While I was waiting for my shipped bike to show up to Lake Tahoe, I borrowed my aunt’s bike. Yep, the one that I borrowed from her when I was in Morgan Hill, CA earlier this year. The old, creaky, heavy one that, regardless, provides a pretty solid means of getting around. During the summer it’s her Tahoe bike, so it was up there ready for me to borrow for a day’s adventure:)
(Aunt Diane’s bike rocking me up the hill to Emerald Bay. Lake Tahoe in the background)
It’s about 13 miles to get from our cabin in South Lake Tahoe, just shy of the Nevada border, to the Emerald Bay Bayview Trailhead that will take you to Dick’s Peak, the third highest peak in the Desolation Wilderness.
Except for maybe the last 4 of those miles, most of those 13 are really nice bike paths. Tahoe’s doing an awesome job of making itself bikeable–and there are tons of people already out there using the paths, which makes me very happy. Build it and they will come.
And after the bike ride, it’s a 6-mile hike/scramble up to the top of Dick’s Peak, which gives you amazing views of all of Desolation Wilderness and Lake Tahoe.
(Dick’s Peak. Notice the Indian Paintbrush in the foreground!:)
(Dick’s Lake, plus lots of other lakes and mountains as seen from Dick’s Peak)
Tahoe is pretty sweet for this: tons of hiking options that are a realistic bike ride away. I sort of wish there were epic hikes like this–with epic views and all, I mean–from Portland:)
Anyway. Now I’m in Lone Pine, CA with my brother, his friend, and a photographer, sitting in a hotel room between some other pretty amazing adventures. I’m so fricken psyched that I was able to have this time off this summer. More soon:)