Day 67. Lake Tahoe, California.
Decided to explore Lake Tahoe today and drive around the 72 mile circumference. A busy, but scenic drive. We saw more traffic today than we have for weeks and actually had to queue in a few places. However, now we are in California we are allowed to filter between lanes, which helps. Unlike the U.K., most states in America ban filtering (or lane splitting, as they call it here), which means that you lose one of the main speed advantages of being on a motorbike. You also boil if you're stuck in traffic when it's hot. This happened a few times to us when we were passing through some of the hotter cities (such as Amarillo) in the rush hour. It was very tempting to nip between the big wide lanes and bypass the queues!
Anyway, on our way around the lake we stopped at Emerald Bay, a beautiful fjord-like inlet, and hiked down to the beach and 'castle' (actually a 1920s Scandinavian style mansion). In the summer you can catch a boat across to the island, but not in October - although one couple were attempting it in a tiny inflatable dinghy with a puncture!
We also made a bit of a detour to Carson City. Although only 13 miles, it seemed a world away from upmarket Lake Tahoe. As soon as you cross over the mountain rim, you are back in the dessert. Carson City is the state capital of Nevada, but is pretty small. It's 'wild west' days seem long gone, and it is now full of casinos ... and for this weekend, hundreds of airstream caravans which the public are invited to look round!

.