By Kathryn Reed

With each pedal rotation, the crisp morning air seems to get warmer. Clearly, it’s not and it’s just the exertion and exhilaration of mountain bike riding through the forest that are warming my body and soothing my soul.

It’s mornings like this that I remember why I love living in Lake Tahoe. The smell of fall is the air – that damp wetness – those decaying leaves.

Sue Wood mountain bikes Oct. 25 to Fallen Leaf Lake. Photo/Kathryn Reed

The dichotomy of nature’s beauty this time of year and the fact that it’s the process of death is not lost on me.

So many of the aspens and other foliage turning color don’t seem to care they are at their most beautiful just before going dormant for the winter.

I seem to understand.

I want to embrace the spectacle before me. To roll in the leaves. To inhale deeply and not exhale. To keep pedaling. I want to be one with nature before winter covers the landscape, before the shoveling begins, before the desire to cocoon sets in.

On this last Sunday of October, I head into the Gardner Mountain area from Highway 89 in South Lake Tahoe, climbing slightly before heading north. It’s black. It’s what’s left from the June 2007 Angora Fire, when more than 3,100 acres of Forest Service land was charred. (The 254 houses that were lost in that fire are not in this area.)

But Mother Nature is resilient. Flora is coming back. More of that dichotomy of beauty and death woven together.

Pedaling on, it’s like a line was drawn with black and green crayons, what burned and what didn’t.

More yellow dominates this part of the dirt trail. A little uphill and we exit out of the forest to Fallen Leaf Lake Road.

A few hundred yards up is a massive meadow – aspens are everywhere.

We take the trail near the campground to Fallen Leaf Lake even though we know we’ll have to walk our bikes a bit because we’re not technical riders. Then we zip down to the lake.

The shore is full of people taking pictures, taking in the views of Mount Tallac and splashes of yellow around the lake.

Back on our bikes, we dart around the vacant campground before finding an indirect route that leads us to Highway 89. Crossing it, we hook up with the Camp Richardson bike trail.

Wanting to avoid people, we stick to the dirt trails around the visitors center and through the Tallac Historic Site. What a site it is with all the color.

It’s time for a bite to eat – fries and a bloody Mary are lunch at the Beacon. Enough fuel to get us home.

It’s a fairly quick ride, though definitely scenic, as we leave the bike path again and head for the meadows between Pope Beach and Tahoe Keys.

Just another day in paradise.

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By Gamaliel Ortiz, Sacramento Bee

Once snow touches ground on backcountry roads in the Eldorado National Forest, the snow patrol begins its rounds.

Volunteers in the El Dorado Nordic Ski Patrol make loops or trails for snowshoers and skiers.

The patrol members ski on open areas near Crystal Basin, Loon Lake, Echo Summit and Carson Pass – taking in views of the frozen lake, ice-covered trees, canyons and mountains.

Read the whole story

Los Angeles Times

Communing with nature not only lifts spirits, it helps people behave better, according to a study published this month.

Psychologists at the University of Rochester conducted four experiments with 370 people who were shown computer images of either natural settings, such as landscapes and lakes, or man-made settings, such as buildings and roads. The subjects were encouraged to look at the surroundings carefully, noting things like colors and textures and imagining things like sounds and smells. They then completed questionnaires about the importance of various values, such as wealth, fame, connectedness to community, relationships and the betterment of society.

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Craig Bestrom, Golf Digest

After many months of research, we’ve discovered that a huge number of active and retired athletes spend time on the golf course. Our ranking of the top 150 athlete-golfers is merely a sampling of those who play this great game. We also included a golfer or two from sports other than the big four of baseball, football, basketball and hockey. Rick Rhoden was our No. 1 when we ranked athlete-golfers in 2007, and there’s no doubt he’d beat everyone on this list. But the former major-league pitcher is really a professional on the celebrity and senior circuit who belongs on another ranking. Unless there are some nassaus that have gotten out of hand, no one among this 150 earns a living playing golf.

Read the whole story

350.org International Day of Climate Action at Mono Lake is Oct. 24 from 9am to noon.

Concerned about the effects of climate change in California’s Eastern Sierra? This is your chance to participate in the 350.org International Day of Climate Action.

Meet at the Mono Lake Committee located on Highway 395 in Lee Vining. Bring your family, your friends, and any canoes or kayaks you might have. From there, it will be carpooling to Navy Beach and, weather permitting, get out on the water to take a picture of our boats spelling out the number 350 on Mono Lake in front of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The picture of this message from the Eastern Sierra in support of a strong international climate treaty will join the call from over 4,500 similar actions happening Saturday around the world in at least 172 countries.

Signup up on 350.org or contact the Mono Lake Committee at (760) 647.6595 or info@monolake.org if attending.

For more information, visit www.monolake.org.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is seeking comments on proposed methods for treating invasive plant species on National Forest System lands, including manual and chemical treatments. The goal of the project is to eradicate, control or contain infestation of non-native invasive plants.

