Stand Up Paddle on the Lake

Stand Up Paddleboarding (or SUP) isn't just for surfers any more, and Lake Tahoe is the perfect scenic location to get your feet wet and enjoy this old sport tradition. There are 2 more opportunities this summer to sample this sport in environmentally-focused "competitions":

Ta-hoe Nalu, a non-profit local group, is hosting the second annual Stand Up Paddle Classic on August 16th, with a recreational open paddle and an all day family-friendly atmosphere. Another event, called "Stand up for Tahoe", will circumnavigate the lake, with plans to hold beach clean-ups along the way. This event benefits the Washoe Elders Cultural Program.

And if you just want to try the sport on your own, with no pressure, be sure to call Phil at Tahoe Paddle and Oar in Kings Beach, he can set you up with a board and paddle, and some initial instruction, if you like! You can reach Phil at (530) 581-3029

Shakespeare at the Lake isn't just for Adults

When we think of the Shakespeare Festival at Sand Harbor, we often plan a night out with our significant others or friends, a night sure to be filled with laughter and good food and drink. But did you know that the folks at production provide a way for youngsters to be involved in theater too? The D.G. Menchetti young Shakespeare program offers fourteen free matinee productions geared towards the younger patron, and is a great introduction to William's works as well as theater production in general. Also available this summer are week-long theater camps designed for children and young adults. Theater performers and educators work all week with students, and end the training with a short performance to be performed on the Sand Harbor Stage. What an experience! As Longfellow said, "Youth comes but once in a lifetime"-Give your youth something special this summer! To learn more, go to:
http://www.laketahoeshakespeare.com/education

Downtown Truckee Thursdays-Be Local!

A new weekly event has come to town, one that is sure to get most Truckee locals out and about on Thursday nights: Downtown Truckee Thursdays is a new concept to get people to "Think local. Be local. Buy local. Give local." Encompassing Commercial Row, Jibboom Street, Brickletown, West River and Church Street, the idea is to provide art, children's entertainment, outdoor activities, shopping, and dining all in one evening, every week. Free parking is available, and among the activities are a climbing wall, puppet show, wine tasting (at several locations), food tasting (also at several locations), live music, art displays (from local artists), caricature drawings, and of course, shops and restaurants will be open for patronage. This is an appropriate outing for the whole family, and who knows, you may discover a shop, delicacy, winery, artist, or new/old friend you never knew existed in our delightful little town! Truckee Thursdays begins at 4pm and shuts down around 8 pm every thursday, and offers free parking and bike parking as well. Can't wait to see you there!

Losing a friend and role model

I've had better weeks. With the 4th of July approaching, a long weekend of time with my family to look forward to, I was in great spirits. But when I learned of my client and friend's disappearance on July 2 during a routine flight in his experimental aircraft, my spirit sank, and thus ensued a 2 day roller coaster of searching, hopeful feedback, random pieces of information, and devastation. My friend Clay Beck tragically is gone, and our community is a lesser one because of it. He shaped the lives of many, from the athletes he coached, to his wife he fell in love with in a heartbeat, to the old generation of skiers who longed for the days of longboards and leather straps. An avid pilot, Clay had that undeniable pull to the skies, and enjoyed talking about it with anyone who shared the passion of flight. I was lucky enough to enjoy a birthday flight last fall with him in the same aircraft that crashed last wednesday, and I will tell you, it will stand out in my collection of memories as one of the most thrilling hours of my life. My heart breaks for Clay's family, his wife Lisa, and their two young sons...may his children hold firm in their heart their father's stories and memories, and through them, come to know their father as the spectacularly kind, giving, loving and magnetic individual that so rarely comes into our world.