Day 15: Lake Tahoe

 Distance traveled: 335.0 km

Cumulative distance: 3659.2 km

Maximum speed: 117 kph

Moving average: 44 kph

Temperature range: 12.8 - 31.0

"Distance traveled" not to be confused with how far I went, which was nowhere near 335 km. So yesterday there was some confusion about whether the road ahead of me would be open due to some road maintenance. However, i had checked on the California state highway website for the road status and since it said complete by 6:00 pm yesterday, I figured I was good to go.

It was a pretty ride including some nice tight two line road, with a crest of the summit of the pass around 8,000 feet. I find it interesting that there are signs to indicate when passing through multiples of 1,000 feet either going up to the pass or down from the pass.  I had been alternating leading or

following with a jeep going up the road, with each of us taking turns to stop and take pictures and then allowing the other to pass. Just past the summit, the other driver pulled over to look at the view so I pulled over to chat to him. I was hoping he would have a definitive answer on the road closure question. Apparently, he had done as i had and had the same information. Which  was  worthless.  As we stood there visiting, two gals driving up the hill stopped to vent to us that the road was closed because they were going...somewhere. They were quite choked but we said the the road would open again at 5:00 pm so they were going to consider that. Not me. I already knew that i was just going to turn back. I had filled up with gas, even though I really didn't need it in anticipation of this very thing happening. So after visiting, I turned the bike around and was on a new mission find myself a latte. My friend Chuck from the hill passed me a little later. He was going to try and talk his way through. Clearly that didn't work.

I did eventually find myself a latte but it was all the way back in Arnold, where I had bought myself some "insurance gas" yesterday. The night before i had booked myself an Airbnb in Nevada City for Thursday and Friday nights, so there was no point in heading over there just yet. Lake Tahoe would make for a reasonable alternative as it wasn't terribly far. 

I set the GPS to find Lake Tahoe based on the shortest distance (rather than fastest time) and I ended up going through some pretty obscure terrain. The road looked like a patchwork quilt. Steep and twisty, too.

I'm thinking this gas station hasn't been open in a while.

The price of gas on the pump says "18 cents"! And that's US!

My first thought had been to ride to Tahoe look around,  then head towards Nevada City and find a tent site on the way but there are so many campgrounds around Lake Tahoe, I just decided I would stay here. Only three hours to Nevada City from here so easy.

What is NOT so easy is bear wrangling. There are three that frequent the campground and the warden asked if i had ever been camping in bear territory. I said, "im from cNada. We.ride bears".  He said lock it or loose it because they will definitely be around. Then as I was getting ALL the food out of my top case, one of my camping neighbours came over and warned me that the bears here don't scare off easily. Banging pots, yelling foul language, nothing scares them away. It's like they are coming for your lunch money.

To say nothing of the WASPS around here. It's the usual California campground routine. Ride around, pick a spot, go back. So when I pick my spot, the gal at the gate says "oh, there are wasps at that spot". But the ranger, who was in the gate station said they are all gone. Well, as ibam setting up my tent, inhear a NEARBY thud and at first I think it is a grey bag of garbage has just dropped out of the sky. I walk over to take a closer look and the ravens have knocked the HUGE wasp nest down but it, fortunately,  is definitely dormant. 

These wasps were no match for the local ravens.

Storing AND cooking in the bear bin.

Sand is nice and water clear at Lake Tahoe.