Lake Tahoe – 2010 Preview

How does an entomologist/wannabe botanist-ecologist-geologist-cyclist-nature photographer spend his time on a family vacation?

• Thursday evening to Saturday late afternoon:
  - Drive from St. Louis to Lake Tahoe.  In between driving shifts:
  - Complete manuscript on Cylindera cursitans surveys
  - Complete manuscript on Dromochorus pruinina surveys.
  - Arrive late afternoon, quick 1-hr bike ride before dark.
• Sunday:
  - Cross-country skiing with the family: Spooner Lake (~6 miles).
  - Sight-seeing: Sand Harbor Overlook on the east shore.
  - Hang out at the hot tub with the family and a glass of wine.
• Monday:
  - Drive to Sacramento with the family.
  - Visit buprestid-colleagues Chuck Bellamy (CDFA) and Mark Volkovitsh (Russian Academy of Science).
  - Private lesson from Mark on how to dissect buprestid larvae for taxonomic description.
  - Dinner with my favorite brothers-in-law.
  - Drive back to Lake Tahoe.
• Tuesday:
  - Snowshoe hike with the family: Emerald Bay to Eagle Lake and back (2 miles, 1,900′ of climbing).
  - Bike ride: South Lake Tahoe to Bliss State Park and back (33 miles, 1,100′ of climbing).
• Wednesday:
  - Bike ride: all the way around Lake Tahoe (72 miles, 3,500′ of climbing).
  - Hang out at the hot tub with the family and a glass of wine.
• Thursday:
  - Botanizing and hiking with daughter Madison at Mt. Rose (4 miles, 1,300′ feet of climbing).
  - Hang out at the hot tub with the family and a glass of wine.
• Friday:
  - Alpine skiing with the family at Heavenly Ski Resort.
  - Join a 2-hour ski tour with US Forest Service rangers discussing natural and cultural history of Lake Tahoe.
  - Hang out at the hot tub with the family and a glass of wine.
• Saturday morning to Sunday night:
  - Drive from Lake Tahoe back to St. Louis.  In between driving shifts:
  - Process/file photographs from trip (~250).
  - Complete reports for 2009 collecting permits.
  - Complete new applications for 2010 permits.
  - Begin manuscript on Cylindera celeripes conservation status.
• Monday:
  - Return to work mentally refreshed!

I’ve already shared a bit of the trip with a view of Mt. Rose from 7,000′ and ensuing pismire quagmire.  Today I share some views of one of the most scenic of lakeside spots on the east shore – Sand Harbor Overlook.  I featured this spot in this post from last year’s trip due to its stunning beauty, and this year I was no less impressed.  I still had that same, annoying, afternoon sun to deal with (next year I’ve resolved to get here during the morning) but managed to get some passable photographs.  The one above is my favorite, and I hope you enjoy the following as well. (p.s. if someone knows how to fix a sun-blown sky in Photoshop Elements, please let me know).

Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2010

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