RenoVous

 Spotted Lake, also known as Khiluk Lake or Osoyoos - located in Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada. It is a soda lake, and every summer as the water evaporates, there remains this mineral-rich crust with circular brine pools. Minerals include sodium sulfates, calcium, magnesium sulfate, as well as trace amounts of silver and titanium. The local tribes have long considered it sacred for its healing properties.  According to their legends, each pool has a different ability. In 1916, minerals were extracted to make ammunition for World War I. It is one of the world's most mineral-dense lakes, and the way they have accumulated over time is a rare phenomenon.  Scientists are still studying the natural processes that led to this formation, how the mineral concentration and evaporation interact in this environment.

  Mammoth Lakes was a nice little town, reminded me of places around Tahoe. Above is Lake Mary, and she overflows into Lake Mamie. Which then flows to Twin Falls, and the Twin Lakes. We drove down from here to the lakes level. We made it up the Minaret Vista. From here we wanted to drive on towards Devil's Postpile, but the gate was closed to private vehicles.  Shuttles only.  No thanks.

  The ever so beautiful Pyramid Lake. Anaho Island. Morning. Indian Head Rock. Pups.

  One of the best things about Pyramid Lake is that the shore is open for wherever you want to set up.

  15 years married, September 14th. ❤️

 Drive number one was up to Tahoe through Truckee and home through Minden. Main stop was Cave Rock State Park. Next weekend was a desert drive, out through Pyramid and home through Susanville. Stopped at these warm springs but it was so dang windy...

We took a drive to check out our Lake of the Woods. Mighty wanted to swim with the ducks!  Or did he want to catch them...??

Last week we looked at the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia - this week we're heading inland to Lake Baikal, a massive ancient lake in Siberia along the Mongolian border. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996, it is considered the deepest lake in the world and is the largest freshwater lake by volume, containing more water than the North American Great Lakes combined. The lake is covered by a thick layer of ice for several months of the year.  Spring doesn't really hit until May, and the thaw drains through a single river - the Angara. Baikal seals are the only exclusively freshwater species, although they are related to the Arctic ringed seal. Known by the indigenous peoples as nerpa, the seals have been depicted in rock art panels and bones have been found at habitation sites as well as human cemeteries. Many of the species in the lake are endemic, such as the omul fish, which is the most important to the local fisheries.   Many...