Bruce The Nomad - Adventures at Lake Tahoe, part 1
		This travel log is of our summer at Lake Tahoe. The origin of the name 'Tahoe" has many interpretations but the most popular is the Washoe Indian Tribe's term "da ow a ga" meaning "the edge of the lake." Early Euroamericans mispronounced "Da ow" (which means "lake") as "Tahoe." Hence, Lake Tahoe means Lake "Lake." We got to Lake Tahoe on May 4th, with rain and a chill in the air. We spent the night at the parking area for a small campground that the company manages. The next day we drove to Meeks Bay Campground, a US Forest Service (USFS) campground that the company also manages. There are six campgrounds that California Land Management operates under a special permit with the USFS around the lake and several more north along the Truckee River. We arrived at the designated campground and I met the area manager. We got settled into our new home on Tuesday, as one of two camp hosts. The other couple are very nice and have worked here, Meeks Bay, last year and did another campground for about 4 years before that. So I can rely on their expertise to guide me through the daily duties. I am really glad that I was able to be assigned to this campground as it brings back some pleasant memories of my youth. I camped here, with my parents, in the early 50's but have not been back here to camp since then. I did snow ski at several of the ski resorts during the winter, Squaw Valley, Homewood, Alpine Meadows and Heavenly Valley. The first week was spent preparing the campground for opening on May 15. We worked on cleaning up each campsite and then the beach area. I am not used to working so hard, especially at 6,200 foot elevation. There are 40 'no hook-up' sites for RV's and tents. Big rigs are restricted. There is beach parking for about 40 cars, but this area is for day use only at $7 per vehicle. The beach is sandy and has some BBQ pits and picnic tables. It is usually full each weekend and holidays. This effort included cleaning all 40 campsites, and 10 restrooms, as well as sweeping the roads and raking the extensive beach. We also had a new computer reservation and check-in system to learn and staff before opening. We opened on time, but one staff person was not hired until the following week. This meant that the other camphosts, a man & wife team, and I had to perform all the duties including staff the check-in booth from 8am to 9pm and still try to get some rest. We got through it and the other person arrived for the beginning of the next week, Memorial Day weekend. We had a full campground for Memorial Day weekend with sunny skies and warm days. Saturday night was rather loud at a couple of the sites so we were up until about midnight trying to control them. Then I was able to take a couple of days off to do laundry, shop for food and just relax. Molly and I got to play on the "Dog Beach" which is separated from the much larger swimming beach. She really enjoys swimming and chasing tossed sticks in the cold water. As we approach June , all the staff here have gotten used to the daily duties, and enjoy our free time to relax and explore the area. Lake Tahoe was formed by the rise and fall of the landscape due to the shifting of the geologic faults. It is estimated that about 2 to 5 million years ago tremendous forces began the western lift of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Later, the valley that became the Lake Tahoe Basin sank between two parallel faults as the mountains on either side continued to rise. The lake's average elevation is 6,225 feet above sea level, making it the highest lake of its size in the US. Lake Tahoe measures 22 miles long and 12 miles wide, with 72 miles of shoreline. The deepest recorded depth of the lake is 1,645 feet. The current shoreline at many spots around the lake has a shallow decline before it drops to larger depths, this makes for many of the sandy swimming beaches. Below are a few photos of some of the sights we've enjoyed during our arrival and time at Lake Tahoe.
		This photo is of the mountains surrounding part of the lake. I took this as we were arriving at the lake, between rain showers.			This view is of Emerald Bay, a well know part of the large Lake Tahoe. This area is about 4 miles south of our location at Meeks Bay. The little island has a stone structure on its peak. I still do not know the history of this.
					On route 89, the road that follows the shoreline along the western side of the lake, is the spectacular Eagle Falls. This river comes from the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains and is supplied from the snow melt, then dumps into Emerald Bay.
		Surrounding and within the campground are a vast array of pine and fir trees as well as the natural granite rocks common to this area.
					This shot is of the Heavenly Valley Ski area and the south shore of the lake. I took this photo during one of our recent rain showers. The large buildings behind the trees, at the extreme left edge, at the shoreline, are the "Stateline" casinos. I haven't been tempted to gamble yet.
		This photo is of the 'kiosk' were we collect fees and check-in campers. This post is staffed daily from 8 am to 9 pm.
					I took this photo of the flora in a small meadow near the campground. No I cannot name them, but I can appreciate the beauty.
		This is a cluster of Snow Flower, as someone told me, as its common name. It is in the mushroom family and the spores it produces germinate in the decomposing soil and pine needles each spring.
		I took this photo of the lake just prior to an afternoon shower. There was a little thunder, but not enough to worry Molly. So the rest of the afternoon was spent cleaning the motorhome inside and finishing this travel log. We didn't do any touring this day, what a way to spend a day off.
		The wildlife consists of the usual chipmunk, squirrel, Robins, ducks and geese plus several other species of bird, the noisiest of which is the Stellar Jay. Other creatures include the Yellow-bellied Marmot, Pika "Rock Rabbit," Coyote and the famous Black Bear. We have been serenaded several nights as a pack of Coyotes cruise through the campground. Early one morning this past week one of the campers were awakened by the rocking of their camper. A Black Bear gave their camper a stout shove, which scared them as well as the couple next door who were sleeping in the station wagon. The bear hit the car and their car alarm went off and scared off the bear. The couple in the car immediately left the camp. We found several bear tracks and bear 'scat' around the campground. This was our first encounter with the bear. This is one reason for our strict food storage policy. Bear-proof metal lockers are at each campsite for the storage of food, especially for the tenters. Last night, May 28, I enjoyed a nice dinner with a college fraternity brother, Jim Lasher, and his wife. They live in South Shore, she is a retired school principal, and he retired from the Coast Guard, and still works at the Harrah's Casino as a Pit Boss. We had a great time getting caught up on our lives over the last 40 years. What fun! I hope you enjoy these travel logs that I've tried to fill with interesting photos and descriptions. I am able to check my email when I work in the Kiosk, which has a satellite dish for internet access. I do not get a cell phone signal at the campsite, so I have to drive about 2-3 miles, for a signal. I can be reached at the campgrounds number, (530) 525-4733. And so the saga continues. Bye for now. Bruce and Molly
		Link back to my "Bruce The Nomad" page. I have updated this page and added my "2009 Travel Plan".