It’s been a low-count season for snow in the Lake Tahoe area. There was still plenty in the mountains for skiing, but the ground was bare in Tahoe City, where Michael lives. There are two resorts around the former Squaw Valley, (now formally called “The Village at Palisades Tahoe”). If you want to do anything beyond skiing, like shopping, lodging, bar scene, etc, the Village at Palisades is where to go. The other resort, Alpine Meadows, is the more laid-back area with little beyond skiing\/snowboarding. It’s also the area where Michael works and prefers to ski. In the past couple of years, they’ve installed a base-to-base gondola that’s a treat to ride, just for the views, but also takes you to some great areas to ski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
I stayed at Michael’s house in Tahoe City and parked the van in his driveway. There’s nothing special about that except that it’s bear country. Almost everyone here is very aware of the bear presence. Most follow simple rules to keep them from tearing open your car like a can of tuna. I’m not sure the bears know the difference between opening a can of tuna or opening your car like a can of tuna. Most bears this early in the season would most likely just be waking up from a long winter nap, but even so, I was a bit concerned about the van and made sure there were no snacks, open food, or smells that might attract some of the more curious furry fellows. The result is that there were no significant incidents; however, the second morning, when I went out to the van, there were two very distinct paw marks just below the rear bunk window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Fortunately, the bear didn’t do anything to the van other than leave a tiny scratch and a good story. It felt like he might have just had a peek in as he was trying to find a van that was not too big and not too small but fit him just right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was great finally meeting Michael’s dog, Terrie. He’s a good boy\u2014most of the time. He’s very well-behaved, loves kids, and loves going to work with Michael. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a few days in Tahoe City, it started to sink in that it was time to head home. I had such a great time with Michael and I was bummed to leave him, but I needed to return in time to catch up with a few things. Besides, I missed Kathryn, Gabe, and the boys (Ziggy and Churro). I’d been gone about three weeks and was planning on making the return trip in about six days. The way back was a straight shot on I-80 to I-90 to home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n