I briefly get to visit Becca, one of my college classmates, before heading out for Tahoe. I cut across Sacramento and then gradually start to climb up into the mountains. I think the last time I was in Tahoe was somewhere around 1980. It hasn't been cold enough yet to snow, so it's pretty but very desert-like, brown and sage everywhere. The wedding is at the Hyatt Regency on the shores of the lake, so soon enough I'm driving along a highway that clearly following the outline of the lake. It's a good time to be in Lake Tahoe - after summer madness, but prior to ski season madness.
It is perfect weather - there's a chill to the air as you might expect at 6500 feet, but really it's in the mid-50s and not at all bad. Friday night the groom's parents are graciously including out of town guests in the rehearsal dinner feast. I arrive at the timely moment when Krista is talking to two of her Kansas clerk day friends, Marcia and Veronica, and she introduces us all to each other. As three single females, we quickly form a camaraderie. I spy Kelly and Scott Newhall, whom I went to college with as well, but they are the only folks in the room that I know.
I have a rule that every 10 years or so, you should talk to someone again and see how they've changed. Most of the people I knew in high school, I'm impressed by now; generally true for people I didn't know in college or didn't think I'd like. There's only been one friend from college where I recently talked to him and thought, nope, we'll wait another 10 years. I didn't really know Kelly or Scott in college, but we have the connection of common experience. They are in Chicago and seem like great people. Makes me sorry I didn't know them better in college.
Everyone is a bit restrained on Friday evening - time changes, jet lag, and the knowledge the big event is tomorrow sends everyone off around 10 or so. I'm happy to do so as well... the last half-hour or so of dinner, I've been yawning pretty hard. Time to go to bed.
***
I have a mission while I'm here: to decorate the bride's car. I let her folks know I have a plethora of pink flamingos that need to adorn her automobile, and they are game. They have a long-running joke with some friends back in New York with flamingos, and one New Year's Day Krista and I wandered Chinatown and ultimately gifted the parentals with a brass flamingo. It's a long story. Anyway, since then flamingos have wandered between us, so my mother went and cleaned the Dollar Store out of their stock.
Krista, unfortunately, is sending people on errands in her car. I have to wait until nearly 1:30 to decorate it, but fortunately the flamingos are bright and cheerful and look like some kind of warped floral bouquet.
I take a walk around Lake Tahoe too, at least part of the lakeshore. It's another picture perfect day. The only sour note is that I can't seem to find my sunglasses... maybe they are in the mess in my car somewhere. Sigh.
After the car decorating, I go back to my room and get ready. The wedding is taking place in a room that is on the lakeshore at 3:30 in the afternoon. The sun is already low over the horizon. David tells a very long and funny story about how he and Krista met and how they fell in love before saying his vows. Krista counters by saying, "They say opposites attract..." David has primed the room so well, we're howling at this statement. "... So I'll just cut to the chase."
After the wedding we file next door to where the reception is. The sun is sinking over the horizon - it's barely 4 p.m. - argh!
But we get some last photos in of the sunset. Tonight we're at assigned tables and I get sat next to a single gentleman from Seattle. Go Krista! Unfortunately, he is having a horrible allergy attack (I sympathize) and he's doing a crappy job as a conversationalist, unrelated to the allergies. The married couple to my other side isn't there, so he's about my only conversation choice. I'm somewhat resentful that he's not making any effort.
Post the main course, I table-hop to where Veronica and Marcia are sitting. Veronica is next to a very cute guy who smiles at me. He seems to be smiling at everyone. Veronica sends me off to the guy across the table, named Gary, whom I gotta admit is 6'2" and very nice. (Tall is very important to me.) We chat for a while while the dancing commences, and eventually go join the fray.
David, Krista, Scott, Kelly, me
Kelly and Scott and their two kids are there as well. The kids eventually go off to bed with Kelly's mom and dad. Scott is cutting it up on the dance floor with a 10 year old girl named Annie who is by far the best dancer out there. The smiley guy from Veronica's table morphs into Drunk Wedding Guy and is hitting on all the females. Veronica has decided he's not worth her time, but he's busy circulating between several women. I dance with him at one point and he reeks of smoke... eewww.
The cake is finally cut. The older people are clearing out, leaving the dance floor free to the younger set. I sneak in a bottle of mead and Krista says, "Dude, as soon as I finish this, I'm coming over!" Which she does. Veronica says, "I think I drank too much." Marcia and I agree. Still, she swears to come home alone (she's sharing a room with Marcia) and so we leave her. I think it's about 11:30 when I finally roll in the door... I'm really happy for Krista, she seems quite ecstatic.
Roommates, 17 years later. :)
***
Sunday a.m. is another picture-perfect day. There's a leaving brunch - wow - and so around 9 a.m. we start gathering again. Marcia is there at 9 a.m., but Veronica is not yet up to it. Drunk Wedding Guy is also nowhere to be seen. Ah well. A final few stories traded with Krista and friends, and I hit the road at 10 a.m.
I've avoided all REI stores on this trip, but having lost my sunglasses, decide the Reno REI and Hwy 395 up to I-5 is a worthwhile stop. I head for the sunglasses section and get chatted up by my friendly local REI employee. As we're standing there, I notice a woman giving me the eye and as comprehension sinks in... it's one of our visual merchandisers from HQ. Hah! Too funny.
Again, it's very dry, but the weather is gorgeous and the drive is beautiful. Hwy 395 goes up and down... I'm as high as about 7500 ft and drop to 5000 and come back up and then down and then up... even in Northern California and then on into Oregon, I'm still up around 2000-3000 feet. Hmm. We've got the Cascades in Washington, but you go up -over- down. We don't stay up at elevation. It's a little odd for me, as it was in Wyoming and Montana this summer.
From there, it's just a big slog through to Eugene. I stop at Track Town Pizza. My sisters and dad went to the Olympic Trials in 1980 in Eugene, and went to Track Town Pizza. The only other time I went there was on our way home, after my graduation from college. But I gotta stop! I pick up the motel right next door. Whew, about 8 hours of driving today, 9 hours in the car. Yuck. I almost think about slogging it home - it's about 4-5 hours - I'd be home at midnight. But that much more time in the car today... no thanks.
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