Wonders Of The Golden West Part 11...

Leaving Columbia behind we continued our journey to our stop for the night, Lake Tahoe, passing the beautiful Silver Lake Reservoir.  The Old Emigrant Road was a long loop around the Silver Lake basin, this difficult portion of the road was used by thousands of vehicles from 1848 to 1863, when a better route was blasted out of the face of the cliff at Carson Spur (the present highway route).

 through Jackson Creek, where we stopped for a coffee and bought a sandwich for lunch.

On the road again watching the scenery

on the way to Caples Lake, a beautiful place,

 where in 1849 Dr. James Caples passed through on his way to California's Gold Country.   After a brief stay in old Hangtown (Placerville) Caples remembered the lake and returned here with his family to establish a way station, that served weary travellers for thirty years. The lake, known variously as Summit Lake, Clear Lake and Twin Lakes, is two miles long and has a surface area of 600 acres.   We stopped for a photo opportunity

before we were on the road again

and at Lake Tahoe.

Named the "Big Water" by the Washoe Indians, Lake Tahoe holds enough water to cover the entire state of California to a depth of 14 inches! 

We just had time to settle into our hotel, shower and change before we were heading down to the lake

 to join the 520-passenger, award-winning M.S. Dixie II, the largest cruising vessel in South Lake Tahoe, for a Sunset Dinner Dance Cruise to Emerald Bay.

 Sailing off into the sunset, we were on our way to a magical evening of dinner and starlit strolls.

Listening to a narration featuring intriguing stories about Fanette Island and Vikingsholm, whet our appetite for dinner, which we had selected from entrees like Center-Cut Certified Angus Beef New York Steak, Seared Blackened Salmon, Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken Breast and Spinach and Roasted Garlic Ravioli. After dinner we strolled on deck to admire the scenery.

MWM even went up on the bridge

 where the Captain let him take the wheel.

After that little adventure we retired to the bar where we joined some of our fellow travellers

to listen to Safari playing hits from all eras, we even had a dance!

All too soon the cruise was over and it was time to return to our hotel to sleep and dream of our next destination - San Francisco.  I hope you'll join me for that little adventure in Wonders Of The Golden West Part 12.