Heavenly Ski Resort & South Lake Tahoe - September 2014

It is still summertime in Northern California. The temperatures are still too hot in Sacramento for outdoor activities, so it was time to head back up US 50 to South Lake Tahoe, CA and Stateline, NV. Lake Tahoe is a gorgeous alpine lake on the California-Nevada border and is very large. It is pretty awesome to see it for the first - or 30th time! South Lake Tahoe is a big tourist destination with a large vacation town and several casinos right on the state line. This is why the town is called Stateline! In the summer, the Heavenly Ski Resort opens up their main gondola and mountain area for summer activities including hiking, zip lining, tubing, and others.

Halfway up the mountain, the resort installed an observation deck. This is a cool stop to see the whole region and stretch your legs. The deck is a metal structure perched on a rock outcropping as shown above. It is a little unnerving to look down through the metal grates and see a large drop, but things are pretty safe. If you have a huge fear of heights, you probably should not be on the gondola in the first place.

The gondola ride only takes about 15-20 minutes, but it takes you up 3,000 ft in elevation. This valley is normally full of skiers and snowboarders in the winter, but in the summer the place takes on a different vibe. Families and explorers alike wander around in thin air. Heavenly has a lot of cool things to do in the valley, including a great lodge for meals and drinks. That said, it was time to do some hiking in the surrounding forest.

By the way, here is the official boundary between the California Republic and Nevada Territory. Now we know them as the states of California and Nevada. The park includes land in both states.

Hiking at altitude is a real challenge. There is about 30% less air around 10,000 ft which is where the picture above was taken. Hiking up here is about 50% harder than at normal elevations, so your heart is pumping and you will hyperventilate just to maintain blood oxygen levels. Easy hikes are not that easy, but the view is simply spectacular. Make sure to wear your sunblock. Less atmosphere means more exposure to solar radiation. My skin was not well protected, and I can still feel the burn.

Near the top of the mountain, the scenery was perfect for photography. You can see Lake Tahoe on one side and the high deserts of Northern Nevada on the other. The mountain has a lot of construction in the summer, but I was able to find a very secluded spot to enjoy hearing the wind through the alpine pines and enjoying the near perfect temperature. It was a delight to experience alpine hiking without the pain of climbing 3,000 ft in elevation.

After hiking back to base camp and once again catching my breath, I decided to have some fun and try summer tubing. In the winter, most ski resorts have a tubing hill where people can slide down the snow in an inflated tube. The resort modified this for the summer by installing a giant Slip'n Slide down the hill. It is basically an artificial grass surface in a long track lined with bumpers. They also use sprinklers to keep the surface wet and slippery. I had a very fun time zooming down the hill at near escape velocity, and the brief shower was a nice way to cool off after hiking. Highly recommended! After my unpleasant experience zip lining in Cancun this summer, I decided to pass and head back down the mountain.

OK, this is pretty cool. The gondola ride back down the mountain is a straight shot, and I had a car all to myself. I took a video of the ride back down and posted all 13 minutes to YouTube. There is little sound except the noises of the gondola and the surrounding nature. If you cannot make it to Lake Tahoe, here is a little preview for your enjoyment!

And yes, there is gambling in Lake Tahoe. They put the casinos and resorts here for a purpose. Fortunately, Lady Luck was smiling on me for this trip. I still have to return to work on Monday, but it is always nice to win some gas money.

The new marketing campaign calls the region Tahoe South, but this has always been South Lake Tahoe. I have been here many times both as a kid and an adult and have always loved the area. It is only 2 hours from Sacramento, and the drive around the lake is one of the most scenic and challenging drives in the world. It is well worth a trip, no matter what corner of the Earth you call home. Enjoy the rest of my pictures below.

Nugget Rib Cook-Off 2014 - August 2014

Just off the heels of my last trip for Kansas City BBQ, it was time for the annual Nugget Rib Cook-Off in Sparks, NV near Reno. I love barbecue and especially love ribs, so this was a great opportunity on a Labor Day weekend. I have been to Reno many times and have gotten to know the city and region. The rib cook-off is very popular and draws a large crowd from all over the west, including many fellow travelers on I-80.

As soon as you exit the freeway, you can smell the smoke and meat. It is rather intoxicating and worthy of a Homer Simpson drool. Parking and admission are free, and the venue is next to the JA Nugget Casino which provides air conditioning, video poker, and a time out to digest massive amounts of barbecue pig. BBQ outfits come from all over the United States and set up stands to sell their wares, but the main event is pork spare ribs. All the vendors sell ribs in varying quantities, including sampler packs of 3-4 smaller ribs to try. I prefer my ribs dry with a good rub with sauce on the side; most mop their meat during the smoke.

First up was Yazoo's BBQ from Mississippi. These guys have a solid rib - although fall-off-the-bone tender! Good balance of smoke without being too dry. The rub was a little weak, but the above average sauce made for a good start.

