Lake Tahoe, Nevada...or California - depending on what side of the road you're on :)

Monday 5 November 2018

Some comments from Mark Twain about Lake Tahoe

• "surely the fairest picture the whole world affords"

• "to breathe the same air as the angels, you must go toTahoe"

• "Lake Tahoe would restore an Egyptian Mummy to his pristine vigour"

Mark Twain

I had a good sleep but still not feeling as well as I hoped so I've decided to have a quiet day and catch up on a few things. 

Three days worth of blogs and a trip to the supermarket for supplies all done. I also finally found a T Mobile to renew my US sim card for the rest of my trip. It cost fifty dollars for a month with unlimited data. I've only got a week left and I could use my Telstra sim but at  $10 per day with limited data it means T Mobile is the cheaper option and I'll still have all my Telstra data when I get back. I can't afford to run out of data here because I'm relying on  my phone GPS to find my way.

I went for a walk down to the lake and I'm running out of superlatives to describe it. To paraphrase someone we all love to hate.....It's the best....it's yuge....it's the biggest...it's the wettest etc etc. This may be the only time me and him agree. lol.

Theres some chilly weather pending but I'll be heading into the desert from tomorrow so my weather will only get warmer - I think.

Lake Tahoe

Even the fast food buildings fit in with the ambience of the place

KFC

McDonalds

The lake is 1645 feet deep - it holds 39 trillion gallons of water.
It's 22 miles long and 12 miles wide.

Popping in and Out Of Oregon and California and Nevada

Sunday 4 November 2018


Thomas picked me up for breakfast at Debbie's Diner and I ate way too much - Canadian bacon, sourdough toast, poached eggs and a very big and crunchy hash brown. YUM!

Debbie's Diner

We said our farewells and I'm sure Thomas will pop up in Australia at some stage in the near future.

It was the end of daylight saving when I awoke and I couldn't for the life of me work out what the hell the time was. Backwards....forwards.... it doesn't take long to get out of the habit. I finally worked out I had an extra hour up my sleeve so I got on the computer and wasted that lol.

I filled up with petrol in Oregon because that's one of only two states that actually pump your gas for you. No more smelly petrol hands.

I drove off, heading for Lake Tahoe, Nevada. As you drive along you pop out of Oregon and into California and then you are in Nevada then back into California. Every time I entered California a voice came over my radio saying "Welcome to California". Scared the hell out of me. My Lake Tahoe Hotel is actually a few feet back in California so I've certainly done some state hopping today. If I cross the road I'm back in Nevada lol.

Medford to Lake Tahoe is 363 Miles (584 Km) and according to Mr Google it should take just over 6 hours. About three hours in I was not feeling well at all - one of those nasty anxiety attacks that plague a lot of us. I pulled into a small town and strolled around for about an hour until things settled down and then headed off again. These things happen and are disconcerting - especially when you are in another country.

I stopped for a pit stop at a Wendy's Hamburger Joint - I love the door handles.

I took it steady for the rest of the way and luckily the roads are excellent - big wide freeways right up through Reno and Carson City with a wonderful drive into Lake Tahoe (the town - not the lake, silly!)

I booked into my hotel and had a quick bite to eat at the Subway nearby and as I was still not feeling 100% I had an early night.

My hotel has a spa bath right in my room - might give it a whirl tomorrow.

The shower on the left has two
nozzles. This room is obviously not
 designed for 1 old lady.

Sitting room just off the lobby.
Very cosy

Oregon - Crater Lake and Pie.

Saturday 3 November 2018

Thomas is a friend who lives in Phoenix Oregon and we "met" a few years back through a chance meeting between his nephew and my daughter in Korea. Or something like that lol. Anyway we've been Facebook friends since then as it turned out he had spent a few years teaching in my home town of Adelaide,  South Australia way back in the seventies.  We never met then but we caught up when I was here two years ago. Today he came to take me out for the day to see some beautiful sights. If you ever come to the USA and you don't visit Oregon then you need a smack.

Me & Thomas at Crater Lake

We went to Willow Lake, Fish Lake, Lake of the Woods, Klamath Lake and the magnificent Crater Lake.

Crater Lake is just beautiful and YUGE!!

It was very cold and I was sad no snow came down - this is the best we could do. I was also disappointed we didn't spot a Sasquatch but Thomas wasn't surprised at all lol

We stopped at Beckie's Restaurant for coffee and p-i-e and it was quite delicious.

Beckie's Restaurant

Blueberry Pie

Thomas across the road from
the the restaurant. Beautiful 

pristine creek.

Thank you Thomas for a truly enjoyable day :) I'll return the favour when you come to Australia.

Oregon - my favourite US State. You are beautiful.

Friday 2 November 2018

Today I drove from Crescent City California to Medford Oregon. I took it slowly so that I could stop and enjoy the mind blowing beauty that is Northern California and Oregon.  As I was leaving my motel I met this little girl and it made my heart ache for my little Trevor. Not long now Trev :)

Abby

Gorgeous scenery

Love my truck :)

This fly is on the roof of the loo at a
tiny little town called O'Brien.
In 2011 we limped in here when
our van nearly lost a wheel.

Oregon

Jacksonville Oregon has to be one of the most beautiful towns I've been to in all my travels, especially with the autumn leaves turning.

I'm just going to put a whole bunch of Jacksonville photos on here - it's such a gorgeous town.

I'm now in Medford Oregon for the next two sleeps and hope to catch up tomorrow with a friend, Thomas.

Crescent City California

Thursday 1 November 2018

A quiet day taken up with washing and blogging and a wonderful lunch at the Chartroom in Crescent City with Angie. I forgot to take a photo of my yummy Chicken Caesar Salad and Blackberry Cobbler but I can assure you it was quite delicious.

The Chart Room Restaurant

Sign out the front of the Chart Room

The Chart Room is on a wharf and there are a lot of seals honking away - I love these fat boys!

Fat Boy Seals

Old Lighthouse

I found the laundromat and played games on my iPad while my stuff whizzed and spun. I folded it all nicely and got back to my motel and realised I didn't have my iPad WTF!!  I couldn't find the phone number of the place so I hopped in my giant truuuuuck and hot tailed it back there ....albeit slowly because I had to focus on not driving on the wrong side of the road. I raced in and there it was..... sitting exactly where I left it. How lucky am I?

Angie bought me a some Crescent City souvenirs which included this hat. I love it and yes..... I know... I do look like Elmer Fudd!!

It's Rabbit season!!