I had my first and worst experience on a horse during a summer I remember only as, “The Summer of Blaze!” I was coaching swimming at the time, and there were two swimmers who were exceptionally talented, Patty & Maggie, but on this particular day they were dogging it. So I shouted to them, “Pick it up, ladies, this is not your Hilton Spa!” They stopped swimming and shouted back, “We’ll pick it up, coach, if you will ride Blaze!” To wit, I shouted back, without thinking, “Fair enough!”

Well, they did pick it up, and I was pleased, until later that afternoon, when I heard clopedy-clop-clop in the parking lot, and suddenly there was Blaze, a magnificent bareback wild stallion that Patty & Maggie had trained to run through an obstacle course at lightning speed.

Being a man of my word, albeit wearing only a swimsuit without spurs or even shoes, I climbed bravely up onto a gate, and from there boarded Blaze, who flared his nostrils in recognizing that he had a genuine turnip on his back that he was going to dispose of in a Churchill Downs minute.

Well, Patty & Maggie slapped Blaze on the rear, and we shot across that parking lot and into a pear orchard like an arrow from a crossbow. Of course I grabbed Blaze by the ears and held on for dear life as we fast approached a haybale that he had been trained to jump. So up and over we went with me hugging Blaze around the neck while he zeroed in on a low-hanging pear tree. I could see that I was about to be rudely scrapped-off by a very fast approaching pear tree, so I chose valor over defeat, and as that pear tree came into reach, I grabbed a branch with both hands, spread my legs, and let Blaze continue along his destruction derby without me. 

As I hung there counting my sins, the sound of my beating heart was broken by laughter and shouts of approval from my antagonists, the talented but devious aquanauts, Patty & Maggie, who went on to win medals in their respective events during that memorable Summer of Blaze…

I would suffer yet one more incident with a horse. I was walking down at the docks on the Island of Maui to watch the circus arrive, and a pretty lady was leading the horses off the boat onto the Island when one of her horses swung around and hit me in the chest with his rear-end, knocking me to the ground. The pretty lady shouted, “Don’t you know a horse when you see one?!” Somewhat stunned, I shouted back, “No, but I know a woman when I see one!” Without a moment’s hesitation, she shouted back, “That’s funny, you don’t look like you would!”

That hurt me, worse than the horse, but it was such a good riposte that I had to laugh, and take it like a man…   

Audio: https://open.spotify.com/show/7Fhv4PrH1UuwlhbnTT23zO

We are pleased to share our 2024 Annual Report, featuring our community events, business member programs, community connection initiatives, member promotion, and more! We thank our members and community supporters for helping build sustainability for the cohesiveness of Incline Village and Crystal Bay! We are excited for another year of supporting our thriving community.

Incline churches are active in our community in many ways, helping the needy and lending support to individuals and nonprofits. Many people have found a church home here. But, if you are one of those who only attend on the big religious holidays, this weekend is IT!  Brave the cold for the traditional sunrise service at Burnt Cedar with Pastor Jeff Ogden and the Village Church. St. Francis has a sunrise service too, but in the sanctuary at 7 am. St. Patrick’s and Cornerstone also have Easter services. Most have an Easter egg hunt, or breakfast (St. Francis), and Village Church also has a traditional Easter brunch. And of course, check websites for other services during Easter week. 

The Hyatt Easter dinner is a great reason to head over to Osteria Sierra after the Easter Egg Hunt at the Hyatt.

If you are looking for something special for a sweet gift, check out the Tandem chocolates (handcrafted and hand-painted!) at Tahoe Gifting Company.

PREPARING FOR WILD-FIRE SEASON

 What can we do to protect our property against fires and help to keep our insurance?  Attend the vegetation management and home hardening workshop at Prim Library on the UNR campus. It is one of a series of workshops throughout April. 

YARD CLEAN-UP is important too. IVGID starts its yard waste pick-up on May 5. Look for the stickers (96 free!) in the mail; the yard waste bags must have the stickers in order to be picked up.   NLTFPD starts its defensible space appointments and curbside chipping in mid-May as well. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Incline Star Follies at the high school, May 2-3

GREASE is the Word fundraiser for Lake Tahoe School on May 17. Check out the ICE, Incline Center for Events at Bowl Incline!

Wine on the Water Dinner Series – May 2, May 16, and June 25

LIKE WHAT YOU READ?

IVCBA is the Community and Business Association that promotes our local businesses and nonprofits, organizes community events, and produces the Weekly SnapShot!  If you are a subscriber and regular reader, please join as a Community Supporter for $50. If you are not a subscriber, do for free! Go to IVCBA.org. We are financially supported by our local agency “investors”, and our business community and residents. Please help! JOIN HERE

Submitted by Tia Rancourt, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District

Incline Village, NV — With warmer weather on the horizon, it’s time to spring into action and prepare for wildfire season. The North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District will soon begin offering Defensible Space Inspections and Curbside Chipping Services for residents of Incline Village and Crystal Bay.

Online registration starts on May 5, 2025, and services will begin the week of May 12, 2025.

Visit www.nltfpd.org/curbside-chipping for full details and to submit your request.

Here’s what to expect:

• Defensible Space Evaluations: After submitting your request, our team will contact you within two weeks to schedule your evaluation.
• Chipping Services: Requests are completed on a rolling basis as staffing allows. Please be aware that crews may be delayed if responding to wildfire incidents.

To help us continue offering these services at no cost, we ask that you fill out the online request form thoroughly and accurately.

Creating defensible space is one of the most important actions you can take to protect your home from wildfire. As part of this effort, NLTFPD can issue free tree removal permits for fire hazard trees—however, tree removal must be part of a complete defensible space treatment.

For Waste Management curbside yard debris collection information, including dates and guidelines, please click here.

Finally, don’t forget to sign up for emergency alert notifications to stay informed during the wildfire season. Washoe County utilizes the Rave Alert system—you can register here: Sign Up – Smart911, or by downloading the Smart911 app.

Let’s work together to keep our community safe and fire ready.

Originally Published in Islands Travel Guides, 04/14/2025, Written by Lauren Kershner

With serene beaches and crystal clear waters, Lake Tahoe is an enchanting destination for a nature-filled getaway. Straddling the California-Nevada border and covering 191 square miles, the pristine lake is encircled by a myriad of sparkling gems to discover — from the rustic, year-round resort at Camp Richardson with endless outdoor recreation to the special Kings Beach for swimming and sunbathing. If you want to explore it all, the 72-mile loop around the lake takes about three hours to drive, creating the perfect itinerary for a family-friendly road trip.

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