Alaska to Tahoe

Fall is always an interesting time of year when you live for the winter. It is a time of transition. Fishing ends for me in mid October so my girlfriend and I pack our things and head south. It's something like 3300 miles from Haines, Alaska to Lake Tahoe, California, and with some stops to visit friends it took us 10 days. The drive is incredibly long, but it is also incredibly beautiful. We saw Moose, Cariboo, bison, coyotes, foxes and in years past even a few lynx. Vast forrests and an amazing hot springs 1000 miles from anywhere make the northern part of the drive not only bearable, but maybe even enjoyable.

After a week in the car it gets a bit old, especially travelling with a cat. Sleeping in the driver and passenger seats on the side of the road is also rough. That's why it's great to get back into the US. Seeing friends helps beak up the monotony of driving day in and day out. Being able to lie down on a flat non moving surface is such a luxury at that point. So we bounce down the west coast visiting friends and enjoying weather that is similar to a southeast Alaskan summer. 

Reaching Tahoe meant the end of a long journey, and the beginning of a house hunt. It took three days to find a place we liked and another couple days to move in and get settled. Since then it's been a mix of hiking, frisbee golf, off-roading and rock-climbing. 

That was until yesterday when Seth Lightcap told me he thought there was a spot holding. Strapping in for the first run of the year felt great, even though the conditions weren't. It was anywhere from 2-6 inches of dust on an old icy remnant of crust, but it sure was fun. We rode four laps and I even had a face shot. it was a good day.