After enjoying lunch in the dinning hall of Skylake Camp, it was time to hit the road. We had a long drive to Lake Tahoe. The girls settled into the back seat while we quizzed Emmy about camp. Finally, we let her watch her iTouch. I guess after two weeks of no electronics she was ready for some quiet time. It was an easy drive as both girls were tired from all the adventures in Yosemite. We made a “suppose to be quick” but was a long stop at Terri and Andy’s favorite dress shop in Gold Country. Terri and Andy drive this way in the autumn on their adventures. We didn’t arrive to the west shores of Lake Tahoe until around 8pm. We drove straight to our favorite pizza place, Pisano’s, in Homewood. It was gone…it looked like a fire! A signed read to drive down the road about 8 miles…that would take us back to Tahoma, which we just drove through and we didn’t see any new pizza place. We decided it was too late and everyone was too hungry so we drove to the pizza place we knew in Tahoma, Westside Pizza. We found that our favorite pizza place purchased this one after the fire…our pizza was found! And we were hungry!! After pizza, we drove to the house to unload, unpack and relax.
Day One:
The next day, we started our day slowly. We were biking the trail to the River Ranch. We have been biking to the River Ranch for the past 18 years. However, for the past five years, we have been driving to Tahoe City, parking and riding the short trail to the Ranch from the Park. This part of the bike path does not cross the main 89 Highway and follows the Truckee River all the way to Squaw Valley. Emmy began riding her own bike at 5, which marks the day we began the short rides. This year, Elle agreed to ride the tag-along with Jim, which means we could start at Homewood on Hwy 89. We drove to Homewood to rent a bike for Emmy and the tag-along for Elle. Not only did Elle have on her pink “It’s all about ME” t-shirt, she was given a pink tag-along! The ride is a 20-mile round trip. We ride 10 miles to the River Ranch for lunch and drinks on the deck. The hardest part is the 10 miles back!! The ride along the lake is beautiful. The only downside of the ride is the path crosses the main 89 Highway many times. There are many small hills, but one big, long hill at Sunnyside.
This is Emmy’s first time to do this long of a ride and the big hill!! We gave her a quick lesson on her gears and off we set on a beautiful sunny day in Tahoe. Oh, we did buy the girls Camelbacks at the bike shop…extra ready and geared-up for the ride.
Elle was more than pleased to be peddling her way by the Lake. She was peddling the whole way that I didn’t have the heart to tell her the bike would go with or without her help. Emmy did great until she hit the big hill…she didn’t make it to the top. As adults, we start peddling hard and fast at the bottom to get to the top. The elevation takes your wind since Lake Tahoe is at 6, 225 ft (1, 897 m). She walked to the top, caught her breath and was ready to ride!
When we arrived at the River Ranch, we were able to score a table on the river. Oh, we will be here awhile enjoying the view. The food at the Ranch is overpriced hamburgers, but you are paying for the view.
After filling our tummies and drinking a few margaritas/beers, it was time to ride home. It is always a tough first mile. We stopped to take a few photos along the Truckee River.
When we arrive home, Mimi and Papa had arrived. They are enjoying the Tahoe summer fun with us. Jim and the girls stayed home for a quiet dinner with Mimi and Papa. Terri, Andy and I went back to Westside Pizza for dinner. Terri loves her pizza!
Day Two:
Today’s adventure at Lake Tahoe is to raft down the Truckee River. There are two 4-man rafts in the garage. We drive both cars down to the Tahoe City Park. We leave one at the Park and the other is driven down river to the River Ranch. It takes about 30 minutes to get the cars in place for this adventure. We picked up two new bigger water guns for each boat at the PDQ in Tahoma along with sandwiches for lunch along the river.
We have our teams that were created when Kate and Mary visited us last summer. Team Fun-dough with Andy, Terri and Emmy. Team Sharkie with Jim, Brenda and Elle.
