Friday, April 24, 2015

Tahoe is Ticking

I received this image today from my friend Chris:

No, the final destination for the gondola is not the desert.
This is "Teresa".  If she looks familiar, you may have seen her in Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, Ventura County. 
Mark Schooling of Gondola Paradiso launched his business with this gondola.
She will soon be replaced by another remarkable boat in Oxnard.
In the mean time, Teresa will soon be launched into Lake Tahoe.
Drew Sainte Marie, who has been rowing for years at the Gondola Getaway in Long Beach, is not just launching a boat. 
Like Mark Schooling, he's launching a business:
Tahoe Amore

The clock is ticking.
things are moving closer and closer to that point where we have another gondola operation in the U.S.
Just tonight, Drew posted that he and the gondola had arrived safely.
I don't have an official arrival photo, but here's the part where he was backing up to hitch up to the trailer.

Yes, that's Chris supervising things.
I have to take a moment to give some big props to Chris - he restored Teresa with expert care, has done the same with another gondola, which saw her first passengers on Valentine's Day since the restoration.

Many Southern California gondola operators are excited to see this launching, hoping that things go as well for Drew in Tahoe as they have for our friend in Oxnard. 
Perhaps the boat brings some luck with her.

Good luck to you, Drew.
And take good care of Teresa.

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