East Lake Tahoe Trail

 

Song:  Oh Babe, What Would You Say

Artist:  Hurricane Smith

My elder sister and I went to East Lake Tahoe to scout out the East Lake Tahoe Trail.

This is the route on which I will be towing my mother...

and my elder sister and her husband...

as well as my younger sister, will be triking.

I had to actually pedal the route to ensure the towing would go smoothly...

both for my mother in her palanquin...

and for my younger sister, as she doesn't have e drive on her trike...

as there are many elevation gains...

and my elder sister will be towing her much of the way.

As we had arrived early...

we decided to eat at this restaurant not too far from the trail head.

I started out with a couple of tacos...

and then ate a two enchilada plate.

My elder sister and I then went into an art gallery for half an hour.

After we exited the art gallery...

I saw this BBQ place across the street...

and as I was still hungry...

my sister and I shared a rib plate.

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We had attempted the trail the day before...

however, the day was overcast...

so, after visiting the parking lot...

we turned back for home.

Remember this lot.

It is the trail head for the East Lake Tahoe Trail.

I will tell you now...

whether you walk it (about 6 miles roundtrip)...

or bike it...

DO NOT MISS IT.

Just ten minutes from home...

the sun was setting...

and so...

I took this shot.

It would be on the morrow when we would actually go on the trail.

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After our early supper...

we drove to the parking lot for the trail head.

The whole path is paved and very scenic.

My elder sister decided to walk the trail...

and I triked it...

as I wanted to feel the elevation gains...

and I wanted to take video of the route as well.

For a little while...

the trail is on the mountain side of the highway.

However...

it soon transitioned to the lake side for the remainder of the route.

For most of the trip...

I would pedal some...

and then stop at a rest area to take some photos.

My sister had caught up to me...

and then I took off for the next area I would stop at.

You can see my Insta 360 video camera on the end of the pole on my trike.

Later on tonight...

I will edit the video and place it on my YouTube Vlog channel

(The Three Wheeled Philosopher).

I will be placing my ride videos there.

There were many benches placed along the route...

and there were many shady areas along the whole route as well.

This is the route transition from mountainside to lakeside.

This is where it really became beautiful.

There were many trails which led directly to beaches or alcoves along the route.

This is a multi bathroom stop.

This is one of the many routes leading to a hidden beach or cove from the trail.

This was near my turn around point.

I would meet my elder sister at about the halfway point on the way back.

My sister continued walking...

but when I met her at the halfway point...

she decided to walk back to the car.

I would pedal up to a view point...

and then wait for her to arrive.

She would rest a bit before I took off again.

This was our last stop together.

She resumed her walk...

and I rode past her and put my trike into the car...

and then awaited her arrival at the parking lot.

At the trail head...

there is a cafe...

a bike rental place...

and quite a few parking places.

I was hoping for a beautiful sunset...

but...

as the skies were all blue...

we decided to just drive back home.

Our main focus on this trip was a dress rehearsal for towing my mom

in her palanquin.

I wanted to ensure there were no problems from anything...

including parking.

So...

today's scouting mission was a success.

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This is a must trail to go on.

If you can catch it on a nicely clouded day...

you must see the sunset from this trail.

The next time we go there...

that is what I plan to do.

I actually hate clear blue skies...

as I know they result in mediocre sunsets.

Never go on this trail on a weekend or a holiday...

besides the traffic on the roads being packed...

the parking lot will most likely be packed as well.

As you had seen...

today, it was mostly empty.

As the weather continues to warm...

this trail will become more crowded.

We are fortunate as we live not too far from Lake Tahoe.

It is but a relatively short and scenic drive.

But...

by planning well...

you can really see some beautiful sights as you take a leisurely walk...

or bike ride among the trees and near the pristine waters of Lake Tahoe.

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For a video of this ride...

go to The Three Wheeled Philosopher channel on YouTube.

The Three Wheeled Philosopher

Late Evening Marina Trike Ride

 

Song:  The Warmth of the Sun

Group:  The Beach Boys

As today was a clear and warm day...

my elder sister, her husband and I decided to do a late evening ride 

around the Sparks Marina Lake.

As I could take a total of 3 trikes at once with the car...

and with the dual trike carrier (my trike was inside the car)...

I loaded my trike into the car...

and then drove to my elder sister's house to load up their trikes and then I drove all

of us to the marina.

My elder sister going up the path.

Her husband soon followed.

We stopped for a brief moment as I took pictures.

Their trikes, as well as mine, can be used on unimproved dirt roads in the mountains.

They have hub e-drives...

and so...

they can handle the same rough roads that can mine.

We had...

at first...

gone for a ways beyond this point...

but as the sun was setting...

we circled back to this point for the sunset.

You can see my 360 video camera on the pole on my trike in the background.

I will download and edit the video...

and then post it on my vlog channel I will be starting of my trike rides.

The last time I had attempted it...

I later found out that the whole video hadn't recorded due to a corrupted memory card.

