Starting Over

I woke up a little later this morning, around 8, and started the drive around the entire lake. I had the breakfast of champions, 3 donuts and a Monster. What was I thinking? I continued on despite my impending head rush and dizziness and decided to take a hike up to Echo Falls. The hike was great with large granite boulders and well delineated trails.

When I got to the Falls I tried to shoot some silky water shots but without a tripod it was really tough. I decided this trip that I wasn't going to lug a bunch of photo gear around. Just the small camera bag with 2 lenses. I usually only take the wide angle and leave the zoom and regular telephoto in the car.

I walked back to the car along the trail with a guy from the Sacramento hiking club. They go and do a bunch of different hikes around California. He was a nice guy and he showed me his guide book complete with old photos of the region in black and white. I think the book was published in 1947.

The next stop was for a hike to Echo Lake. It was a very diverse trail with huge granite boulders, granite steps, and single track. It started to rain so I secured the camera and trudged to the top. The lake was pristine and completely beautiful. It was nice that it was overcast for glare and squinting but it didn't provide ideal conditions for dramatic photography. I made the best of it and just enjoyed sitting on top of a dead tree and staring at the serene water.

This little guy was hanging out near the water as well.

On the hike back this time I ran into a guy with his dog who showed me the way back. I kind of got lost as the trail became really vague on a large granite section and I didn't see any groups of stacked rocks which usually marks the trails. His dog was great, trucking along down the steps and large rocks with ease. I was starting to get a little tired as my horrible breakfast left me with slight vertigo and clumsiness on the technical sections.

I did one more hike on a mountain bike trail. I really want to get one of those things. View from the trail.

After the third hike I was hiked out. I decided to stay in the car and make my way around the rest of the lake. It was nice the holiday was over but there was still quite a bit of traffic in South Lake Tahoe. I can't imagine what it must be like in the peak of Winter. Probably nuts. Here are some random shots from the drive around the lake.

I then spotted 2 more die hard bikers. I'm starting to feel like a wimp as I never ride in that shit.

After completely circling the lake in a record 6 hours I was ready to get the heck out of Tahoe. I got in the 5 o' clock Tahoe traffic and I hit every light. Nothing like LA but still. I got on 50 to Highway 89 and took off towards Yosemite. Highway 89 was incredible. Again I was by myself a lot of the time. It felt like my own wilderness. I saw a sign with a truck stating the road ahead was 24%. I thought that was only in Europe for the Tour riders. I've never seen a road that steep and wish I would have gone to see it. Highway 89:

I didn't know I was actually staying in Bridgeport at the time but when I got to the little town, I was staying put. Basically one main street and nearly desolate. I loved it.

I stopped and checked with one inn and it was $109 so I left. Went down the street and $54 at the Redwood Motel. Sign looks straight out of a horror movie. The hotels looked the same to me and the first one was completely dead. 1 car. Doesn't make any sense. I guess supply and demand isn't alive and well in Bridgeport.

Well, records are meant to be broken. Much to my chagrin I am going to have to fill up next door in the morning before going to Yosemite; $4.69 a gallon. I feel European now. I know it won't get any cheaper towards the park. Oh well. Welcome to California! I hope the weather lifts tomorrow as it is sprinkling now at 11:00pm. I'm actually getting used to the rain. It's kind of been nice. I said that.