’s Place for refreshment before following our noses and meandering along the country road towards Crowley Lake and McGee Mountain running parallel to US 395 on Crowley Lake Drive.

We craved elevation.

We climbed a foothill on a trail that took us higher than we had been on the opposite side of US 395 off of Owens Gorge Road.

Lodge pole pines gave way to clusters of white-barked birch trees.

Instead of shimmering yellow and gold leaves at Marsh Lake and Mosquito Flats, the birch leaves shimmered as the wind blew through dark green leaves.

Climbing higher until we reached the end of the dirt road and turned around, we snapped a few vista shots of Crowley Lake framed by evergreens.

And one of McGee Mountain

On the blacktop road again we traveled for about a mile to what turned out to be the most dangerous part of our off-roading adventure.

On the driver’s side a pile stones and some rusty wheels next to them caught our eye.

Inspecting it we discovered something we had only heard about, but didn’t really know too much about.

The pile of rocks resembled what you might expect was a stone barbecue made of Rock Creek rounded rocks cemented together.

But the grill was missing.

Instead, a dark bronze – brown historical plaque with a gold lettered inscription revealed the origin story of Sierra Nevada Alpine Skiing in the 1930’s.

Like a giant antique spinning wheel, the rusting wheels on the ground — two outer with gear teeth and two inner grooved to guide rope — made the story authentically real.

McGee Mountain Rope Tow #34

The first permanent rope tow in the eastern Sierra was built west of this site on the east slope of McGee Mountain.

This predecessor of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area was constructed in 1938 because of its dependable snow and nearness to a highway.

Prior to this facility most down hill skiing was done by use of a portable rope tow system (a working gasoline engine, rope, and pullies. (sic))

Dave McCoy – World Class Skier, Entrepreneur, and Visionary was instrumental in organizing and promoting skiing here.

The success of this rope tow motivated McCoy to move in 1941 to Mammoth Mountain.

Subsequently, within a few years, the popularity of skiing here declined and the rope tow was abandoned.

Some remnants of that first rope tow can still be seen today along the slopes of McGee Mountain.

We looked at each other.

We looked at the slope of McGee Mountain.

We tried to imagine what it was like to ski there in the early 40’s.

We looked back at each other with slight smirks on our faces.

How dangerous could it be?

Not very we figured.

There’s a rocky dirt path leading up the incline with fading green scrub brush cascading down from the top.

Driving up the well grooved incline only became sketchy near the top of what we calculated must have been McCoy’s run.

It wasn’t until we looked back down when that severely, steep drop scared us.

But the real danger came when we ran out of room to turn around safely.

At that deceptively steep angle we had to, because backing down felt too terrifying.

We had others to think about, too.

They depended on us for the six hours return home drive from this vacation.

That’s what I focused on to push the danger fright out of my mind.

None of those thoughts were shared until we made it back down safely.

“Were you scared?”

“Yup”

“When you turned us perpendicular to the steep drop and the loose gravel spun the tires, so we lost traction.”

“Me too.”

“We tilted over so far I thought we might slide and flip the SUV with us in it.”

Steps:

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

“Keep an open mind, because your first idea isn’t always your best. Don’t worry, your aha! moment is coming.”

The early adulthood Millennials were in full spirits at the wine and beer bar sitting on cozy couches.

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Hotel Santa Barbara continues a grand tradition which began in 1876 when the City of Santa Barbara was still a sleepy pueblo.

Neal Callahan constructed the earthquake-destroyed hotel. If you look at the front of the building you can see his name above the awning.

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We’ve always enjoyed spending weekends in Santa Barbara, especially at the Montecito Inn once owned by Charlie Chaplin.

Emma gets the best deal at the Santa Barbara Hotel, evaluates many weighing price, location and reviews.

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At the end of an hour it approached a jutting cape, and Higby ran ahead and posted himself on the utmost verge and prepared for the assault.

The agony that alkali water inflicts on bruises, chafes and blistered hands, is unspeakable, and nothing but greasing all over will modify it– but we ate, drank and slept well, that night, notwithstanding.

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“… picturesque turret-looking masses and clusters of a whitish, coarse-grained rock that resembles inferior mortar dried hard …”

Shuttling as much as he did between Carson City and Virginia City, it was San Francisco that captured his imagination – but it was Mono Lake that almost killed him – and his curiosity.

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“Ready to surf? The turbulence sucked and pushed at the same time so we were trapped temporarily facing upriver as the back-wave swirled underneath us, like riding a bucking bronco.”

Durango Day Two: Rafting, Mountain Biking, Rodeos and Bar D Chuck Wagon.

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“See the bear?” she asks. The kids’ eyes widened like saucers. “Yeah,” she continued. “They wrecked our car carrier and coolers … “

No sense crying over spilled milk, right?

Share this:

Somewhere past Sacramento and Placerville, but before reaching the Lake Tahoe valley we witnessed a blackened forest surrounding new homes during construction and post wildfire ash covered terrain.

Neither one of our 5-year or 8-year olds liked the hike very much – climbing the mile trail to get there.

Share this:

“ATTENTION! Moose In This Area.”

Pop Quiz: Which of the following signs signal that when a moose sees you and walks slowly towards you something bad is going to happen — to you?

Share this:

“When you turned us perpendicular to the steep drop and the loose gravel spun the tires so we lost traction, we tilted over so far I thought we might slide and flip the SUV with us in it.”

Dave McCoy and McGee Mountain: The 1930’s Origin Story of Sierra Nevada Alpine Skiing.

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