After a beautiful, refreshing walk in the crisp but sunny mountain air of South Lake Tahoe and another gorgeous drive through pine forests over the mountains, I stopped in Placerville for a short break and saw a brochure for a mine tour. It was too late in the day to go down in the mine, unfortunately, but they gave me a map for a trail up into the hills.
I was glad to get out and stretch and with no one else around I could imagine myself carrying a pick and shovel and hiking into the back country like the early miners. Unfortunately, the little map they gave me was not to scale and I got lost. I hiked higher and higher into the hills behind Placerville and began to be a little worried as they had given me strict instructions to be out of the parking lot by 5:00pm or my car would be stuck behind a gate until morning
Of course, I was totally unprepared, wearing just sandals and with no water. With the temp in the 80s even at that hour, hiking up steep hills and trying to watch the ground ahead for the rattle snakes they warned me about, my heart was definitely pumping hard. I was finally able to backtrack enough to find the trail and follow it back to the point where I should have turned and didn't. I made it out of the gate just in time at about 4:55...so that was my thrill for this day! ;)
It was a fun stop though, definitely made me feel alive...and I was able to snag a small vial of gold flakes to take back for Jayson (Shhh, don't tell him; it'll be a great surprise.)
I drove straight through Sacramento and stayed tonight in a small town north on the I-5 where I found a great restaurant that served me the most delicious french bread with huge chunks of fresh garlic cloves and blue cheese toasted on the top. Good thing nobody has to smell my breath tonight, but it sure was delicious! (Where is my sister when I need her for a good old fashioned food binge? haha--she loves roasted garlic as much as I do.)
Tomorrow I hope to explore Clear Lake a little on the way over to the 101, then it's home by tomorrow night to see Firecat. Yeah! Next it's his turn as he goes to his niece's wedding in Missouri in about a month. Maybe he will post a bit to the blog too while he is away (but don't count on it--lol).
Monday, October 17, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Spontaneity
Wow, I had so much fun today. I left Reno about 1:00 after a Trader Joe’s run on my way to spend the afternoon at the hot springs in Genoa…but I never made it. On my way out of town I noticed a sign to Virginia City, took a quick look at the map and decided I could divert through there without going too much out of my way. Whew, I had no idea what I was in for.
I’ve never been afraid of heights but I don’t think I can say that anymore. I don’t know if it’s age or just that road, but the 30 MPH speed limit seemed way too fast for me. Thankfully, there were many turnouts on the curvy road up the mountains because the views overlooking Reno were stupendous. I was afraid to take my eyes off the road, but I had to pull over and look a few times. I have really been wishing I had a camera on this trip.
Virginia City was really cool and I ended up staying over 3 hours—browsed some museums, did a little shopping, enjoyed some ice cream as it was quite warm today and spent quite a while in a wonderful old Mark Twain book store. I even stopped in at the Red Dog Saloon—haha, how could I pass that up?! No drinks for this girl on a driving day, though. It looks like it would be fun for an overnighter some time, with a tour of the gold mine the following day. The closest I got on a Sunday was to look at some old Morgan silver dollars and a few huge (5# plus) gold nuggets.
The trip down the other side was not quite as thrilling (almost!), but just as beautiful. It’s interesting to see some of the old remnants of gold mining and railroad equipment along the way. It’s high country but desolate. I would love to come back with Jayson but definitely not during the winter. Those roads are bad enough to drive when it’s dry; I’d never want to try it with chains.
I really enjoyed Reno, too. There’s a lot to do there. I walked 'til I blistered all day Saturday, a lovely walk up the Truckee River. Next time I want to try those one-person kayaks I saw floating down the river all day—looked very fun. As usual, I made friends with the dealers at the craps table and they told me about a bunch of great hiking trails just outside the city. I will look forward to that ‘next time.’