As we were floated down the river, I noticed my bottom wasn’t hitting as many rocks this year. All the rain and snow fall from the year has made a difference in the water level in the river. We had fun with our water fights this year with bigger water guns. We still have the whimpy ones from last year that are funny as they squirt very little water.
We pulled over for lunch along the river. Emersyn lost another tooth eating chocolate, number 14. Soon all those baby teeth will be gone! Another visit from the Tooth Fairy tonight.
At one point in our water fighting, another boat bumped into the Fun-dough boat knocking Terri into the water. The water is COLD. Elle being the fast thinker, threw Aunt Terri Sharkie to save her. She didn’t really need saving as we are in the still part of the river. Terri swims to the side with Sharkie. Sharkie does have the bold warning: this is not a safety device.
Now, the water fights really begin. Terri is wet so she is ready to engage. At one point, she jumped out of her boat and swam to our boat. She came to steal our new, big water gun because their new gun was broken. She thought she was fighting Jim for the gun, but she was trying to pull the oar out of his hand. Then, she realized Elle had the big water gun. When she went to pull it from her, Elle began screaming VERY loud in her high pitch girl scream. Terri quickly stopped and swam back to her boat…with no gun!
Everyone was having more fun this year since we were wet and past the point of trying to stay dry because the water is so cold. At one point, Emmy jumped into the river to swim. She decided to get in the Sharkie boat. Elle then went to the Fun-dough boat, but she took Sharkie with her. This switch all took place before the one and only big rapids that drop you to the River Ranch pullout point. Terri, Andy and Elle were the first boat to disappear around the bend. When we came around the bend, Andy was standing in the middle of the river holding Elle with Sharkie around her waist. They had capsized in the rapids. Terri was trying to rescue the boat. All the belongs in their boat was floating down the river. Luckily, Terri had given us her new iphone which was in the cooler. We tried to get over to Andy and Elle, but the rapids made the path for us which was not near them. The rapids were flowing harder this year from all the water. Terri was rescued by another boat as we came down the rapid. Andy and Elle were still standing in the middle as we turned the last bend to the pullout point. Andy said Elle was extremely calm about it all. He tired to put her on his back and walk across the river, but the rapids were moving too fast. Finally, a bigger boat came close enough for Andy to dump Elle into it and grabbed on.
Terri and Andy were a bit shaken up by the whole capsize since they floated down with the rocks and rapids. Everyone was so nice about bringing us bits and pieces from the boat. We were given water guns, one of Terri’s flip flops and other items. Andy’s knee was all bloody. People were bring us band-aids to help. We took our belongs to the truck and went to the River Ranch for a drink. On the way, I saw a pink flip flop that had to be Terri’s. I sent Emmy down to get it. Terri was pleased to have two shoes. Andy only had one! We lost a few items that someone else will find down stream – Andy’s other shoe and the girls’ hats. Well, that was a lesson in safety today. We have done this river many times with the girls wearing no life vest. When Elle was smaller, we made her wear water wings. It was a blessing Emmy changed boats because Andy would not have been able to grab and hold her. She would have been a bit scared from going down the rapids.
On the way home, Terri, Andy and the girls stopped at the lake to play before dinner. Jim and I promised Mimi we would come to a bbq and meet some of their friends. Terri and Andy had a nice, relaxing dinner at home with the girls.
Day Three:
Andy was scheduled to drive home since he needed to be at work for a meeting the next day. He woke up with his knee all swollen. He though it was best to see the doctor before driving home. Terri and Andy went to the clinic in Truckee. Jim and I took the girls to the beach to play. We stopped by the PDQ for sandwich fixings for a picnic on the beach.
The girls have fun playing in the sand and water. They don’t seem to notice the freezing cold water. The surface lake temperature in the summer is about 60f-65f (15c-18c). Below a depth of 600ft (183m), the water temperature remains a constant 39f (4c). The lake never freezes due to the size and depth, the average depth is 1, 300 ft (400 m). It is just COLD!
