August 12-18,2020

local. independent. fresh.

august 12-18, 2020

entertainment euer valley adventures in

tahoe’s

skateboard parks

secrets of

sourdough

beaches

& parks

hiking

get outside

tahoe

history zen of woodcarving delivering the fun since 1982

eat & drink

socially distanced

broadway

BOAT RENTALS & FUEL DOCK

Tahoe Adventure Company Inspiring High Sierra Adventures

• Kayak & SUP Tours • Beachfront Kayak & SUP Rentals • 7010 N. Lake Blvd, Tahoe Vista • Gear Deliveries

Fuel dock 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Boat Rentals 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

WEATHER PERMITTING

Wye

Grove St.

MARINA

TA H O E C I T Y, C A Truckee

Homewood

Jackpine

TA H O E C I T Y

Incline Village

• Mountain Bike Tours • Guided Hiking • Backpacking • Family Adventures • Multisport Tours

TA H O E C I T Y

TA H O E C I T Y

MARINA L A K E TA H O E • C A L I F O R N I A

MARINA

L A K E TA H O E • C A L I F O R N I A

(530) 583-1039 · TahoeCityMarina.com

GROUP & CORPORATE OUTINGS + TEAM BUILDING

530.913.9212 TahoeAdventureCompany.com

TM

fun. unique. everywhere.

P.O. Box 87 | Tahoe City, CA 96145 (530) 546-5995 | f (530) 546-8113 TheTahoeWeekly.com Facebook.com/TheTahoeWeekly @TheTahoeWeekly

SUBMISSIONS Events & Entertainment Submit at TheTahoeWeekly.com Click on Events Calendar Editorial Inquiries editor@tahoethisweek.com Entertainment Inquiries entertainment@tahoethisweek.com Cover Photography production@tahoethisweek.com

making it happen Publisher & Editor In Chief Katherine E. Hill publisher@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 102 Sales & Marketing Manager Anne Artoux anne@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 110 Art Director Alyssa Ganong production@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 106 Graphic Designer Justeen Ferguson graphics@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 101 Entertainment Editor Sean McAlindin entertainment@tahoethisweek.com Food Editor Priya Hutner priya@tahoethisweek.com Family Editor Michelle Allen michelle@tahoethisweek.com Copy Editor Katrina Veit Contributing Writers John Dee, Barbara Keck, Bruce Ajari, Mark McLaughlin, David “Smitty” Smith, Priya Hutner, Katrina Veit, Kayla Anderson, Lou Phillips, Sean McAlindin, Tim Hauserman, Alex Green, Lisa Michelle, Cam Schilling, Alex Silgalis

TAHOE WEEKLY is published weekly throughout the summer and biweekly the rest of the year, with occassional extra issues at holiday times by Range of Light Media Group, Inc. Look for new issues on Thursdays.

Subscribe to the free digital edition at issuu.com/ TheTahoeWeekly. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com.

TAHOE WEEKLY, est. 1982, ©2007. Reproduction in whole or in part without publisher’s express permission is prohibited. Contributions welcome via e-mail. The Weekly is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Member: North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, North Tahoe Business Association, Incline Community Business Association, Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce, Tahoe City Downtown Association, Truckee Downtown Merchants Association, Tahoe South Chamber of Commerce and Alpine County Chamber of Commerce. Printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks. Please recycle your copy.

COVERING THE STORIES OF TAHOE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Chad Otterstrom | Woodward Tahoe

in this issue

Volume 39 | Issue 14

I consider myself blessed to not only live in the place I love, but also to be able to make a living by doing what I love best – covering the stories of Tahoe. I started covering these stories when I first moved to Tahoe in 1998 as Editor of the North Shore’s former weekly newspaper, Tahoe World.

I’ve worked mostly in hard news for most of my career and relished the opportunity to not only cover our community, but also to delve into issues that you don’t normally cover in your typical small town weekly – the environment, affordable housing, development and, of course, Lake Tahoe, among others.

I became disillusioned with the politics of working for a community newspaper, however, that had lost its sense of community and focused solely on the bottom line with directives being made by corporate big wigs based in Colorado. Making money and community-based journalism are not mutually exclusive; but executives too often focus on the first and trample the second. I could not continue and decided to leave.

