Black Bear Chalet

The keys are stored in the lockbox which is located on the post of the front porch.
Please call about a week or so prior to arrival to get the current lockbox code

Arrival time: 4:00 p.m. Departure time:  11:00 a.m.

If you are not out of the house by the required departure time, you will be charged half a day’s rate amount. In the case of a back to back booking, there is no choice but to be out by 11:00 am. If the cleaning crew is delayed, it does not allow them enough time to do their cleaning.   Please keep in mind, they generally have more than one house to clean between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm.

Are you nervous about what could happen if you couldn’t make your trip and what are some covered reasons for Trip Cancellation/Interruption?
There are many different types of trip insurance available, but Trip Cancellation and Interruption protection is the most important benefit you should look for. If your trip has to be cancelled for covered reasons such as illness, accident, death of a family member or traveling companion, jury duty, weather conditions which cause delay/ cancellation of travel or fire or flood in your home, this coverage protects your investment and will reimburse the normally non-refundable payments you make for your vacation rental, airline tickets and other covered travel related fees.

If you miss your planned departure for a covered reason, you may also be covered for additional travel expenses to reach your destination. If you have to interrupt a trip due to a covered illness, this insurance will cover your transportation home. Please see InsureMyTrip.com for details on this coverage.
 

DIRECTIONS
From San Francisco Airport:
1)  Start out going WEST on departing flights towards DOMESTIC TERMINAL EXIT by turning left = .19 miles
2)  Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto DOMESTIC TERMINAL EXIT = .04 miles
3)  Stay straight to go onto DOMESTIC TERMINAL EXIT = .17 miles
4)  Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto AIRPORT EXIT = .15 miles
5)  Take the US-101 N/I-380 W ramp towards I-280/SAN FRANCISCO / SAN BRUNO = .12 miles
6)  Keep LEFT at the fork in the ramp = .22 miles
7)  Merge onto US-101 N = 11.03 miles
8)  Take I-80 E towards BAY BRIDGE / OAKLAND / SEVENTH ST / US-101 N = .09 miles
9)  Merge onto I-80 E = 81.18 miles
10)  Take CAPITAL CITY FRWY towards SACRAMENTO / SOUTH LAKE TAHOE = .15 miles
11)  Merge onto CAPITAL CITY FRWY = 5.05 miles
12)  Stay straight to go onto US-50 E = about 110 miles.
13)  Turn right at the first stop light which is PIONEER TRAIL
14)  Go about 5 miles to the first stop light which is COLD CREEK
15)  Take the first left, which is ALICE LAKE

From Reno / Tahoe Airport:
1)  Start out going West on E PLUMB LN towards DURHAM RD by turning right
2)  Turn LEFT to take the US-395 S ramp toward CARSON CITY.
3)  Merge onto US-395 S
4)  Take the US-395 S exit- exit number 578 - towards VIRIGINIA CITY / CARSON CITY / SO LAKE TAHOE.
5)  Merge onto US-395
6)  Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto US-50
7)  Continue up the hill past Spooner Summit and the highway will veer off to the left.  Follow the lake,  passing Cave Rock, Zephyr Cove and Round Hill Shopping Center, and keep going past all the Casinos until you get to Pioneer Trail.
8)  Turn left on PIONEER TRAIL
9)   Go past the stop lights at Ski Run Blvd. and Al Tahoe and turn left at the stop light at COLD CREEK.
10)  Turn left at the first street which is ALICE LAKE

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

1)  The garbage situation in this home has become a problem due to the bears from the National Forest. If you happen to be there on Friday morning, you may place your bags out at the curb THAT MORNING (not the night before) and the garbage will be removed. We had a green storage locker or “bear box” outside, but because our guests didn’t follow instructions and garbage ended up strewn about, and we also had numerous complaints from our neighbors, we were forced to discontinue using the garbage receptacle. Since the bears have been attracted to the garbage all over the Tahoe region, the bears are becoming bolder and in some cases have actually broken into houses, so it is important to keep them away. By eating “people food“, the bears are no longer hibernating! The comments from our neighbors were important for the welfare of everyone, including our guests. We now ask that you bag up your garbage and place it in the laundry room for the cleaning service to remove at the end of your stay. We have an account at the Transfer Stations, so you may also take it to 2140 Ruth Ave. (Take Hwy 50 towards the “Y” where the outlets are, turn right at 3rd St., and left at Ruth), which is the South Tahoe Refuse Transfer Station. Phone - 541-5105) If you have any questions, please let me know.

2)  Housekeeping and hot tub problems may be addressed by calling me at (775) 783-4030 or my cell at (925) 286-7351, or by calling Alison Fradd at High Level Services at 775 843 7898.

