Jet-skiing in Zephyr Cove. more pics
Tourist brochures say that Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine* lake in the world; it can cover the entire state of California in 14 inches of water and the state of Texas under 8.5 inches of water. They say that the water is so clear that it acts like a prism. The blue of the water reflects the sky. In shallow water, the color changes to green because it's the only color of the spectrum that the depth of the water can reflect back. The lake was formed by the two mountain ranges on two sides and sealed in by a volcanic eruption in the north end.
Green by the shore; blue in the middle; and indigo where it's deep. more pics
And, like Loch Ness, Lake Tahoe has its own fabled monster Tahoe Tessie, who is said to live under Cave Rock. Highway 50 runs through Cave Rock, one tunnel for each direction.
You can tell where the border lies between California and Nevada on Highway 50, because it's where the casinos start as you head north -- Harrah's on the east and Harvey's on the west. Unlike its neighbor Reno, Tahoe has fewer casinos. It's geared more towards sports, both in the summer and in the winter. Famous ski slopes, like Squaw Valley and Heavenly, surround the lake.
Nearby are Carson City and Virginia City, where the Comstock Lode is. Virginia City is like an old western town. A long time ago, Jon and I went on a tour of a silver mine in Virginia City, and at one point the tour guide turned off his flashlight. It was pitch black. After that, I swore never to go inside another mine again.
The day after we got married in 1985. See Vikingsholm Island behind Jon?
Lake Tahoe's beauty is not the only reason I keep coming back. It holds a lot of memories for me. I was married here one beautiful day in October 1985. Jon and I bought an odd-year timeshare here (the first property we bought) in 1994. I've been back every odd year since. Even after the divorce, I decided to keep the timeshare just because I love being in this place so much. And I've created more memories since.
There was the time Katia and I seriously thought about dumping the sleeping Harmony in the snow to make room for a couple of cute skiers who were hitchhiking. We were on our way to the Bay Area to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Katia was driving, Harmony was snoring softly in the passenger seat, and I had my head leaned back in the back seat with my sunglasses on. Katia didn't know I was awake. But after we passed the skiers thumbing for a ride, I saw her look back at me in the rearview mirror with a smile and a twinkle in her eye. "Darn! We don't have enough room," I said. She laughed; we were thinking the same thing. So, we started joking how we could just dump Harmony, since she was sound asleep anyway.
Two years later, my mom and I took the Greyhound and got caught in a blizzard on our way back down to the Bay Area. Two years after that, my mom went with me again, with my nephew Ian in tow. Over lunch at one of the restaurants Ian was amazed that I was able to guess how much money he had in his wallet (his mom told me) and that I knew he was not allowed to buy candy with it (his mom told me that too). Sometime later, he found out that I'm not really psychic. :-)
Boarding the MS Dixie II. more pics
This year, I took my dad and his wife, but they're only here for three nights. In the evenings, they go to the casinos and play the one-cent slots. Yesterday, we took a cruise on the MS Dixie II across the lake to Emerald Bay where we saw the Vikingsholm Castle and the ruins of the tea house that stood on a rocky island in the middle of the bay. I've taken this cruise almost every time I come here. I've also taken the Tahoe Queen, the other paddlewheel ferry on the lake, in a previous trip with my mom.
Vikingsholm Island. more pics
Today, we drove clockwise around Lake Tahoe, heading south on Highway 50, then north on Highway 89. We stopped at a few scenic vistas, including the trail head to Vikingsholm Castle. (Parking cost: $6) Unfortunately, we found out that the trail is a mile long and very steep. I didn't want to go on my own, besides my right knee is still sore, so we decided not to do it today. It will probably be better to rent a boat to go there instead, but that will be for next time. We continued north on Highway 89 until we got to Tahoe City, where we took Highway 28. (Highway 89 headed west to Truckee.) We stopped by a deli for a very late lunch (it was 4 pm). Then we continued around the lake.
Emerald Bay viewed from a turnout on the highway. more pics
The roads after Tahoe City were easier to maneuver than the roads around Emerald Bay. The southern part of Highway 89 were so narrow that the lakeside shoulder is non-existent. Instead, there's a very steep cliff in its place. The traffic going south aren't so lucky either; they were against a rocky mountainside. And at one point, there was a smaller lake on the west side (possibly Cascade Lake), so that there's only about two inches of (I wouldn't even dare say "solid") ground beyond the outer part of the white lines on both sides of the road. Tip: Unless your car has wings, follow the yellow speed signs around the curves.
Cave Rock today. more pics
We went through the tunnel in Cave Rock and turned into the boat launch several feet after. (Parking cost: $2 for daytime use) I have several pictures of this area too, but I took more pictures today. Then we sat on a picnic table under a tree for a while, enjoying the breeze (highs in the 80s today) and the view. Tip: Pay the parking fees, even if it's on an honor system. We decided to head out because I saw a bearded guy peeking into cars and I got worried. I didn't see him peek into my car because there was an SUV between us but I saw his feet walking around my car, pausing, and then heading towards the SUV. When we got closer, I saw him tuck a slip of paper on the windshield of the SUV. That's when I realized he was the parking guy. (Well, he wasn't wearing a uniform.) He said hi when he passed us as we walked to the car, then he waved again as we drove away.
Okay, so I may be paranoid, but he could still be a thief pretending to be the parking guy....
* Lake Tahoe is 6285 feet above sea level.
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