Paddle Boarding

 

     Luke came over this afternoon and asked if I wanted to go kayaking.  It was a nice fall day so I agreed but the longer I thought about it I realized that I really don't enjoy kayaking.  Kayaking always seems like a fun adventurous way to spend the day but once I get out on the water I lose interest.  It usually takes a long time to get anywhere and is quiet honestly boring.  So I went to go find Luke in his room and break it to him that I had changed my mind.   

     I said, "Luke I don't really like to kayak."

    To my surprise Luke responded, "Either do I."

    So we agreed to go paddle boarding instead.  We rode our bikes to Andy's shop, Tahoe City Kayak, and got the okay to grab some boards.  When we got to the pier there were so many colors going on around the lake that I was awestruck by the beauty fall brings.  The aspens were going through their seasonal changes and the once green bushes were golden.  It was absolutely breathtaking.

    We got onto our boards and as we paddled out towards the west shore I felt a change take over me. There is something so tranquil and peaceful about paddle boarding.  I think its a combination of  the walking on water feeling and the view of whats below you that makes it so meditative and relaxing.  As we paddled the scenery underwater changed.  The color of the water went from a dark dingy blue to a tropical turquoise.  The bottom of the lake also altered from algae covered rocks to a nice soft yellow sand.  As the scenery was transforming underneath my toes my mind found its calm serenity. 

G Love & Special Sauce

     Tonight I was fortunate enough to see G Love & Special Sauce perform at Crystal Bay Casino.  CBC has been an anchor for live music on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe.  The venue has a capacity of 700 people so I was guaranteed an up close and intimate setting.

     I walked in right as G Love was beginning his first song and was able to grab a killer spot up front.   At first G Love was seated in a chair while playing a couple songs.  As the set went on he moved his chair aside and got up to perform.  It was amazing how this small move changed the entire energy of the crowd, people who were barely moving started dancing their hearts out.  Towards the end of the set G Love busted out his acoustic guitar and treated us with a couple songs that will be coming out on his album in February.  It was my first time seeing G Love & Special Sauce perform but it will definitely not be my last.

Paige Meadows

     It's been raining for a couple days now but there finally came a tiny break in the weather on Tuesday.  It was such a relief to get outside again and be able to take advantage of the soaked down trails in my backyard.  Rainy days to mountain bikers are equivalent to powder days for a snowboarder.  So in a way I got some pow and was able to lay down some turns through some puddles.  There was one bend that wrapped itself around a tree with a huge puddle in the middle of the it.  I was going into the turn with some speed when my tire got a little caught in the mud and I almost laid myself down in the puddle.  It was such a rush that got my heart thumping pretty fast. All together it was a good, good day.

Tahoe City

    After living in Mammoth for the last seven years of my life I have journeyed on to make a new home in Tahoe City.  Tahoe city is located on the northern end of Lake Tahoe. The lake is the highest alpine lake in the United States and has 72 miles of shoreline.  This area is absolutely breathtaking.  It is a very unique place where you can enjoy both the mountain and beach like lifestyle in one setting.

     I have been in TC for five months now and I can honestly say that I have had the best summer of my life thus far.  It has been filled with kayaking, paddle-boarding, wake boarding, hiking, and some amazing mountain biking.  There has been plenty of beach day's and barbecues to keep me busy.  Everyday has been adventure here. 

     I am very grateful for the friends who took me under their wing and introduced me to the Tahoe lifestyle. They have introduced me to their friends, shared their favorite beaches, led the way on the bike trails and unveiled their secret hangouts.  

     

Farewell Mammoth

      I have had some of the best times of my life in Mammoth and there will always be a special place in my heart for the quaint mountain town.  I know the mountain itself like the back of my hand and I have had more then my share of epic powder days.  I feel blessed to have been able to experience every season to its fullest from the crisp autumn, to the blizzards of winter, to the hot summer nights.  Thank you Mammoth for all the good memories and the lifelong friends I have made along the way.