Reno/Tahoe

“Walk away quietly in any direction
and taste the freedom of the mountaineer.
Camp out among the grass and the gentians of glacier meadows,
in craggy garden nooks.”
John Muir


AHHHHHHHH
Ten days of adventure back home in Reno/Tahoe. The mission was to maximize the 240 precious hours engaged in quality activities that included visiting as many family and friends as possible. A plan was developed loaded with schedules, itineraries, alternatives, and escape routes.

Mission Accomplished!

“The Fabulous Spook” picked me up at the airport. The “Image of a girl” flowed like a mountain stream from his speakers and I immediately plugged into the moment, past and present. We hit the Hunter Lake trail a half/hour later.
Almost forty years ago SpOOk and I sampled cases of Colt 45, Oly and Coors on this road/trail in the company of several other bad boys.
(J latourette, Bo Ewald, Bob Shea to name a few)

The next day we hit the all class Reno High Reunion, a slice of life. It was a great surprise to see Dave Slagle again after 14 years.
See Spook’s trip report sent out on 8/28.

I found out at the reunion that my beloved YMCA with the best steam and Jacuzzi in the world would be closed for the week. This was considered a major crisis, causing me to settle for the hot tub at my son, Clint’s apartment.

Other Highlights-

- “Cruising” and Listening to 103.7 “The River” 60s and 70s radio station.
- The post hike party along the hosted by the Damon’s
- Fly fishing the Truckee (The River)
- Running along “The River” with the old gang
- Valuable time shared with great friends and family
- Running into old friends and enjoying the steam and hot tub at the Y when it finally reopened.
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- Downing “Ickys”(short for Ichthyosaurs, meaning fish lizards) and Sierra Nevadas at Tahoe Microbreweries
- Crystal clear and the bluest of blues-Lake Tahoe the gem of the Sierras
- Camping at Dl Bliss campgrounds at Tahoe and hiking with Hannu-
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Tahoe Rim Trail section from Echo Summit-15 miles

Granite Chief Wilderness to Bear Pen-Cross country- connect to PCT -Barker Pass loop (Hannu & my nephew
Justin) 14 miles

The Rubicon Trail contouring the lake- 11 miles


-Attending Cyd’s wedding (Bob Ewald’s beautiful daughter) at the Lake Tahoe Golf Course. I was honored to sit at the Ewald family table.


Note: The Granite Chief Wilderness is a scenic area of exposed rock formations, granite cliffs, and glacier carved valleys, forests and meadows.
The wildflowers were spectacular-lupine, mule ears and pennyroyal to name a few. At the headwaters of the American River, this Wilderness receives light human use, a big attraction to those of us that seek solitude. We saw no one. It is a great alternative to the heavily used Desolation Wilderness to the South. “Bear Pen” is a small meadow at the end of a canyon. It is appropriately named as we found numerous mounds of bear scat.


“Old friends, old friends, sat on their park bench like bookends.”
Bookends album 4/68 Simon & Garfunkle

I had the opportunity to visit with two extra special old friends this trip. Joe Duhart (Mike’s dad) and Buzz Moore.
Joe is in a extended care facility suffering with Ahlzeimer’s disease. I do believe that he recognized me.

I visited Buzz at his home off Lakeside Drive. Buzz is battleing Parkinson’s disease.
At one point in our conversation, Buzz whispered “Do it while you can” when I was telling him about our trip to Italy.

They both continue to be great Truckee meadow warriors.


MEN BEHAVING BADLY

-Disco Will (Willie Molini) for being Disco Will
-TF SPOOK for declining life saving water from a couple in a dune buggy and then wining about his blackened toes after the hike
-Hannu for turning a recreational hike into an intense orienteering training session, travelling at break neck speed and impatiently pacing whenever I would stop for a breath taking view of Lake Tahoe.
-Hannu for taking a long break on the Rubicon trail to view a top less sunbathing beauty on a boat. He continues to put the “dirty” in dirty old man.
-El Lobo for screaming obscenities in the killer shower at DL Bliss campgrounds. The high velocity rivaled a fire hose and hurt certain valuable parts of the wolf’s anatomy real bad.

Overall this trip is rated a 10+++++++++

Thanks to the Damon’s and Clint for their hospitality putting me up. I appreciate the time all friends and family shared with me. You are simply the best!