15 Signs You Grew Up In Lake Tahoe California
Growing up in California is the best – lets be real. The weather is spectacular and you only have to drive an hour away for different terrain: mountains, snow, beach, desert, woods, etc. Lake Tahoe is something special though; here are 15 signs you grew up in Lake Tahoe.
1. You are a pro at avoiding potholes.
Seemingly every year they repave the roads and they are nice for the summer. Then winter comes and between everyone’s chains and the snowplows, The roads are once again ruined. This only means that you are now great at avoiding all contact with any home or rut in the roads.
2. 70º weather is way to hot.
We are all very prepared for the winter temperatures, but when it comes to summer temperatures, we all die. It is just so HOT!
3. Your snowbanks get so high in the winter you get creative.
When you get a snow storm that drops 5 feet of snow and you already have 6 foot tall banks around your driveway, this is when you get creative. Whether it means dumping snow in the road for the plows or into your neighbors yard, you know what’s up.
4. You have way more winter clothes than summer clothes.
Everyone has a plethora of cute, warm winter clothes. Many more than summer clothing. Also, every girl has at last 6 pairs of black leggings and many over-sized sweatshirts to wear on those days when trying is overrated.
5. You hate any lake that isn’t crystal clear and cold.
We have all grown up near a gorgeous, ice cold, crystal clear lake. When we travel and see the ponds that others people call a “lake” we can’t deal.
6. You have to drive an hour to do any major shopping.
Between Tahoe City and Truckee there are a few good coffee shops and that’s about it. If you need nay major shopping the shortest drive is at least an hour. This is if you need any major food items or just want to go to the mall or movies with friends.
7. You can’t drive anywhere in the summer without swearing at the tourists.
The summer months get crazy with people driving up from all around to get a test of Tahoe. This creates mayhem as they never seemingly know how to drive or even walk. Every Tahoe local has done more than their fair share of swearing when tourists are going 20 below the speed limit of drive for miles with their turn signal on.
8. But the people watching is amazing.
An upside to all the tourists is that it creates major people watching. From the crazy families with 8 kids to the stuffy rich people from San Francisco there are so many fun people to watch!
9. Everyone drives a Subaru.
Everyone you see has at least one Subaru in their family. There are all the different makes and models but it is the best Tahoe car for every season.
10. Traffic is a nightmare.
Whether it is the winter ski slope rush or the summer beach scramble, no matter the season there is always traffic. Except maybe the in between time during fall, no snow yet but too cold for the beach=no traffic!
11. Chances are you have gone skiing at least once.
Every Tahoe kid has to have gone skiing at least once. If they are a hardcore Alpine skier, or a clam Nordic skier, we have all done it. And if you say no, just remember when skiing was a school trip in elementary school!
12. Tourists cars are easy to pick out by how shinny they are.
Tahoe cars are always covered in dirt from the long winter months and few bother to ever actually clean them. Tourists always are easy to pick out by their perfectly buffed, shinny BMW’s or huge black suburbans.
13. You know South Shore is the slum of the lake.
Everyone in the basin knows that South shore is the worst, most disgraced part of the lake. Everyone tries to avid going though it and much prefers to stay on any other side of Tahoe.
14. You can’t go to the grocery store without seeing at least 5 people you know.
I stopped helping my mom go to the store because whenever we went she always saw so many people she know. his turned a short trip to the market into a two hour long process as she stopped to talk and catch up with everyone.
15. You can go winters without any snow or suddenly be fully snowed in.
We just recently had two winter isn’t a row that gave us bare and snow and then we suddenly had a record breaking year. There was so much now ski races were cancelled because of TO MUCH snow! It was so huge that when the snow melted the bike path was flooded and the river was shut because of huge rapids.