Leaving Lake Tahoe

Winter is over, spring is in full swing, and summer is already right around the corner. The snows are melting on the high peaks, the sun is shining, and flowers blooming. As we move on to new adventures, it's time to say farewell to Truckee and Lake Tahoe, for now. The rumor has it that people come to Lake Tahoe for the winters and end up staying for the summer. As we dipped our bodies in the cold, cold water of Lake Tahoe just a few days before saying goodbye, we could understand why. The beautiful sandy beaches, empty this time of year, the clear cool waters, views of mountain peaks, all combine to promise that the rest of the year has as much, or more, to offer as the winter. Yet, for us our time is up and there are other places that beckon and new adventures that await. Despite being an unsettled winter, we had our fill of great days on the ski slopes, in deep powder and spring corn. However, it wasn't just the outdoor experiences that we'll remember and that will bring us back.

This winter has also been about spending time with family, and watching our boys continue to grow. We were blessed with being able to live in close quarters with Julia, Lorenzo, and Sage. We'll miss Sage's quiet knock on our door in the morning wondering when Elias and Frêney would come out and play, or at least whether he could come in and borrow their toys. We'll miss sharing dinners and breakfasts, watching the two youngest get more food on the floor than in their mouths. Over the course of a few short months, we've watched them take their first steps and then progress to little nomads, wandering all over the yard. We've heard them start to mutter their first words and use their hands to express themselves. And we've watched Elias continue to grow as a big brother and cousin, learning to share and  also to teach and help out his younger brother and cousin.

We'll be back for the summer, if only for a few days, and then again in the fall. As we've experienced before, Tahoe is more than just the adventures we've had this winter. It has a unique beauty in every season that will always draw us back, especially as long as we have such hospitable hosts to come and visit.

And some day we'll come back again to ski some of the same runs again, and maybe venture out into the mountains to some of the backcountry trips we had hoped to be able to do but never found the right opportunity. For now though, thoughts of spring and summer, sunshine and beaches, and a long adventure up the Pacific coast fill our minds.