We found a campground at Granite Flats just outside of Truckee. It was bear country (!) so we were sure to put our food things into the provided bear box.
We took the road by bike back to Truckee to have dinner at the brewery so that Susan could have the nachoes she was craving. I had grilled shrimp that came with a mountain of sweet potato fries. We each enjoyed our selection.
On the return to camp, we discovered a trail that would take us most of the way before getting onto the highway.
A lovely trail and Susan rode directly over a ‘stick’, she thought — until it coiled.
Later she researched to identify it as a Northern Rubber Boa! Apparently harmless, and it coils up when threatened. It point its tail up so that it appears to be its head. Thus if something strikes at it, the tail gets scarred but the head is safe! Nature!!
Enough excitement for this day! We arrived back at camp just as it was getting dark and called it a day. The next morning Susan would cast a line a few times into the river, and I would ride my bike to Tahoe City. The ride began on Highway 89 with a very wide (maybe 6 foot) bike lane and only sparse traffic on this day. After about eight miles on the highway I would find the Truckee River Trail. I almost missed the trail until I saw two people exiting it across the highway from me. I darted (safely) across the highway to pick up the trail that parallels the river.
It is a delightful trail and I was one of only a handful of users, and a couple of fisher people along the way. In less than ten more miles I met up with Susan at the Visitor Center in Tahoe City. She had enjoyed her fishing time even though she did not catch anything. She was vindicated when a fisherman she talked with said he had been fishing all the way up the river and had not seen nor caught fish!
On to Fallen Leaf campground south of Tahoe City where we would spend this night. Arriving late in the day, we quickly set up camp and hopped on our bikes to take the paved bike trail for a visit to the visitor center. Susan started us on a shortcut through some grassy area that would connect us to the trail proper. But then, on that grassy trail just yards from our campsite...
A SNAKE AND A BEAR oh my!! How much more adventure could we take! That black bear was closer to our camp than I liked!! The park attendant was standing by us looking and photographing with us and told us it was the third bear he had seen that DAY! Then he showed us a photo on his phone that he had taken only three hours previously, of a bear at someone’s food laden picnic table, having his own picnic! CLEAR AWAY ALL FOOD ITEMS WHEN CAMPING. DO NOT LEAVE FOOD OUT WHEN YOU LEAVE CAMP. Or even if you are in camp.
That was so interesting, Nancy.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photographs and lots of good information.