Lake Tahoe and Its Culture of 'No Fear' — by Nick Cisik - Carr Long Real Estate

Lake Tahoe and Its Culture of 'No Fear' — by Nick Cisik

Lake Tahoe draws all types of personalities, but there does seem to be several common threads that bond those inhabiting the area—whether permanently or temporarily—together to create the strong sense of community that exists here. Perhaps the most prevailing commonality would be the dare-devil, fear-facing, get-after-it mentality that is so palpable amongst the members of this spirited alpine locale.

Trail Running in Truckee and Tahoe is fun and a great workoutIt is not rare to be riding up the chairlift at, say, Squaw Valley, U.S.A. and hear a cacophony of jeers echoing off the mountainside, all directed at some lone skier about to jump, or "huck," as it were, off a forty-foot cliff, the gutsy act cementing his or her position within the clan of local adrenaline junkies (not recommending this at all). You might also find yourself doing a double take as you drive up Old Highway 40, squinting out your car window as you realize that that is not, in fact, an ant crawling up that slab of sheer granite, but a human rock climber, hanging from her fingertips nearly thirty feet off the ground, her friends yelling at her from that very ground to "send it!" (Rock climbers, the enthusiastic group that they are, are nothing if not supportive). And even I, just before going under for my ACL reconstruction (having faced some fear of my own only a few weeks prior), was told by the on-hand anesthesiologist, "Welcome to the brotherhood," as if having the procedure done was a right of passage—for you will be hard-pressed to find a Truckee-Tahoe local who has not had this ligament repaired. 

mountain biker in lake tahoeThere is something to be said for the exuberant nature of the Truckee-Tahoe local, not to mention the no-fear, grab-life-by-the-horns approach to daily life which many who call Tahoe home employ. I think the community here in Truckee cultivates a confidence, openness, and vitality, all of which lead to a fulfilling and rewarding, high-quality lifestyle. Living in and acting out of fear should be avoided if possible (for some it is not) and becoming comfortable in the face of fear, I believe, is something to aspire to. To be clear, this does not require that you go jumping off forty-foot cliffs. Facing fear or challenging oneself can be done in much safer modes, but I do believe the aspiration a virtue.      

This summer there are guaranteed to be many tenacious athletes out there on the trail, in the water, on the road, and even in the air pushing themselves beyond their personal limits. I look forward to joining my fellow community members in the embracing of what is surely a cultural mainstay—the pursuit of abundant health and abundant spirit in conjunction with the greatest abundance of all—that of the outdoors.  

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