Lake Tahoe...Family Vacation

Family Vacation 2010 to Lake Tahoe

Our journey began on August 14th on a Continental Flight out of Newark on an older 737. What does this mean? Well, it means…no personal monitors at our seats, no HD TV, and shared movie that you either watch or find something else to do. It was definitely a long flight for Jayden, (and for Mommy). The flight itself was rather uneventful…thankfully on a jet 30,000 feet above the Earth! We landed in San Francisco and waited for our connecting flight to Reno, Nevada. Our connecting flight was delayed due to weather conditions where it originated in Idaho. Almost an hour later we landed in Reno, picked up the car and headed South on 395 for Carson City where we stayed the night. Our reservations at the Americana Village begin on Sunday, August 15th.

Sunday, August 15: And so it begins…with 5 hours before check in, Daddy had great idea! “It’s 71 miles around the Lake, let’s take the drive” So we did. Our first real stop was in Incline Village in the north. Here we stopped at Village Toys. It was onward toward Kings Beach/Tahoe Vista which borders California and Nevada. On the Nevada side were casinos. We decided to stop at a quaint arts & crafts fair that was going on at the Lake’s edge. How magnificent it looked! Crystal clear waters that darken due to drops in depth that reach 1,625 at its maximum. Turning around we are introduced to mountains full of Pine, a clean crisp smell!
No sooner than Mommy looked at the map to see what town we were in…we were out of it…heading for another picturesk landscape. There was a unique Scandinavian influence in many of the housing and buildings we passed. Either log cabin or Scandinavian seemed to be the theme here. Around the bend in Emerald Bay was a small island, Fannette Island, the home of Vikingsholm Castle built in 1929 by Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight.
Mommy read that it was The Washoe Tribe to first inhabit the region. They considered Lake Tahoe a spiritual place
It was finally time to check into our timeshare unit located on Pioneer Trail located in South Lake Tahoe, California, just a couple blocks from the Lake. South Lake Tahoe is nestled in the High Sierras. The big blue sky almost touches the blue of the lake.

Monday, August 16, 2010: This morning we ate breakfast in our unit. Mommy got her finger caught in the bathroom door and her ring finger nail ripped clear off to the nail bed. Wow…did that hurt! After cleaning up, we decided to drive North on 55 towards Cave Rock. Cave Rock is considered a sacred site to the Washoe Indians whose ancestors spent their summers at Lake Tahoe and once performed religious ceremonies inside the largest of the caves. To our disappointment, this cave now is location of Route 50 West in which we drove through. Instead we took a gondola ride to the top of Heavenly Mountain. Jayden played in ‘Spider Cove’ before we ate lunch. Next it was a leisurely walk of the shops down Heavenly way.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010: Mommy woke up bright and early. Earlier than Jayden! It was brisk enough for a sweater outside but clear. Once Jayden woke up, Mommy & Jayden took a walk to the Lakeside Beach. Along the way Jayden found pine cones the size of a small football!
After our walk, Mommy decided to participate in one of our units’ activities…art & craft Mini Memory Book, similar to Creative Memories.
It was a 3.5 hour drive to Yosemite National Park. We took Route 89 South through Meyers over Monitor Pass elevation 8,314 ft. Switch backs up and over the mountain brought magnificent scenic views and gave Daddy the excitement of driving! Tioga Pass, elevation 9,948 ft. was the only thing that stood between us and Yosemite. Yosemite was full of huge pine trees lining Tioga Road. Through the thicket were rocky mountain peaks, creeks and trail heads. A hikers heaven.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010: Mommy & Jayden went on another walk this morning. Although it wasn’t to the Lakeside Beach, we decided to do some window shopping before Daddy woke up.
It was a warm, clear with a slight wind of a day. Today was fit for sailing. Okay, maybe not sailing, instead we took a ride on the M.S. Dixie II, a steamwheeler paddle boat. The 2 hour tour took us to Emerald Bay with sounds and stories of Tahoe Troubadour Darin Talbot. Darin divulged the stories of Fannette Island and Vikingsholm and history of Lake Tahoe. Vikingsholm was the home of an English Millionaires built in the 1800’s. She had a small stone castle-like Teahouse built at the top of Fannette Island. Here, she entertained guests having her servants row them out to the Island for afternoon tea.

Thursday, August 19, 2010: Mommy & Jayden’s morning walks have been something to look forward to…Mommy-daughter bonding. We walk and talk about our dreams while admiring the big blue sky, picturesk mountain views and crisp air.
Today we decided to experience Lakeside Beach and take a swim in Lake Tahoe. A peddle beach front lay before the massive crystal clear frigid Lake Tahoe. Yes, that’s correct…it was much to cold for the likes of Mommy…and Daddy…but not the brave Jayden Bree! Jayden loved the water running in and out and jumping the waves!

Friday, August 20, 2010: No morning walk today, Mommy slept in till 9am. Mommy and Jayden participated in an eye glass beaded activity this morning instead of our walk. Afterwards, we took a drive North into Nevada to Virginia City. The Comstock Lode, place where Mark Twain roamed the streets and everybody wanted a piece of the “Richest Place on Earth”. We walked the boards of the ‘Ol town. We saw a real gunfight with ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’!

Saturday, August 21, 2010: Mommy & Jayden continued with their morning walk this morning. It was a quite relaxing day by the pool. Mommy decided to do laundry to make going home easier. Early tomorrow we will be driving back to Reno, Nevada, to board a plane taking us back home.