It’s also been nice not to touch the computer for a few days. I decided to pretend that my investments are throwing off enough passive income that I never need to work again and that definitely made me feel differently as I walked about town, lol. I think I’ll always enjoy working at something, but I discovered it sure feels good to remove the pressure. I will have to work on that some more! Haha
I haven’t been to Lake Tahoe for many years, decades perhaps, but my mom says it is the first place I hiked with my dad…when I was three years old. He definitely got me started off right and I have enjoyed walking and hiking my whole life. I didn’t have a picture of how big the lake is; it amazed me as I crested the mountain coming over Hwy 50 just before sunset. Another lost photo moment! At least I will always have the pictures in my memory (at least I hope so, if this Alzheimers doesn’t get any worse! haha)
Well, it’s time for this tired girl to turn in. I hope to take a little walk around the lake tomorrow and then head home with a one-night stopover somewhere along the way. Then I will try to integrate a little of the ‘road warrior mindset’ into my normal life…and see if I can make it a little less normal. Thanks for coming along in spirit.
Until next time…Teaser
I’ve never been afraid of heights but I don’t think I can say that anymore. I don’t know if it’s age or just that road, but the 30 MPH speed limit seemed way too fast for me. Thankfully, there were many turnouts on the curvy road up the mountains because the views overlooking Reno were stupendous. I was afraid to take my eyes off the road, but I had to pull over and look a few times. I have really been wishing I had a camera on this trip.
Virginia City was really cool and I ended up staying over 3 hours—browsed some museums, did a little shopping, enjoyed some ice cream as it was quite warm today and spent quite a while in a wonderful old Mark Twain book store. I even stopped in at the Red Dog Saloon—haha, how could I pass that up?! No drinks for this girl on a driving day, though. It looks like it would be fun for an overnighter some time, with a tour of the gold mine the following day. The closest I got on a Sunday was to look at some old Morgan silver dollars and a few huge (5# plus) gold nuggets.
The trip down the other side was not quite as thrilling (almost!), but just as beautiful. It’s interesting to see some of the old remnants of gold mining and railroad equipment along the way. It’s high country but desolate. I would love to come back with Jayson but definitely not during the winter. Those roads are bad enough to drive when it’s dry; I’d never want to try it with chains.
I really enjoyed Reno, too. There’s a lot to do there. I walked 'til I blistered all day Saturday, a lovely walk up the Truckee River. Next time I want to try those one-person kayaks I saw floating down the river all day—looked very fun. As usual, I made friends with the dealers at the craps table and they told me about a bunch of great hiking trails just outside the city. I will look forward to that ‘next time.’
It’s also been nice not to touch the computer for a few days. I decided to pretend that my investments are throwing off enough passive income that I never need to work again and that definitely made me feel differently as I walked about town, lol. I think I’ll always enjoy working at something, but I discovered it sure feels good to remove the pressure. I will have to work on that some more! Haha
I haven’t been to Lake Tahoe for many years, decades perhaps, but my mom says it is the first place I hiked with my dad…when I was three years old. He definitely got me started off right and I have enjoyed walking and hiking my whole life. I didn’t have a picture of how big the lake is; it amazed me as I crested the mountain coming over Hwy 50 just before sunset. Another lost photo moment! At least I will always have the pictures in my memory (at least I hope so, if this Alzheimers doesn’t get any worse! haha)
Well, it’s time for this tired girl to turn in. I hope to take a little walk around the lake tomorrow and then head home with a one-night stopover somewhere along the way. Then I will try to integrate a little of the ‘road warrior mindset’ into my normal life…and see if I can make it a little less normal. Thanks for coming along in spirit.
Until next time…Teaser
Friday, October 14, 2011
Destination Unknown
Travel Trader is on the move again. Wheeee!
Tuesday afternoon I decided that I need to put some life back in my life so I hit the road Wednesday after market for a short little adventure. My wonderful Firecat wished me good luck and is holding down the home front. Wow, that's gotta be one of the advantages of living with a Liberal, lol. I need to remember more often how much change has happened in Firecat, too, since I met him.
