Stand Up Paddle, Bananagrams & Wyland

I honestly believe I could not have planned a better last day for Julie.

We left the cabin at 8 AM in order to be some of the first guests to hike to Angora Lakes Resort. This is one of my favorite Tahoe spots.

Angora Lakes Resort Day Use Area Essential Eligibility Criteria:

We endeavor to offer a unique day use experience at Angora Lakes Resort, a historic Lake Tahoe front-country location. To safely enjoy the resort, visitors must meet the following essential eligibility criteria: Participants must have the ability to safely hike, bike or use other non-motorized means (including with assistance of a companion) to go up and down hill at least a mile round trip over rocky, rugged, slippery, and sandy terrain, with obstacles up to 18” high, at 7000-7500’ elevations. There are no paved surfaces beyond the Angora Parking area.

The scenery getting to our actual destination is always worth the hike.

This out-of-the-way treasure was named for the Angora goats that were grazed here in the 1870s. The resort was built by the Hildinger family who still own it (101 years and counting).

This was Julie's first time doing Stand Up Paddling. She's a natural!

Clear, glassy water. Spectacular scenery. Good friends. Great morning.

The Resort is famous for its lemonade. We savored it in Popsicle form. Refreshing.

Dinner was at Base Camp Pizza. There I taught Julie my favorite game of Bananagrams. I was a pretty content camper.

Each night, in Heavenly Village, a live band plays at 6 PM. We all danced to the tunes of this talented group.

And what could be the perfect end to this evening? We saw that Robert Wyland was appearing, in person, at his namesake gallery. This was HUGE for me.

If you don't know this amazing man, I don't know where you've been. His WALLS are everywhere. Renowned marine life artist Wyland changed the way people think about our environment when he started painting life-size whales on the sides of buildings in the 1980s. Wyland always thought big. And he never stopped. Today, the Wyland name has become synonymous with the new generation of awareness about environmental conservation. Through his unique marine life paintings, sculptures, and photography, Wyland has inspired a generation about the importance of marine life conservation.

I can't believe we had the opportunity to see him create this very cool work of art.

When we met, I told him that Steve and I fell in love in front of his Laguna Beach masterpiece. Gray Whale and Calf was his first big installation. It was dedicated on July 9th, 1981 by Mrs. John Wayne. So cool and so surreal to meet this man who has delighted us for decades.