#Lake Tahoe Loop

[wonderlesch]

Exploring Snowy Road Trips

Read on to embark on a journey through picturesque Snowy Winter Road Trips in the U.S. Discover snow covered roads, charming villages and hidden gems.

Hello and welcome to Exploring Snowy Road Trips. The winter season has rolled around. The family gatherings have come to an end, at least for the moment. Many people prefer to hunker down and stay cozy indoors. However, not for the adventurous souls and nature enthusiasts. Winter presents a unique opportunity to embark on breathtaking road trips through snowy landscapes. One of the most magical…

[journaljotz]

Best Places to Visit in Fall for a Perfect Getaway

Fall is one of the most enchanting times of the year to travel in the United States. From vibrant foliage to cozy vibes and seasonal festivals, autumn offers the perfect backdrop for a getaway. Whether you're seeking outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, or simply a chance to relax, the best fall destinations across the U.S. offer something for everyone.

In this blog post, we'll explore some of the top places to visit in the U.S. during the fall season. Get ready to discover stunning landscapes, charming small towns, and exciting events that make these destinations the ideal choice for your autumn getaway.

1. New England: A Fall Foliage Paradise

New England is renowned for its stunning fall foliage, making it a must-visit destination in autumn. The region, including Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts, comes alive in fall with vibrant colors, picturesque towns, and a cool, crisp atmosphere.

Why Visit?

Fall Foliage: New England is the go-to destination for leaf peeping. The iconic drive along Vermont’s Route 100, the stunning views from New Hampshire’s White Mountains, and the coastline of Maine are breathtaking in the fall.

Seasonal Festivals: You can enjoy everything from apple picking and pumpkin festivals to Oktoberfest celebrations. The towns of Stowe (Vermont) and Woodstock (New Hampshire) are particularly charming during the fall season.

Outdoor Activities: In addition to taking in the fall colors, New England offers plenty of hiking, biking, and scenic drives to enjoy the season’s beauty.

If you're dreaming of vibrant red, yellow, and orange foliage, New England is your ultimate fall destination.

2. Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee & North Carolina

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, straddling the border between North Carolina and Tennessee, is one of the best places to experience fall in the U.S. With its vast, forested landscape and diverse wildlife, the Smokies offer a breathtaking autumn adventure.

Why Visit?

Spectacular Fall Colors: The Great Smoky Mountains are known for their stunning foliage, with bright reds, oranges, and yellows painting the landscape from early October through November. The changing leaves are best seen from scenic spots like Clingmans Dome or the Cades Cove loop.

Outdoor Exploration: Hiking in the Smokies is exceptional in the fall, with dozens of trails offering panoramic views of the mountains and valleys. The cooler temperatures make it ideal for outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and wildlife watching.

Family-Friendly: The Great Smoky Mountains is perfect for family trips, offering both relaxing drives and exhilarating hikes. Kids will love spotting wildlife such as elk, bears, and deer during the autumn months.

The Great Smoky Mountains provide a peaceful yet awe-inspiring setting to soak in the beauty of fall.

3. Aspen, Colorado: A Mountain Getaway with Stunning Views

Aspen, Colorado, is famous for its world-class ski resorts, but in the fall, the town transforms into an autumn paradise. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, Aspen offers a cozy, upscale fall escape with jaw-dropping scenery.

Why Visit?

Golden Aspen Trees: Aspen’s golden aspen trees turn into a brilliant yellow in the fall, providing a spectacular contrast against the rugged, snow-capped peaks of the Rockies. Take a scenic drive or hike through Maroon Bells for some of the best views.

Outdoor Adventures: In addition to fall foliage, Aspen offers plenty of outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking, and fishing. The cooler fall temperatures make it perfect for exploring the town and surrounding wilderness.

Festivals and Events: Aspen also hosts several autumn festivals, including the Aspen Film Festival and food and wine events, making it an excellent destination for culture lovers.

For those seeking a mix of natural beauty, outdoor adventure, and a touch of luxury, Aspen is an unforgettable fall destination.

4. Lake Tahoe, California & Nevada

Lake Tahoe, nestled on the border of California and Nevada, offers a stunning combination of mountains, forests, and crystal-clear waters. In the fall, the area is less crowded, and the landscape bursts with fall colors, making it a perfect destination for an autumn getaway.

Why Visit?

Scenic Fall Views: The fall foliage around Lake Tahoe is a sight to behold, especially in areas like Emerald Bay, where the vibrant yellow and red leaves contrast beautifully with the deep blue lake.

Outdoor Recreation: Lake Tahoe is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, offering hiking, biking, and even early-season skiing in the fall. The cool weather and clear skies create the perfect conditions for exploring the outdoors.

Relaxation and Luxury: If you're looking to unwind, Lake Tahoe has many cozy resorts and lakeside cabins, perfect for a peaceful fall retreat.

Lake Tahoe offers the perfect blend of natural beauty, outdoor activities, and peaceful relaxation in the fall.

5. Sedona, Arizona: A Desert Oasis in Autumn

Sedona, Arizona, is known for its stunning red rock formations, and in the fall, it’s even more striking. The autumn season brings a cooler, more pleasant climate to this desert oasis, making it a perfect time to visit.

Why Visit?

Fall Colors in the Desert: While Sedona’s iconic red rocks are the star of the show, the fall foliage from the oak and maple trees adds a beautiful burst of color to the desert landscape. Oak Creek Canyon and West Fork Trail are particularly beautiful in autumn.

Spiritual Retreat: Sedona is also a popular destination for those seeking spiritual healing, thanks to its energy vortex sites. The cooler temperatures in fall make it the perfect time for quiet reflection or outdoor meditation.

Hiking and Exploration: With fall temperatures much more comfortable than the summer heat, hiking and mountain biking in the area are ideal. Take in the stunning views while exploring the many trails around the town.

For a serene and beautiful fall experience, Sedona is an excellent choice, especially for those looking for something more peaceful and unique.

6. Washington, D.C.: A City of Fall Festivals and Iconic Landmarks

Washington, D.C., is a fantastic city to visit in the fall. With cooler temperatures, fewer tourists, and the gorgeous changing of the leaves around the National Mall, the city takes on a new charm during autumn.

Why Visit?

Fall Foliage in the Nation’s Capital: The National Mall and surrounding areas are beautiful in the fall, with the tree-lined streets bursting into vibrant colors. The Tidal Basin, home to the famous cherry blossoms, offers a stunning fall view as well.

Festivals and Events: D.C. is packed with fall festivals, including the National Book Festival, Halloween events, and various arts and food festivals.

Cultural Attractions: Autumn is the perfect time to visit iconic museums and monuments, as the weather is ideal for sightseeing.

Washington, D.C. combines history, culture, and seasonal beauty, making it one of the best U.S. destinations for fall.

7. Napa Valley, California: A Wine Lover’s Fall Retreat

Napa Valley is an iconic destination year-round, but fall, during harvest season, is especially magical. With the vineyards bursting with ripe grapes and the weather being perfect for exploring the area, Napa Valley is a top choice for a fall getaway.

Why Visit?

Harvest Season: Fall is harvest season in Napa Valley, making it a great time to visit the region’s world-renowned wineries. You can take vineyard tours, participate in harvest festivals, and enjoy seasonal wine tastings.

Scenic Beauty: Napa’s rolling hills and vineyards are stunning in the fall, as the grapevines turn golden and red, creating a picturesque landscape.

Culinary Delights: Napa is known for its gourmet dining, with many farm-to-table restaurants offering seasonal menus inspired by the fall harvest.

For wine lovers and foodies, Napa Valley offers a truly unforgettable fall experience.

