Setting out

It took about three days for us to get ready. We had planned on leaving on the 13th, but got doing other things like wiring up helmets for communication and changing the fiddliest clutch cable ever. But finally, on October 16th, I got Don out of bed for noon and we decided that today was the day. Even so, it took until two in the afternoon to be finally on our way. Meanwhile, our neighbour Jim came out, regarding our bulging saddlebags and tank bag in horror: "You can't ride like that!" But we could, and did...

Originally, we had planned to go on two bikes but decided against it since, amongst other things, Don's needed a full valve tune up to cope with the high altitudes. It has 16 valves... The change of clutch cable had taken nearly two hours: with the deadline for the marriage (on my visa) fast approaching, I didn't want any more delays caused by a bike in pieces!

Onwards and eastwards

After all Don's hard work and trips to Radio Shack, it was impossible to hear one another on the radios while travelling at freeway speed and they ended up in the saddlebags!

A little beyond Sacramento is where you choose Highway 50 or 80. We chose 50. Then, round about Placerville we decided that, since it was getting dark and cold, we would call it a night. Besides, I wanted to see the mountains in daylight! We checked in to the first motel we saw: the receptionist was very laid back and didn't mind us parking the bike right in the corner, well protected, within sight of our window.

Placerville to Tahoe

We headed off and made our way into the foothills. I'm glad we waited for daylight as the scenery was absolutely beautiful - mountains and mile upon mile of forest. It's very reminiscent of Switzerland and Austria and, at Tahoe itself, there were many places with Swiss names or Swiss-style architecture.

When we got going, there was a traffic jam thanks to roadworks. It became so hot (particularly in black riding gear!) that I asked Don to move us into the shade of a huge truck where the temperature was a few degrees less! We took the marked detour but never made it onto the main 50 again, instead taking the old Highway 50 which is now 88 or 89 or something similar. Either way, it took us past several beautiful lakes and through forests, each 1000' of altitude being marked by the roadside. There was snow next to the road and the trees, when not coniferous, were turning golden. It was a spectacular route and I loved every minute of it. It was also absolutely wonderful to get into clean, fresh air - which isn't readily available in Silicon Valley where we live.

The highest we got was over 8000', and then it was downhill towards Lake Tahoe. We stopped a little way outside to have a snack and then went in. First you come to South Lake Tahoe, which is very touristified but pretty, and then to Stateline. Of course this is where Nevada begins, and the minute you cross over you get casino after casino, glitzy glitz. I also noted a large number of wedding chapels!

We decided to drive through and look for a place to sleep in Carson City, the capital of Nevada. We took a break at Spooner Summit(?), and we were both blessed by the sight of a wild coyote, heading off into the forest.

We went down the other side of the hill and it was such a contrast: so ugly, a dusty desert town, sprawling out for a long way. Yuk. We wanted to get a marriage licence there but the office had closed about 30 minutes before we arrived! We enquired at one of the motels (a chain which shall remain nameless) and were told that their South Lake Tahoe location was only about $3 more expensive so we decided we would go back, and did. It was about 25 miles to Tahoe from there and we climbed up to the mile-high lake in the late evening, feeling increasingly tired and cold.

Bats and beds

We ended up the day by going up to the Carrocks just up from the motel; I wanted salad. And boy did they do salad. The waitress had a great sense of humour too, even when the ketchup bottle took a flying leap off the tray!