Just Arrived in Lake Tahoe
Hello Dear Friends,
I just arrived in Lake Tahoe. First Pres was sweet enough to send me away on a week long retreat. I left today from the bay area in the afternoon and got to Lake Tahoe just at sunset. It is so gorgeous. I hadn't been to the lake area since I was a kid. Last time I was here it was snowing and I couldn't see past the parking spot of our cabin.
This time it was different. I don't have a cd player or an ipod. I have a tape deck in my car and a radio. So I'm usually at the mercy of whatever is playing on the radio. Luckily I was blessed on this road trip. There were great songs all the way through. Even as I was leaving the Bay Area there was a three in a row of The Pretenders. That got me all the way to Pleasanton. Fantastic.
As I left Sacramento and started to climb up towards the Lake I could see the smog and still smell the funk of city in the air. About an hour after it was nothing but clear skies. Green trees. Clean air, and beautiful scenery. I forgot how beautiful trees smell. That is the sadest statment to say isn't it? To forget what trees smell like. Wow, that broke my heart.
I drove into town and saw the gorgeous enormous lake. It took my breath away. And to be honest a little tear came out of the corner of my eye. I wanted to pull over, park, and walk straight onto the lake but knew I had to check in.
I was late for check-in and had to register by myself. And then I went over to the diner and everyone had already finished eating. I walked in with a great big smile and people didn't smile back. They were serving dessert and I managed to get a piece of pumpkin pie. When I looked around no one smiled. No one asked me to join them. So I found a lonely table in the corner next to a giant window showing the great Lake Tahoe.
Honestly, I can say that I'm the youngest person here by a landslide. I may be the only Hispanic here too. And people stop talking when I walk into a room and kind of stare at me. I dont think it has anything to do with gender or race. Perhaps more with my apperance and youth.
The first hall I walked into had tons of Asian people in there. And no one spoke any English. They all smiled at me and asked me to sit down and eat. And finally I found a HS kid that pointed me to the right spot. My cabin group was down the hill. Then I soon joined the other crowd.
So I found my spot. Unloaded my car. Parked my car on top of the hill and took a goregeous slow walk back to my room. Every corner of my trail had a view of the lake. And the sun turned it a rich amber and aqua tone. It looked bejewled.
So I walked outside for a bit again hoping to meet a friendly face. I did. The gardner/lawn keeper. He's a grandpa type and offerend me a ride in a teal rust green old chevy pick up. I'm not sure what drew me to take the offer. Perhaps the first friendly face after the last 30. Or the pick up. It was probably a bit of both.
After I sat in the pick up I thought to myself...
hmmm. perhaps this is why young girls die on weird mountain adventures...they are drawn to a smiling face... and jump in their car.
Oh I just met my roomate. She walked in the door.
Gotta run...we're going to class.
I just arrived in Lake Tahoe. First Pres was sweet enough to send me away on a week long retreat. I left today from the bay area in the afternoon and got to Lake Tahoe just at sunset. It is so gorgeous. I hadn't been to the lake area since I was a kid. Last time I was here it was snowing and I couldn't see past the parking spot of our cabin.
This time it was different. I don't have a cd player or an ipod. I have a tape deck in my car and a radio. So I'm usually at the mercy of whatever is playing on the radio. Luckily I was blessed on this road trip. There were great songs all the way through. Even as I was leaving the Bay Area there was a three in a row of The Pretenders. That got me all the way to Pleasanton. Fantastic.
As I left Sacramento and started to climb up towards the Lake I could see the smog and still smell the funk of city in the air. About an hour after it was nothing but clear skies. Green trees. Clean air, and beautiful scenery. I forgot how beautiful trees smell. That is the sadest statment to say isn't it? To forget what trees smell like. Wow, that broke my heart.
I drove into town and saw the gorgeous enormous lake. It took my breath away. And to be honest a little tear came out of the corner of my eye. I wanted to pull over, park, and walk straight onto the lake but knew I had to check in.
I was late for check-in and had to register by myself. And then I went over to the diner and everyone had already finished eating. I walked in with a great big smile and people didn't smile back. They were serving dessert and I managed to get a piece of pumpkin pie. When I looked around no one smiled. No one asked me to join them. So I found a lonely table in the corner next to a giant window showing the great Lake Tahoe.
Honestly, I can say that I'm the youngest person here by a landslide. I may be the only Hispanic here too. And people stop talking when I walk into a room and kind of stare at me. I dont think it has anything to do with gender or race. Perhaps more with my apperance and youth.
The first hall I walked into had tons of Asian people in there. And no one spoke any English. They all smiled at me and asked me to sit down and eat. And finally I found a HS kid that pointed me to the right spot. My cabin group was down the hill. Then I soon joined the other crowd.
So I found my spot. Unloaded my car. Parked my car on top of the hill and took a goregeous slow walk back to my room. Every corner of my trail had a view of the lake. And the sun turned it a rich amber and aqua tone. It looked bejewled.
So I walked outside for a bit again hoping to meet a friendly face. I did. The gardner/lawn keeper. He's a grandpa type and offerend me a ride in a teal rust green old chevy pick up. I'm not sure what drew me to take the offer. Perhaps the first friendly face after the last 30. Or the pick up. It was probably a bit of both.
After I sat in the pick up I thought to myself...
hmmm. perhaps this is why young girls die on weird mountain adventures...they are drawn to a smiling face... and jump in their car.
Oh I just met my roomate. She walked in the door.
Gotta run...we're going to class.
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