Made it to Lake Tahoe

Keith & Pam resting after a fun-filled afternoon of sailing on Lake Tahoe.

That's Jim & Pam - AKA Captain & Tenile

After spending two days on the road and sleeping in the back of the van at rest stops, it was a great feeling to finally arrive in Lake Tahoe on Saturday afternoon. 

It's pretty remarkable to travel across 1,700 miles of the American landscape and marvel at the vast nothingness only to find, just beyond Reno, one of the world's most wonderful oasis. 

I found my friends Jim and Pam and I have been enjoying their company since my arrival.

Our friendship is one of those rare crossing of paths that now goes back 3 years ago to Maui. We shared the same yard while we were renting cabanas on Front Street in Lahaina. We then ended up purchasing condos near one another in Honokowai. They've become great friends of mine, my brother Brad and his wife Kim. 

They were gracious enough to invite me to spend time with them at their home in Lake Tahoe and to do some sailing on their boat. What a treat!

Leaving Dubuque, Iowa

Photo: The view from the Great River Road in Balltown, Iowa. We placed a bench here as a memorial to my dad, Joe Breitbach. He grew-up in the home just down the road next to Iowa's oldest restaurant and bar - Breitbach's.

The next time you find yourself on the Iowa side of the Great River Road, be sure to stop off in Balltown to enjoy the view and fill-up at Breitbach's. Be sure to tell cousin Mike that Keith sent you.

Okay - here is the first blog posting to begin my odd-issy across America. I am leaving the heartland of America and my hometown of Dubuque for a two month's journey to Lake Tahoe and the west coast. I will eventually arrive in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. I have a slight outline of an itinerary, but nothing set in stone. 

Be sure to check-in and see how the trip is going.

It's now going on 6pm, Thursday, July 6th, 2006 and when my last audio book finishes downloading, I will hit the road. First stop: Iowa City and then west on Interstate 80.

Forward.