The
next day (9-20) I spent a fair amount of time working on my bike – adjusted brakes,
pumped air in the tires and cleaned it up. I also rode to Stateline, Nevada (my 16th
state) to retrieve my re-supply package, and polished my shoes for the first time since
leaving home. Real exciting stuff, huh?
I also spent some time
looking around and thinking about the commercialism of the area. For example, at the
campground I found brochures offering the following activities: lake cruises, aerial tram,
western ranch, sailing, parasailing, "Tahoe’s fastest speedboat ride," ATV,
jeep and hummer tours, rafting, horseback riding, golf, balloon rides (over the lake),
glider rides, waverunners and jet skis, and sportfishing. Then there are the casinos
– just across the Nevada border in Stateline. Let me admit at this point to being a
hypocrite. I not only went to a casino, but also failed in my mission to make it go
bankrupt and have to close. I walked in, plunked down a $50 travelers check and took what
I’ll now call the Hypocrite Oath: "I pledge to feed these quarters one or two at
a time to the one-armed bandits until they are all gone." It didn’t take long.
(Great
Adventures to Scenic Places)
