Lake Tahoe Vacation - Day 1

We left our house at 5:15 AM and arrived at our final destination around 4:35 PM. Needless to say it was a LONG day, but overall I think it went very well, especially considering the not quite 5 month old boys were trapped in their car seats for 8+ hours. We only had to make 2 unscheduled stops, not bad since only 3 were originally scheduled. (Normal drive time without twinfants and without getting a ticket is about 8 hours).

Striker ended up driving the whole way and Grandma Barbie rode shotgun. Oma and Opa met up with us in Inyokern and followed us the rest of the way. I was left to be Alex and Tony's entertainment committee...for some reason no one was eager to trade for that job...especially the last 2 hours of drive time when the boys were ready to be anywhere but in the car. (BTW, we're considering driving all night on the way home so the boys sleep the whole way...I think my singing might have pushed us over the edge).

It is a tradition for Striker and I to stop at the "Snickers Ice Cream Bar Place" on our way to Mammoth/Reno/Tahoe. Today (on our 4th trip) we finally made note that it is a Mobil gas station and Brady's Mini Mart in Inyokern. They have a very eclectic assortment of items available for purchase (if I go in on the way back, I'll take pictures). Highly recommend this place for a pit stop if you're ever in the area.

We made a 2 hour stop in Bishop to visit with one of my other "little sisters" and to give the boys a chance to be out of the car and meet "Aunt" Kimmy. We had an excellent picnic lunch packed by Oma with just about everything but the kitchen sink! If I can remember most of it: 3 bread choices, 4 meat choices (plus liverwurst, gag), chips and dip, grapes, pineapple, watermelon, carrots, red bell peppers, green onions, and I feel like I'm forgetting stuff. On our way out of Bishop we stopped and got beef and turkey jerky at Mahogany...not a tradition, but a treat since the stuff is $35/pound!

After Bishop, the trip gets a little blurry. I know I used everything in my arsenal of toys and tricks (and really really really think the boys should know their ABCs by now). We stopped in Bridgeport and Gardnerville. The last 20 miles were BRUTAL. I promised the boys that with the exception of going down to Reno to watch Striker bowl on Monday, we wouldn't be putting them in their carseats until our drive home on Friday. If we can't walk there with BOB or the umbrella strollers, we'll pass.

We had pizza for dinner and got the boys to bed. Grandma stayed with the sleeping boys so that Striker and I could relax in the hot tub a bit, which was awesome after the long day in the car. This is likely to be a nightly ritual.

I'm declaring Day 1 a great success! Now if I can just get the room climate controlled...