I took yesterday off work and while I requested the day off weeks ago and desperately needed a day off, I felt just a smidgen of guilt for abandoning my co-workers with so much going on. But a longer weekend is exactly what I needed after a very stressful few weeks and weekends. My mom and I took a day trip to Lake Tahoe for a trip down memory lane looking for the cute little lakefront cabins our family used to vacation at 25+ years ago. As well as discovering new places for future getaways.
And we found one, The Franciscan Lakeside Lodge, where I remember enjoying a lot of rafting and swimming on this little beach.
And I ogled over other lake front private property as a dream vacation home.
I would love to retire or have a vacation home at a cute little lakefront apartment. Doesn’t it look heavenly?
But there was no Whole Foods nearby, that’s a huge problem!
For lunch, we headed to Jason’s Beachside Grille for the scenic outdoor eating area. But the menu was lacking in vegan options and since I wasn’t in the mood for another veggie burger, my choice was clear.
The salad bar had plenty of vegan options including fresh spinach and sprouts, not bad at all. But not exactly exciting.
After we crossed the state line to the Nevada side of north shore to Sand Harbor state park for gorgeous views, hiking, and photography of course.
I could get used to views like this even though the water is too cold for swimming most of the year.
The aqua colors in the water were gorgeous and the weather perfect with a nice breeze.
Even though the water was a bit choppy, there were plenty of kayaks out.
The final stop of our mini getaway was the town of Truckee which my mom was looking forward to since she’s a history and train fanatic. We stayed mainly in the downtown shopping area with fascinating old buildings and a rich history.
There were plenty of art shops including this one with a dungeon-like basement.
And lots of activity for a weekday with lots of people shopping and exploring.
It was a nice change of scenery and relaxing way to prepare for today which we spent going through my grandma’s apartment. It was tough, sad, and emotionally exhausting which sums up the last month. But more on that later when I’m not so burned out! I promise I’ll be back to a normal posting schedule soon when things settle. For now I’ve gotta get some rest to prepare for my final long run tomorrow morning for half marathon training. To be honest, I’m not looking forward to it feeling so tired today, but I’m determined to get through it and the half marathon because it will probably be my last race for the year and maybe a little longer. The last month has been so hectic that I’ve scrambled to keep up with my training schedule and have been feeling sluggish and lacking motivation for my longer runs. I need more down time and less on my plate for a bit so I can deal with work stresses, play in the kitchen, and focus on other hobbies for awhile, like writing and trying more recipes from the piles of raw vegan books I have. :-)
I am so happy for you that you had this time away and do NOT feel guilty for a second “leaving” your coworkers. You NEEDED this time!
Your pics are soooo pretty. It’s been years since Ive been to Tahoe but want to go back, asap, now :)
How great that you and your mother took the time to enjoy a nice day before doing something so difficult.
oh i am so glad you got away! i used to live in truckee so thank you for the pics…….i am so glad you are making the most out of a difficult situation. our thoughts are with you christine.
Thanks and I love Truckee too, such a fun little area with unique house. Not sure I could deal with all the snow though. :-)
What a great post! I am lucky enough to call Lake Tahoe home, but it’s always fun to see it from another’s perspective. I hope the long run was an easy one (or at least better than you anticipated).
You are totally luck to live in Lake Tahoe! I have such wonderful childhood vacation memories from the area and would love to have a vacation/retirement cabin there someday.
Great trip! Those pictures look fantastic, love the scenery. You deserve a day off from work, and in reality – when is it never super busy at your job, so you have to take days when you need them! :)
Have a great day
Thanks, it was a great day getaway! So true on work, especially lately!
Gary (my mountain biking guide for the day) was just commenting how there is no Trader Joes. And WF. I asked him if it was because of the seasons… he said probably. But that they definitely needed one.
Anyhow, we are moving to Gardnerville next year…Least there will be a TJs in Carson City. Not too far.