Please - Donate to the Washoe Language Program

"Washiw Wagayay Manal" - The House Where Washoe is Spoken

Honoring the Washoe Tribe's Language Program, Stand Up for Lake Tahoe wanted to raise funds for elders to continue teaching the Washoe Language and Culture to younger tribal members. Alas, at this time, we haven't received any donations to this cause. 

Please consider a donation to pay for gas, stipends (anyone want to donate a van?)  for elders to travel to the communities of the Washoe Nation that are spread around Western Nevada/Eastern California.

If you'd like to donate directly to the tribe, please contact:

Lynda Shoshone

Washiw Wagayay Manal

1557 Watasheaumu

Gardnerville, NV 89460

775-265-7274

washoeschool@aol.com

Day Three - Zephyr Cove to Sand Harbor

Day Three - 

The winds continued to play a major role in this trip...today, northerly winds forecasted. Jared suggested that we reverse today's route - providing the wind at our back. The eastern shore of Lake Tahoe is magnificent, with little development.  Suggested day trips include Sand Harbor to Secret Harbor, or Skunk Harbor.  

Fascinating history of Thunderbird Lodge, built by George Whittell in the 1939. He donated most of the east shore to the Nevada State Parks when he passed on. 

http://thunderbirdlodge.org

The Washoe Nation holds trust land on Skunk Harbor, to be used for "cultural" purposes only. If it's trust land, the Washoe Nation should have the ability to do whatever they want with the land.

www.washoetribe.us

Looking south from Sand Harbor

Lunchbreak in a cove just south of Secret Harbor. Note the cabins...there are about four of them nestled in the trees along the shoreline, they have a US Forest Service lease... priceless, to be sure!

Stand Up for Lake Tahoe - Day Two

Day Two - Camp Richardson to Zephyr Cove

Camp Richardson's lodging along the lake was really great - especially after battling 20mph head winds for 4 hours. 

www.camprich.com

We instantly felt like we were "on-vacation." Dinner under the stars at the restaurant added to the atmosphere. The languid lapping of the waves, the lack of people - ah.... September in Tahoe.

Beach clean-up found plenty of BUTTS - the cigarette type. It will take 1 to 5 YEARS for your butt to dissolve, so for all you smokers, consider quitting... but at least - PICK UP YOUR BUTTS!

Rising early, we watched the sunrise over the mountains to the east. NOAA was calling for a wind warning on the lake, with winds between 20-30mph and wind waves reaching 3 feet. I decided to gallantly volunteer for "land-transport" - shuttling the cars to Zephyr Cove. Whatta gal. Jared, reaching deep for his "Inner Shakleton" - decided to put paddle to water and "get on with it."

By the time I reached Zephyr Cove, the waves and wind had really picked up. Really picked up. My cell phone rang, and Jared was on the beach...about four miles south...at the South Lake Tahoe Golf Club. 

See video below the photos:

Sunrise

Jared, attaching his dry bag

Intrepid Paddler

Look out beyond boats,  ripples forming in the lake

Boats, Beaches and Butts -which reminds me of the US Forest Service

In my formative years, I learned how to drive a boat. First, the rowboat - learning to row with oars, facing backwards from the direction you're headed. Moving up to a 10-12' aluminum skiff, with a 10-horse outboard motor. And at long last, a 15' foot wooden boat with a 50-horse Mercury. The most important way to learn seemed to be whatever reaction came from my parents....putting the motor on the fourth notch never failed to bring them out of the house, waving their arms at me as I pounded down the bay, bow bouncing up and down. (for the uninitiated, putting the motor up a notch makes a boat go faster, but not necessarily safer). The ultimate punishment was banishment from the boat, restriction of that freedom of moving across the water was a certain tool to keep us from rude or unsafe behavior. 

ON BOATS: 

"Slow down, you move too fast..."

Boating behavior has changed, just as highway rage and/or rudeness has become part of the American landscape, I see it now on the waterways. Perhaps it's because the majority of people skimming along the water never had their parents screaming at them from the shore, shaking fists and arms -- knowing that if you didn't shape up, the boat would be on the buoy for the next two weeks. 

