Step up to the bar at PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn and you'll have more to talk about than just the cocktails. Bartender Jake from PlumpJack Cafe tells us of his ventures around the globe...
Summer in Tahoe is trying to start. It always comes late and never lasts long. As we count down to the solstice, we’re seeing thunderstorms, even some occasional hail, a shy, sneaky sun, cool days and cold nights, rushing streams and thundering waterfalls carrying away the icy-cold remnants of another winter passed---all signs that spring is still working its course. Fresh, green life sprouts up everywhere. The birds are chirping to celebrate the coming of the warm season. Everything is calm and quiet. Locals explore the trails and watch the snow recede; tourists enjoy nice drives around the lake. Boats begin to appear, white specks out on the azure span. Soon enough we’ll wake up, the summer will explode upon us, and the sun will have free reign of the sky for a few months as we reap the benefits of living in one of the most glorious places in the world.
I joined the Plumpjack Family back in 2005, a perfect addition to my still relatively new life in California. Having always enjoyed great food and wine, I found working behind the bar at the Plumpjack Squaw Valley Inn to be a perfect fit for me. During my first two years, I found myself becoming more and more interested in wine, cuisine, cocktail-mixing, and just being a part of a guest’s experience as they passed through our paradisal destination and happened upon our unique and welcoming place. In the winter, I could ski all day and work at night, and in the summer it was time for biking.
Eventually, I found myself planning the trip of a lifetime on a bicycle, a four-man, 15,000+ mile, unsupported charity ride from Alaska to Argentina. The ride would benefit our newly-formed non-profit organization, Biking for a Better World. We received huge support from the Plumpjack crew here in Squaw as we hosted fundraisers in our conference center. Then, in June of 2007, it was time for me to leave my days at Plumpjack and Squaw behind. The overwhelming possibilities of what could happen in a life lived on a bicycle for nine months were daunting. Mentally, I decided to let life beyond the ride work itself out.
Well, luck was on our side, and eight months after departing, we arrived in Ushuaia, Argentina, at “the end of the world,” as they say. The journey was a huge success, both as an athletic accomplishment and as a catalyst to fully fund the building of the school in rural northern Nicaragua, which we had the opportunity to visit as we passed through the small country.
I returned to Plumpjack at the end of last summer after receiving a call about my old position behind the bar being available. I bought a flight and headed back to my home in Squaw, and I haven’t regretted it for a second. I can’t thank Plumpjack enough for supporting the efforts of my charity in so many ways over the years.
I am always happy to mosey down the hill to our spot on the corner under the looming and spectacular tram face, get behind the bar and chat it up with the good folks coming through. So come to Squaw and say hi this summer, enjoy some wine and delicious food, hit the pool for a refreshing dip, and maybe get a good ride on our endless array of trails hugging the hills and dipping through the valleys.
For more info on our charity and our upcoming projects, please visit www.bikingforabetterworld.org.
I joined the Plumpjack Family back in 2005, a perfect addition to my still relatively new life in California. Having always enjoyed great food and wine, I found working behind the bar at the Plumpjack Squaw Valley Inn to be a perfect fit for me. During my first two years, I found myself becoming more and more interested in wine, cuisine, cocktail-mixing, and just being a part of a guest’s experience as they passed through our paradisal destination and happened upon our unique and welcoming place. In the winter, I could ski all day and work at night, and in the summer it was time for biking.
Eventually, I found myself planning the trip of a lifetime on a bicycle, a four-man, 15,000+ mile, unsupported charity ride from Alaska to Argentina. The ride would benefit our newly-formed non-profit organization, Biking for a Better World. We received huge support from the Plumpjack crew here in Squaw as we hosted fundraisers in our conference center. Then, in June of 2007, it was time for me to leave my days at Plumpjack and Squaw behind. The overwhelming possibilities of what could happen in a life lived on a bicycle for nine months were daunting. Mentally, I decided to let life beyond the ride work itself out.Well, luck was on our side, and eight months after departing, we arrived in Ushuaia, Argentina, at “the end of the world,” as they say. The journey was a huge success, both as an athletic accomplishment and as a catalyst to fully fund the building of the school in rural northern Nicaragua, which we had the opportunity to visit as we passed through the small country.
I returned to Plumpjack at the end of last summer after receiving a call about my old position behind the bar being available. I bought a flight and headed back to my home in Squaw, and I haven’t regretted it for a second. I can’t thank Plumpjack enough for supporting the efforts of my charity in so many ways over the years.
I am always happy to mosey down the hill to our spot on the corner under the looming and spectacular tram face, get behind the bar and chat it up with the good folks coming through. So come to Squaw and say hi this summer, enjoy some wine and delicious food, hit the pool for a refreshing dip, and maybe get a good ride on our endless array of trails hugging the hills and dipping through the valleys.
For more info on our charity and our upcoming projects, please visit www.bikingforabetterworld.org.
Take advantage of all that is Lake Tahoe today. Stay two nights at PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn and get the third night free. Rates are as low as $129. Visit PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn for all of the details on this deal and more.
And don't miss the One on One Wine Maker Tastings and Dinners at PlumpJack Cafe.
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