Conclusion

Whether you're drawn to the vibrant colors of New England, the stunning landscapes of the Smoky Mountains, or the harvest celebrations in Napa Valley, the best places to visit in fall in the U.S. offer a wide range of experiences to suit all kinds of travelers. Embrace the cooler temperatures, enjoy the beautiful landscapes, and immerse yourself in fall festivals and activities for an unforgettable autumn adventure.

Start planning your fall getaway today and experience the best of what the U.S. has to offer this season!

[theghostpinesmusic]

Desolation Wilderness (3/4)

When I woke up shortly after sunrise on the shore above Dick's Lake, the wind was still tossing my tent (and everything else) around. The brave (intrepid? stupid?) souls who had set up camp in the open across the lake the previous night were already packed up and gone, presumably having decided to move out of the wind-intensifying bowl of the lake basin as soon as they had light to navigate by.

I took a little while longer than usual getting packed up because, frankly, at that point I was as used to the wind as I was going to get and hoarding energy was more important to me than continuing (like futilely) to try to escape it.

Eventually, I headed north on what had become, at some point yesterday outside of the sphere of my awareness, the PCT.

Having done this entire loop once already (albeit under the choking smoke of the Mosquito Fire), I knew this day's hike was likely to be the least interesting bit. Granted, "least interesting" when in Desolation Wilderness is still more interesting than most other places on earth that you could go for a walk. But still, once the PCT leads you past the granite-bound Fontanillis Lake just north of Dick's Lake, there's a left onto the Velma Trail and then a long walk west then south to circle around the northern shoulder of Dick's Peak that takes place almost entirely in a forest that, while beautiful, is (at least to my eyes) basically the same as every other forest in the Sierra-ish western U.S. The long stretch of southward hiking through the valley carved by the (now fall-dry) Rubicon River is particular interminable.

Come at me, botanists! Convince me this place is cool, actually!

There is a neat part of the trail just above Fontanillis where you have to cross the outflow of the lake and continue north, where you can briefly see Lake Tahoe in the far distance if you keep your eyes peeled.

Incidentally, I've gotten super lost here both times I've passed through, but it's pretty easy to recover the trail, as going the "wrong" way ultimately either takes you back the way you came or pitches you off a cliff and down into Upper Velma Lake.

Right after you turn west on the Velma Trail, there's a dense, forested section, but after a little under a mile, this opens up quite a bit and you get another eyeful of granite. It can be hard to stay on trail in some spots along here, but in other places the "correct" route down the granite slabs is marked by human-placed cairns and/or lines of rocks.

My earlier complaints aside, this section is really beautiful. And, if you get lost, ostensibly you could just continue downhill regardless and eventually you'd hit the Rubicon Trail somewhere, as it runs north/south, perpendicular to your westward descent.

Passing through this section was, again, bittersweet, as these granite ramps (which Lindsey and I had been climbing up instead of descending in 2022) had been the last bit of our past hike when there had been clear blue skies, the last time we'd been able to imagine we were going to complete the loop without being buried under the encroaching haze.

This time, at least, the good air and weather held.

Next up was the long, this-forest-could-be-anywhere slog through the Rubicon Valley. Again, it's not like it's a bad way to spend six-ish miles' worth of walking, but there's nothing much remarkable about it, to my eyes.

Eventually (and more quickly than I'd mentally prepared myself for), the trail started to tend uphill more. Shortly after, it started to climb precipitously. I had started climbing Mosquito Pass from the north.

We'd dropped down this side of the pass on the second day of our hike in 2022, after climbing up the south side the previous afternoon, and I'd remembered it being a pretty stiff descent...so I was prepared, this time, for a difficult ascent.

Yeah, it was pretty difficult. Even on a windy, unseasonably cold day, the sun got to me after only a brief time of taking steep, strenuous steps up and into a garden of blinding white granite, and then there was still more to climb. The consolation prize, though, was that as I climbed higher and higher the northeastern edge of the Crystal Range (of which the southernmost Pyramid Peak, starkly visible from Lake Aloha, is the opposite edge) came into view. And, below it, Clyde Lake: Lindsey and I's first camp location during our previous trip and, as it would turn out, the only camp spot from that trip that I wouldn't end up revisiting this time.

You gain about a thousand feet of elevation in one-and-a-half miles approaching Mosquito Pass from this side, but the pain fades quickly once you're on top of the pass's spectacular granite battlements (yes, spectacular even in the context of the granite wonderland that is all of Desolation Wilderness). There's a human-made redoubt up there that functions well as a windbreak, and I dropped happily down into it to eat a sandwich, then, slightly less hungry, I started dropping down the south side of the pass.

I knew there was a great view of the weirdness of Lake Aloha from up here because I'd "seen" it before (through the gathering smoke, though, of course). I'd underestimated how striking it would be under blue skies.

The process of descending Mosquito Pass from this side is a process of your brain failing over and over again to wrap itself around the unique composition of Lake Aloha and the Crystal Range as you apprehend it all from many, many stunning but ever-changing angles. I took so many pictures during this descent, and none of them really capture it, but I've included the one that I feel like comes the closest.

There are reasons to recommend taking on this loop clockwise and reasons to recommend taking it on counter-clockwise. But if you choose to go clockwise instead of counter-clockwise, for the love of God (or Nature) turn around a few times on your way up this pass and look over your shoulder. You'll be glad you did!

I wasn't sure where I was going to sleep on this third night. The wind wasn't letting up, that was for sure, and I knew from the forecast I was able to refresh for the first time in three days from the top of Mosquito Pass that it was going to get colder than it already had been. There was a possibility of rain, which I was pretty prepared for, and a possibility of snow, which I was not very prepared for.

I'd dreamed of camping along Lake Aloha's shores for two years now, but I knew that most of the many spots along the shore weren't particularly protected. There were spots up in the trees above the lake that would be more protected, but didn't have direct views of the lake. My thinking there was that if I wasn't camping on the lake proper, I might as well continue past Aloha on to a spot further south that would set me up to have a shorter fourth day on the trail. I considered hiking all the way down to Tamarack Lake, or even scrambling over to Ralston Lake. I'd had such a great time at Lake Of The Woods on my first night that I even thought about taking the semi-detour there and spending another night among its weird granite islands.

It was early in the afternoon, though. I could take my time deciding what to do. For the moment, I dropped down to the lake's level and started working my way south along the shore. Almost immediately I passed through a grassy-ish area with an incredible view of the cliffs below Mount Price and Mount Agassiz, and toyed with the idea of camping there, but ultimately it felt like it was too early to stop, so I kept moving.

Eventually, a mile-plus later, I passed by a use trail that led west off the main trail into a stand of trees that felt like it hovered over the lake. In my usual neurotic way, I obsessed too much over the fact that the camp spots there, while picturesque, weren't exactly flat, and I was convinced there would be something further along the trial that would ultimately work out better. I bookmarked this spot on my GPS as "The Chateau" and still kept moving.

Eventually, I found an almost gobsmackingly perfect spot near where the PCT splits off from the Desolation Trail and heads southeast. It was flat, had a great view, was adjacent to a bunch of fun rock-hopping destinations that would all make great sunset cooking-and-eating-dinner spots, and had what amounted to basically a private beach.

Feeling like my persistence/neurotic insanity had paid off, I took a long snack-and-rest break before starting to set up the tent.

Somewhere in there, the storms moved in.

Right about the time that I was psyching myself up for a shorts-only swim off of my private beach (to spite the wind), the sun disappeared. It popped in and out of the clouds a few more times throughout the late afternoon, but it was clear that the weather was primed to get worse as the sun set, not better. I backed off of my swimming plan, and turned to get my tent set up immediately instead. But it was too late: the wind was blowing so hard that I almost lost the fly to the lake and even getting the ground cloth to stay still long enough to set up the poles was impossible, or at least difficult enough that it seemed impossible.

