An Unexpected Gift (bonus blog)
Or: 8 Days in Tahoe
It all began with a single text from a friend 10 days earlier: Not sure if feasible for you but I am using my friend’s Tahoe cabin June 25th-July 2.
Umm… yes, please.
Actually, it took me a day to sort through whether it would be possible, but it was still a resounding “YES!” when it came down to it. I’ve never been to Tahoe or this part of the country, and given how the previous few months had been with all the deaths, grief, and other emotional events happening in my life, it seemed like my friend’s offer was perfectly timed. So, tickets were purchased, client sessions were rescheduled, and packing was planned.
A week later, I found myself sitting at a gate in the C Terminal at O’Hare, people-watching with my friend, as we waited for boarding. We had never traveled together before, but I know that we are two intelligent adults, so it seemed like it would be easy. (Side note: It has been! Very.) We boarded our evening flight and four and a half hours later, we arrived in Reno. Landing in Nevada is always a bit jarring for me. Even after years of traveling to Vegas for work, I still have shock upon exiting an aircraft and being assaulted by the sounds and lights of casino games in the middle of the terminal—like an adult version of an arcade. It’s crazy!
We went to our local hotel for the night via the shuttle and settled in for a quiet evening. In the morning, we would get the car and head for the lake. But not before enjoying a delicious breakfast. (Seriously, my favorite meal of the day.)
The drive to the lake was epically beautiful. We climbed higher and higher, up over ridges and through mini-valleys between peaks, until finally the lake started to come into view. We approached the lake from the Northeast corner, near Incline Village, where we decided to spend some time and have a wander. The only problem was that we couldn’t really figure out where the main town was to be able to get out and walk around. So, we made the decision to drive around the lake instead because we had about 5 hours to kill before we could check-in at the cabin.
The drive around the lake involved stopping at various points to take photos, have a little walk, breathe in the fresh air, and just marvel at the natural beauty that surrounded us. Being my first visit, I found myself easily awed. It was all quite stunning. I’m not sure what I expected, but the reality of it all was definitely more than I had seen in my mind’s eye. From the giant boulders at the water’s edge surrounded by turquoise-green hues to the midnight blue color in the center of the lake, it was an artist’s paradise.
As we meandered south, we eventually found ourselves at the southern edge of the lake, which was clearly the most developed. Giant resort hotels seemed to straddle the state line between Nevada and California. It felt out of place to see such behemoths amid so much nature… and it’s still growing! We saw cement and rebar foundations currently being created for another massive installment, alongside which we found a tiny taco stand, so we decided to stop for lunch.
After fueling ourselves, we continued on our journey around the lake heading into the steepest part of the road. As I sat in the passenger seat, I distracted myself from the heart-gripping drop-off to my right by incessantly talking. At one point, the road even ran along a ridge. A ridge! The drop-off was on both sides now, and I was incredibly grateful when that segment of road was over. Throughout the drive, we passed by various points along the way that we made a mental note to come back and visit, such as Emerald Bay and Camp Richardson’s walk-in aquarium (which was, sadly, closed). Finally, we headed to the local town (Tahoe City) and stocked up on groceries for the week before arriving at the cabin.
We settled in, familiarized ourselves with the surroundings (or at least I did, as my friend has been here before), and discussed plans for the next day or two. As we chatted, I started to notice that I wasn’t feeling great. A headache was forming, and I was feeling nauseous. I excused myself and headed upstairs.
Within minutes, I realized what was happening: altitude sickness. Yes, even at 6200 ft I get altitude sickness. (Heck, even at 5200 ft like Denver, I get a mild case.) So, my first night was spent navigating the symptoms of altitude sickness and simply trying to make the room stop spinning if my head was slightly horizontal. Thankfully, I had good help on the other end of the phone, and used all the tools I had to help alleviate the symptoms. The next morning, a quick trip to town meant purchasing a few more supplies, such as electrolytes, to help the sickness pass a little faster. Happily, the symptoms steadily decreased, and by the end of day 2, I was back to 90%, with each day getting better.
Over the next five days, my vacation varied from simply resting and reading to writing and exploring the local area. My friend took hikes almost daily, but with my altitude sickness and my recent knee surgery, I opted out of those. Instead, I focused on recharging my batteries, being gentle with myself and allowing my brain to reorganize the emotions and stress of the last four months—well, of the last 18 months, actually!
My days were spent quietly, just being present to where I am, what I’m thinking/feeling, and having genuinely great conversations with my friend. There’s something magical about spending time with someone who you know, but now get to know in a better, deeper way. We learned we have a lot of similarities, and also that we complement each other well. More so, it’s really nice to travel with someone who is independent and simultaneously enjoys company. It made for a really lovely week, in so many ways.
A few of the highlights of the week included (see photo galleries below):
Sunset boat cruise on the lake, during which we got to see the house from Godfather II and take some incredible sunset photos.
Heading to a neighboring town (Truckee) for dinner at Cottonwood, a restaurant on a hill overlooking the town, where I had one of the best chicken sandwiches ever!
Getting a visit from the property manager’s dog, Zora, who was the sweetest nugget of love… and also ginormous!
Spending our last night at Sunnyside for a delicious dinner with breathtaking views.
Personally, I also managed to complete a book of poetry that I have been working on. Being able to sit in a cabin in the woods and re-read the poetry I have been compiling for years, write more poems, and then pull it all together into a manuscript ready for editing was an unexpected gift. Though I brought my laptop, I didn’t come here with a plan to focus on poetry. I had thought I might just do some work on other authors’ projects to try and make some headway on my to-do list. Thankfully, the muse returned and gifted me with some of her magic.
The muse. I used to think she was elusive. I used to think she was a rare beast that had to be appeased or cajoled in some way for her to show up and offer her gifts. But the truth is so different. She simply needs space—space to show up. Sometimes that space is a location, and sometimes it’s simply time, or attention.
As I sit here and write this blog, I reflect on the simple fact that writing is and always will be a form of vacation for me, regardless of where I am in the world. When I can sit down and write, my fingers gliding across a keyboard or my pen making scratching sounds on paper, I am happiest. I am one with the muse, because she resides inside me. She only needs me to slow down enough to remember to make space for her.
So, alongside remembering that I get altitude sickness at even the smallest of heights, I will mostly remember that writing is my ticket to joy, to relaxation, to recharging, and to connecting with the muse inside me—who is always ready to show up and share her gifts with me. Remembering is the true magic. Remembering who I am, what I love, and the importance of making time and space for both.
Many people come to Tahoe to escape life, to spend their time with family and friends engaging in outdoor-themed activities. There is a perpetual vacation vibe underlying most everything I saw and did. For me, however, Tahoe ended up not being about escaping life, but engaging with it. Engaging with my internal life in ways that fuel me, fill me up, and remind me. Beyond its enduring beauty forever etched in my mind, Tahoe will be embossed on my heart for the unexpected gift it has given me of simply remembering.
And with that, I say goodbye to this corner of the world…
Photos from the week:
Beautiful! 🥰
Thank you Martina. I enjoyed my own "mini-vacation in my imagination" while reading about yours! xo