Elle really wanted to swim to the rafts. I kept saying after lunch so you won’t be too cold. It does take time for the body to warm-up after the swim. But, what does Mom know!! I passed on the before-lunch swim and took photos. Elle was working her toes into the lake, but not getting in. Emmy was very sweet to help her. In the end, Jim and Emmy swam to the raft.
Once they got back, Elle wanted to go and she did this time.
We went back to have lunch, but everyone needed time in the sun to warm up! After lunch, Terri and Andy came down to the beach when they returned from the clinic. The clinic is well prepared for these type of injuries…in the winter!! The doctor drained blood that had pooled in Andy’s knee, gave him a brace and said he could not drive home today. To put his leg up and rest…so he did…at the beach.
Day four:
Eleri wanted to ride bikes, again. This is the first year she has rode a bike. In the past, she was always in the bike trailer hanging out. We all love the ride so we did it again. Elle did a little more coasting this time. Lunch was back at the River Ranch, but we didn’t score the great table this time. We were lucky to get one at all. Andy arrived before we did and hung out to get a table. Andy is driving home today after calling in sick to work yesterday on doctors’ orders.
We all joke that we don’t know Aunt Terri. She avoids the sun and the damage the sun causes to the skin. Of course, she does have the best skin of everyone. She will be laughing at us in 10 years when she still looks the youngest.
Tonight, we have a family bbq at the Dorrs. The Dorr family are long time family friends of Mimi and Papa. They have a cabin near in Homewood, also. It was a nice evening sharing food and stories. Andy Dorr was in town from Florida with his son, Alex. The last time we saw Alex he was 6. Now, he is 20 and a sophomore in College.
Day Five:
We are driving home in the late afternoon. We have good friends visiting from Colorado coming tomorrow. I prefer the plan to play all day and then get on the road around 5pm. We were playing at the beach today. But first, we like to get the house cleaned and our gear packed so we can play longer. We loaded the car with our beach stuff. I remember the days before kids when we WALKED to the beach with a towel, a book/magazine and a cooler. Now, we have a beach chair for everyone, towels, coolers, beach toys and umbrellas…there is no walking because the back of the truck is full. It takes a couple trips to unload. We always set up camp on the children’s beach side. The beach has less rocks and is a small area.
The first thing the girls want to do is go crawdad fishing on the dock. Jim drives back to the house to get some bacon, sting and such to fish. The girls and Jim had fun catching crawdad all morning. I think Jim was doing more of the fishing and catching!
Terri is a non-sun person, but she is coming for the afternoon. She NEVER goes to the beach. She is talking smack about swimming in the lake. I don’t think she has ever swam in the lake…I don’t think she has even put her toes in the lake. I haven’t swam to the rafts in years as someone always needed to stay on the beach with Elle, which I gladly volunteered. With Terri talking smack, we were all going for it. No photos as I was swimming. The hardest part is getting past the toes. That cold just takes the blood out of them. We all swam together to the raft. Elle took Sharkie with her. Poor Sharkie got a big hole from a nail on the raft. We are hoping to patch him up as he is our team mascot for the River. Terri and Emmy were having fun playing in the water near the rafts. It is deep and no one can reach at the rafts. At one point, Elle jumped in to play with them. Terri was not prepared for Elle to grab on and we forgot to warn her.
After our swim, we packed up our gear and load it in the car. Then, we run to the heated swimming pool. This routine of swimming last is something I began when Emmy was little. It is a nice way to end the day and we leave all our sand at the pool. Terri had fun playing with the girls in the pool. It was keep away with Aunt Terri’s hat. Mimi and Papa joined us to watch the fun in the pool.
It was time to go back to the house to shower and do the final clean and pack. We wished we had more time as we never have enough. We always say next year!! A stop in Auburn at “in & Out” burgers for a quick dinner. Everyone settled into the drive home.