It is always a challenge to pick the first picture for each posting. Do I post my best picture first or slowly build up to it? In this case, I decided to put my best foot forward so to speak. As you would expect, Alpine County in California is rather remote. This sparsely populated county is south of Lake Tahoe nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains with altitudes over 7,000 ft. This area is high enough to have extensive aspen groves that glow yellow in the fall when the conditions are right. The crisp blue skies are clear of pollution and dotted with just enough clouds for a pretty picture.
My route was rather long, beginning early in the morning heading up Highway 50. It was touching to see so many signs in Placerville thanking the firefighters who battled the King Fire this year. Just before you hit South Lake Tahoe, there is a turnoff for Highway 89 heading south into Alpine County. California Highway 89 reminds me a lot of the sheer beauty of Arizona Highway 89 heading from Flagstaff to Sedona. This route takes you through Luther Pass and Hope Valley. Both are well worth a stop and a hike. I stopped in Markleeville for lunch as pictured above. There are a couple of cute restaurants for lunch, but it is a hotspot for motorcycle clubs so keep that in mind.
I shot this beauty over Monitor Pass. While driving down the highway, I saw this cloud formation out of the corner of my eye and immediately pulled over to take a picture. Clouds like these are common over the crest of the Sierras due to the unique wind and moisture currents over the craggy terrain. The dark blue sky is mainly courtesy of my polarizing filter.
For this trip, the main event was waiting for me at Ebbets Pass over Highway 4. In this area, Highway 4 is really a "highway" in an academic sense. It is really a paved sidewalk running crazy up 20% grades and switchback turns. In most places, it is a tight squeeze for two large vehicles to pass. It is a definite white knuckle ride, but worth the effort for the remote desolation and gorgeous pictures.
Coming back down the grade, there are many small mountain lakes and reservoirs. This is where California's water comes from. Up here it just looks pretty, but it is the life-blood for our booming agriculture and drinking water for nearly 40 million people. After a long drive, I had the fortune of spending a nice evening with friends in Murphys before heading back to Sacramento.
It is always a nice time to take a drive through the mountains, but something about the fall always makes it more spectacular. The air is clean and crisp; the trees are full of color; and you can just feel something special in the air. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.
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.
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.
