Trokay

Currently In: Redding, CA
Next Up: Crescent City, CA, Crater Lake National Park, Portland, Tacoma/Seattle
We will then head east and make the round of National Parks: Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Rocky Mountains and spending much of July in Colorado

We spent a day in Truckee, CA which is just north and a little west of Lake Tahoe.
A friendly Paiute Indian chief assisted thousands of emigrants in their migration west across the Humboldt Sink through the forty mile desert.  His name was Trokay so he became known as Truckee.
Established in 1863, Truckee was known for its lumber industry, transcontinental railroad, icehouses and saloons.  Today the main street (Donner Pass) is lined with shops and restaurants.

I told my mother last week that I think I have made 600 picnic lunches since we started our journey last September!  Today, however, we stopped for lunch at a diner that has been featured on Food Network TV.  The building that houses Jax by the Tracks was brought from Philadelphia to save it from being demolished.  Delicious!

After looking at a couple of historic houses in Truckee, we headed up to the Rocking Stone.  This perfectly balanced stone would rock at the touch of a finger.  It has been secured to no longer rock, however.  It is said that Native Americans used the top of the stone either as an alter or to store food.

Our next stop was Donner Memorial State Park, just a few miles from Truckee.  The Visitor Center explains a lot about the Emigrant Trail.  Of course we knew the fate of some members of the Donner Party, but we learned that a series of bad decisions, infighting and unpredictable weather sealed their fate.  The main statue that memorializes the journey was built at the height of the snow that winter - 22 feet.  It is located on the site of the Breen family cabin.

We saw the site of the Murphy family cabin as well.  The names of all members of the Donner Party are listed here including those that died and those that were rescued.

There is a nice hike along the shore of Donner Lake at the State Park.

We have been fascinated by the Stellar Jays for several weeks now and Johnny was able to capture this photo at Donner Lake.

Our last night in the Lake Tahoe area was special.  We sat outside at the Heavenly Village in South Lake Tahoe and had a drink while we listed to some live music.  The weather was perfect - a bit of a chill- and we witnessed another beautiful sunset.  Toward the end of the evening the musician played Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic."  And when the fog horn blows....