Today was a short leg of the road trip from San F to Lake Tahoe. The drive was scenic and a comfortable temperature most of the way. The lake is the second largest in the US and is impressive with white sandy beaches and a holiday feel throughout the town. The water is not as cold as it looks but still not tempting enough to take a dip. Oh yes Lesleigh gave me a haircut with a pair of Wahl clippers that I bought. It was a big risk but she did really well. Did you know you have to tip hair dresssers in the US just like waitrons in a restaurant, it is crazy.

Lesleigh and I decided to hire a couple of bicycles and take the trip around the lake shores through a historic village and then onto a state park to the base of the mountain. It was great fun and I was surprised at how well Lesleigh could ride, in fact I had to put the hammer down once or twice just to catch her.

We had a fantastic Thai curry in the local down town that night and I ordered the HOT!, I broke into a mad sweat, my nose started to run and tears ran down my cheeks, but my sinuses are now clear for some time and the next day I knew just how hot that curry was.

We had a long drive all the way out to Salt Lake City. A solid nine hours, but it was worth the view. There are a lot of one horse towns on route and never one of them without a Big M sign posted somewhere.

Salt Lake City was a neat and bustling town. We went into down town and had a top meal at Mc Garth’s Fish restaurant. We stayed over in the Sheraton for $80 thanks to priceline.com and had a great view from our room. Check the photos’.

Dad here is a replica of your Ford Cortina that I spotted in the Sheraton car park on route from Panama to Alaska.

Today we headed out of Salt Lake to the mighty town of Rawlins. I have seen smaller but not much. This is truly a close replica to some of those Karoo towns in SA.

Two amazing things about the US that I have discovered: One that when you order a soda, or a coca cola or the like you get a paper cup and it is refillable as many times as you want. In the restaurants you get half way down on your cool drink and another one just appears. Even in the fast food chains, you just help yourself to another no charge. The second is that when you order a main course on a menu, it comes standard with a starter and a side salad with the mains. It is just a three course meal in disguise. No wonder I am growing, and its not upwards, eating three course meals and drinking refillable soda pops.

Anyway off to watch the US open this afternoon in real time for the first time.