Day 5: Upside down

Today was honestly a rough start for me. The night before I had the brilliant idea of trying to stay awake all night so I wouldn't have to wake up at 4:00 a.m. Unfortunately my plan completely backfired. I ended up falling asleep about 30 minutes before my alarm went off which made for a very rude awakening.

Despite being exhausted I climbed into the van with Dale, Emily, Morgan, Natalia, and Zoe as we headed to an overlook at Emerald Bay to watch the sunrise. We sat outside for nearly an hour and a half waiting for the sun to finally rise above the mountains. Everything seemed to be going perfectly until the worst possible moment. Just before the sunrise began, my phone froze and stopped recording. I was frustrated because I had been waiting all morning for that shot. Luckily Dale came through and let me borrow his phone so I could still capture the sunrise. In the end it was absolutely worth it. The view was incredible and watching the sunlight spill across the mountains and lake was something I'll never forget.

The main event of the day though was our kayaking trip. I was still half asleep during the drive there running on an empty stomach and a pretty sluggish attitude. Once we arrived though, things started looking up. Our instructors were super laid back and happened to be from New York which I thought was pretty cool. They taught us how to get into the kayak, paddle correctly, and what to do if we capsized. At the time I didn't think we'd actually need that last lesson. I teamed up with my friend Austin and we launched our kayak alongside the rest of the group. As we paddled across the lake our instructors stopped occasionally to share interesting facts and history about Lake Tahoe. The calm water, mountain views, and peaceful atmosphere were exactly what I needed to shake off my bad mood from earlier in the day. Of course that peace didn't last very long. Eventually things got competitive between the kayaks. Austin and I decided that we absolutely had to race everyone else for no reason whatsoever. What started as a friendly competition quickly turned into bumping kayaks and splashing water at one another. Everything was fun and games until a huge splash meant for Austin hit me instead leaving me somewhat soaked. Austin wasn't about to let that slide. He decided we needed revenge and started splashing back while bumping into the other kayaks just a tad bit too aggressively. Before we knew it our kayak was rocking side to side. We both lost our balance and suddenly we were upside down in the freezing lake.

The cold water knocked the breath right out of me. While Austin and I were trying to figure out what had just happened everyone else was laughing from their kayaks. At the time I wasn't exactly amused. Looking back on it now though, I have to admit it was pretty funny. Austin managed to make the best of the situation and even took some hilarious pictures afterward for his Instagram.

Thankfully we were able to flip the kayak back over and climb in without too much trouble. The trip back to shore was much less competitive and we successfully avoided flipping a second time. To make things even better our instructors informed us that our accident was the first kayak capsize of the season. Completely soaked and wearing my only set of clothes I climbed back into the van for a very damp ride home. Even though the day didn't go exactly as planned I still had an amazing time. The cold water was surprisingly refreshing and the memories we made were worth every second. Now I'm finally dry, finishing up assignments and getting ready to head to Heavenly in search of an cheap sushi restaurant. At this point I'm starving and could easily eat an entire plate of spicy California rolls by myself. Even with the early wake up call, technical difficulties, and unexpected swim in Lake Tahoe, today reminded me how lucky I am to be here. I'm surrounded by beautiful scenery, working on projects I genuinely enjoy, and sharing the experience with an awesome group of classmates. It's hard to believe we only have two days left so I'm determined to make the most of every moment and I’m thankful to be alongside some really great classmates for the ride.

Lots of Laughs on The Lake - Day 4

 Dale Dog Counter: 15

Today's kayaking adventure easily had to be one of the most entertaining activities on the trip. What started as us peacefully making our way out onto the water quickly turned into friendly competition and splashing each other with our paddles. As we made our way into the lake on the tour, everyone got settled on their kayaks, but it really didn't take long for friendly competition to begin. We all started challenging each other to races, sharing a bit of banter, and finding excuses to splash each other with the paddles. Through all of this, Emily and I worked to find a rhythm together, laughing along with our group. 

One of the funniest moments of the day involved Jake and Austin. After teasing each other and us splashing them a few times, they became determined to get Emily and me soaked. Unfortunately for them, their attack did not go as expected. In their attempt to drench us, they lost control of their canoe and ended up flipping it completely. Instead of Emily and me ending up in the water, Jake and Austin were the ones taking an unexpected swim. Watching them come out of the water and onto what is supposed to be the bottom of the boat while everyone burst into laughter is definitely a moment none of us will forget anytime soon.

Late Night and Early Morning Memories

Some experiences are worth sacrificing sleep for, and watching the sunrise over Emerald Bay was definitely one of them. The night before we went, the few of us who decided we wanted to be out of the house by 4:15am to watch the sunrise figured it’d probably be best if we just stayed up all night talking so that way we didn’t have to worry about missing it. Honestly, it was a truly enjoyable night; many deep conversations were had, relationships deepened, and memories were made. Some wake up calls had to be made, which were genuinely hilarious and involved sheer panic (which has made me laugh every time I think about it). Before we left, we took a quick peek at the stars from the patio and omg!! They were so insane.

Once we were finally on the road, it took about 20 minutes to get there, which put our arrival at around 4:30am, just an hour before sunset. The exhaustion was catching up to us, so we were all extremely giggly and delusional.

As the sun started to rise, we finally got to experience what we lost our sleep for, and it was so worth it. We got the content needed for the day, and shared a memory that will last a long time. With only having one and a half more days, I hope were able to continue to make more memories together, not only in the trip but long after as well.

