A trip to Alpine County takes you far, far away… deep into the sparsely populated California back country.

Link to Sorensen’s Resort in Hope Valley

– Carl Bidleman

CA Highway 1 in Big Sur, photo by me

We’re beginning to plan our episodes for season 2 of OpenRoad with Doug McConnell that airs on public television stations all over the country.  Got any suggestions of where you’d like Doug to explore?  Maybe a favorite place you want to share or some open road you’re anxious to travel in the future.  We’ll see what the budget allows and then hit the road.

Photo by Ralphman

–M’Gee Johnston

With its beautiful scenery, Sausalito, California has attracted artists for many decades and the community of Sausalito has long welcomed and celebrated the talent and dedication of its local artists.  Since 1952 Sausalito has hosted what many consider to be the best Art Festival around.  This year the Sausalito Art Festival will begin on Friday August 29th and continue to Monday September 1st.   The spectacular views of the Bay, Tiburon and Angel Island and the colorful houseboat community, make for a splendid backdrop for displaying this year’s finest art.

Photo by vincezammit

– M’Gee Johnston

One of our friends at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sent us an email recently letting us know about the new self-guided tour available on their website for Carrizo Plain National Monument. Carrizo Plain is located in the southeastern part of San Luis Obispo County in California and offers an opportunity to see and study the San Andreas Fault. The Plain is home to many animals, including Tule elk and sandhill cranes. The Chumash, Yokuts, and other Native Americans lived and hunted in the Carrizo Plain, and Painted Rock, which displays their ancient pictographs, is a sacred site.

Photo by RBradburn

– M’Gee Johnston

For a different kind of music experience, you can trek to Mammoth Lakes for the Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza on August 1st & 2nd.  This sounds like a lot of fun (indeed, their website states that “Fun has always been, and continues to be, our first priority.”)  And a it’s such a beautiful background for listening to the likes of Coco Montoya.  There will be upwards of 75 microbreweries represented at this event.

Photo by Stacy Geiken

– M’Gee Johnston

The Mendocino Music Festival takes place from July 11 through July 26 and offers a wide variety of music including orchestra, chamber and jazz.  In addition to the huge tent built for this annual event, concerts are offered at various Mendocino halls and other local music venues.   To learn a little about the personality of the village of Mendocino,  you can watch our videos: Mendocino’s Beloved Protector, Mendocino’s Many Charms, and Mendocino’s Movie History.

Photo by Jason Riedy

–M’Gee Johnston

72 tons of garlic! That is the estimated amount of garlic served and sold at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. The Festival explores and celebrates all the traditional and non-traditional ways to use garlic (garlic ice cream?) and serves thousands of guests who come to enjoy the food and activities. The money raised at the Garlic Festival goes to the community to help fund such groups as the Gilroy Gators Swim Team, the 4-H Club, and Hope Rehabilitation, which works with disabled people. This year’s event ~ the 30th anniversary ~ will take place on July 25, 26 & 27.

Photo by willsfca

– M’Gee Johnston

The Marin County Fair will be in full swing this 4th of July weekend with carnival rides and games, art and garden displays, agriculture and livestock and of course lots of food. But the Marin County Fair always has additional events that are not part of the traditional classics of the fair. This year one of their special events is the Marin Alternative Fuel Car Expo. The latest in alternative fuel vehicles will be on display and the founder and former CEO of Tesla Motors, Martin Eberhard, will be speaking at the Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium on Thursday evening, July 3 at 6:00 p.m. ~ admission free with gate admission to the Fair.

So when we’re done with our loop-d-loops on the dizzying rides, rooted for our favorite in the piglet races and have sampled some fair food, we can educate ourselves about what’s available and what’s being developed to provide relief from the pains of gas guzzling.

Photo by Coffee Monster

– M’Gee Johnston

This weekend ~ June 28th and 29th ~ is the 25th annual San Anselmo Art and Wine Festival.  There will be live music, activities for children including face painting and a Sponge Bob Jump, and of course wine and art.  The artists’ work will be in the Community Art Pavilion in front of San Anselmo Town Hall.  To get a preview of two of the artists who will be featured, Kathleen Lipinski and Steve Emery, watch our video: Pt. Reyes Beauty and Birds, and you will get to meet them in the second half of the story.

Photo by Stacey Putman

– M’Gee Johnston

On Monday June 30, 2008 Baykeeper will host a showing of Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk at AMC Metreon in San Francisco. Baykeeper is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the water quality of the San Francisco Bay and beyond. This film features Robert Kennedy Jr. and his daughter, Kick, on a whitewater trip on the Colorado River. To see some of the beauty and power of this mighty river you can also check out our story, Colorado River Rafting.