Ultimately, I grudgingly gave up my lakefront property and retreated back north in search of somewhere I could camp that would give me a view of the lake but also protect me from the wind. My first thought was to go back to The Chateau, which I did, but in the time since I'd been there last, two campers had set up in the best two sites, and though I could have camped between them, it felt too close to be polite when there were certainly other options. Annoyed at myself, I headed back south, again.

Eventually, I found a few large-ish sites right at the intersection of the PCT and the Desolation Trail. Typically, I try to avoid camping solo in these kinds of areas, because either a) I take one of the spots and others pass by, thinking I'm "hogging" all the space, or b) I take one of the spots and some other, large group takes all the other spots and proceeds to act as if they're there alone. In either case, it never really works out well. At this point, though, the weather was getting worse, it was almost sunset, and it was hard to imagine that many people with their heads on straight would still be out wandering in the weather, looking for a campsite (except for yours truly, of course). So I took the spot closest to the lake, and, nestled up against a line of trees, was at least somewhat protected from the wind.

Thus fortified, I set up my tent and camp, then headed back down to the lakeshore to watch a beautiful but also frankly intimidating sunset unfold, the wind pushing banks of heavy, low clouds across the sky while the burnished orange light of the sun slashed lines through them like an infinite knife. It was wild.

Once again, photos don't really do it justice.

I went back to camp and cooked and ate dinner in the near-dark, then, once again energized rather than wiped out by the infusion of calories, rock-hopped out above the lake to take some night photos.

I didn't stay up too late, so the photos were filled with residual sunset light that made it hard to appreciate the spill of the Milky Way as it arced above the Crystal Range, but I did get to watch the clouds break up a bit and the wind finally, finally drop off a bit.

I knew I only had a few (likely straightforward) miles between me and car for the next morning, but I had at points during the trip imagined taking a side trip to Ralston Lake and/or climbing Ralston Peak on my way out. It would depend on the weather: it felt just as likely that I would wake up in the morning to an inch of snow covering the tent as clear skies and warm sun.

With the wind only occasionally poking through the trees at its hardest gusting that night, I slept more soundly than I had either of the previous two nights.

[fourtwentythousandmiles]

Day 54

Donner Lake Run

It was the third and final day of the XC trip and we had it all planned out. Out of the house by 11am and parked near to China Cove beach so the kids could do the 7mile loop and end up with a fun hour in the refreshing waters of the lake. Less clear but slightly warmer than Tahoe.

Then it was back home for leftovers and then packing up for the ride home which we made by 8pm

[showshoetahoe]

Snowshoeing in Lake Tahoe offers beginners a chance to enjoy winter’s beauty with easy-to-navigate trails and stunning views. Essential gear includes lightweight snowshoes, layered clothing, and safety items. Recommended beginner trails include Mount Tallac, Granite Lake, Fallen Leaf Lake, Tamarack Lake, and Taylor Creek Loop. Stay safe by checking conditions, dressing appropriately, and staying hydrated.

[molsons112000]

I was planning a driving vacation for me. And jennifer kim to take old route sixty six. Never got around to it....

a road trip on Route 66 worth it?

It takes some planning to get to see all the countless little things along the Route but that planning is worth it. While it might be hard to guess how much time you need from day to day, I'd say 14 days if you're on the faster end with lots of driving as well.

https://www.tripadvisor.com › Att...

Route 66 - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Taking+a+driving+vacation+driving+route+sixty+six

You will see in the images and the information below. In link more beautiful driving vacations....

What is the most beautiful road trip in the USA?

19 Scenic Roads In The US Everyone Should Drive Down At Least...

Pacific Coast Highway — California. ...

The Overseas Highway — Florida. ...

US Route 163 — Arizona and Utah. ...

The Hana Highway — Hawaii. ...

Beartooth Highway — Montana and Wyoming. ...

Cascade Loop — Washington. ...

Kancamagus Highway — New Hampshire. ...

Parke County Drive — Indiana.

More items...•Sep 5, 2020

https://www.buzzfeed.com › sceni...

19 Scenic Roads In The US Everyone Should Drive Down At Least Once

What is the best road trip?

Blue Ridge Parkway – North Carolina. ...

Route 66 - Eastern New Mexico. ...

Black Hills. ...

Utah's National Parks. ...

Cape Cod. ...

Big Sky Country. ...

South Florida. ...

San Francisco to Lake Tahoe to Reno. California and Nevada feature a bevy of breathtaking sights and sounds.

More items...

https://www.aaa.com › article › m...

The 18 Best Road Trips in the U.S. in 2024 - AAA

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Different+driving+vacations

We used to take driving vacations as a family to florida and back from florida.

Image number 5 through 9. You will see many places to stop at as you're driving to florida or coming back from florida to chicago.... You will also see many places that are free along the route that you can stop at as well..... We went to disney during the summer in july and beginning of august when it was cheapest...

O the Places We Go

https://www.otheplaceswego.com › ...

The Ultimate Road Trip Itinerary from Chicago to Florida

Sep 6, 2018 — Lookout Mountain's legendary attractions – Ruby Falls for the tallest underground waterfall, Rock City's incredible vistas,

If you Look at the top of the link. You will see a button for things that are free. Cheap and other options....

https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&sca_esv=87c01c01e44ac9af&sca_upv=1&source=android-browser&cs=0&q=Places+to+see+while+you%27re+driving+from+chicago+to+florida&uds=ADvngMiHjMZW8GUFUgUsMTl8sLnM-TmqUKznzAJKjHf2Tpb8bAX67iTQ8SMycIMItAY5rUBYp0jJ6ZnMnWoWBSH3dH3PyhaEyxemOFM-IwYmjMpRCWivlikTQ9o78qrwrQFp1u4Luy65_-Ok3Kj0wcUG_DY9JyOd2w&sa=X&ictx=0&stq=1&lei=3CZuZrHXI8O2ptQPqOC4yAc

As you will see here, August and September are the cheapest months to go. The Disney World one because August is incredibly hot. In florida hundred degrees hundred percent humidity, but september all the kids go back to school... So because kids are returning the school, disney is slow. Then, after christmas in january is the cheapest as well.... So make a road trip down the Florida. Stop at all the sights and then, when you get the floor dug, go to disney and then check out singer island...

Disney World Ticket Cheapest Seasons

Those low seasons are in January, August, and September, with increases or spikes around major holidays. Historically, ticket prices somewhat follow hotel prices, so these patterns aren't surprising.Feb 27, 2024

https://www.mousehacking.com › ...

When Is The Cheapest Time To Go To Disney World (2024)?

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Going+to+disney+world+in+florida+in+july+and+august+is+the+cheapest

So on the singer island florida, there is amazing amount of things to do, and if you go in august, it is extremely cheap. And you won't have to deal with crowds and you'll have the beach and the pool and everything more to yourselves...

Singer Island worth a visit?

Singer Island is a euphoric peninsula that offers its residents and visiting guests pristine beaches and crystal clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, this peninsula will prove to be a veritable paradise.Oct 30, 2023

https://www.pbcoastal.com › blog

The Best Way to Spend Your Time on Singer Island Florida

Why is it called Singer Island Florida?

Singer Island owes its name to Paris Singer, heir to the sewing machine fortune. In 1920, he visited Palm Beach and met Addison Mizner.

https://www.palmbeachshoresfl.us › ...

Town History Past and Present - Palm Beach Shores

This is where I took my ex. Jennifer Kim rewind, parasailing and scuba diving and hung out by the pool. And then we did things in Palm Beach Cause it's right next door. Then we took a boat tour and they showed us Drew Barrymore's house and many other celebrities... She has a beautiful house right on the water......

Hotels.com

https://www.hotels.com › hotels-si...

