Yesterday we had the chance to rest and just breathe a little. Since we arrived in California, we've been running around non-stop from one point to the next. 

So, we walked through a park, ate too much at the Jelly Belly Factory in Vacaville, and checked out the town for a bit. We did a little shopping, checked out the local lake, had dinner at Tahoe Joe's and (unsuccessfully) went to a club. It was a peaceful day for once.

The rest revved us up for our second road trip:  Lake Tahoe.

So far, we've been able to see the sunny, beach-y side of the state, but today we had the chance to witness the exact opposite climate in the mountains. The drive up to Lake Tahoe was incredible. We kept passing signs that read "Elevation: 7,000 feet" and "Population: 10," aka, we're literally in the middle of the wilderness. 

I felt like Alexander Supertramp in Into The Wild, since there was barely any civilization around us. We made stops at Zephyr Cove, just over the state border in Nevada, and overlooked the mountains from a higher point by Emerald Island. The view looked like a painting in front of us; the mountaintops were covered with snow, yet the water was sparkling underneath. 

Our next stop was an hour away from the lake in a small town called Markleeville. To escape the cold, we dunked into the hot springs, which had an amazing backdrop to drool over while swimming. The temperature, which was up to 102-104 degrees, felt so relaxing and toasty. I've never experienced anything quite like that before, and I'm going to make sure I try it again.

To finish out the night, we tried the famous In 'N Out burgers, and added the "animal fries." The burger was fresh and their sauce had a little something extra in it to make it undeniably tasty. Our days left here are dwindling down, and I don't want it to end.