Day 4: Taking my own path

Today was one of my favorite days of the trip so far. We started the morning at Taylor Creek where the scenery was absolutely incredible. Mount Tallac stood in the background and the views made it feel like something straight out of a postcard. As we began exploring the area I may have "accidentally" split up from the rest of the group. While everyone else continued on the main trail I found myself wandering off to capture as much footage as possible for my story and social media content.

After a while I ended up back near the trailhead and decided to take a different path. This trail led down toward the lake and the views only got better from there. The water was crystal clear and there were several sandy spots along the shoreline that looked like perfect places to relax. I also came across a set of stairs leading down to the water which made for some great photos and videos.

Along the trail I saw plenty of dogs enjoying the outdoors with their owners. One of the highlights of my day was meeting an elderly man who was riding a Class 1 e-bike. He told me he uses it because of a hip condition and I was able to interview him about his experience. It was interesting to hear how e-bikes allow people like him to continue enjoying the trails and spending time outside. As I continued exploring I stumbled across a cabin that looked surprisingly inviting. Curious, I walked over to check it out and discovered that it was actually a museum. Inside I learned about the Washoe Tribe, the history of Taylor Creek, and saw a collection of super cool antiques and artifacts.

The museum was much more interesting than I expected and I spent so much time looking around that I completely lost track of time. Before leaving I stopped by the gift shop and picked up a few souvenirs and treats for my friends. That's when I realized I had a problem. Everyone was already back at the van waiting for me. I took off running and quickly learned that the altitude in Tahoe is no joke. About halfway back I was completely out of breath and wheezing but I kept going. When I finally made it to the van I was greeted by a chorus of boos from the group. Luckily, everyone forgave me once I handed out the candy and gifts I had bought. I had an amazing time exploring Taylor Creek and the Rainbow Trail. Between the beautiful lake views, the wildlife, the museum, and the people I met along the way, it was a day I won't forget anytime soon. Now it's time to get some sleep because tomorrow's alarm is set for 4:00 a.m. so we can catch the sunrise. Even though it's going to be an early morning I can't wait to see what another day in Tahoe has in store.

Lake side artistry

The highlight of my day was painting by the lake. We headed to Tahoe Keys Beach to begin our water painting careers, with Tamara Richey as our instructor. She prefaced the session by reminding us that we were just beginners, and not to feel bad about our paintings. I started my first sketch, penciling in mountains and a waterline. I quickly realized I was no Michelangelo Buonarroti. I was just Austin Hays. After my ego death, I locked in and created my masterpiece. It wasn't nearly as good as Jake's, but that was okay. Still, I wasn't fully pleased with the result. So I began my second and ultimate work of my career. This sketch was even better. I used different techniques to push the painting further, and by the end, it was perfect, at least by my own standards. I walked away feeling accomplished, both with my work and with my brief but storied career as an artist.

Letting the lake paint its colors through me

Reconnecting with nature through watercolor 

Reconnecting with nature every day has been both therapeutic and refreshing. Today, we had the opportunity to experience something that many people do not get to do regularly, especially since we come from a state that is not surrounded by many lakes. 

One of my favorite highlights from today’s itinerary was watercolor painting by the lake. 

I enjoy arts and crafts. I was excited to participate in an activity that combined creativity with the beauty of nature. We were guided by a local artist, Tamara Richey, who took the time to guide us through this calming experience. Sitting by the lake and listening to its natural sound of the water, helped me focus on what view I had a connection with to use it as my picture painting, the peaceful atmosphere made me feel present in the moment. 

I ended up going with a mountain that caught my attention, and I decided to use it as my focus painting. As time passed, we continued working on our artwork while also capturing content that we could use for our class projects.

By the end of the session, we had completed our paintings, and I was able to gain a deeper appreciation for the natural beauty surrounding us. Overall, I felt very grateful for the opportunity to experience such a peaceful and therapeutic activity, being able to connect with nature through art made today a memorable experience that I will always appreciate. 

A Little Zen in Tahoe

 

I'd say today has been the chilliest day of the trip so far. This afternoon, we slowed things down a bit with a painting group session at the beach. We fully grounded ourselves by painting the views of the natural settings around us. I personally have never considered myself a very artistically gifted person, but I was pretty proud of the final product. Taking the time to really hone in on all the small details of the water, shore, and mountains felt incredibly therapeutic. I think most would agree that today's activity was very much needed.

After finishing up my painting, I walked around and did some light photo-taking for my social media posts. I was mostly focused on the small details of waves on the shore and all the boats and paddleboards that occasionally passed by. At the end of the day, I found myself leaving with a greater appreciation of the simple moments that make this experience memorable.

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Aura Maxxing On The Beach

    I had the most peaceful and wonderful evening at the beach. I didn't know what to expect when Jess told us we had plans for a guided art lesson. First impression of the set up and Mrs. Tamara Richey was very welcoming. You could tell she is very passionate about art and her lifestyle. 

She had towels set up in a circle for us to all sit on. Placed in front of us what a canvas, color palette, paint, water, and brushes. In the middle of the circle she provided extra brushes, paper, and other tools we could use. 

I also took note early on that she practices a sustainable lifestyle. Her water bowls were random tubs, whether it was a grillos pickle container or take out- it was repurposed. 

She had a very pleasant aura to her, calm, spiritual and happy and it showed in her work. She started off the class by getting us into the right mindset. She lead us to watch the water, listen to the waves, fee, the sand and trigger our senses before painting. 

For the next 40 mins we all sat and painted. There was occasional laughter and talking but we were all locked in. Afterwards we jumped in the lake and helped Tamara pack up. This was a much needed peaceful evening after a long couple of days. Shoutout to Tamara!