Top Hotels in Singer Island, FL from $98

The Singer Oceanfront Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton · Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa · Marriott's Ocean Pointe · Fernando Flats · Palm ...

Travelocity.com

https://www.travelocity.com › Sin...

The Best 10 Singer Island Hotels from $98 - Cheap Hotel Deals

Top cheap Singer Island hotel deals ; The Singer Oceanfront Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton. 3700 N Ocean Dr, Singer Island, FL ; Palm Beach Marriott Singer ...

So for a family of twelve, we did this to make it cheap and affordable.... Yes there was twelve of us..... So yes, i'm used to hanging out in big groups of people..... But usually those groups are my family and my friends 🧡...

So if you look at the link, you'll see more hotel deals for singer ireland florida...

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Cheap+rates+of+hotels+and+singer+island+florida

And yes, I saw the movie bad boys last night and they had some beautiful views of miami beach.....

If you see image number ten eleven and twelve and the link below, you will see all the things you can do in singer island florida.....

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Things+to+do+while+you%27re+in+singer+island+florida

So other people from Florida can take adventures. In illinois, and people from illinois can take adventures in Florida...... Part of seeing the World is see, the united states....

Here is building your trip with the trip planner, so be prepared.... This way you can max out everything you do....

Triptile

https://triptile.com › destination

USA Trip Planner | Build Your Own Trip to the United States

Going on a trip to USA? Plan and book your fully custom United States itinerary of any complexity and duration with Triptile™ online trip planner tool

Authentik USA

https://www.authentikusa.com › u...

USA trip planner : Itinerary ideas with map

Create your USA dream trip in a few clicks with Authentik USA, the largest online trip planner in the United States. 1, 2 or 3 weeks Road trips ideas in the ...

Roadtrippers

https://roadtrippers.com

Road Trip Planner – Build your itinerary and find the best stops

Plan your next trip, find amazing places, and take fascinating detours with the #1 trip planner. Every trip is a road trip.

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Online+planners+to+plan+out+seeing+the+united+states

Now remember part of seeing the world is seeing all of the united states. And then you can plan other places outside. The united states like go see canada..... I don't think canada advertises enough in the united states about doing adventures in canada....

Tripapt

https://tripapt.com › create

Trip Planner | Plan your multi destination world trip, book flights ...

Use our free world map trip planner to plan your route, find jobs and book flights. Create multiple trips, featuring destinations around the world.

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Itinerary+planner+to+see+the+world

Here's how to plan your next vacation to canada....

How to plan your next Canadian vacation

Every great trip starts with planning.

Explore the outdoors with a light touch.

Discover a taste of tradition: travel respectfully.

Love local and support the community.

Witness the wildlife, protect their future.

Travelling responsibly during COVID-19.

https://travel.destinationcanada.com › ...

How to plan your next Canadian vacation | Destination Canada

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=How+to+plan+a+fun+vacation+to+canada

So make your way up north instead of going south......

Canada and the united states are each other's largest trading partners.... United states exports more than canada than any other country....

Canada was the largest purchaser of U.S. goods exports in 2022, accounting for 17.3 percent of total U.S. goods exports.

https://ustr.gov › countries-regions

Countries & Regions | United States Trade Representative

Canada is traditionally the top U.S. export market, accounting for 14.2% of all U.S. goods exports in 2022.Nov 3, 2023

https://www.trade.gov › canada-m...

Canada - Market Overview - International Trade Administration

We are each other's largest trade partners with nearly $3.6 billion worth of goods and services crossing the border each day in 2023.May 24, 2024

https://www.international.gc.ca › r...

Canada-United States relations

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Canada+is+the+largest+u+s+trading+partner

So go make some friends in Canada. Our largest trading partner.......

[jdorian]

🏃🏽‍♀️(let’s pretend the emoji runs the other way lmao)🧍🏽‍♀️

i’m back with round two for fanfic writer emoji ask: 🎶, 🧐, 🤩, ⌛️, 🤭

ahaha there's no need to run away 🤭💛💛

🎶 Do you listen to music while you write? What song have you been playing on loop lately?

mhm I have playlists that usually start out as either ship or fic playlists and then become 'songs I currently like' playlists and then I just switch back and forth when I need the vibes lmao (though I find that editing is easier in silence)

a song I've been playing on a loop would be My Old Santa Claus by Sia cuz I've been working on all my christmas fics and that song hits just the right spot for me!

🧐 Do you spend much time researching for your stories?

a ridiculous amount if I'm honest... I watched sooo many ski videos and adaptive ski videos and looked up the map of Lake Tahoe so many times while writing the ski fic, even though I know full well that most people would have idea about area anyway 😪

and I then I tend to research stuff I don't even end up mentioning in detail but I just can't help it, if I'm gonna write about it, I'm gonna put some time into learning what 'it' is, you know?

🤩 Who is your favorite character to write?

I think writing from Eddie's pov ended up feeling surprisingly natural, when I thought I'd be more inclined to write Buck's? but writing about Buck from his perspective is probably why I feel like that, so... I guess it depends on if we've looking at pov or view of a character; I just love them both so much!!

⌛ How long does it take you to write a fic, or a chapter?

it largely depends on inspiration, how tired or busy I am and what type of fic it is. for example the first 30k of the mudslide fic came about in like 3 weeks I think? and the first 3k of the puppy fic happened in one go in the course of about 40 mins lmao (while at work no less 💀)

but then I've been 'writing' the breeding kink fic for 3 months and only got to 1.5k (though I just added 1.5 to it today, passing 3k altogether)

It's never linear, sometimes I write a lot in a short time and then Iiterally write less than crumbs for months/years

🤭 Do you have a favorite tag to use when posting your works?

one I use a lot is definitely 'dom/sub undertones' cuz I like to dip into that, but I personally don't care for writing a full on sub/dom scene and I also mostly write getting together fics and aside from going into it with that intention, it just does no happen that you do a full blown sub/dom play on your first time... but I also love to just ramble in the tags and say nonsense hehe 🫶

Fanfic Writer Emoji Ask ✨

[thealleycat]

i have been tagged twice (thank u for ur interested in the allied cat)

Name? Allie

Pronouns and gender? they/she, some kind of girl-shaped genderblob

Sexuality? gay asf (i like women and femme leaning ppl)

Country? USA

Top 5 fandoms? I would really consider myself part of any fandoms tbh. top 5 things i am a fan of - speedsouls (bloodborne/sekiro in particular), jerma, destiny(2), FFXIV, ultrakill

What is your Most forbidden snack? red-hot metal looks rly appetizing.

Would you pet a bug? I had some rly bad experiences with bugs at my old living situation/job and I no longer like to be around bugs, but I used to have a tarantula i would pet.

Share a weird fact/story about yourself with the class. I donno i think everything about me is weird. It’s hard for me to think of stuff off the top of my head and everyone i asked didn’t have any suggestions, lol.

What does the color blue taste like? blue gatorade

What is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen? Californian ancient redwood forest. Or Lake Tahoe in wintertime. Seeing trees so big and wide it’s like staring up at a skyscraper was overwhelming. Lake tahoe is just a beautiful area. Skiing there was one of the best places I’ve ever been. On the last day we were there it snowed over a foot of dry, soft snow. It’s hard to comprehend just how stiflingly silent it is during snowfall like that. It’s really beautiful.

What is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done? When I was in my senior year in High School I went to my first and only house party. Which was full of drunk, underrage kids in a house with 0 adults. ( and it was the 4th of july. ) The cops showed up and me and my friend I was there with were in the back of the house, so we bolted and didn’t get caught. When we looped around the house, we noticed another cop car with one cop up like fifteen feet away up the street. They hadn’t noticed us so, me and my drunk friend lit some of the fireworks we had and tossed em into the cop car right through the window. You can guess what happened after tho the cop didn’t catch me or my friend (we were both in high school track/long distance running team). Also, ACAB.

