(As always, click on any of the pictures for a larger version)

This week we concentrated on physical activity, for fun and to also try (vainly) to keep ahead of all the great food and snacks the kids have provided. Fortunately, it’s so beautiful here that it distracts from any fatigue or effort when hiking or exercising. We’ve each been trying to get back to a regular running schedule. Tommy is just about there, but Paula is still struggling with hills in the neighborhood after the flatness of sea level Florida.

We went on two hikes. The first, the Lam Watah Trail was a historic path through land that was used by the ancient Washoe tribe to visit fishing and camping grounds. It was fairly flat and wide, so you could concentrate less on your footwork and more on the scenery: lots of huge boulders interspersed with Quaking Aspen and Jeffrey Pines. We saw tons of chipmunks of all sizes, and other hikers many with dogs. It led to Nevada beach and the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tahoe. A small campground with water access fronted the beach.

The second, the Barn trail, was rocky and relatively steep outgoing, but easier on the downhill coming back in. Here there were changing patterns of low bushes and greenery throughout, many of which carried distinctive sents. If we go again, Paula will take more plant pictures for idenfication. She did take a picture of some purple flowers that turned out to be from the alfalfa family!

At times the trail wound around and crossed under the cable cars heading to the top with sightseers. Paula was surprised at how clear their conversations were at 40 feet over our heads when we passed under, but a few yards past we couldn’t hear them at all. Paula thought about this a lot after some campers we passed said they saw a bear with her two cubs. Mama bears are VERY defensive when their cubs are even accidentally approached and now she worried that we might not hear or see them until we were too close for comfort. As it turned out, we never saw them at all. Paula was not disappointed!

We tried to stick to healthy meals this week and had different dinners of scallops, shrimp scampi, and swordfish, usually with roasted vegetables as sides. Of course, we couldn’t resist Kyle’s left-over smoked tri-tip with mop sauce. We had that twice.

We spent yesterday trying to scrub and vacuum the cabin to a spit-shine, and this weekend we will have Glennis and Kyle and Dacia, Miller, and Makai for company. We can’t wait.