Ramblings Only

Where : a beautiful home in Tahoe Keys in South Lake Tahoe 

Who: 7 adults and 4 kids planned but one family dropped out leaving 5 adults and 2 kids. 

Thursday : 

- new boss had a meeting all morning, squeezed in everything before 1, charged Mia in Fremont SC, home by 2. DH worked from home, finished most of the packing.

- 2:30 out the door, Mia gave excellent navigation tips to escape traffic as much as possible. This trip was like when you test taking a baby out see how things work out. We were taking Mia on a relatively long trip of 200+mi.

- Folsom SC at around 7!! Supposed to be a 2-2.5 hour drive. So much traffic. We had forgotten why we stopped going anywhere over July 4th long weekend. This is when the couple with 8 month old who cried all the way decided to head back home. 

- US 50 was relatively free. Reached our vacation home at 10:30pm. Immediately put Mia on charge at the garage outlet. She started charging at a measly 4mi/hr.

Miles consumed - 

Fremont - Folsom - actual dist -120mi - used - 160 ish mi

Folsom - tahoe - actual dist - 80mi - 6000ft elev - used - 140 ish mi

Friday - 

- rain! On and off, rather irritating

- had a blast at the beach 

- highlight of the trip - JSK came kayaking!!! She loved it to the core. It helped that the beach was sooo shallow unlike Del Valle where I was a teeny bit scared kayaking for the first time. It is unfortunate we don't have a picture to remember this milestone. 

- 36 vayathinile when kids napped 

- heavenly area with music and concert

- checked out Harrah's EV charging spots. Full and all busy. We didn't need charging anyway.

Saturday -

- poker! Had nice breakfast of dosas and chutney, took it easy in the morning, let the kids run around the backyard chasing ducks. Played poker for sometime.

- headed out to lunch and then the beach. It just started drizzling. Headed back home. Put the kids to sleep. Came back to the beach for fireworks. Fireworks by the lake was beautiful. The crowd was not. I remembered why we don't go and watch fireworks. Too many people and nightmare traffic afterward. 

- the sunset was über pretty. Jupiter and Venus shone in the sky very prominently. Guess who noticed them first? JSK!

[spot two dots in the sky, the brighter star on the left is Venus, the one on the right Jupiter]

 Sunday -

- left home by 10am. Reached home by 6:15pm

- I drove the first leg - used up only 60 odd miles for the 80mi trip because of all the downhill drive. It was a pleasure to drive Mia along the winding 50. The control you have on the vehicle is amazing. At some point projected miles was 999mi!! Haah.

- Mia saved a good 30 minutes with navigation, we were impressed. 

- I noted traffic was smooth sailing on a one lane road, it was only when passing lanes came by that traffic slowed. The irony. 

- Lunch at Mylapore. After a quick 20 min charge of 50mi. I was surprised I didn't meet anyone I knew.

- DH drove the second leg and that also makes for the memorable trip. Mia took us along a drive between I5 and I80, amidst vineyards and waterways. No traffic, empty roads.

- I have to say I was a little bit concerned. As they say range anxiety. We had 200mi to do a 120mi drive back. And we were taking inside roads which we have never ever taken before.

- we were quite enjoying the drive when at one point we came to a river crossing which had to be done on a ferry!! This is Ryan Island area I guess 20 mins before Antioch. We have taken a car on a ferry only once before in Cincinnati, long ago in 2003. Nice experience. We were driving close to rivers and steams the backwaters from the bay? 

- although we did take a long time to reach home we weren't in a stop and go traffic, which was nice. I hate crowds and traffic. I don't think it is advisable to follow Mia's navigation all the time. What if the ferry was not working and we had to turn back? We wouldn't have made it. We are learning, with every trip. Mia got some compliments " I love that machine" from a random stranger. And caught some folks in surprise " there is a kid at the back" JSK was sitting in the rear seats. 7 of us travelled in it for dinner. JSK and RT  in rear seats and 5 of us in the two rows. RT was like 'JSK car la than ponum' kids adore rear seats. 

- there was a cute little surprise waiting for us at home. That has to wait... Until tomorrow.

Have a wonderful week ahead!