It started on Day One with a roughly 12 mile round trip bike ride from the Red Wolf Lodge at Squaw Valley where we stayed, to Tahoe City. The weather was phenomenal, the bike path mostly flat, and the scenery (riding along the Truckee River) beautiful. I had one small incident running my beach cruiser into a fence (damn those barely-there brakes), but other than that, we had an amazing time.
Then came Day Two.
It started innocently enough. We headed out with a small group of Red Wolf Lodge guests for a short, one hour round trip hike in Shirley Canyon. When we reached our destination and prepared to head back to the lodge, however, someone in our family, IAN, suggested we hike to High Camp. High Camp is up high (duh), at the top of the mountain (Squaw Valley). Given the shock of Ian suggesting any form of physical activity, Rob and I agreed.
We asked our tour guide about continuing the trek and were informed that we were about 1.5 hours from High Camp and that if we continued about 45 minutes past there we could also visit Shirley Lake. Best of all, we didn't need to hike back down the mountain because we could take the aerial tram from High Camp back to the village at no cost. Another hiker in our group encouraged us onward, assuring us that his wife had hiked it in her flip flops and that the trek wouldn't get any more difficult than it was then (relatively flat and wooded).
Let's just say news reporters aren't the only ones who should alway check their sources. To put it mildly, we were the victims of bad information. It turned out that fellow hiker man and his flip-flop footed wife had never made it all the way to High Camp and our tour guide had her destinations, and hence her times, reversed. The lake was actually 1.5 hours away and the tram 45 minutes past that. You couldn't actually get to the tram without traveling past the lake first (at least not without mountain climbing and rappelling gear). We didn't learn this bit of news until we were too far to turn back.
And did I mention that between the four of us we had one and a half bottles of water and no food?
And that I wasn't even wearing my brand new Cabela hiking shorts?
And that the wooded, dirt path turned into sheer rocks?
And that we were ultimately covering 3+ miles and working our way up a 6,000 foot incline?
I kept waiting for the St. Bernard with the little barrel around his neck to show up and rescue me, or at least provide some much needed hydration.
Our little adventure ended up taking three-plus hours and challenged me even more than my black belt tests. Of course it could be because I was so completely unprepared.
In the end, I'm glad we made the trek, first and foremost because I saw a new side of my son. Ian showed how mentally, emotionally, and physically strong he could be as he led the rest of us up that mountain without complaint. And of course along the way we viewed some of the most incredible sites -- and heights -- I've ever seen.
That was Day Two.
Day Three included whitewater rafting (class 2 & 3 rapids).
Day Four took us swimming at Sandy Beach State Park on Lake Tahoe, followed by horseback riding in Alpine Meadows where my horse and Ian's had a little spat. While we were riding them.
By Day Five we had come to our senses and were relaxing luxuriously at High Camp's pool and hot tub. Yes, there's a big beautiful pool, restaurant, and even rollerskating, disc golf, and paintball all at 8,200 feet. Pretty cool to swim a mile-plus above sea level. (And it was literally cool when that wind blew!)
All in all, our week in Lake Tahoe was one of the best family vacations we've ever had. The kids fought a fair amount, but we had a heck of a lot of fun, tried a bunch of new things, and ate a number of quality hamburgers.
Good times indeed.
*If you're wondering what the pie reference in the title is all about, check out "The Psychological Power of Pie."
No comments:
Post a Comment