900 miles

I had such a lovely day in Tahoe and evening at Rosanna's parents house in Reno.

Rosanna unexpectedly got sick from consuming too much nutmeg (who knew? But it's a real thing. She found out the hard way when the lid came off the nutmeg jar as she was putting it into warm milk) so she was unable to go hiking with me.

I drove to Tahoe City and went to Fanny Bridge, a museum and the visitors center. They suggested that I spend some time at Sugar Pine State Park, and told me where I could get a yummy sandwich to take with me. I drove down to the park which was only about 10 miles away, along the shoreline of Lake Tahoe. The water is the most beautiful rich blue color I have ever seen. It's magical and sparkly. I paid my $8 and went into the park, found a shady spot for my car and set out along the trail. There is a cool old mansion that was built there in the 1800's, some old boathouses with vintage boats in them and the cabin of the very first settler in Tahoe. They have nice trails and interpretive signs. It was so gorgeous. I walked along the shore and there were lots of happy people picnicking, bike riding, hiking and swimming. It was a perfect day. I found some rocks and feathers that I think Julian will like.

I drove up to Reno in the afternoon to Rosanna's. Her parents, Mary and Larry are lovely people and they have a great home with the Truckee River running through the backyard. They were so comfortable to be around and made me feel very welcome. Rosanna was feeling better by the evening and she made a delicious stir fry with fresh veggies and poached eggs over brown rice. Larry opened some nice wine and we sat outside and talked and laughed. Mary made a fresh strawberry pie for dessert and we looked at photos and talked about our travels.

Rosanna's dad had made a great swing in the backyard and a platform that you climb up on, get yourself into the swing and launch yourself out over the river. I was scared to death, but I did it. My heart was in my throat, but I still managed to scream and laugh at the same time as I was flying through the air. It was fantastic. After the swing became still, I sat in it at twilight and watch the bats come out for their dinner of bugs along the river. More magic.  Larry has also built an outdoor bedroom by the river out of a picnic tent and it has a wood floor, a little table with a lamp and is so cozy. They definitely make the very best of their beautiful surroundings.

I slept well and had happy dreams before setting out this morning around 8:30. It was wonderful to see Rosanna again and to meet her darling parents. I drove for 10 hours today, listening to my books on tape and watching the Nevada desert go by. I enjoyed my drive this time. The last time I was on Interstate 80 was when Taylor was in labor with Julian and I was trying to get there as fast as I could, so not all that enjoyable. It was nice to just look around this time and enjoy the contemplative, meditative time as the miles rolled by.

I'm at my mom's tonight, tired and happy. I'm sure I'll sleep well.

Travelin' Shoes

I am on my way to Utah tonight via Lake Tahoe. I'm in Truckee at the Truckee Hotel on main street. It's a very old place and has a good vibe. In my room there are photos of Charlie Chaplin, a wonderful old dresser with an oval mirror, tall ceilings and a sink in the corner. Bathroom is down the hall. It's clean and comfortable. The rate was really good and it feels like I'm the only one here. Haven't seen one other guest so far. There is a cool breeze blowing through the window but I'm afraid I'll have to close it because the train is about a half a block away and sounds like it's coming right through my room when it goes by. I hope there aren't many night trains....my room is right up there on the first floor with a great balcony and lots of comfy chairs....

I'm meeting with my friend Rosanna tomorrow to do some hiking and then will spend the night with her in Reno before the long drive to Orem. I haven't seen Rosanna since I met her in October last year in Kathmandu. We were two slightly scared girls traveling alone to places unknown and were about to have experiences that would change our, at least my, life. I'm pretty sure it changed hers too but I'll find out more tomorrow....we were both on a similar journey: Rosanna had also put everything in storage and was planning to travel for at least 4 months. She had no idea what she would do upon her return either and it sounds like she's still trying to figure it out like I am. She spent time in Nepal and India before returning to the US this spring. We had some profound experiences together in Nepal and I feel very connected to her. She is quite a bit younger than I and people thought we were mother and daughter.

It sure feels good to be back on the road. I can't quite seem to get it out of my veins. I just want to be active and moving. I have no desire to settle down anywhere at this point in time. I still don't know where I'm going in the big scheme of things but that's ok. I have everything I need in my car and I can go anywhere. And that's a grand feeling. Maybe I should buy a mini van or a mini Winnebago. I wonder if they make hybrid winnebagos. Or electric winnebagos. I could see myself traveling around the US to parts I've never seen before. Maybe I can work for the National Parks as a roving chef or a roving trail blazer.

I went on a day long yoga retreat over the weekend and it was wonderful. It was in a little tent/yurt overlooking the pacific ocean. We spent the day in meditation, doing some writing, some chanting and of course some deep yoga. I loved it and felt so very lucky to be there. We could hear the sounds of the ocean waves the whole time. There were chickens crowing, a fire burning and a beautiful feeling there. After the retreat we hiked along the coast for a couple of miles just as it was getting dark. The air was perfect and the sounds of the waves hitting the shore was below us. It was a perfect Saturday.