Bonanza Days

Guess where we've been?  Our home-away-from-home, Lake Tahoe. I spent almost 2 months house-and-pet sitting for pals, and we had absolutely beautiful weather.  Let this post be a nudge to any armchair travelers to get out on the road and see our country for yourselves, weather permitting.

Incline Village, on the North Shore of the lake, is pretty much residential and very upscale, whereas the South Shore holds more touristy-attractions; but the beauty of the lake and surrounding landscape are the draw so who cares?

Lake Tahoe is to Nevada (pronounced Ne-Vah-da; vah like a Bad Boy) what Crater Lake is to Oregon (pronounced Or-a-Gun, not Gone), except only 130 people live around Crater Lake and they probably work at the resort. 

The Mount Rose summit is about 8,000 feet and the road from Reno to Incline Village is pretty squirrly. I'm always pulling over to let people pass. The house itself is about 7,000 feet and I was huffing and puffing as when I smoked cigarettes, but after taking the dogs for daily walks down Tom's Trail my stamina definitely increased. I searched for Perfect Pinecones to turn into crafts, and eventually smartened up by carrying paper bags.

I didn't go out much other than a few lunches with a newfound friend; but my main goal was to put aside a few bucks, since every dime I had went for the car last spring, you may recall. I did go to Carson City but Virginia City will have to wait for another time. Can't you just picture the fire poking through the map of the Ponderosa?


I took 2 days to return home, despite Google Directions estimating 6 hours, which for me is more like 8.  I decided to spring for a motel room, for once I returned home I'd be faced with moving my RV to it's regular spot, hooking up the umbilical's, making things livable, etc...before dark?  No way.

As I drove the final leg on Tuesday morning, I tried to relax from thinking about all the work I'd be facing.  I didn't even know if the motor would start. So I reminded myself that everything else has gone better than expected, so there was no reason to think the RV would be any different. Let's just relax and enjoy the ride.

I looked at the pine trees; boy, these look puny compared to Nevada. Wow, only two months and already I'm a snob. Let's back up: they have Mt. Rose, 10,778'; we have Mt. McLaughlin, 9,495'. I enjoyed the drive along Lake Tahoe; driving along this mountain lake in Oregon was just as nice, with less curves.

Frost was on the ground as I left Incline; frost was  along the road outside of Klamath Falls.  Hardly anyone on the roads in either state, outside of the cities at least. Everything is relative.

As I was leaving Reno I heard an ad for an upcoming story about the unwelcome increase in the number of Boondockers moving on to northern Nevada public lands, due to higher costs in the South. Boondockers park their RV's on public lands for free; but the catch is there are no hookups so you must be totally self-sufficient, which I am. The story claims they're not moving off when they're supposed to (usually after 2 weeks) and the area is attracting more and more people searching for cheap RV parking, like me.

For years I was referred to Quartzsite, Arizona, by more than a few people for a, "Free, open, fun place to park for the winter," adding that an artist like me would love it. I thought it was a dump, but I like electricity and running water; plus it's increasing popularity doesn't attract me, either. So much for getting away from it all.

The problem that could affect me: once they're thrown off the public lands, where will those Boondockers go?  Many will have to move into RV parks, driving up rents and producing discriminatory practices like here in Oregon.  Good thing I've still got my place on private property. I've known the family for 8 years, and watching the kids grow up from the sidelines has been fun, like part-time step-grandparenting.

Oh, gosh, they moved my RV for me!!! There IS a God. Dave had to jump it because the battery was dead, and he attached one of those charger-gizmos just before I arrived.  I didn't care that it would need to be moved a bit for the hoses to reach. The hardest part was already done. I really have good friends.

It took 6 hours to get things back to normal, but first I had to unload the pinecones from the cargo carrier and put it back on the RV to hold the sh__ stored inside while I was gone.

These cones are about 8-10" tall and 4-5" diameter, and I had more in the trunk. I've got bleached ones, gold ones, blue ones, glittered ones, plain varnished ones; I'm the Forrest Gump of the forest.

Happy Thanksgiving