I decided not to drive south because it's way too familiar, although sometime I'd like to visit Fort Bragg. Straight north is pretty familiar too so I opted to head for Redding and had the most beautiful drive Wednesday afternoon. It was very nostalgic--both fulfilling and grounding into my own roots--to be driving by all the rivers and lakes where my dad took me camping and fishing and swimming as a kid. He gave us some wonderful experiences.
I also connected with why he and Mary went to Reno at least once a year--I know now that for him it was just as much about the beauty of the drive and the adventure of the trip as it was about the gambling. I remembered him telling me about all the interesting and beautiful places there are in Reno outside the casinos that most people never see.
So with those memories flooding through me on the drive over 299, I decided to go to Reno and here I am. I stayed south of Redding Wednesday night and had another gorgeous drive through the mountains yesterday. I'm trying to stay off the computer as much as possible so I'm about to head down to the gym this morning, which I hope to follow with a massage if they can fit me in.
Part of the reason for this trip is to try to shove myself out of the be responsible, plan everything, get your work done first mode that I'm usually in. It's interesting to feel myself shift through different thinking and feeling states as I drive. Wednesday morning I spent more time trading than I wanted to and then later in the day I noticed how different it feels to not be at the computer all day. Good awareness! lol
I can feel a sense of lightness of spirit creeping back into my heart more and more as each day goes by and I can begin to see that the sense of freedom I have been yearning for may in fact be possible. I may need help from all of you in trying to maintain some of it when I return home--I sooo need to integrate it into my 'regular' life. You are all such blessings to me and I am experiencing very fully that life is truly a gift.
I won't promise to post every day, but I'll try to update you at least once, even if it's after I get home...but I have a hunch this won't be the last time I'll do this. ;)
Tuesday afternoon I decided that I need to put some life back in my life so I hit the road Wednesday after market for a short little adventure. My wonderful Firecat wished me good luck and is holding down the home front. Wow, that's gotta be one of the advantages of living with a Liberal, lol. I need to remember more often how much change has happened in Firecat, too, since I met him.
I decided not to drive south because it's way too familiar, although sometime I'd like to visit Fort Bragg. Straight north is pretty familiar too so I opted to head for Redding and had the most beautiful drive Wednesday afternoon. It was very nostalgic--both fulfilling and grounding into my own roots--to be driving by all the rivers and lakes where my dad took me camping and fishing and swimming as a kid. He gave us some wonderful experiences.
I also connected with why he and Mary went to Reno at least once a year--I know now that for him it was just as much about the beauty of the drive and the adventure of the trip as it was about the gambling. I remembered him telling me about all the interesting and beautiful places there are in Reno outside the casinos that most people never see.
So with those memories flooding through me on the drive over 299, I decided to go to Reno and here I am. I stayed south of Redding Wednesday night and had another gorgeous drive through the mountains yesterday. I'm trying to stay off the computer as much as possible so I'm about to head down to the gym this morning, which I hope to follow with a massage if they can fit me in.
Part of the reason for this trip is to try to shove myself out of the be responsible, plan everything, get your work done first mode that I'm usually in. It's interesting to feel myself shift through different thinking and feeling states as I drive. Wednesday morning I spent more time trading than I wanted to and then later in the day I noticed how different it feels to not be at the computer all day. Good awareness! lol
I can feel a sense of lightness of spirit creeping back into my heart more and more as each day goes by and I can begin to see that the sense of freedom I have been yearning for may in fact be possible. I may need help from all of you in trying to maintain some of it when I return home--I sooo need to integrate it into my 'regular' life. You are all such blessings to me and I am experiencing very fully that life is truly a gift.
I won't promise to post every day, but I'll try to update you at least once, even if it's after I get home...but I have a hunch this won't be the last time I'll do this. ;)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