This time I used a new one...

so...

hopefully everything will turn out fine this time.

After the sun set...

we then continued on our way around the lake.

I went ahead and waited for my sister and her husband to catch up.

A veterans memorial.

My sister catching up.

My elder sister and her husband going ahead so I could take

more photos of them triking up the path.

I caught up to them at the bathrooms just up the path.

We are near the spot where we had parked.

This was a shakedown ride.

My elder sister and her husband were getting used to their trikes 

and the power assist.

I did it to ensure the 360 camera is working fine before 

we go to Lake Tahoe on one of the world's most scenic bike trails...

the East Lake Tahoe Bike Trail.

As soon as we have another good day...

 we will all go...

my younger sister and my mother as well.

We will have to take two cars for that ride...

as there will be four trikes...

as well as my mother's palanquin.

Misty Mountains

 

Song:  The Misty Mountains Cold

Cover:  Rachel Hardy

I had a very serene trike ride and sunset watch on this night.

The weather was strange...

as were the clouds.

The air was warm and moist...

the winds felt cooling...

and yet...

comfortable.

After arriving at Sunset Court...

I looked behind me and caught some lightning flashes...

and I could see it was raining in the distance.

And yet...

the skies to the west were forming the makings of a nice sunset on a backdrop of blue.

To the southwest...

and covering the Sierra Nevada Mountains...

the clouds had also taken on a misty pink hue.

As I was almost surrounded by various colors

in combination with the gentle, but steady breeze coming out of the west...

I felt the ethereal melody of this song (Misty Mountains) playing through my head.

It was so fitting.

I stood surrounded by colors...

and all the while wearing a wide smile on my face.

Everything felt so surreal...

so perfect.

I felt so happy inside.

It reminded me of my childhood when I would spend hours alone...

sitting on a curbside as I watched storms in the evening hours...

until beyond nightfall.

------------------

I have crossed off most items of my bucket list.

All the important things I have completed...

with the rest being just the gravy on top.

Having this...

 I have a deep inner serenity...

 a sense of peace.

I love life so much.

I stand near the top of my last mountain to climb...

and so...

I may fully enjoy the colors of the clouds at sunset...

and the gently buffeting winds as they caress my face.

I feel so free.

Although I will travel in the future...

even should I not...

I already have my deepest contentment in my everyday passions.

I am now practicing my next cover song...

I will resume writing another novel soon...

and I am looking forward to triking the Sierra Nevada mountains...

and, as always...

I experience the great simple pleasures of life to the fullest.

I am doing what I love the most...

on a daily basis.

I have made peace with my past...

I am fully engaged with the present...

and I have more to look forwards to in the distant future.

I cannot stress enough...

the great importance of the cathartic effects 

of fully engaging yourself in a great passion in life.

To be so happy in life that should you die on the morrow...

you would have no regrets...

of being so happy standing alone and watching a sunset unfold...

feeling the wind and reliving the happiest times in your life

as great pieces of music play in your mind with such pure tones

that you feel every instrument as they massage you from the inside out...

this is living in the moment.

We only have one life to live.

To live life fully is to not be left behind in time...

and to not fear death.

To not feel serenely happy in solitude is to not be happy with yourself.

Make daily headway towards your long term goals...

spend time alone on a daily basis so you may reflect 

on what makes you the most happy...

and then do it.

Only once you know how to make yourself happy...

are you any good to yourself or to anyone else.

True happiness...

true love...

and true beauty only emanate from the inside.

Stop faking it in life.

No one is impressed by bluff and false bravado...

or by the accumulation of the unnecessary trinkets of wealth.

Yes...

money is important...

but only so long as it provides you the means to be free from worry 

while providing you the time to pursue your true passions in life.

By attempting to live to impress others...

you imprison yourself in a life of drudgery...

enslaved by your own ego.

Your best friend is you.

Once you know how to take care of yourself...

life begins to take care of itself.

Things you had once thought to be important outside of the self...

you will soon find to be frivolous.

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I simply cannot impress upon you enough...

the importance of solitude.

Should you fear being alone...

you are not fully living life.

Almost everywhere...

there will be a spot from where you may enjoy a sunset.

Trike out to it as often as you can.

Allow at least half an hour to immerse yourself in the colors...

and in the music of the winds.

If only in those brief moments...

the sun...

the winds...

and the clouds...

become your best friends...

as they will be a reflection of yourself.

And...

if only during your trike ride to and from...

you will experience a freedom from the outer world...

as you journey to the inner world of the flow.

Exercise is the key...

and 85 is the number on the door.

-----------

You...

and you alone...

are responsible for your happiness in life.

Had I concentrated on the stormy half of the sky on this evening's sunset...

I would have missed the beauty all around me in all the other directions.

Simplify life.

Focus only on walking the path to the achievement of your goals.

In this manner...

you will automatically skirt all of the pitfalls...

and so...

your future will be filled with hope...

your past becomes relegated to life lessons...

and you may truly live life in the present.

The Three Wheeled Philospher