Heading East

Written 9/17

Well it’s been a very full past few days. On Sunday, I met Lizbeth (mum’s friend) in Sonoma and got a peak at what it looks like to live in California wine country. We went to a Kathmandu Festival, full of happy people basking in the sun, listening to music and watching Nepalese dancing. That night I slept at Lizbeth’s house in Santa Rosa. It was a beautiful drive out there with the sun low in the sky and wineries surrounding us.

The next morning I headed out to Tahoe. I got very lost in Napa but made it there by midday. Tahoe was incredible. It was the first place I’ve been that I could see myself living (maybe not forever, but for a year or two? Sure.) The lake is blue and teal like the Caribbean. The Sierra Nevadas are rocky and desert like. Different from any of the other mountains I've seen yet. My first day in Tahoe I did a hike way up into the mountains (it kicked my ass. The book had said it was a “moderate” hike. I hate to imagine what they consider “strenuous”). The trees had this crazy patterned bark, and I could see for ages on both sides into more mountains and lakes. I couldn’t stop taking pictures. Everything was dusty (apparently it hasn’t rained all summer, which is pretty normal for Tahoe. They get almost all their precipitation from the masses of snow in the winter) and I ended up absolutely filthy. I ran most of the way back down the hike and could look behind and see the sand I kicked up still rising into the sky. On Day 2 I did a hike around the south western side of the lake. It probably totaled about 5 miles and it was unreal. I was up on a cliff next to the lake and just followed it around coves and rocks and forest. The weather was perfect and I clambered down some rocks at one point to take a dip.

And of course, it was great to see Jess and Drew. They seem really happy and were wonderful hosts. They have little house about a block away from the lake. After being there for only two days, I understand why they wanted to move back. It seems like a pretty kick ass life out there, especially if you’re a skier.

Today, I left Tahoe and wound my way through the mountains and desert of Nevada. It was my first day in a long time doing that much driving and it hurt. My body was sore from hiking, and sitting in a car all day didn’t help. Every time I got out to use the bathroom, I felt like a creaky old woman. By the time I hit Elko on the Eastern side of Nevada I was ready for the drive to be over. And then I got over the mountains…

I was totally unprepared for the salt flats of Utah. Almost immediately after climbing the last mountain pass, the land opens up. It’s white and flat, and in every direction there are huge mountains in the distance. The beginning of Pirates of the Carribean 3 is filmed here. It is a no man’s land like no other and heart wrenchingly beautiful. I drove through almost 100 miles of salt flats with the sun setting behind the mountains in front and on the side of me. At one point, I drove through a sand storm, with the salt billowing up over me, making it virtually impossible to see (don’t worry; it didn’t last more than a few minutes.) Eventually the great salt lake appeared on one side of me, the water spilling out in all directions. Everything is so white and flat that the lake looks like it almost sits on top of the land. And then I was in Salt Lake city, nestled by mountains and getting lost arriving at Steph and Adams.

And now I’m here. We went out for yummy Italian food for dinner. Tomorrow Steph is getting out of work early and we’ll go explore the city. I think I’ll take a run or something in the morning to try and stretch those sore sore legs of mine.

Wish you could all see this here with me. I’m on my way back to you! (well, most of you). I haven't gotten a chance to post the latest photos to flickr yet, but I will soon.

Love, Tamara