Tag Archives: Lake Tahoe

Hiking in Tahoe

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So I am sitting here watching the men’s downhill freestyle at the Olympics and remembering what we were doing a week ago in Tahoe – hiking through the woods around our house on a cross-country ski track. Here are some pictures . . . .

On the trail

My husband has no coat on because it was about 45 degrees. There was no wind. It was utterly beautiful!

snow meadow

Everywhere we went, there were people on snowshoes or cross-country skis, many of them with dogs. It made me miss Taffy and Rocky, who we left in the Bay Area, and who I think would have had fun in the snow. We adults decided we are a) coming back next winter and b) are going to try cross-country skiing. I have only done downhill, but the last time was when my kids were young teens. So I don’t dare do it again – especially after 2 knee surgeries. But I think I could do cross-country.

Sentinel in the snow

It is a Valentine's Day in the snow

Behind us in the picture on the right is Alpine Meadows ski resort. Rick went skiing there the day before.

Rachel and Rick

snow shadows

Obviously, I had my camera on this hike. I was really taken with the shadows on the snow. I won’t bore you with the dozen or so pictures like this I took, but I thought this one came out pretty good.

We hiked for about 2 hours, I think, and no hike in Tahoe is complete without

a drink by the lake . . .

around the Hyatt firepit

or a spin in the hammock . . . .

my feet

and no Valentine’s Day could ever be as sweet without . . . .

. . . .

champagne in the hot tub

Pink Champagne in the hot tub, followed by a dinner of pot roast in red wine and Rachel’s famous risotto . . . .

Yum!!!!

Knitting by the Lake

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The house in Tahoe City

Happy Valentine’s Day! We are spending the holiday – the anniversary of our engagement – in a house in Lake Tahoe with our friends Rachel and Rick and their 13-year-old daughter Claudia. We’ve taken a house in the hills above Tahoe City and we’ve spent our evenings dipping into the hot tub, eating great food that we made ourselves, drinking wine and watching the Olympics. There’s a been a lot of knitting going on, too – but more on that later.

Yesterday, Rachel and I went out for a little girl time. This is

Me and Rachie-poo

her first trip to Tahoe and I wanted to show her the lake, which I think is one of the most beautiful sights in the world. So we drove through Tahoe City and headed for the Nevada side of the lake, aiming for Incline Village and the Hyatt, one of the best places to have a drink in the world.

The view from the fire pit

So here we are, sitting lakeside, around the fire pit at the Hyatt. She had a glass of pinot grigio and I had a glass of California sparkling. It was hot enough that we had to take off our coats. The sun was shining on the lake, the mountains cupping the lake were topped with snow and the sky was a beautiful blue. Kayakers were out on the water and people were having picnics on the sand. I love Tahoe.

And I love the people here. While Rachel and I were standing on the beach trying to take each other’s pictures, a couple passing by with their aging black lab asked if we wanted them to take our picture. We did. And we got to talking – Debbie and Gary own a condo smack next to the Hyatt and smack on the lake. They rent it out. Would we like to see it?

Duh!!!!!

So now we have two new best friends with a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom condo on the lake. We are already making plans to rent it together this summer.

Now, the knitting! Rachel wanted to learn to knit, so I brought her a ball of Cascade 220 Quattro in colorway

Shy Rachel and her knitting

Antigua and a pair of size 8 circular needles. Last night, I cast on for her and taught her the knit stitch. I have to say, she took to it very naturally. Some people I teach to knit have so much trouble with the physicality of it – of holding the needles, of wrapping the yarn around their fingers, etc – that they can’t quite get how to make the stitch itself. Not Rachel. I only had to show her how to hold the needles and the working yarn once! She spent last night practicing her knit stitch, and did really well! Good tension and all! This morning, I taught her the purl stitch – and again, she got it right off. My evil plan to turn her into another fanatic knitter is to have her work on her purl stitch today, then switch to a row of knits and row of purls tonight, and tomorrow before we leave, I’ll cast on a scarf for her and have her do a simple stockinette stitch scarf with a short garter stitch border. The next time I see her – which might be at Stitches! – I’ll teach her to cast on and off.

Baby Mock Cable sock #1My knitting progresses, too. I brought more knitting that I would need in 2 weeks up here, but I brought all kinds of things that needed to be finished. And it’s working! Yesterday I finished the baby mock cable sock I was working on in a Malabrigo sock yarn. I’ll probably cast on for the second one for the trip back tomorrow. And I have since been working on the “Lead or Follow” scarf I purchased the yarn and pattern for in Victoria, B.C. at the Beehive Yarn Shop. Seemed appropriate while watching the Olympics to do something I started on my trip to Canada last fall. It is coming along beautifully – I think I am about 2/3 of the way done.