3) Fireplace – Due to protection of air quality in the Tahoe Basin, we request that you use manufactured logs similar to the complimentary log we have provided. Please use only one log at a time.  In this era of gas fireplace appliances, there just many people who don’t know how to use a wood fireplace properly, and therefore the owner is concerned about fire. Because the lake is located in a basin, the smoke does not escape, so it has become a highly charged issue to the locals. In addition, it causes problems for the staff, and most importantly, it can be a problem because of hot embers igniting carpet, etc. When using the fireplace, please remember to open the damper before igniting the log and close the damper when the log has completely burned out.

4)  We leave the front porch lights on. Please leave the  light switch in the "on position" so that the next guests do not have a difficult time seeing when they come up the steps.

5) There is a propane barbecue that is available for your use. However, I cannot always guarantee that the tank will be full. The best place to fill it, if necessary, is the Grocery Outlet on Hwy 50 headed towards the “Y”, and Scotty’s Hardware on Kingsbury Grade, or SR 207.

6)  The house is fully stocked with linens so there is no need to bring sheets, blankets, or towels.  The kitchen has a full supply of pots and pans, dishes, glasses, utensils, etc.  There is a dishwasher, microwave, coffee pot, can opener, blender, toaster, hand mixer, etc.

7)  There is a washer and dryer for your convenience. 

8)  The bathrooms have a set of towels for each person. (Bath towel, hand towel & wash cloth.

9)  The bedrooms each have a freshly changed bed and there is a television in the master bedroom.

10)  The great room has a full sized sleeper sofa and the linens for it are stored in the master bedroom closet.

11) If there is a problem with keys, you can contact Alicen Fradd at 775-843-7898, who does the housecleaning, since she knows the lockbox codes and also has extra keys.

12) The code for the hot tub is the address backwards, or 9-9-4.

13) It is imperative that you take a shower before going into the spa.  If the spa is entered too many times with lotions, sun screen, etc., it makes the chemicals lose their potency and when the spa is serviced again, instead of just adding the chemicals, the spa company has to completely drain the spa and possibly even scour it down.  For this reason, if the spa needs to be drained, the cost of $45 will be deducted from your security deposit!

14)  Please help us to conserve energy by following the common sense rules of turning out lights when not in the room, and turning down the thermostat when not at home, or upon departure. Thank you in advance.

 

BEFORE YOU LEAVE:

1)  Make sure all the lights are off.

2)  Turn the thermostat down to 55 degrees.

3)  Make sure the flue to the fireplace is closed.

4)  In the kitchen, make sure any dirty dishes are placed in the dishwasher and run, and the counters are washed.

5)  Make sure all the appliances are turned off, and unplugged in the case of the coffee pot, blender, etc.

6)  In the bedrooms, do not remake the beds since housecleaning does not know how many people have stayed in the house.  If the sofa bed is used, please remove the bedding and leave it on the sofa, again, so housekeeping knows the linens have been used.

7)  In the bathrooms, please pile up the used towels.

8)  In the laundry room, check to make sure there are no personal clothes in the washer / dryer.

9)  Please bag up all your garbage and leave it in the laundry room.

10) Make sure the hot tub is covered and locked, for the safety of the neighborhood children.

11)  We would prefer that the furniture within the house not be moved. However, if you move furniture around, please return it to where you found it upon arrival. If the cleaners have to move furniture back, extra employees are called in, and an additional $50 will be deducted from your security deposit.

12)  Make sure the keys are returned to the lock box for the next guests!!  It is the first thing that housekeeping will check.

13) PLEASE TAKE A SECOND LOOK AROUND. Have you looked for your personal belongings in the bed linens, under the beds, in the closets and drawers? Do you have your cell phone charger, cameras, lap tops? Did you leave your hair drier or curling iron? You can’t believe what is left behind, and our house keeping staff is not good at getting it in the mail if you leave something behind!!!! Remember, they do not speak English, so the orders are difficult for them to follow.

14)  In order to get your entire deposit back, we must have the keys, the house must not show any undo wear and tear or damage, and an inventory will be done of the sheets, pillows, towels, etc. 

 

We hope you had a wonderful stay, and as they say in the south, “Y’all come back!!”

 

 

NICE TO KNOW PLACES AND ACTIVITIES:

Some of the highlights that we have enjoyed (I will add others as our guests report about their favorites, so please report in):

FOOD:

1)  Our favorite place for reasonable meals is the Lakeside Inn.  Their breakfast special is $3.99 for 2 eggs, choice of 2 strips of bacon or sausage, and choice of pancakes, French toast, or hash browns and toast.  In addition they have a daily special, which is wonderful for $5.99 (Our favorite is prime rib, eggs, hash browns and toast.  Yummy!)  For dinner, they have a wonderful prime rib dinner for $9.99, and other choices which are also reasonably priced. 

