A Different Side of California

Normally when I think of California I think of LA or San Francisco or wine country. This past weekend I got a chance to see a beautiful part of California that I wasn't really aware of. Being a native of the Great Lake State I am partial to lakes versus oceans so I loved getting to see a couple of California's lakes. Also, it goes to show how diverse the landscape of the United States is, even within the same state!

On Thursday night we stayed at a place called Kit Carson Lodge located on Silver Lake near Kirkwood, CA. The lodge is owned by a couple from Arizona and they opened up early for the season just for us. The lake was gorgeous and I was able to go kayaking on it and even went for a little bit of a swim. It was so nice to have the opportunity to be outdoors and enjoy God's creation. We all had a great time hanging out with the staff of the lodge over a big bonfire during the evening. In the morning we were sad to leave, but something just as good was waiting for us at South Lake Tahoe.

The beach at Kit Carson Lodge on Silver Lake

The lake is called Silver Lake because of the way the light of the moon reflects off the granite,

making the lake look silver

 Friday was another beautiful ride with a lot of downhill and flats, providing relief to the riders. In the afternoon we settled into our cabins at Camp Richardson on Lake Tahoe where, for the first time since San Francisco, we would stay for more than one night. Saturday was a much needed day off for staff and riders. I spent my morning laying out on the beach, and in the afternoon we were treated to a boat tour of Lake Tahoe. The tour guide was pretty annoying, but we enjoyed socializing and taking in the beauty of our surroundings. I was very surprised at how clear both Silver Lake and Lake Tahoe were, it's very refreshing to see non-polluted water.

 View of Lake Tahoe from the beach at Camp Richardson

Boat tour of Lake Tahoe

I apologize for the limited posting lately, it is a result not only of being exhausted at night, but wifi and cell phone service have been limited over the past several days. After lots of lakes and mountains, up next is the desert of Nevada. We are currently in Fallon, NV and I hope to post more soon, but tomorrow we are headed to Austin, NV where there will not be any internet or cell phone service.