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Travel Tuesday

Destination: Lake Tahoe

Book: Roughing It by Mark Twain

Am I awake or am I dreaming?  I am standing on the edge of a sapphire lake, bright red and green canoes bobbing in front of me along a pier and white, triangular handkerchiefs chasing each other across the water. Pine trees scratch at the blue air and mountains guard the horizon. (You can see some pictures at the end of this post.)

The handkerchiefs are actually sails. On Sunday an organized, but informal regatta takes place way out there in the middle of Lake Tahoe.

Samuel Clemens said of his first view of Lake Tahoe, which divides northern California from Nevada:

At last the lake burst upon us–a noble sheet of blue water lifted six thousand three hundred feet above the level of the sea, and walled in by a rim of snow-clad mountain peaks that towered aloft three thousand feet higher still! As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface, I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole world affords.

Who am I to argue with Mark Twain? This quote comes from Roughing It, a road trip of travel in the Western United States before there were roads–or at least in the mid-19th century, before there were highways.  Roughing It is a wonderful book, not just for the Lake Tahoe sections, but for the personality profiles and the humorous portrayal of the West of stagecoach and wagon days. If you are heading West, by all means, read Roughing It.

I started out to write about Lake Tahoe, and here is Mark Twain in the middle of things. But he makes good company, and I intend to bring him back often this year, because 2010 marks the 175th anniversary of his birth and the 100th anniversary of his death.

Here are eight reasons to go to Lake Tahoe:

• The drive around Lake Tahoe is probably the most beautiful in America–or at least in the top 3.
• You can participate in every active sport you can think of when you visit there, depending on the season.
• The Godfather movie was partly filmed there.
• The 1960 Winter Olympics took place at Squaw Valley, which today hosts skiers in the winter and golfers in the summer at beautiful resorts and rental homes.
• The historic mansions that ring the lake, including one where the eccentric owner used to ferry show girls in from the Cal-Neva lodge and let his pet elephant and tiger wander around his thousands of acres. (Thunderbird Lodge)
• The California and Nevada state parks provide camping, nature walks and family beaches and picnic areas.
• Great places to stay like the laid back resort in Squaw Valley, Resort at Squaw Creek.
• Fun dining places like Sunnyside right on the lake and fancier ones like Graham’s  at Squaw Valley.

But mostly, just go see how beautiful it is. Every time I go, I am amazed all over again.

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Great Big Giveaway Book Today: Weird World, a book of silliness. Pictures of strange and unbelievable and funny things from around the world. See my review here. Leave a comment below naming the book in today’s Giveaway to win this book and be entered in the Grand Prize drawing. Only one day to win! Deadline is midnight tonight(Tuesday)MST. Complete rules here.

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Have you been to Lake Tahoe? Have a favorite place there? Have you read a book set at Lake Tahoe?

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