Stupidest thing you’ve seen/heard someone else do/say? My sister used to think Palm Trees were fake. Also she married a MAGA head. Both of those are pretty stupid.

Hyperfixation song? kamikaze and Truncheon by The Royal They

Is there any meaning behind your profile picture and/or username? I really like Izutsumi from Dungeon Meshi. her design gives me gender envy and I relate deeply to working through the trauma of having a shitty situation growing up. and I think Alley Cat is a fun way to disguise my name while also having my name on full display

Dream career as a child? Something involving the physical sciences. Not kidding when I say I was doing science experiments for fun when I was 6.

Dream career as an adult? Something with computers. Or gaming critique. We’ll see how it goes.

Thoughts on cilantro? Spicy Lettuce

Have you ever been banned from a location and if so, why? Yeah, when I was a senior I used to work at fast casual local place in my hometown. It was basically half a step nicer than mcd’s or any other fast food place but also only had 3 locations in this one town I lived. Anyway, we close at 9:30 on weeknights, and it’s finals weeks. Everyone who works there is a high school student (Because it was legal to pay us below min wage and the owner was a cheap fucking loser). General manager wants to stay open past closing to get a ‘big day of sales’. Currently, I was the only one there who knew how to work the kitchen so im making all the orders. When another order rolls in at 9:50 I tell him im not going to make anymore. Ppl have finals the next day and need to be in class at 7:30 am. He tells me to leave and never come back, even to buy food. Fuck that guy tho.

What is your cursed food combination? Pineapple pizza, apparently.

Trans rights? I support trans rights and trans wrongs fellow 196 refugees are welcome to jump in but im not tagging anyone

“I just came from r/196” ask game

Saw another post. I think I should invite y'all to one of our longstanding traditions. Answer the questions then tag 10 (or more) people. I'll go first.

Name? Frankie

Pronouns and gender? he/they/it, transmasc

Sexuality? Lesbian

Country? USA

Top 5 fandoms? Bungou Stray Dogs, Cosmere, All for the Game, Fundiesnark (not a series but I'm too deep in it to not consider it a fandom), .....the tornado fandom? (they're my special interest)

What is your Most forbidden snack? The preserved bones at the Atlanta Bodies Exhibition. They looked so crunchy...

Would you pet a bug? If it's big enough, it is pettable.

Share a weird fact/story about yourself with the class. I like to drive around rural areas and photograph old, sometimes abandoned locations in the dead of night. I have been literally chased out of towns by foot and by car on two separate occasions. The second time this happened, "See You Again" by Miley Cyrus came up on shuffle and that's the soundtrack my friend and I tore out of town to. Also every "guy" I've dated except for my most recent ex (who has big egg energy) is a lesbian now.

What does the color blue taste like? Creme brulee

What is the most beautiful thing you've ever seen? The appalachian mountains of Tennessee in the middle of summer. There's kudzu everywhere. On the backroads, there were several old, dilapidated Baptist churches barely hanging to the side of the mountain. I wonder how many of them were still in use.

What is the stupidest thing you've ever done? Short version: my friend's house almost got broken into by this dude who'd been stalking us for months while we were home alone. Instead of calling the cops, we decided to confront him with a bow and arrow (me), a hatchet, and a baseball bat (him). The plan was that if it went badly, we would simply throw his corpse into one of the many lakes in the neighborhood and let the alligators eat his remains (this was Florida). Why? Because we were afraid of having our home-alone privileges revoked. Luckily for us all, the guy fucked off and we never saw him again.

Stupidest thing you've seen/heard someone else do/say? My ex thought that Jackalopes were real. Also, a nurse I was doing rotations with apparently thought that "Witness Protection" was for Jehovah's Witnesses.

Hyperfixation song? Young Enough + Bleach by Charly Bliss

Is there any meaning behind your profile picture and/or username? Profile pic; I'm transmasc and I'm currently obsessed with TriStamp. Username; It was my fake internet name when I was like 13. I won't change it because I want my mutuals to recognize me, and because I do have a viral post associated with this name.

Dream career as a child? Doctor (funnily enough I'm now in nursing school)

Dream career as an adult? Professional Jester. Not a comedian. I just want to be some weird little guy who dresses silly and you can hire me to roast your boss at work parties.

Thoughts on cilantro? Delicious

Have you ever been banned from a location and if so, why? I honestly can't remember? Probably... but in recent memory I've mainly banned people from places.

What is your cursed food combination? Pineapple on a hotdog with grilled onions. It Slaps.

Trans rights? TRANS RIGHTS

Tagging: @rocket-mankoi @mostlymarco @atleast8courics @jazzlike39 @gemsweater72 @limbobilbo @ameliaaltare @redcrane112 @theoneofwhomisblue @twinkenjoyer @theultimatecarp and anyone else who wants to jump on

[confrontthefamiliar]

New moon in cancer

I dreamt I was being unproductive with time but in the dream, the man I work for in reality, soon revealed to me that it was apart of the timing, nodding his head.

In the past, I’ve found myself doing things I didn’t want to do or spending time with people I didn’t want to spend time with.

This has led me to good friendships but my friendship with myself is more important than with others. Doing the things I want is more important than doing things for others. And sure it’s a balance. But I think I’ll be leaning into the first one these days. Especially with the nodes moving into Aries and Libra. Especially since this yearlong detour where I decided to serve others and help them build their dreams. I want everyone else to do what they want.

We say we need each other but that wouldn’t be right. Like any healthy relationship it’s a nice to have not a need to have.

The paradox of love and friendships.

I spent the winter and spring snowboarding though I’d have rather been surfing.

But I had to make a ton of tips and I had to be in one place.

And I was supposed to go sailing.

That was the whole point of being here.

And he had the nerve to say I didn’t follow through on my word. I listened to projection after projection. I’ve heard projection after projection. It’s time to be a detective of other peoples’ logic as a matter of beforehand.

My wrath these days amuses me. I suppose it’s looping around from the last full moon in Cancer back in January.

I’m going to channel it towards movement towards my drive. My drive is coming back but it’s still pixelated.

The other thing is I quit smoking tobacco. Cigarettes keep so many emotions at bay.

At first I got a rush from the emotions flooding at me that I had smoked through all this time.

They’re telling me to cry. They’re telling me to be enraged.

I’m going through a portal of emotion.

I’ve tried quitting multiple times for the last two years. The last three men I dated were smokers. I think quitting the cigs is also quitting these kinds of men.

I want to be less anonymous and try to reveal myself more and see what happens. Maybe I’ll stop seeking intimacy in doomed situations. My shyness is peeling off. I sang on the stage at a friend’s birthday party.

I’m listening to this YouTube playlist at a Mediterranean cafe on the northwest coast of Tahoe - my favorite part of the lake. Back in Spain when I was 24, they played the same playlist at a surf hostel I worked at.

It’s that theme repeating of absolute delight, of absolute pleasure, of absolute joy. There was a song that haunted me on that playlist because I couldn’t find it for years after.

“And then she’d say, ‘It’s okay, I got lost on the way, but I’m a supergirl, and supergirls don’t cry’… she’s sowin’ seeds, she’s burnin’ trees.”

It has always been my song. I pay more attention now to songs that pop into my head. They’re messages for me.

Back in Ecuador when I was 26, I made my friend a bracelet that said viento when I didn’t know what to make it say as I was at a particularly existential point in my life and didn’t believe in anything.

But I’m back on the viento.

Who could have known the lack of meaning would become viento and in doing so become meaningful?

I never want to allow a man to lead me astray. That’s why I’ll be a captain.

If it’s not a fuck yes… I said to Cristian.

