We had a mild Winter. Mild is an understatement, it was virtually non-existent. A true, big-time drought. We skipped Spring, too, and went straight into Summer. It is warm, the lake is calm, and the flowers are sprouting. There are concerns about the water shed, and concerns about fires. It is a worry but it is also part of the cycle of our high mountain desert.
Summer at Tahoe is beautiful. Tourists know this. Thank you for coming, my dear tourists. Thank you for appreciating the spectacular vision of nature that I can take for granted. Thank you for reminding me how grateful I am to actually live here. Thank you for eating in the restaurants and buying in the stores so that they can stay open for me when the season ends. Thank you for hiking and swimming and boating and biking, reminding me to stop and enjoy the recreation my community has to offer.
Usually you are a happy bunch, buying carts of good food and wine to cook in your “cabin” and filling the town with your laughter. I know you get tired from all the playing, and I forgive you if you are crabby. I know we don’t have all the choices you are used to in the city but I promise you a good time anyway. I recommend sunscreen and lots of water. The air is thinner here, and you can easily burn, even if you don’t burn at home. Be prepared to be out of breath, too. If you golf, the ball goes further. If you swim, the lake is really, really cold. You can get hypothermia in the summer! Please drive slow. We don’t have freeways, even our highway is just a road. We have pedestrians and there are lots of dogs. You are on vacation, you don’t need to be in a hurry.
If you want some local information, please get in touch with me. It would be my pleasure to help you feel like a local, let you in on some secrets, and show you what Lake Tahoe has to give.