Out the door,
chatting with
Marie and Frank, before heading with Harriet to
Colfax for coffee, and beyond in the high country of
Lake Putt (quite a name),
Bear Valley,
Emigrant and
Yuba Gaps (the latter's
Pass as well),
Castle Peak, and
Donner Summit,
Canyon,
Cliffs,
Grade, and
Lake,
then south on 89 for a walk along the Truckee River,
beginning at the junction with the access road to Alpine Meadows (which will have to be walked eventually, as part of the Cross-California Route from the Coast to Nevada.
The path is an old railroad right-of-way,
past River Ranch,
two-tiered
at
times,
to
island meadows
and snowbanks,
ending up for now at
Fir Crags Bridge,
where surfers try their luck as
oarsmen.
Retracing our steps under
Thunder
Cliffs,
Harriet, on a lark, migrates down to the waterfront opposite the Inn, as low and behold, we turn out to have front-row seats, so to speak,
for the Eighth Annual Truckee Duckee Derbee.
As the rubber ducks appear from upstream,
suddenly all is made clear (the friendly kayaker in the River who is going nowhere, the voluptuous mermaid downstream, a line across the water, an aquatic banner, and, of course, the Giant Duck). And they're off!
Followed by The Shark,
mostly propelled down the current, not without back eddies for plastic predator and prey.
The duckee darlings are swept up by
enraptured
young-uns,
and
Mr.
Kayak
(what a summer job:
"I kayak the Truckee River and scoop up rubber ducks...").
The Shark breaks away from the eddy,
and it looks bad for the stragglers, but the currents force a retreat,
he is scooped up ignobly,
as the intended victims are rescued.
A good time is had, seemingly by all sentient beings.
Then
we
exit,
stage revellers,
to the car, up-canyon to
Tahoe City,
Tahoe Vista,
Kings Beach,
Brockway,
and the Nevada border at
Crystal Bay -- scoping out (and scooping up information on) future walks.
Reversing course, back down canyon,
alongside Bullshead and
Little and Big Chiefs,
returning on
80,
up the Donner
incline
and
over to
Boreal,
ultimately across the Central Valley,
to
the
rest of our lives.