And in the meantime, while things pixelate, I realize it’s okay to do literally nothing to make money.

It’s sort of dangerous. But it’s different. A different lifestyle than I was taught.

The money remains the same but the writing flows. I collect herbs. I dry them and make teas and tinctures.

I didn’t know this would be the lesson. I didn’t know it’d suddenly be about timing and slowing down.

I didn’t know it’d be so welcoming to get back into my energy again. That I’d want to be alone so bad in the middle of summer.

At the man’s birthday whom I’m working for, his wife said, “He’s really good at closing chapters.”

That’s what I’m going to be good at.

I’m entertaining a lot of notions. There are things I want to do.

You’re waiting for the signs? Someone asked at the party last night.

I’m looking at new homes.

[travel-eye]

Lake Tahoe: Traveler's Paradise

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With its crystal-clear blue waters, pristine sandy beaches, and stunning alpine scenery, Lake Tahoe offers a unique blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure, making it a true traveler's paradise.The first thing that strikes you upon arrival at Lake Tahoe is the sheer grandeur of its landscape.

Spanning over 191 square miles, the lake is the largest alpine lake in North America and the second deepest in the United States. Surrounded by towering pine trees and snow-capped peaks, the area offers a picturesque backdrop for any outdoor enthusiast.

During the summer months, Lake Tahoe transforms into a haven for water sports and beach lovers. The lake's sparkling waters are perfect for swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, and boating. Numerous sandy beaches dot the shoreline, providing ample space for sunbathing, picnicking, and building sandcastles. Some popular beaches include Sand Harbor, Kings Beach, and Zephyr Cove, each offering its own unique charm and amenities.For those seeking adventure, Lake Tahoe has an abundance of hiking and biking trails. The region is home to countless scenic paths, ranging from leisurely walks along the lake to challenging treks up the surrounding mountains. One such trail is the Tahoe Rim Trail, a 165-mile loop that encircles the entire lake, offering hikers breathtaking vistas and a chance to immerse themselves in the area's natural wonders.During the winter, Lake Tahoe transforms into a winter wonderland. With over a dozen world-class ski resorts, it has gained a reputation as a premier destination for winter sports enthusiasts. Resorts such as Heavenly, Squaw Valley, and Northstar offer a wide range of slopes for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. The region receives abundant snowfall, creating excellent conditions for downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.Apart from its natural beauty, Lake Tahoe also boasts a vibrant cultural scene.

The towns and communities around the lake are home to art galleries, theaters, and museums, showcasing the region's rich heritage and creative talent. The town of Truckee, known for its charming historic district, offers a glimpse into the area's past with its well-preserved buildings and vibrant Main Street.In addition to outdoor activities and cultural experiences, Lake Tahoe hosts a variety of events and festivals throughout the year. The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival,

held annually at Sand Harbor, presents world-class theater performances against the backdrop of the lake, creating a truly magical experience. The Lake Tahoe Music Festival, Concours d'Elegance classic car show, and the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship are just a few examples of the many events that draw visitors from near and far.When it comes to accommodation, Lake Tahoe offers a range of options to suit every traveler's taste and budget. From luxury resorts and cozy cabins to charming bed and breakfasts and campgrounds, there is something for everyone. Whether you prefer waking up to stunning lake views, indulging in spa treatments, or snuggling up by a cozy fireplace, Lake Tahoe's lodging choices have got you covered.With its unparalleled natural beauty, abundant outdoor activities, and year-round appeal, Lake Tahoe is an ideal destination for travelers seeking a memorable and adventurous getaway. Whether you visit during the sun-drenched summers or the snow-covered winters, this enchanting paradise promises an experience that will leave you in awe of its splendor. So, pack your bags, embrace the allure of Lake Tahoe, and get ready for an unforgettable journey into one of nature's most magnificent creations.

Discover Go City offers

[blessphemy]

oh no. you've tripped my: Quick And Dirty Full PCT Planning Guide

4 days is a solid and powerful backpacking trip. imho it sets you up fine to know how to tackle something longer. tho as far as prep work... i prepared more than necessary maybe. i got certified in Wilderness First Aid, and went out with the local Sierra Club chapter for snowcamping. i also smooth-talked a doctor into prescribing me oral antibiotics in case of Open Infected Wound While Days Away From Professional Medical Assistance. (never needed to use those thankfully, so i've since had the meds destroyed. i'm a big hater of antibiotic resistance lol.)

the funny thing about the logistics is it's actually easier in practice than it looks in advance. for one thing it's impossible to plan All details of the full trek ahead of time: for something that long you're dealing with changing gear needs, changing weather, fire closures and reroutes, and this doesn't even cover such surprises as: oops a global pandemic. (#PCT class of 2020 ✌️) and imho you can only figure out your food needs only after you start grinding those distances for real. the pattern for most thru-hikers is to hit the trail for a while, resupply lightly as needed, and then take a stop at a proper town/city to spend a day planning/prepping out the next few hundred miles in more detail. plus as you're hiking you end up gathering intel from other people about local resources.

also the PCT is fairly well established at this point and there's lots of info about how to do resupplies and find water/campsites. (it's mostly dispersed-camping anyway, tho i tried to stick to established sites.) it's not as developed as the AT but there's a solid well-mapped trail, and ok infrastructure. (resources: California fire permit, PCTA trail permit, some blogs, NatGo maps, the FarOut app — the app I only found out about from other hikers after I started the trail and it made shit so much easier. also if u wanna DM about any of this i'm happy to lol)

everyone was always like "you should NOT do that solo? you should go with a friend, it's safer!" and, while they have a point, it's a rare person i think that you can ask to do this with xD. plus people often pick up "trail families" or hiking partners along the way anyway.

if you're thinking seriously about it, i will say that the 1 biggest hurdle to seeing through the whole thing (barring finances or injury), is psychological. accept it when it sucks. like there will be times it Sucks. and there will be some Long Distance Sucking. find the reason you'll stick it out at mile 1,550, exhausted, wet, cold Ass, sore Foot, and staring down the barrel of 1,101 more miles. (for me it was "i have to be able brag about it." so u know. it can be petty.)

i joke that my weekend day-hikes Fix My Brain. nature magic is real. highlights on the PCT was #best time in my life. (tbh tho the Joy is comparable to a really good day hike or 4-day outing, so you're not missing out if you stick to shorter hikes. if you want the PCT highlight reel sans Extreme Distance, you could do the John Muir Trail (213 miles) or Rae Lakes Loop (41 miles). There's also Tahoe Rim Trail (170 miles), Timberline Trail (42 miles) around Mt. Hood, and Silver Moccasin Trail (53 miles). All the aforementioned trails overlap with the PCT and are beautiful as Fuck. but also the length of the PCT meant I was experiencing that good shit on a Protracted scale. and being Fully free of work thoughts… goddamn.) my brain was probably high as hell on exercise endorphins and sunshine.

if you do come around to thinking you want to do it. i suggest picking A Specific Year in your mind.

and then don't give up come hell, high water, blizzard, numb foot, global pandemic. worth it.

I've been meaning to ask you about your Big Long Walk since i first saw you mention it in a tag! If you're willing to tell the story i'd be interested to hear it?

tl;dr i solo-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in 6 months of 2020. idk if you've heard of this trail. it goes from the US-Mexico border to the US-Canada border. it's kinda neat.

Big Long Walk: filed on this blog under sparse text posts of "#backpacking 2020."