Manual methods include hand pulling, pulling with tools, clipping, mulching and tarping to kill with excess shade or sunlight. Mechanical methods, such as mowing, cutting, trimming or using a weed-eater could also be applied to acres treated manually, and heat could be used as well (thermal treatment). Chemical methods involve the use of herbicides with application methods ranging from by hand to directed or limited broadcast spray. Up to a maximum of 100 acres would receive chemical treatment annually and as many acres as possible would receive manual treatment. Only herbicides approved for use by the states of California and Nevada and the California Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board will be used.

Non-native invasive plant species reduce the amount and quality of fish and wildlife habitat, increase erosion, and impair recreational access. Invasive plants can spread rapidly, especially where there are soil-disturbing activities, because their populations are not controlled by plant-eating wildife, pathogens and competitors present in their native habitat.

Manual methods are ineffective against some species, which can actually expand their range or become more dense after manual treatment because new shoots or new plants can form from any plant parts left at the site The LTBMU is currently using limited manual methods only, but private landowners, and county and state agencies are already using herbicides on lands within the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The proposed action describes the herbicides and application methods proposed for use in detail, as well as steps that would be taken to protect water quality, public health and other plants and wildlife. To view the scoping letter and proposed action, visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/ltbmu/projects/local/terrestrial-nnpst.shtml. Comments will be most helpful if received by Nov. 20, 2009.

For more information or to find out how to submit comments, view the scoping letter and proposed action on the website or contact Cheryl Beyer at (530) 543.2842, cbeyer@fs.fed.us.

By Bill  O’Driscoll, Reno Gazette-Journal

As snow starts to pile up on the Sierra, the region’s ski resorts are seeking seasonal help for the coming winter.

During the next few weeks, most of the resorts will hold on-site job fairs for positions on and off the slopes.

At Squaw Valley USA, which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1960 Winter Olympics in early 2010, nearly one-half of the resort’s planned 800 to 900 seasonal jobs have been filled.

Read the whole story

South Lake Tahoe Parks and Recreation Department schedule; more info at (530) 542-0275 or www.recreationintahoe.com.

Gym Time For Tots Monday 11-12:30 $2, throuhg April 26, 2010. Gym Time For Tots will be closed all LTUSD holidays and snow days.

Kids Nite Out Oct 23 (Swimming) 6:30-10pm. Cost $14 for activity, pizza dinner and a G or PG movie. Preschool Potty Trained (must sign up at least one day in advance)-8th Grade

Kids Club Minimum Day Activities noon-6:30pm this week; $10 per day covers activity and snack (Pre Registration Required); Wed-Ice Skating, Thurs-Make a Candy Apple and Fri-Swimming.

Skating and Hockey School Sign-ups. The South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena is offering Skate School and Hockey School sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. For those youth with some hockey experience we are hosting a combination “Youth Skills and Scrimmage” drop in hockey program on Monday evenings. If you just want to knock a puck around on your own we also offer Stick Times three days a week. We offer free full loaner protective hockey equipment for all session sign ups. As the weather turns cooler, this fall is a great opportunity for those of all ages to discover the joy of ice sports. Ice sports are great life-long activities that can be enjoyed day or night, regardless of weather. For more information come by the arena at 1176 Rufus Allen Blvd., or call (530) 542-6262.

The 21st annual South Lake Tahoe Baseball Coaches Clinic will be Nov. 13-14.

Featured speakers are Rudy Garbalosa of Lynn University, Perry Husband, John Altobelli and Rick Steen.

For more information, call (530) 343.8100.

Post-it notes with comments about bike trails in Lake Tahoe.

By Kathryn Reed

Handwritten comments filled most of the 19 boards scattered about the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center on Oct. 19.

Suggestions ranged from the desire to complete the North Upper Truckee bike route, to leaving non-paved routes in and around Fallen Leaf Lake, to creating an adopt-a-bike plan, to suggestions where to add bike racks.

The six-hour open house gave residents of the South Shore an opportunity to comment on the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s Bike-Pedestrian Master Plan that is being revised in conjunction with the Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Dan and Chrissy Robertson who live on Kingsbury Grade are frustrated by having to get in their vehicle to be able to ride with their children.

“You can’t ride or walk here,” Chrissy Robertson said. “We are interested in paved and dirt trails.”

Dan Robertson said bike trails are quality of life and economic issues. The couple pointed to other resort areas providing a network of trails that connect locals and visitors to various points of interest.

Shay Navarro said her daily bike commute from the Sierra Tract area of South Lake Tahoe toward Stateline is haphazard.

She pointed to the map that shows the disconnect around the bike trail as it goes into the Al Tahoe neighborhood and then how crossing Highway 50 at Al Tahoe for cyclists is disjointed. It requires three crossings, instead of one, just like the intersection at Ski Run Boulevard.

Dan Robertson said it would be nice to see South Lake Tahoe City Council members and Douglas County commissioners at some of these meetings.

Karen Fink, TRPA transportation planner, was happy to see new faces filter into the room and share their opinions.

She will collect the data from Monday and Thursday’s meeting, with the goal to have a draft of the update in place by January. The public will have 30 days to comment on it. Fink hopes to have all the necessary boards sign-off on it by April so implementation of the plan can begin.

Thursday’s gathering is also an open house, so people can show up as time allows. It is in the Tahoe City PUD Administrative Board Room, 221 Fairway Drive, Tahoe City, from 2:30-8:30pm.