Happy Birthday Dad!

Of course, July 22 is my Dad's birthday, and two years ago during our last trip, I compiled a blog post, where you submitted birthday greetings! It was a lot of fun to see all the birthday wishes so I'm going to  do it again!

To start it off, Here's a birthday throwback from two years ago to Dad in his natural habitat with binoculars!

Happy Birthday Dad!  Not many people get to do what we have, to go Cross County once, let alone twice, but here we are on the trip of the lifetime a second time! And for that I can't thank you enough! I love you, and I can't wait to go see the Big Trees! 

Love, 

Amy

(In Latin, Laetus Dies Natalis, Pater!)

Tales of Tahoe (Tahoe Lake Post)

Unfortunately, when we reached Tahoe yesterday afternoon it was a little rainy.  As we were driving toward our campsite, we saw dramatic clouds over the gray lake.  

Cuddling with my buddy! Photo-credit to Dad

Mom and Dad found their future home.  

Fanny Bridge and Dam over the Truckgee River

There are 63 streams that flow into Lake Tahoe, but the Truckgee River is the only outlet from the Lake

Casual Pinecone Modeling

This tree sculpture was carved out of the largest tree in Tahoe City,  as it was dying it was decided to memorialize it in someway, by creating a sculpture with animals that enjoyed the tree climbing on it. 

The weather was much better today!

The lake was at one time a glacial lake, but the surrounding glaciers melted a long time ago.  Lake Tahoe is also the third deepest lake in North America, with its deepest point being 1,644 feet, and the average about 1000.  The bottom is 95 feet deeper than the elevation of Carson City, Nevada.  There are over 39 trillion gallons of water in the lake, which cycle around for about 700 years. before being outlet into the Truckgee River.  The amount of water could cover California with 14 inches of water.  

We woke up early this morning to get a parking spot at Emerald Bay State Park, and the sign was perfect for Harvey!

Down into Emerald Bay

The beach where we rented kayaks! 

We kayaked out to the island

In my kayak!

Photo-credit to Mom

 Lake Tahoe was once home to many paddle boats and steamboats, and the tradition continues with paddleboat tours such as these.

The top of the Island we kayaked to. 

The lake is so clear that you can see down 67 feet from the surface in certain locales. 

We went swimming on the beach near where we rented our kayaks because how often do you get to swim in Lake Tahoe?!  However, the water was quite cold as the average surface temperature is only 68 degrees.  However, any deeper than 600 feet and it remains a frosty 39 degrees! Burr!  The warm and cold water constantly mix preventing the lake from freezing.  

Vikingsholm was the private home of Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight, who chose the spot because it reminded her of the fjords of home.  The rock structure on the island was also part of her home, and she took guests out in a boat for tea.  

Eagle Falls

We saw this sign driving out of Tahoe, we smiled at the Big Trees, as we have been telling everyone who asks that we are here to see the big trees.  Big Trees is apparently a town.  It was too far out of our way to visit, but it made us smile!

The pass we drove through to get to our campsite was really pretty!

Mom and Timber running down the road.

Next Stop! Yosemite!

Ciao,
Amy

I Put Salt on My Salt or The New Definition of Nothing (Bonneville Salt Flats Post)

We are now in Nevada, and last night we stayed in Rye Patch State Recreation Area, but again, as is the problem when we stay in canyons and deserts, there is little to no cellular service.  So here is the morning update on yesterday's events.

Mom and Timber went exploring behind the KOA in Salt Lake City, and came to the Utah State Fairgrounds.

Photo Credit to Mom!

After leaving the city, we drove with the world's largest open pit copper mine on one side and the Great Salt Lake on the other.  

A little farther down was a processing plant for the mine

The Great Salt Lake

The Great Salt Lake is also home to salt harvesting and processing plants and so if you use Morton Salt here is one of the places it comes from!

We headed off toward the Bonneville Salt Flats.  They stretch over 30,000 acres and are the remnants of the Pleistocene Lake Bonneville.  For those not familiar with geological epochs, the Pleistocene epoch lasted about 2,588,000 to 11,700 years ago.  This particular salt flat is the largest of the salt flats located west of the Great Salt Lake.  The salt flats create a delicate ecological environment, completely preventing plant growth in some areas, but in other places plants and animals thrive near ponds and other marshy areas.  The salt flats have over the course of history created a natural barrier that have impeded different expeditions.  However, in 1910, the first permanent crossing of the salt flats was completed when the Southern Pacific Railroad linked Salt Lake City and San Francisco.  The ancient Lake Bonneville was named for Captain B. L. E. Bonneville, who despite never visiting the salt flats, proved that it was once part of an ancient basin.  During the last Ice Age about 15,000 years ago, Lake Bonneville was about the size of Lake Michigan covering about a third of Utah and parts of the surrounding states.  The Salt Flats and the Great Salt Lake are both maintained by wind and water as during the winter, a thin layer of standing water floods the area, and during the spring and summer, this water is evaporated away and wind smooths the surface.  The salt contains Potassium, Magnesium, Lithium, and Sodium Chloride, which is table salt.  

Part of the salt flats are used for racing as the Bonneville Salt Flats International Speedway.  The Speedway is 80  feet wide and 10 miles long.  It is prepared by the Bureau of Land Management in the early summer, and speed trials occur until the winter flooding occurs.  The potential for racing was recognized in 1896, and many speed records have been set.  

Don't mistake Timber's smile here as happiness, she did not like the salt flats whatsoever.  She mainly feared being left behind.  I don't blame her! I wouldn't want to be left there either, although I did enjoy the warmth.

Harvey in the middle of nothing

Mountains in Nevada 

At our campground in Nevada, in the Rye Patch State Recreation Area.

We found a lizard!

Our Campsite

On our walk with Timber, photo credit to Mom!

Update:  Woo Hoo!  We're in California!!  We're heading toward Lake Tahoe now!  

Ciao!

Amy

P.S. - The title 

"I Put Salt on My Salt" comes from a t-shirt slogan of a random guy I saw back home in line at Dunkin' Donuts.  He probably won't see this but thanks for the inspiration!  Also I think that Grandpa would have appreciated the slogan!