(people are always like 'wow that's so impressive' and i'm always like (privately) 'tbh backpacking 20+ miles in a day is easier than doing 1 full cycle of laundry whilst battling Problems Disorder')

imho if you are lucky enough to possess the rare quintfecta of spare A) cash B) time C) health D) desire E) foolishness to decide to do it and then commit and not give up, it's pretty doable. it's just walking 1 mile. and another. rinse and repeat for 2,651 miles.

fun fact! the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) thru-hikers call the PCT the "Piece of Cake Trail."

but why did i do it? idk. why not. there's some additional context to my life here that's kinda personal so i won't get into it. mainly i wanted to escape emails and gender and i wanted to see some cool nature. mission accomplished! i did it for fun & You Only Live Once.

it's endlessly funny though. cuz I somehow did not realize when i Embarked, that backpacking a couple thousand miles would irrevocably Affect me. the way i see the World is fundamentally affected. the way i Exist is affected. i'm more Me. i didn't set out to Find Myself but i sure did become myself anyway.

a little slice of tangible in-this-real-live-world transcendence in the form of self-inflicted sore feet, sunrise in the desert, and a thousand more miles to go.

[amazingarchitecturewebsite]

Talos, AI generated house by GG-loop @gg_loop. Read more: Link in bio! GG-loop, the Amsterdam-and-Milan-based innovative architecture firm known for their use of cutting-edge technology, has just released their latest project: Talos, a stunning lakeside residence located in Lake Tahoe (US). Named after the mythical Greek automaton, Talos is a true feat of engineering and design. Using artificial intelligence technology, GG-loop has created a home that seamlessly integrates with the surrounding natural environment. From the outside, Talos looks like a modern, origami-inspired structure, with clean lines and a unique, folded form. But step inside, and you'll be amazed by the array of features and amenities this home has to offer… #ai #usa #midjourney #архитектура www.amazingarchitecture.com ✔ A collection of the best contemporary architecture to inspire you. #design #architecture #amazingarchitecture #architect #arquitectura #luxury #realestate #life #cute #architettura #interiordesign #photooftheday #love #travel #construction #furniture #instagood #fashion #beautiful #archilovers #home #house ‎#amazing #picoftheday #architecturephotography ‎#معماری (at Lake Tahoe) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnfHfSPucKo/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[theghostpinesmusic]

Desolation Wilderness (2/4)

My route for this loop wasn't exactly set in stone, but before leaving Klamath Falls I'd estimated that I'd be covering between forty and forty-five miles over the four days I'd packed food for. Even taking Desolation Wilderness's aggressive topography into consideration, that isn't a particular intense distance for me...in theory. The problem was the six-hour drive on each side of the hike, which was going to make it so that I could only reasonably expect to cover six or seven miles on the first day (after driving in) and the last day (before driving out). That left me with something on the order of thirty miles to cover over days two and three.

It was a good thing I got plenty of sleep at Lake Of The Woods.

I got up a bit late in spite of the long day ahead of me, mostly so that I didn't have to break down camp in the pre-sunrise cold. I ate breakfast on the shore of the lake, in the sun. Somewhere in there the wind picked back up to borderline apocalyptic levels, but I enjoyed the morning light on Pyramid Peak anyway.

From Lake Of The Woods, I had about a mile's walk before Lake Aloha came into full view to the west.

If you already know anything about Desolation Wilderness, you know Lake Aloha, as it's sort of the centerpiece (geographically and aesthetically) of the area. If you don't know anything about Desolation Wilderness other than what I've told you so far, Lake Aloha's weirdness is almost impossible to capture with words or photos.

The lake fills the aptly-named Desolation Valley, which nestles between the Crystal Range to the west, the Cracked Crag massif to the east, and Mosquito Pass and its environs to the north, but it does so sporadically, broken by weird, mutant islands of granite and darker rocks and the occasional bunch of pine trees that have managed to straggle along at 8500 of elevation. It's a really, really striking sight.

And you get to enjoy that sight for a long time. The trail follows the east shore of Lake Aloha for a fun-at-first-then-interminable two miles, while the sun pounds into your brain and heats the bright-white basin. It's an experience. I mean, I'd recommend it. But bring sunscreen.

When Lindsey and I had been here previously, we had turned west at the north end of Lake Aloha and climbed Mosquito Pass, then descended to camp at Clyde Lake. I was playing it somewhat fast and loose this time around (rare for me), and at the last second I decided to change things up and head east at the same intersection. At that point, I still didn't entirely trust the clear, non-smoky skies, and I thought that if I got to Dick's Pass that day instead of the next day, I would have a better chance of seeing the view from there under blue skies.

The eastern turn leads to a brief descent before the trail flattens out and winds you past Heather Lake and then Susie Lake. This is a really picturesque area, as you're transitioning between the rocks and cliffs of Desolation Valley into the slightly less aggressive topography south of Dick's Peak. However, I remembered this as being one of the most striking portions of our 2022 hike, and this time around it was...fine, I guess? I think this might be a section of trail that's much more arresting if you experience it traveling east to west instead of from west to east. If/when I go back someday, I'll test that theory out and report back.

Eventually, I reached the beautiful and peaceful Gilmore Lake, a spot that would be an ideal place to set up a camp if I wasn't always getting there in the late morning. I stopped for a well-deserved snack and some water...and then suddenly decided to climb Mount Tallac, I guess?

Lindsey and I had considered this on our last trip before the wildfire upended our plans: Mount Tallac, one of the destination high points along Lake Tahoe itself, has a connector trail from its summit straight down to Gilmore Lake. It's more than a bit of a detour: it's about two miles one-way, and requires fifteen hundred feet of climbing. I guessed I could get there and back in about two hours if I left my backpack behind in some bushes, and I had two hours to spare. Why not?

It was awesome.

First off, the climb up is, as you might expect for a trail that climbs a third of a mile in two miles, stiff and unrelenting. But after carrying a backpack for the last day-and-a-half, I felt fast and unencumbered, so, at first at least, this didn't bother me. Second, the trail climbs through a surprisingly-located tall-grass meadow, as the view of the Gilmore Lake basin and beyond opens up wider and wider behind you.

As I neared the top of what seemed like an endless, oddly vertical meadow, the tip-top of rocky Mount Tallac finally came into view, crowned by some yellow wildflower that I couldn't identify.

The last few hundred feet were a really satisfying semi-scramble up the aforementioned rocky heap. And then, suddenly, all of enormous Lake Tahoe stretching out below.

It was huge and crazy and stretched out across most of the horizon, and that's coming from a guy who already spends a lot of time being blown away by the scale and beauty of Crater Lake.

The summit was populated by a lot of climbers, most of which seemed to have come up via the dayhike route from the Mount Tallac trailhead. I spent awhile up there, drinking some water from a Nalgene I'd slung over my shoulder with some paracord and eating some chocolate I'd carried up in my pocket. I spent some time chatting with a golden mantled ground squirrel, and I like to imagine that we're friends now.

Then I bombed back down the entire goddamn mountain I'd just climbed because, you know, miles to go before I sleep and all that: there was, at least, still Dick's Pass to climb before I could actually camp by water.

After getting back Gilmore Lake, gathering up my gear, and strapping my pack back on (and wow, did that suck), I set out to almost immediately regain all the elevation I'd just lost: Mount Tallac is, at least according to my own creative reading of the topo map, part of the same ridgeline as Dick's Peak. I had gone from 8300 feet at Gilmore Lake to 9700 feet at the summit of Tallac, then back down to 8300 feet, and now it would be back up to 9300 feet to reach the top of Dick's Pass.

It certainly wasn't the dumbest detour I've ever taken, but it was one of the prettiest.

I'll be honest: late in the day, having already climbed over half a mile in elevation, and exposed to the pounding sun, I had a hard time climbing up the pass. I was definitely traveling much slower than my usual pace by the time the trail deposited me at a T-intersection. Did I turn left and add Dick's Peak to my list of summits? Or turn right and head for the lake?

