I Still Don’t Understand That Sign
Posted by Moose on May 13th, 2009. Filed under: Travel.When I was offered my dad’s timeshare in Lake Tahoe, I jumped on the opportunity like a freeloading stoner set loose in the Frito Lay factory. Nothing like driving to Nevada for the weekend just because you can. So I packed up my books, filled my car with gas, fiddled with the GPS on my new phone (yeah, my phone always knows where we are and where we’re going – it’s officially smarter than I am) and set off for Donner Pass.
As a certified California history nerd, Donner Pass tends to make me twitchy. It feels odd to bop my head to Vampire Weekend in my air-conditioned car while sailing merrily past the spot where luckless pioneers had to eat their frozen colleagues in the dim hope of surviving ’til spring.
Then I found this spot and forgot all about the Donner Party diet:
Not only does my new phone have a camera, it can also email those pictures to everyone in my address book from the beach. And no, I didn’t utterly abuse my newfound super-powers, why do you ask?
I’m rather fond of just picking up and going – no real plan, just follow whatever caprice enters my head. That’s the genius of traveling alone. If you decide you want crab cakes and white wine, you simply type “Where can a girl get seafood around here?” into your phone and your phone spits out suggestions and a map. And off you go. No need to fulfill anyone else’s similar yet contradictory hankering for a shredded beef burrito.
Wherein I cater to my every whim.
I read my book on what might be the most beautiful beach I’ve ever paid $8 to sit on. (Seriously, it’s worth it. If you ever pass Sand Beach on the south shore, fork over the cash.) I ate lobster bisque and watched the sun go down over this highly questionable bit of signage. The next day I went on a hike and inspected the wildlife – a dude with what appeared to be a perm circa 1994 and his two dogs Rufus and Maximus, a naked man with a paunch who was far less noticeable on the secluded beach than he was bouncing down the trail wearing only his shoes, and a prehistoric mini-dinosaur who did pushups on the rock next to me while I offered a genial “What up?”. Then I drove home after being in Tahoe a grand total of 26 hours.
Though I occasionally have to smack out of my head the thought that I’ve completely mismanaged my life because I’m not married with an infant and going to some cunning job with stock options every morning (especially since cunning jobs with stock options don’t really exist any more) (though I understand husbands and infants still do), these are the moments when I realize I’m very happy where I am.
Perched precariously to get this shot. I am nothing if not dedicated to my art.
How could you not be when staring at this? Even if, two minutes later, you miss your footing and tumble ass over tea kettle down the hill and are still finding dirt in your pockets days later.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again: thank god I live here.
I’m so glad you had a nice weekend.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
I’m happy with the single/no babies life, too. Sadly, Lake Tahoe will always be the place I broke up with my boyfriend of five years after a crappy aniversary weekend. Oh well, I always have Las Vegas.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Pretty! Glad you had a great weekend
May 13th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
I love Tahoe—and living only an hour from it is amazing, though I don’t visit it as often. Nice pics…very jealous. I’m assuming you purchased an IPhone? I recognize that tell-tale photo shape. Glad you had a good trip
May 13th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
I still cannot believe those photos are taken with an iPhone. And YOUR iPhone at that, my until-recently-technologically-deficient friend
May 13th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Nice pics!
We were just talking about cell phones, and the rare people who still don’t have them. I said your mom would get a cell phone when you started answering yours. But then I thought about that again, and decided maybe not even then. Your brother’s way of going into the mountains is certainly different, the least of which is the cell phone with camera and directions back to civilization in the event of wine emergency.
May 13th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Tahoe will always, always, always be my second most favorite place on earth. It’s just majestic.
And, damn, those are some good pictures. My BlackBerry is quivering with embarrassment right now.
May 13th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
What a beautiful and serene spot. I envy you that weekend.
Just started reading your blog recently, and I have to tell you that I crack up every time I read your “About Me”. I might just make a daily pilgrimage to that page, so I can start the day at work with a jackass smile on my face!
May 14th, 2009 at 8:23 am
tell me about it. 34, husband/child-less, gypsylike existence in tucson, spend my time primarily doing yoga, massage and trying to shake off my recent ex-boyfriend. Then I get to see the mountains every day, live in a climate I love, have amazing friends and a support network that gets better every day. Funny how when you put a different lens on things it all changes… good for you.
May 14th, 2009 at 8:46 am
I have never been to Tahoe and I’m thinking that needs to be remedied, post-haste.
(Three cheers! for fantastic weekends.)
May 14th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Wow, your weekend looks nothing short of amazing. What a great place to spend some time with yourself.
May 14th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Zomigoodness!! That is gorgeous!!
Also, I am quite concerned with the permy/pervy nakey man….hello, awkward!
xox
May 14th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Uh. If that timeshare is ever lonely, I’d be happy to visit it for you!
Also, I think you just had my dream weekend. No really, I’ve spent the morning googling up hotels in the general vicinity on water. Turns out? They are expensive. Boo. Now I’m going to have to scour Tahoe for deals.
May 14th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Terrific pictures – frankly didn’t know you were quite that talented – composition is eye-catching (and a great eye for noticing funny signs). Still want the digital?
Course I already KNOW you’re mighty talented at writing and at figuring out and reporting adventures and seeing life with a discerning eye. Actually, you’re just mighty talented.
AB
May 14th, 2009 at 11:19 am
I have fond memories of Donner Pass. Two of my best friends and I spent a very cold night chasing each other around with forks there. Because we are clearly elegant, refine, and — above all — tasteful.
Also, it seems to be the place you hit if you’re headed on a random trip out of the Bay Area. If memory serves, we were on an utterly spontaneous middle-of-the-night jaunt to Reno, NV, because we all wanted Denny’s and that was the closest one.
… Man, I miss the Bay Area. Curse you, Moose!
May 14th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Wow, that first picture is breathtaking. It might be enough to make me forget about the Donner Party too.
Maybe.
May 14th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
I am simultaneously so happy for you and so freaking jealous of that alone time and trip that it makes my teeth hurt.
xo!
May 15th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Amen. Looks lovely.
May 15th, 2009 at 9:40 am
BEWARE! TOTALLY RANDOM COMMENT!!
ok, first, HI! Can I just say that I’m really, really stoked that you’re coming to Sacramento? I am.
here’s why:
1. I am totally a lurker on your blog.
2. I have a good reason! I used to be in your ad group (and Holly’s too) on BlogHer. Then I got knocked up and they tempted me away to a mom’s ad group with “higher revenue” which was totally a load of crap. They are way less interesting and don’t pay more. I miss you guys. You are way cooler than me.
3. I have no idea why I never comment. Your post about making your bed in front of your window (from like a year ago? I STILL REMEMBER IT) made me almost pee my pants. In my defense, I WAS pregnant. Anyway, my point is? You’re great. Can’t wait to meet you. WHEE!
May 15th, 2009 at 10:54 am
You have GOT to have an iPhone. I have one and I would totally marry it if it was legal here in Texas. Although, it might be, who knows.
We can totally compare fart apps on the bargain CA trip.
May 17th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Holy HOLY, that’s a pretty spot.
May 18th, 2009 at 7:38 am
Adds everything except the bisque (allergic) onto her list of things to do/places to go, how lovely.
January 4th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
[...] rather than external and demonstrable via pretty pictures. (Although there were certainly some pretty pictures.) Some of the most important things I’ve learned this past year: I have a boundless [...]