Next was Carson City BBQ from Carson City, NV of course! These ribs look good, but they had little pork or smoke flavor. I detected no rub, but the texture was spot-on tender.

These are good ribs from Just North of Memphis BBQ from Minneapolis, MN of course! The rub was excellent with lots of spice and flavor. The smoke was a little light, but still present. They were very meaty and tender, and the BBQ sauce was really good. I could eat a whole rack of these beauties.

After losing some money in the casino, I got lucky again with The Barbecue Company from Phoenix, AZ. These were awesome ribs. They rub and mop their ribs with a great sauce that caramelizes and makes a smoky-sweet glaze for tender porky ribs. Finger lickin' good to the extreme.

I have been to Chicago many times and love the city and its people. Please do not think of Chicago when you try ribs from Chicago BBQ. These ribs had little flavor, even when doused in average tasting sauce. The texture was great, but without flavor you might as well be chewing paste.

Finally, time for NorCal to represent with Armadillo Willy's BBQ. These were average ribs. Moderate rub and decent smoke. Nothing too aggressive and a little lacking on the amount go meat on the ribs. The sauce was a sweet chipotle blend which was delicious, but not enough to make up for a uninspiring rib.

I have been to BJ's Nevada Barbecue Company in Sparks before, and I always enjoy the restaurant. This time, the ribs were just missing something. All the elements were there, but I think they lack in comparison to other options.

Bourbon and BBQ? That sounds like a great combination from Bourbon Q from Kentucky. They are the official sauce of the Kentucky Derby and make a great variety of sauces, including bourbon whiskey of course. After tasting their ribs, they should just stick to the sauce. They were overcooked and light on the rub. I should have matched their sauce with some of the better ribs.

After sampling ribs all day, I did feel a bit like a stuffed pig, but it was still a great day. Even bad BBQ is still pretty good. The people watching was great and there was a lot of non-meat stuff going on in the area including live music and all sorts of displays and vendors. If you like ribs, you should try your luck on this one. Enjoy the rest of my pictures below.

Minneapolis - August 2014

After a week of touring the Midwestern grain belt, I finally arrived in Minneapolis, MN. This large, hip town is located in southern Minnesota doncha no. Most people do not talk with an accent in the city, but bless those that still have that strong accent! Unfortunately, the weather returned to hot and muggy by the time I arrived in the Twin Cities, but my apartment was waiting with A/C in each room. I stayed in the near the university and the old Polish Nordeast neighborhood, so I could not resist a dinner of kielbasa and pierogi. Yum.

My first stop was the Walker Art Center near downtown. They are an avant guard modern art museum that offers free extended hours admission on Thursday nights. It also happened to be the 2014 Internet Cat Video Festival which packed the gardens full of people wanting to watch YouTube on a big screen with strangers. The museum art was complimented by visitors wearing cat tails and ears and meowing all over the place. As expected, the videos were cute and funny.

After a long cat nap, it was time to continue my explorations. A sunny day brought me to the American Swedish Institute which is located in an old mansion built by a wealthy Swedish immigrant. They display many Scandinavian artifacts and art. I have extensive Scandinavian heritage, so it was cool to see some of my ancestral roots. Their cafe also serves pretty good meatballs and salmon. No lutefisk though. Uffda!

I have been to the Mall of America before as a child; it is still massive, but a bit smaller than I remember. The massive monument to capitalism has nearly every store you can imagine, including several Caribou Coffees. Pity all my west coast friends who do not have the Campfire Mochas. Nevertheless, Friday night means fish fry, and the Red Stag Supperclub has one every week. I chose the local Walleye with a Grain Belt beer. Very awesome and very authentic. It was time to walk off that grease near the Mississippi River and disappear into an old Polka bar for a Friday night Manhattan. Fortunately the apartment was close.

Minneapolis owes its start to the St. Anthony Falls and the hydropower which drew lumber and flour mills to the city. Grain and trees from the Midwest made their way to the city to be transformed into product for the East Coast and beyond. The Mill City Museum chronicles this growth in an abandoned mill partially destroyed by fire. This place tells a rich history of the region and is just a cool facility to escape the hot afternoon. The history lesson is interesting and funny. They even have an onsite demonstration kitchen baking treats all day long so the place smells like grandma's kitchen. We all use and eat flour on a daily basis, so it is good to know how it came about.

Finally, it was time to end my journey with a visit to Target Field - my 25th MLB ballpark. The Minnesota Twins decided to play in San Francisco this year, so I was unable to see my team play, but the Kansas City Royals were in town following me of course! I saw the Royals play all week, and it was great to see them lose to the Twins. Target Field is very modern and wedged into a tight downtown spot. It works well with the parking garage built into the Interstate and the light rail stop directly in the outfield. The beer was cold and cheap. The cheese curds were warm and golden. We root, root, rooted for the home team and won. The perfect end to a long and enjoyable trip.

Yes, this is a statue of Mary Tyler Moore throwing her hat into the air. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below, and go take your own journey!