Sure, it's changed. It's been gentrified; the town's rough edges inevitably smoothed over by time, commerce and population growth. Nevertheless, the old-timey, slightly ramshackle ambience of Truckee still shines through. Maybe it's the trains running through the middle of town, stopping for passengers, as well as stopping traffic, as they have for over 150 years. Or it could be the mountains surrounding Truckee, with the echoing history of years past continuing to bounce from peak to peak. Whatever the explanation, Truckee is worth a visit.

If a shopping trip calls, then Truckee's main street will fill the bill. Stores stocked with appealing merchandise abound, and a just right souvenir to take home is certain to be discovered.

With over 50 local restaurants, visitors won't go hungry. It's a sure bet there will be a dish to satisfy every palate, and every wallet.

From skiing and ice skating in the winter to biking...

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Too often, when talking about a special vacation in a far away place, people will say, "There is a lot of history there."  Well, there happens to be "a lot of history" around Tahoe, too.

Have you ever thought about America's transcontinental railroad, and the people responsible for that slight miracle? Instead of a dangerous ocean passage, or one heck of a long walk, it became possible to travel, almost quickly and comfortably, across America, from its Atlantic coast to its far Pacific.

So, how about taking a relatively easy hike through some of that history? With our connection to the transcontinental railroad right in our own back yard, it's possible to walk in the steps of the extraordinary people who planned, engineered, and built one of the most difficult routes of the railroad.

Begin the hike just outside of Truckee, along Donner Pass Road, at the Donner Summit Bridg...

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Can you imagine bicycling from Incline Village to Spooner Lake comfortably, without worrying about heavy summer traffic as you navigate curve filled Highway 28? No? Now imagine a beautiful summer's day with you on your bike and a safe, sensational 22 mile round trip ride in front of you. That day will come, but be patient. The Spooner Lake extension of the popular Eastside Trail won't be completed until 2026, but when it is — wow!

The new section will be 8 miles long, extending the length of the trail to 11 beautiful miles.

The plan is to build the new section on the Lake side of Highway 28, following the highway's route instead of the shoreline.

If the popularity of the existing 3 miles of the Eastside Trail give...

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The story, as told by some Tahoe residents, is that after Jacques Cousteau's 1970s deep dive into Tahoe waters, he remarked "The world is not ready for what I have seen." However, after some investigating, the Los Angeles Times along with other newspapers, reported that Jacques Cousteau never visited or made an underwater exploration of Lake Tahoe.

https://www.kqed.org/quest/22882/rumors-and-truth-in-lake-tahoe

In 2011, a group of deep divers found the body of a man who'd been missing since 1994. The remains, in a wetsuit and still buckled into weights and a tank, was lying on a shelf over 200 feet below the surface. The missing diver had been with a friend but equipment problems caused him to begin sinking. An immediate and thorough search found no sign of him, leaving his well preserved remains hidden for 17 years.

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Occasionally, when reading about some early plans for Lake Tahoe, the realization hits that it is a slight miracle we have a lake at all.

For instance, in 1865, a San Francisco based engineer, with the elegant name of Alexis Waldemar Von Schmidt, created the Lake Tahoe and San Francisco Water Works Company. Mr. Von Schmidt also acquired a half section of land near the Truckee River outfall, along with the rights to five hundred cubic feet per second of Lake Tahoe's water. Yes, you read that right.

Von Schmidt planed to supply the city of San Francisco with water from Lake Tahoe. Beginning at the Truckee River outfall, a series of aqueducts would channel water through the Sierras until reaching the north fork of the American River, and then from there, on to San Francisco. However, in 1870 the California Legislature, spurning Von Schmidt's application, granted Mark Hopkins and Leland Stanford's Donner Lumber and Boom Company, the right...

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