2)  If you want a special night out, try the Edgewood at the Edgewood Golf Course.  Since it is right on the lake, it has a spectacular view, and the dinners run up to $24.95.  You have to plan in advance for this treat because it books up early!!

3)  Café Fiore is a little hole in the wall with fabulous food.  It’s prices run from the mid teens to the mid 20’s.

4)  The Red Hut is one of the locals favorite stops for breakfast and lunch.  The wait can be long, but there are 3 locations.  One is in South Lake Tahoe on Hwy 50 in California, and the other is on Kingsbury Grade in Stateline, Nv. They have just opened up a new location at the corner of Hwy 50 and Ski Run Blvd.

5)  Ernies’s is in South Lake Tahoe, out by the “Y” and is a good choice if you’re in that area and want breakfast or lunch. 

6)  The Beacon is out at Camp Richardson and offers dining inside and outside with views of the lake.

7)  Zephyr Cove Resort in Zephyr Cove, Nv., offers dining inside and outside with wonderful views of the lake. 

ACTIVITIES:

1)  Zephyr Cove Resort offers so many activities.  In the summer time they have horse back riding, the M. S. DIXIE II paddle wheeler,  the WOODWIND catamaran, sport fishing charters, parasailing, rentals of boats, jet skis, peddle boats, canoes, and kayaks. In the winter time they have snowmobiles which take you up to Spooner Summit for a breathtaking ride with gorgeous views of the lake (especially if the day is clear and sunny.)

2)  The “Y” Outlet shopping is located at the intersection of Hwys 50 and 89.

3)  Nevada Beach is a favorite on the Nevada side of the state line.  It isn’t as crowded as  Regan and Pope Beaches on the California side.

4)  Horizan craft fairs are ongoing throughout the summer on the weekends.  Fun for those one of a kind purchases.

5)  Round Hill Shopping Center craft fairs are held every other weekend.

6)  Make sure you check the Harrah’s web site for upcoming celebrity attractions and book in advance. 

7)  The Visitor’s Center has a wonderful nature hike (all year long), and also will give you directions to all kinds of spectacular hikes and other activities.  Don’t miss the Tallac Historic Homes.  They are the homes of the early Tahoe settlers such as the Baldwins and the Popes. Try to visit Angora Lake since it is only about a half mile hike, but the rewards of their well-known lemonade at the end of the trail make it truly rewarding.  Cascade Falls are another nice hike and have been recommended to me by the Record family from Indiana.

8)  Vikingsholm is an authentic Viking inspired home built at the turn of the 20th Century.  The tour is really interesting.

9)  The Heavenly Valley Tram Ride is very scenic and in the winter time, if you ride up to the top, they have tubing available which is fun for kids of all ages according to Jo Nell, a 50’s something from Texas.

If you do something you would like passed on to others, PLEASE let me know.

 

 

Game Rules

Harvard Soccer Table

 

 

The Object of the Game

To be the first team (or player) to score a predetermined number of points or to score the most points in a given amount of time.

 

Serving

The server rolls the ball through the serving hole to start the game, after a point is scored, or after the ball leaves the table. The server can spin the ball to influence the serve, but the ball must be struck by one of the serving team’s (or server’s) player figures. Once the ball is in play, it remains in play until it is hit off the table, a dead ball is declared, time out is called, or a point is scored.

 

Passing

If a ball is pinned on the 5-man rod, it cannot be passed to the 3-man rod of the same team without touching at least two player figures as it is being passed.

 

Scoring

When a ball enters the opposing team’s goal, a point is scored. If the ball enters the goal, but bounces back onto the playing surface or leaves the table, it still counts as a goal.

 

Spinning Rods

Spinning the rods is illegal.

 

Ball Off The Table

If the ball leaves the playing surface and strikes any object that is not part of the table, it is declared “off the table” and should be put back into play by a serve from the team (or player) that originally served that ball. If the ball rolls into the serving sup and then returns to the playing surface, it is still considered “in play.”

 

Dead Ball

If a ball has completely stopped its motion and cannot be reached by any player figure, it is declared a “dead ball.”  If the ball is declared dead between the goal and the 2-man rod, it should be put back into play by placing it in nearest corner and releasing it.  If the ball is declared dead anywhere else on the playing surface, it should be put back into play by a serve from the team that originally served the ball. If a ball is spinning in place, it is not considered a dead ball.