recipe for a perfect day in tahoe Rental snowboard package from Dave's in Truckee: $32, with the strap-in type bindings. The guys there are way nicer and attentive than the rental guys at Boreal -- don't go to there. They suck. Drive to Homewood from Truckee: about a half hour. Half-day lift ticket: $35 Semi-private lesson at 3pm: $62/2 people On the way up the Madden Triple chair lift, we turn around and see this fucking amazing view of Lake Tahoe. On the way down the mountain, anytime you're on a clear area it's just you and the snow and the lake. I can't help but feel like a superstar traversing across the face of the mountain, looking out over the snow and trees and blue blue water. Private lessons are totally worth the money. I also drive the least snow-worthy car in all of Tahoe, so it's a good thing it didn't snow (good thing for the car, not so good for the slopes). Rear wheel drive, performance tires. Also we discovered its maximum capacity -- 2 snowboarders, 1 skiier, associated equipment, and 1 day's luggage. It was definitely a bit clown-car like, but not too bad for a tiny sedan with no roof rack. Food in Truckee leaves something to be desired. Earthly Delights makes a damn good and spicy chicken and shrimp jambalaya, but the tofu salad sandwich was merely okay. The Mexican place next to Dave's makes rather sub-par beef fajitas, with chewy pieces of beef you can't quite bite through. The locals are fun and more than willing to chat with you. And if you stay in the Truckee Hotel, you should definitely use the supplied earplugs -- if the trains don't wake you up, the trucks refueling at the gas station next door will. I can't wait to go again.