POSTCARD: From Nevada
So here is some life experience I picked up this week: there are places in the lower 48 that casually keep their thermostats set at roughly 95º-110º. I have no reason to live here and my desire to visit is quickly dwindling. I guess I have gotten way too used to living in and complaining about a state that is cold or at least erring on chilly for 75% of the year. but now, isn’t looking so bad. Don’t try to sell me on Michigan winters or anything, but man, I’ll take an 80º July all day long.
Seriously though, this trip has made me so grateful and appreciative of Michigan. We have seen some truly beautiful places, but you know, Michigan is an old girl who can hold her own. I was perched up on the Pacific coast, watching Duke run into foamy ocean waves and I thought, you know, there’s not a thing here that I don’t have sitting on Lake Michigan, and plenty of things I don’t need. Like sharks and jellyfish and crabs with huge pinchers.
Of course, then a sea lion swims up looking all kinds of cute, just to keep everything in perspective.
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REDWOOD NATIONAL FOREST | California
When I left off last week, we were one day into Northern California, which looks approximately zero percent like California on TV. Lots of farms, lots of mountains, and not a palm tree in sight.
But instead, we have the biggest trees I've ever seen in the Redwood Forest and let me tell you, it is grand. First thing, it was a holy 75º and that’s a number I can get behind. Furthermore, 300’ trees that are 1,500 years old and somehow survived fire, lightning, and humans are just special. Seriously, the fact that some self-serving a-hole never logged the entire place is a GD miracle.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN | California
Duke is a beach lovin’ baby and pretty much asks to go to the ocean every day. I’m not inclined to indulge his every whim, but when they line up so nicely with my own, all self-control goes right out the window. And why not? We might not ever be back in this exact spot again, and the sun is out, and it’s the Pacific ocean. It’s like when he asks to go out for ice cream - I don’t say “no” to this kind of request.
TRUCKEE and LAKE TAHOE | California
Otherwise titled “where I live now.” Maybe in my next life anyhow. Another place I love because it reminds me so much of home, right down to the huge, beautiful body of freshwater and all the people crowded in to enjoy it.
We hiked down to Emerald Bay, and I use the term “hike” very loosely, because it’s 50% paved and you can do it in flip-flops, so it’s mostly just a casual walk down a really big hill. Going back up is the real challenge, but that’s just gravity. Naturally Duke needed to be carried the entire way. We made him do it on his own for about five minutes, until he started shouting “I’m dyin’ Dad! My batteries are dead!” which I thought was creative enough to merit carrying. Also, he calls Lake Tahoe “Lake Taco”, which I hope I never forget.
I want to bring Vikingsholm to your attention because it’s very cool. Back in 1928, a rich old lady bought 200+ acres on Lake Tahoe and had a beautiful castle built for her summer home. She likened Emerald Bay to the fjords in Sweden and thus had her home designed accordingly. She died 15 years later and it was sold a couple of times before being donated (along with the property) to the State of California. It was closed for tours (everything is closed except the gift shops at every national park, because there’s obviously no risk of corona where people spend money) so I just prowled around the outside, which was cool enough. When we get home, I am excited to spend some time googling what the interior looks like.
NEVADA
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