Attention all road trippers, bikers, and tourists: Here's a great stop in a loop from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Sacramento Delta area on Sunday, July 12.

Did you know that one in three mouthfuls of the food we eat comes as a result of the work of honeybees? These pollinators are in trouble and that's why Slow Food Delta Diablo invites you to spend a day at Knoll Farms in Brentwood touring the farm, eating lunch and learning about honeybees and the important relationship between thoughtful farmers and mindful beekeepers.

Learn about the life of the honeybee, the world-wide threat to honeybee health and what beekeepers and farmers on the urban fringe are doing to sustain the lives of bees. Learn about bee habitat and what the public can do to improve and support the lives of honeybees and other pollinators.

$20 Slow Food members
$30 non-members
$15 students (age 15 and up)

Well-mannered children under 15 may attend at the student price; however, there will not be child-targeted activities at this event.

Activities will include a talk and beekeeping demonstration by Alan Hawkins, beekeeper at organic farms in Brentwood, Tracy, and Marin, a tour of the farm and bee habitat with Rick Knoll, and a showing of Pollen-Nation, a short award-winning film that discusses the threat to bee health. (See movie trailer here.)

Enjoy a delicious lunch that features Knoll Farms honey and produce.

The day closes with a tasting of a variety of artisan honeys from around the country.

Wear light colored clothing and a hat as you will be on a working farm with thousands of bees in the air. Beekeepers are welcome to bring a veil.

Buy tickets here.

Lodging in and near Brentwood.

Map of Brentwood.

(This article also published in examiner.com.)

The Station on South Locust in Floyd, VA, a new business/residential development at the former site of Mama Lazardo's Pizza & Subs, is opening this weekend after many months of construction activity. Visitors and well-wishers have been dropping by to greet the new tenants even before the doors are officially open.

The design and finishing touches of this completely transformed building show the great attention to detail that Woody Crenshaw brings to all of his projects. It should be a popular stop for visitors even before the new restaurant opens with its high profile patio dining area.

Local artists, artisans, and business people have been setting up shop while contractors were still applying the finishing touches needed to make the Station ready for tonight's First Friday Open House event.

Not all suites are occupied, but there are already enough filled to make a significant difference in the number of businesses and artists celebrating First Friday this month.

The Blue Ridge Art Connection had a successful soft opening during the Floyd Town Jubilee two weeks ago and are ready to welcome visitors this weekend with new work and more artists than ever before. They are also featuring the work of their student artists as well. They are very supportive of new artists and provide classes and mentoring on an individualized basis.

The members of the Blue Ridge Art Connection are shown here. They welcome new members and students at all skill levels. Some of the students have gone on to become professional artists.

This is the group that launched me into custom picture framing several years ago. I will have a display in this new gallery to show what can be achieved with custom framing. This weeks display is a shadow box for displaying an antique mask.

Next door to the Blue Ridge Art Connection, Starroot (AKA Ruth Neumann) has an exhibit of her colorful and whimsical work. Starroot, like many Floyd artists is also a musician. I took this shot of her taking a musical break a few days ago while she was setting up shop.

Across the hall from the Blue Ridge Art Connection you will find The Troika, three long time Floyd artists whose works are more in the three dimensional realm. This studio is a real find for those who want to create unique interiors for home or office.

There are other tenants well worth visiting. My friend Ann Bower has an Avon office in the rear of the building, there is a woodworking business opening soon in another studio, there is another artist in the back hall.

Did I mention the wine tasting room? The local vineyards, cider producers, meaderies and micro brewers are setting up a tasting room which will feature beverages from local producers. This will be a popular stop for visitors, I am sure.

Stop in tonight for the First Friday celebration if you can. It should be a good time for all concerned. This kicks off the season at the Station and the shops and studios will be open for business from now on.

Last Sunday and Monday, June 28-29 Duke and I hiked the 17 mile section of the Tahoe Rim Trail from Spooner Summit on Highway 50 to Tunnel Creek Road. The last three miles were off the trail down to the lake. The same road we took at the end of the Mount Rose to Tunnel Creek Road section. We did the hike it in two days and camped out seven miles from the beginning of the trail. Given how much rain we have had and the fact that we still saw some snow it was surprising to me that we only saw water once on the trail. It was at about 10 miles in. Here is a picture of Duke filtering water and refilling our water bottles.

Here are a couple more scenery pictures. If you would like to see all the pictures from the hike you can see them on Flickr here. We only have one more section to do to comnplete the Tahoe Rim Trail. It is the 32.5 Echo Lake to Barker Pass section through the Desolation Wilderness. I think we will do it as a four day back packing trip in August.

My friend Steve Frey, who used to be a trucker, wrote me with this advice about finding showers on the road, which is really helpful because by the end of the riding day it's often too late (dark, cold) to want to shower, and who wants to get their hair wet in the morning and put it in a helmet? So here you go - thanks Steve!

I know you prefer campgrounds, but modern truck stops usually have better
showers with locking doors or hotel-style keyed entry. These shower rooms are
unisex, separate from the restrooms, and are cleaned after every use. They also
have a sink, toilet and mirror.

Typically, a trucker will get a free shower ticket or credit for every 100 gal.
of fuel he buys, so he ends up with more than he needs. Or he can just pay $5 +
$5 deposit for the towels and soap. Women travelers may have to pretend that
they are with a trucker, but usually a female cashier will be sympathetic. You
may want to go in the back and check it out first. You can also get on the C.B.
radio (ch17 or 19) and ask if anyone has any extra tickets or credits. You want
to do this during the day if possible; at night there will likely be a waiting
list, especially during the week when all the truckers are on the road. Most
truck stops allow non-truckers to shower or don't even ask. Just say you need to
get a shower (like you do this all the time) and play it by ear.

The older type of truck stop showers are free, but are located in the restrooms
and may not be secure, private, or even clean. Some resemble the kind we had
in the Army with an open room and several shower heads. I've also seen these in
France and England, on their major motorways.

So the next time you pass a travel center, please stop and investigate!

Other places to find showers

• The beach. (Always take a bathing suit when traveling.)
• Public swimming pools
• University locker rooms
• Military bases. Some are open to the public. Say you want to visit the museum (they all have museums).
• Factories, large repair shops.
• Heavy Truck dealers.
• YMCAs & YWCAs
• Fitness clubs
• Homeless shelters
• Add yours here!