OutsideRunning: Lake Tahoe

My mom loves Lake Tahoe, so naturally I call her whenever I'm up there to make her jealous. Just a little payback for all the times she calls me to tell me she cooked this and that and it's too bad I'm not there to partake of it. You know I find myself falling for the place too. The more I visit the more I love it. Lot's of good memories in Tahoe which includes finishes in the two 100-mile ultra-marathon races held there every summer.

Last weekend was a big one at the lake. It was my friend Jessica's birthday and they were celebrating it again in Tahoe. The last four years she and her guy Jeff had headed up there for her birthday weekend and taking part in the TransTahoe relay. They organize the whole thing; house rental, boat rental, food and drink and swimmers for the relay. It's swimming so technically it's "outside running" so I don't mind posting here. I was just along for the ride, a spectator. While all the other teams used small water ski type boats we had a sailboat, so spectators were welcome and encouraged. Basically 6 swimmers take turn swimming across the lake and the route is about 11 miles long or just under 18 kilometers. Boats shadow their swimmers all the way across. A friend had told me that the lake water is so clean you can drink it as you swim.

Got in on Friday and stopped off at Carson City which was home base for another 100-mile ultra which was also happening that weekend then headed to Jessica and Jeff's house rental. We were up before sunrise Saturday for the swim relay, done by lunch, grabbed a huge lunch complete with margaritas, napped in the afternoon and enjoyed each others company for the rest of the evening. We all need days like this. Sunday was clean up then we headed out for some group activity. Some biked the roads, a couple of folks mountain biked the trails and I went on a solo run with my camera. We then got back together for a short dip in the lake, a quick lunch and then it was back to San Francisco.

The weather was great that weekend, blue skies, a bit on the warm side but better than cold and foggy like we have here. Wish I was back there now. Enjoy the pictures.

Saturday morning in the Lake, headed towards the swim relay start at Sand Harbor. We were the only sailboat in the relay, most were using small waterski type boats. Somewhere to the right is the start of the TahoeRimTrail 100.