Overdue for a wonderful experience, a special time with my husband, I have recently been blessed and able to experience a number of wonderful experiences in just two days. I am so happy and excited about this adventure that I need to share it with you…
As my birthday is also our wedding anniversary, 1991, that day was a Saturday this year, January 2013. Having a birthday on a Saturday is extra-special in this house = no having to report to the office, no pressing issues or errands that cannot wait, no having to be apart from each other. It could be a perfect gift to ourselves, a renwal, as long as we remain light-hearted in our spontaneity .
Knowing these especially personal events were going to be on a Saturday, my gracious husband asked the magic question: “What do you want to do for your birthday?”
“Well, hon,” I responded, “seeing as these celebrations are on a Saturday, why don’t we go for ride, go on an adventure, maybe get lost, have a picnic, let’s drive around Lake Tahoe.”\ We’ve never been there or done that, how does that sound to you? Nothing expensive. Simply wander and wonder in nature. Just for the day. The most expensive part of this road trip will be the gas.”
“Mm, I like that,” he said. “I’ll do some internet research, get a map, and see if anything special is going on like a show or a concert.”
With that plan in mind, I shared this with a few nearby friends. Cindy, a hotel manager, offered to get us a free hotel room in Reno, NV. With that in mind and highly excited with her gift, I accepted and reservations were made. We would be able to stay in Reno, Nevada, overnight. A dog-lover by nature, Cindy also volunteered to dog-sit. You know, came in a few times a day to play with both of our dogs, feed them twice a day, and enjoy them. As the dogs are familiar with her, they were actually delighted! Ahh, the blessings began!
The car is packed with our warm, bulky winter jackets, duffel bags with clothes and toiletries, a change of shoes-from-snow-boots, a cooler with sandwiches, drinks, and insulin, we headed up the Sierra Mountain Range. By the time we were at 4,000 feet, my ears were popping. Not unusual. I just had not experienced this in a while. Walls of snow along the highways’ edge gradually grew from 4′ to 8′ as we continued. Nice. Althought the snow was dirty, it was nice to see it once again. It had been a long time. Maybe two years since we ventured into the mountains for the purpose of playing in the snow, experiencing it.
Our first stop was Emerald Bay (http://www.vikingsholm.org/history%20of%20eb.html). Intrigued by the name and the little we know of its history, we exited the highway to see what was to be seen, if anything. The day was superbly clear and bright, the temperature no higher that 40 degrees at 1:00 in the afternoon. As this specific area was closed to traffic and pedestrians for the season, we parked along the roadside with many other curiousity seekers and walked a deep, snow-filled path through the woods. A breathtaking view atop a special spot overlooking Lake Tahoe was magnificent! No, we didn’t take pictures. We didn’t have to. These pictures will stay in our hearts and memories. Ahh, take a deep breath. Fill your lungs with cold fresh air; exhale; greedily inhale the majesty again. That ‘s what we did.
Okay. Reverie over, stomachs growling, we returned to the car for the purposely prepared picnic lunch. Gosh, the cliche remains true about an adventure sparking ones’ appetite. It did for us! Before gobbling, however, an insluin injection must precede this submarine sandwich stuffed with fresh vegetables. Not a problem. It’s my life with diabetes.
Slowly traversing down the winding mountain road, ears popping once again, we are back on the highway heading toward Reno, Nevada. As check in time was 3:00pm, we had plenty of time, not rushing for anything. Upon arriving, we found the hotel room to be exsquisitely furnished with a refrigerator, stove, cooking utensils and the like. After all, it is an Extended Stay America Hotel (http://www.extendedstayhotels.com/Reservations/SelectRoom.html?sid=70c6e015-b611-4600-9fcd-99a614952d1d).
Once rested after this part of the four-hour drive, we changed clothes into something more special, formal. We didn’t know where we were to end up and wanted to be ready. This part of the adventure brought us to the Peppermill Casino (http://www.peppermillreno.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=regional&utm_campaign=general%2Bbranded&gclid=CM2kq5a1kLUCFYp_QgodEzUASg). Unfamiliar with its acoutrements, we hungrily wandered the active premises looking for a “nice place to dine.” Coming upon “Biminis Steakhouse” (http://www.peppermillreno.com/dining/fine-dining/bimini-steakhouse/), we approached the maitre’d for seating. “Do you have reservations?” she asked. “No, we don’t,” I answered. “I wasn’t aware that reservations were required. But today is my birthday and our wedding anniversary. We were walking by and thought this would be a perfect setting for us to celebrate.”
“Well, okay. Let me see what I can do,” she responded as she overlooked the available table spaces. “Here we go. I have an opening overlooking the pool with its fountain near a window.”