But now it was time to leave Lake Tahoe.

Again, I’d dallied with the idea of driving north along its western shore. Certainly, there’d be more pretty parts. Certainly, lounging on the lakeside under the sun, to bronze my blubber, could have been relaxing.

However, no. This vacation was ultimately not for leisure. I was on a mission. It was to explore. I was literally to circle ’round the Sierras and get impressions that… I had no idea what I’d do with… certainly not write a book.

So, down the mountains I went into Nevada, and got back on US 395, and headed south. Before too long I was passing Topaz Lake. Then came CH 108, which was the road I drove across the Sierras yesterday, and then went north to Tahoe. Now I was going south of 108. Southward was new highway territory, and such can be stimulating out West.

Lake Bridgeport appeared. It was another lake created by impounding an endoheric basin. Without the dam, water would probably diffuse itself over a large area of muddy marshes, making efficient water extraction for a municipality impossible. But the dam collects it into a definitive reservoir. Pumping out of a lake instead of a marsh is easier – I am supposing.

Then, I wanted more coffee. At some travel stop I got into a small conversation with a lady, and asked some smart-alec question to probe her attitude about Sacramento, California’s capital. I probably said something like, “But I thought every single person in California was a raging liberal.”

The look in her eyes was priceless. She hated Sacramento. She hated liberals. She hated what California has come to embody. And my point is that I believe California has far more conservative people than is led to believe. I believe the politics of the state is corrupt beyond redemption, and that’s why Democrats always win.

But even if I’m wrong, and California politics are pure as snow, Eastern California has small mountain and desert towns. It’s very conservative here. I imagine gun ownership is high. Heck, the majority of California counties are conservative. It’s just that the most populated counties are filled with liberal Marxists, and you have to wonder why cities make people blue.

But that’s for another time.