Lake Life

I've fallen behind again at blogging again...big surprise! I've had this post in a draft, but I just never pushed that publish button. It's taken a surgery to remove my appendix, a new job back in the psychology field, and a new laptop to finally sit down and organize some thoughts and photos to reflect on. More on this later! I promise!

Back in June,  Z's sister graduated from UCSF Dental school and their family decided to celebrate by packing up and heading up to the Northern / Nevada side of Lake Tahoe for a bit of a vacation. Below are are snaps from my time there. Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite places to visit because it is always incredibly beautiful to visit; it does not matter what time of the year it is. From the lush green trees to the sparkling blue lake and its endless activities, Tahoe is definitely going to be a great time for all. When the time comes and I've saved fifty billion dollars instead of blowing it on dresses, shoes, and things for my spoiled pug--maybe I can buy a vacation home up here to escape from the busyness of the city every once and a while. Hope you all had a great weekend!

White Pines Lake

White Pines Lake is a quiet little lake, well known to local residents, but often overlooked by visitors scurrying up to Big Trees State Park or Lake Alpine. Only a mile from Arnold, the lake makes a great family destination for fishing, picnicking, or just taking the kids to a playground. For hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians, the new Arnold Rim Trail leads south from the lake 10.5 miles to Sheep Ranch Road near Avery.  As you enter White Pines off of Blagen Road, you may see a small sign proclaiming, “White Pines is not Arnold.” Although the two communities share a zip code, White Pines has a proud history all its own. The area around White Pines Lake was originally a lumber mill. After the mill closed, a dam was put in and a lake established with thoughts of selling lots around the lake. When the plan fell through, the lake and surrounding property were sold to the Calaveras Water District.

The Sierra Nevada Logging Museum on the western shore of White Pines Lake draws hundreds of visitors every year. Across its six acres are spread many of the old machines used in logging in Calaveras County. The 2400-square foot museum building contains exhibits which convey the history of logging and the lumbering industry in the Sierra Nevada. Around the grounds is an array of fascinating logging machines, from a 66,000 pound steam donkey to a Shay locomotive. Visitors can also view crawler tractors, logging arches, a logging cabin, and various saws. I highly recommend checking out White Pines around sunset, which was when the below photos were taken. Calaveras county is definitely more beautiful in person, so make a trip up to the area when you can! Perhaps go during the famous county fair and jumpin' frog jubilee  that Mark Twain based his short story on. Cheers!