As we made our journey around Lake Tahoe, we had plenty of opportunities to observe bad boat behavior. Powerful 20' cruisers going across our bow, sometimes so close you could see their gleaming white smiles. Often times, the people would wave, totally oblivious to the mayhem created by the wake of their boat. Seems to me that the average cruiser boat is getting larger and larger - looming transoms, sleek Italian design, speakers blaring.... it's about the water,  folks, not about your boat. 

Boat Safety Rules include RIGHT OF WAY for non-motorized crafts (that includes paddleboards, kayaks, canoes) If you have a motor on your boat.... PLEASE stay about 30 feet away from us! And if you need to come closer.... SLOW DOWN! Please don't cut between the shore and the paddler...it creates double waves. We're happy to talk with you about our paddleboards, just SLOW DOWN!

ON BUTTS

We were amazed at the amount of cigarette butts found on the beach. Tobacco People...Your butts take ONE to FIVE years to dissolve! Pick them up,  or better yet, slap on a patch and give it up!

ON MORE BUTTS

The US Forest Service (or at least one bureaucrat, that I'll leave nameless...) decided that we must be up to something sneaky.  We were even cautioned that our "behavior" would be monitored. Nothing more menacing than two people on a paddleboard, cleaning up litter and raising money for the Washoe Language Program.  Much more menacing than 4-wheeling through the Sierras. More later on that....

Photos from Stand Up for Lake Tahoe

Day One: Meeks Bay to Camp Richardson

- Meeks Bay Resort, managed by the Washoe Nation, is a wonderful place on Lake Tahoe - one of the best for standup paddling. The sandy beaches, the protection of the bay, and the staff at the resort make it perfect. 

http://meeksbayresort.com

Photos courtesy of Ron Richman

http//ronrichman.com

 

 

11 miles. Once we passed Emerald Bay, the winds came up.... 20 mph headwinds

Stand Up For Lake Tahoe

Horsehead Bay, Forest Beach, the spit, Henderson, Fox Island. The Puget Sound, the waters of my childhood. A magical place to grow up... Shimmering salt water, sunlight dancing sparkles on the water. The call of a gull, off in the distance. We knew the sound of everyone's outboard motors, the best way to jump cruiser waves, the optimal time for glassy waterskiing, and tried best to understand the ebb and flow of tides, adults and the world around us. 

I now live next to a different body of water - in a far different terrain than succulent salt water, verdant firs and towering volcanic peaks. Mountains cup this inland fresh water sea, holding the vast aqua blue in a myriad of ever changing hues. The essence remains however - as I glide across the lake on my specialized standup paddleboard, pulling my equally high tech paddle through the dense fresh water -- I grin the grin of a 12 year old -- as I did so many years ago on our neighbor's red plywood paddleboard, using a stick for propulsion. 

My husband Jared and I thought about this notion of paddling around Lake Tahoe last year - skimming across the water more than a casual paddle, or participating in a race. Exploring the vastness of Lake Tahoe, perhaps seeing eagle and bear wandering in the less populated shores of the lake. Taking the time to circumnavigate the lake, raise awareness of the environment and the people of the lake, the Washo people. For over 10,000 years, the Washo lived on the shores of this lake - they are as much a part of the landscape as the towering pines and sparkles on the water. The language of the Washo, deeply reflects that connection. 

And we thought it would be easy. Follow the water trail map, figure out where we'll stay on the six day trip. Write some press releases, and wait for the hordes of folks that will sign up.  That didn't happen, we had very limited response. It turned out to be an opportunity for Jared and I to explore together "Da ow aga." Next year??

We'd like to thank James Shoshone, Washo Tribal Member who graciously donated the beautiful artwork for the poster. Lynda Shoshone, Language Coordinator, and all the elders of the Washo Nation. Meeks Bay Resort, for graciously donating a free night at one of their splendid cabins. Camp Richardson and Zephyr Cove for providing lodging at a reduced price.  

And a special thank you to Ron Richman, for providing land support, and always "showing up" for us. 

The blessed silence of paddle slicing through the water, ripples lapping under the board. The beauty of moving across the water.

http://movement4life.net

The artwork above was generously donated by James Shoeshone, Washoe Tribal Member