As soon as the snow melts, the high country awakens and goes into full bloom – elevation dictates when things take off. Ride Tahoe early in the season, and it feels like the clock has been set back a few months. It’s spring and wildflower time all over again: seas of sunflowers, lupine fields, the occasional Indian paintbrush, snowplants and dozens of other species are all over the place.

And the riding is pretty fantastic too, of course. (Stanford Rock!, TRT!)

The big lake is stunning in its beauty as always.

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