Tahoetopia

The Moment of Tahoe Marathon Start

The picture below is of the 8:30 a.m. start with smoke from the starter's shotgun still hanging in the quiet morning air. The race course was from Tahoe City all the way along the West Shore to South Lake Tahoe.


PLACES: Where is this?

Years ago sheep owners would bring their flocks up to Lake Tahoe from the Sacramento Valley and the Carson River Valley nearby in Nevada. The sheep would be taken to high, mountain pastures where there was ample grass. Sheepherders would stay with the sheep over the summer mouths and then return the sheep to the valleys over winter.

PLACES: Tahoe City on the Lake

Miners from the Comstock Lode in Nevada traveled though Tahoe City to get to California. Passengers from the intercontinental railroad left the train in Truckee and went to Tahoe City to visit the lake. The town is bright with history and scenic wonder in all seasons.

Flags fly on September 11, 2008

These pictures were taken outside a small, California fire station on the outskirts of a small town. Today, Thursday, it became a place where many people came to take photos and remember.

A FIRST: Arctic Ocean open around North Pole ice pack

The NASA image below shows the two passages in yellow, passages that were sought by explorers from the 1500’s on, pushed by merchants in Europe who wanted a short route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and the riches of the orient. The black spot in the center of the ice pack is the North Pole.

PLACES: Page Meadows on West Shore

One of my favorite places for beautiful trees is Page Meadows, right in Tahoe City’s backyard. (Some people spell it “Paige” incorrectly, according to the authoritative book Tahoe Place Names, by Barbara Lekisch.)

Lunar Eclipse

On August 16, 2008 the full moon crossed through the shadow of the earth that extends into space on the earth's side opposite the sun. This composite photograph was taken in Athens, Greece by Anthony Ayiomamitis. He also provided the commentary.


PLACES: Chinese Catfish Pond near Donner Pass

The fish were planted to augment fresh food supplies when the Chinese were helping construct the first transcontinental railroad over the Sierra.


EXCLUSIVE #4: Local's Closing Thoughts on Olympics

My "job" was to encourage participating athletes to think about the environment and to try to make a positive impact in their communities around the world. My main event was a talk hosted by Coca Cola at the Village Green Pin Trading Center in the heart of the Olympic Village.

SIERRA HERITAGE: Hiking the Scree & Splendor of Mt. Tallac

This route presents a near-continuous panoply of changing vistas over Lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf Lake, Emerald Bay, and Desolation Wilderness, all leading to a grand finale atop the summit. Mile for mile, it's one of the Sierra's most magnificent trails and arguably the premier hike of the Tahoe region.

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