The route to the top of Dick's Peak is (reportedly) a class three-ish scramble, and though that's typically right on the edge of my own risk tolerance, I could see the route from the intersection and it looked to be on the safe side of dangerous (if that makes sense). It would be another hour or two digression though, and I was already tired. After a few minutes' consideration, I turned right and headed for the lake.

Maybe next time.

It turned out to be the right decision, because it turned out that there was two-hundred-fifty more feet of climbing to the top of the pass, and by the time I topped out, there was literally no energy left in my body. I don't think I would have made it to the top of the peak. The wind, which had persisted pretty much throughout the entire day, was absolutely cranking at the top of the pass, but I forced myself to wrap up in my windshell and take a break.

I sat down on the exact same rock I'd sat on two years before, when the view of Desolation Valley and its environs had been hidden behind a noxious cloud of what had been, mere hours before, California pine forest. Back then, the lack of view from the pass had been the emotional nadir of the entire trip. Now, looking out under clear skies at the route I'd taken to the top of the pass from Lake Aloha that day, I felt more of the weight of that nightmare lifting.

After taking a single picture to commemorate the occasion, I sat there alone for a long time.

Starting down the back side of the pass, I had another occasion to be glad I hadn't tried climbing Dick's Peak first: the descent to Dick's Lake was steep, and it banged around my already-sore legs significantly. The descent felt never-ending, Dick's Lake in sight the whole time but never seeming to get any closer. Somewhere in there, I got frustrated for the first time in the trip, every misplaced plant of a trekking pole and every toe stubbed on a protruding rock making me more and more annoyed. I knew I was probably just tired, so I pushed on through it until I finally reached the lake.

Once again, it was busier than I'd expected it to be during a weekday. Once again, the only spot I could find that was open was the spot Lindsey and I had used last time. It had been a bit uneven and too-small for two people back then, but it was just the right size for one person...and there was no ash cloud this time.

I set the tent up in a howling wind that seemed funneled toward me and the other nearby campers on purpose by the mountain looming over us. I had hoped to reprise my polar-plunge-style escapades from the night before in Dick's Lake, but in such a wind I wasn't sure how I'd stay warm after getting soaked. There were a few kids taking turns diving into the lake off of a tall rock across the way, but they were kids and I was not.

I'd become uncomfortably cold pretty much immediately once I'd stopped hiking, so instead of engaging in extracurriculars I rushed through my evening routine as fast as I could, focused on getting wrapped up in my quilt and falling asleep as fast as possible. Because of the wind, it took a bit longer to cook dinner than usual, though, so I was able to take a few more night photos while I was waiting.

Once again, the moon was bright enough to drown out most of the stars, but it was a beautiful night in spite of the wind, which had apparently decided to blow nonstop until the sun exploded.

The noise of the tent fly and walls flapping in the wind was so goddamn loud all night long in spite of my best efforts to secure them tightly. At one point in my backpacking career, this cacophony would have kept me awake all night and left me exhausted in the morning. But in the last few years, I've camped in similar conditions often enough that apparently I...just don't hear it anymore? Maybe it was that, or maybe I was just worn out from my sixteen-mile, 3500 foot elevation day, but I fell asleep almost immediately and only woke up a few times throughout the night, when the wind bore down on the tent enough that the poles threatened to bend inward.

The next day I'd have to cover a similar distance to stay on schedule, but I would be passing through much friendly terrain in the process. Supposedly.

[aestheticvoyage2022]

Day 213: Monday August 1, 2022 - “William Supertramp”

We started the new month by working hard not to kill each other as we miserably packed up and out of our steaming hot RV.   It had to make the photoblog - though we’ll never forget how miserable we were in it.  We drove away wondering if we all had heat stroke damage. It was so warm that even Wm tried to spring himself out of the bed, and out the door.  What a memorable stinking steaming weekend.   Public Apology to Audrie for having to deal with me the past several days, with an inconsolable grumpy humidified attitude, and a sweaty set of underboobs....but then again, I could make the case that she created this situation!!   Said in jest of course.   This had all the makings of a really nice stay - no way we could have known we’d be met with a 100year Heat Wave that would be so hot that even the generator wouldn’t run (to run the AC). 

Honestly though - why was I a GRUMP about how long it was taking to get out of there?!? The Wide Open Road and new track was calling for me.  I am never more impatient than when I want to GO! down a new road Ive never been.  It also helped to have the excitement for sitting in actual AC All Day Long, and the excitement of staying in an actual Hotel tonight too! - those  added factors made me doubly impatient.  Finally we were handing off unused groceries, saying goodbyes, and hitting the road West out of Bend.

What a unique place Southern and Central Oregon is.  Signs on our two lane middle of nowhere rollway named it Oregon’s Outback.  Out here I could have been convinced I was in Northern New Mexico.  As we worked our way South into Northern California we passed that humungous dried up lake bed, and alkali flats.  White scars on the map bowled out with Mountains.   I’ve been a lot of places on the map - never seen landscapes like this.  And we got to see it all day long.   

The seven hours worth of miles flew under us as we made our way down to Reno and then on Lake Tahoe.  Enjoying our $6 gas.   As we approached Lake Tahoe, coming over the pass from Carson City, William decided that he was done with being in the car and let us know, over and over and over again.   No sense trying to tell him how we were trying to enjoy the beautiful road into the sunset over a beautiful lake - he couldn’t see it.   “Its all part of the story” I kept telling myself.   This is parenthood.  This is National Lampoons.  What a scene.

We finally pulled into our Drive in cute little boutique motel in South Lake Tahoe, not a moment too soon.  We were all a little fried.   There was a lodgey pizza place next door and so we splurged on as much pizza as we could handle and sat outside on the nice patio, complete with firepit, and enjoyed dinner together.  William, stomping all around the picnic table chewing his pizza crust was thrilled to be out of his seat.  AC and I sat there and kept commenting on “a lot of beautiful road we saw today” ..... brains unable to function beyond that!  Within an hour we’d all be fast asleep with cool air blowing in the window and fans blowing on us.   Ah, the good life for one night!

Song: Cole Swindell - She Had Me At Heads Carolina

Quote:  “Here I was at the end of America - no more land - and now there was nowhere to go but back.”   ― Jack Kerouac, On the Road

The Deep Purple is 2022 new tracks including a loop here in Nevada, California, and Oregon.

[mego42]

music tag

tagged by @sothischickshe (💖) to play this unexpectedly difficult game

1. Your favourite song at the moment: i’ve been feeling think about it by TOMI on a cellular level recently. long time coming is a close second. 

2. A song you associate with a favourite character or ship: speaking of cellular level, thanks to @storyskein i will associate belly of the deepest love by tow’rs with bellarke until the day i die

3. A song that could be about you: whitney houston’s so emotional hahaha

4. A song you think is overrated: everything the beatles ever released with the exception of i’ve just seen a face

5. A song that reminds you of a specific memory: little more time by zox. mr meg and i have taken a couple of cross country roadtrips and on our first one, we decided to go from madison, WI to the california side of lake tahoe without stopping to sleep (1900 miles, for reference. it was a highly questionable decision i do not endorse from an adult perspective) and i vividly remember driving through the rocky mountains in the middle of the night playing this song on a literal nonstop loop for probably like 2 hours bc it was the only thing that could keep me awake.

6. Last song you listened to: save us by lennon stella, samples time after time a little kind of (does it count as a sample if it’s not literally a clip from the song? idk) i’m v into it

7. A song that makes you laugh: the gourds cover of gin n juice

8. A song you want your mutuals to listen to: any of the songs linked here with the exception of the zox song bc i don’t actually like it that much, it was on a mix tape i stole from my sister.

tagging @nickmillerscaulk @raincityruckus @pynkhues @sanssssastark @dragonturtle @missmaxime