Lead or Follow Lace Scarf

Today we will hike, eat pot roast for dinner and drink French Champagne in the hot tub. Not too shabby. We are very lucky people.

Detail - Lead or Follow

Socks on the Beach

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Lake Tahoe and Me

Lake Tahoe and Me

I am just back from two nights in Incline Village, Nev. where I joined my best friend, Chris Reeder, for a portion of his vacation.  I got there at about 1:30, dropped my bags at Chris’ condo, and – since he was off on a hike – I headed for the beach.

I love Lake Tahoe. When I was growing up, we did not go to lakes for vacation and we certainly did not live near any in Jackson Heights, NY. Nor did my grandmother live near one in Yellow Springs, Ohio – tho the town had a duck pond. So lakes are rather foreign to me. So every time I go to Tahoe, it seems to exotic and beautiful and, well, BLUE.

So I hit the beach at Incline Village, spread out my towel and my beach chair – an item I always have in my car, as you never know when you might need to be on the beach – and I sat sippin’ a Diet Coke and knitting a sock. I can prove it:

Socks on the Beach

Socks on the Beach

Meatballs and Sauteed Kale

Meatballs and Sauteed Kale

I met Chris back at the condo around cocktail hour – Trailhead Cabernet for me, water with electrolytes for Chris – and I heated up the meatballs (no spaghetti) I made for us. It was YUMMY. I think this is the best version of this dish I have made so far. I used Marin Sun Farms ground beef and pork, but I think the key this time was all fresh herbs – I now have oregano, thyme, basil and rosemary in the back yard – and imported Italian canned tomatoes. Say what you want, I think they are different and taste better. And I let the dish sit for 24 hours – always better later.

The Old Post Office

The Old Post Office

The next day, we went out for breakfast to the Old Post Office in Carnelian Bay. This is a favorite of locals and tourists alike, and Terry and I have had some great breakfasts there in the past. It is a family-run institution that serves massive amounts of eggs, with make-your-own eggs benedict and omelets a specialty. The pancakes rock, too. And if your heart can take it, don’t miss the biscuits and gravy – that’s a recommendation from someone who lived in Texas.

Frank Jansen at Old Post Office

Frank Jansen at Old Post Office

The place is owned by Frank and Linda Jansen and one or both of them is usually there to welcome you. It’s always staffed with very nice young waters, some of whom I am sure are relatives of the Jansen’s. It’s just a swell place – the kind of local place with local food and customers that are being done in by the chains. If you’re in North Lake Tahoe it is way worth a trip.

Chris in action at Old Post Office

Chris in action at Old Post Office

After that, we went kayaking in Kings Beach. We got a tandem kayak, and no sooner had I bragged to the young man behind the counter that we weren’t going to capsize, what did we do? Yup. About 15 yards from shore, water was waist deep and COOOLLLLD. But is was worth it to see Chris’ face. His camera got dunked – my cellphone, too – but both worked, so it’s a good story. We paddled up and down the shore, looking at huge houses and private docks and avoiding rocks as best we could. The weather was superb. We were out for about 1.5 hours, then had a great lunch at Jason‘s a few steps from the beach.

Now, I am a religion reporter by trade, and I think I must put out a vibe because they sat us smack next to two white, middle aged men, both of whom I think are pastors, who were discussing, rather loudly, the fact that there is no biblical support for gay marriage and they had both preached that and written about that. I gave Chris a pained look, and without losing a beat, he says – real loud – “So, how do you feel about butt sex?” The two men did not hear him, but I almost squirted Diet Coke out my nose. That and the look on his face when we capsized kept me laughing for the rest of the day.

After lunch – and a change into dry things – we headed for Spooner Lake and hiked

Spooner Lake

Spooner Lake

around the perimeter. Back to the house to change again and we hit the Hyatt for a sunset drink. The water was as smooth and calm as I have ever seen it and we claimed a couple of chairs (I got a rocker) on the flagstone patio around the firepit (unlit, as it was in the 70s) and watched the sun disappear over Crystal Bay.

Hyatt Sunset

Hyatt Sunset

Back to the house for a lamb noisette I had marinating – recipe to come – and then bed.

Mmmmmm

Mmmmmm

Ophir Creek

Ophir Creek

On Wed. morning, we hiked the Ophir Creek Trail at Tahoe Meadows – a gorgeous hike through alpine meadows, rocky inclines and trees – and then I drove home. Chris is at Incline for another day or two, then he heads to Klamath, then to Pt. Reyes, where I will join him for a day of hiking and hopefully Terry can get away to meet us for dinner. You can keep up with the rest of Chris’ travels – and see his take on my version here – at his blog, which is listed in my blogroll.

Now I am back and planning to head off to work at K2Tog this afternoon. I’ll blog more about the trip – and more about the fabulous things Friday knitters made this past week – later.