South Lake Tahoe to Reno Chautauqua

Left Ponderosa Pines about 10 and pulled into Tahoe Valley RV Park in South Lake Tahoe at 11:30. Saw our friends, Mike and Peggy Ward, and their 30 foot Airstream trailer as we drove to our campsite. They came over to help me back into our space. I’m getting better at backing the trailer, but need a lot more practice to be a “pro.” Watching my brother-in-law, Peter, back up a trailer makes me very envious. He said he learned as a kid working on the ranch and having to back up equipment into horsestalls.

This afternoon we had a potluck dinner with friends of the Wards. John and Marcia hosted at their RV and John barbecued some delicious whitetail deer steaks. We had no idea we were eating venison until he told us. John’s brother, Ralph, and his wife, Sharon, brought yellow squash fresh-picked from their garden. My John ate some and pronounced it delicious. We reminded him that this was a vegetable. Peggy made guacamole and I brought some of the strawberries I bought at a field in Roseville yesterday. What a feast!!

Unfortunately, we had to eat quite rapidly because we were headed to Reno and the Nevada Humanities Chautauqua. Peggy and Mike have attended this for several years and when we told them about our Chautauqua, they told us about theirs. In Reno, in a very comfortable amphitheatre, for five nights, various people portray historical figures and present a monologue that they have selected, researched and written, along with creating a period costume. Each night a different music group entertains from 6:00 to 7:00 prior to the performances. Tonight was the Reno Youth Jazz Orchestra and they were quite good. Unfortunately, at 6 p.m. the sun is setting and the stage faces west. But their sunglasses just made them look cool.

The first night showcased Young Chautauqua and we were very impressed by the 4 young people who represented Annie Oakley (10 years old), Margaret Mitchell (17 years old), Coco Chanel (18 years old), and Richard Feynman (12 years old). They each answered questions from the audience about their character and about themselves. Every January young people, 7 to 18 start a new session and spend the next five months researching, writing and putting a costume together for the character they have chosen. In addition to performing during this week, they are asked to bring “history to life” at schools, libraries, retirement centers, veterans hospitals , service clubs, and many other gatherings. Young Chautauqua also does a program every morning this week. Their theme this year is “The 20th Century: Century of Change” so each character is someone who fits into that theme. I wish we were staying closer so we could attend the morning sessions too, but it’s about a 90 minute drive from South Lake Tahoe to Reno. If we come again, we will camp much closer. (Won’t we, Peg!)