I only told two people of my decision before my resignation in 2001 – Ed Miller and Tahoe Weekly’s former Associate Publisher Patrice Parsons. Within a week, I had an offer from former Tahoe Weekly owners Dale and Shirley Good to be the Editor of Tahoe Weekly. They wanted to increase their outdoors, events and arts coverage, and I agreed these areas were lacking. Tahoe Weekly was already doing a stellar job covering the entertainment business under the leadership of the late Joy Michel.

I went to work exploring the trails, waterways and little-known places of Tahoe. I started most days with a hike to explore and ended many afternoons on Lake Tahoe cruising or sailing. I loved my job, but after a few years I missed the fast-breaking, hard-hitting nature of a newsroom.

So, I took a job running the newsroom of a daily newspaper in Mississippi in 2003 and left Tahoe for a few years, as many of us do. But, Tahoe’s siren call was strong and my sister and her family had settled in Tahoe, so I made my way back home in 2007. Having no idea where I would go, I called Joy and asked if Tahoe Weekly was looking for any freelance writers. They offered me a freelance gig immediately and a few months later asked me to become the Associate Publisher. Then, in 2013 the former owners approached me to see if I wanted to buy the magazine. They wanted to retire but wanted someone who cared about the magazine to take it over.

Now, it’s been nearly 7 years since I purchased the magazine. And, we’ve made many changes to the magazine but we have never veered far from our first edition in 1982 when founder David Mogilefsky declared “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News.” Today, I usually say we “Cover the Fun,” but the sentiment is the same.

I hope you enjoy this and every edition of Tahoe Weekly. We strive to inform, while making sure locals and visitors alike have a great time in Tahoe, and I hope to do this for many, many years to come.

I am grateful to everyone who has donated to us in the past few weeks and your generosity has been overwhelming. We still need your donations to help Keep Tahoe Weekly Alive through the pandemic and keep covering the stories of Tahoe.

DONATE

PayPal.me/TahoeWeekly | PayPal.com or PayPal app | publisher@tahoethisweek.com Facebook | Katherine’s Tahoe Weekly Fundraiser Checks to Tahoe Weekly | P.O. Box 154, Tahoe Vista, CA 96148 n

on the cover Scot Nicol, Forrest Huisman and Christina Schwartz ride Hawk’s Peak trail about to drop into Euer Valley in Tahoe Donner. Read Priya Hutner’s feature on mountain biking in Euer Valley in this edition. Photography by Court Leve | CourtLeve.com, @CourtLeve

AUGUST 12-18, 2020

6 FEATURES

Tahoe’s Skate Parks

6

Euer Valley

10

Spanish Missions

12

GET OUTSIDE

Sightseeing 4 Lake Tahoe Facts

5

Events 6 Beaches & Parks

7

Summer Fun

8

THE MAKERS

Raymond Kinman 13 The Arts 13 FUN & GAMES

Horoscope & Crossword

14

THE LINEUP

Black Ice Theatre

15

Live 15 EAT & DRINK

Sourdough Bread

16

Robert Parker II

17

Tasty Tidbits

18

Spiced Grilled Chicken 18

bears & wildlife BEAR EMERGENCIES BEAR League (530) 525-7297 (24 hours) | savebears.org A bear walking nearby or through your yard is not an emergency unless it is trying to enter your home or car.

INJURED ANIMALS Lake Tahoe Wildlife Center, South Shore (530) 577-2273 | ltwc.org The Wildlife Shelter, North Shore (866) 307-4216

E-NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBE

to our monthly e-newsletter at TheTahoeWeekly.com

3

LAKE LEVEL Lake Tahoe Natural rim 6,223’

Readings taken on Friday, August 7, 2020 ELEVATION :

RESERVOIR CAPACITY

6,227.33 |

6,228.88

C PACITY CITY:: 40 CIT 0,870 0 BOCA 12,362 CAPA

Explore Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe

(530) 542-2908 | cityofslt.us Urban Trailhead at base of Heavenly Gondola with local exhibits and programs. South Tahoe

Fannette Island

Emerald Bay

(530) 541-3030 | parks.ca.gov Lake Tahoe’s only island is located in Emerald Bay & is home to an old tea house. Boat access only. (Closed Feb. 1-June 15 for nesting birds.)

TART/South Tahoe

Heavenly

West Shore

Tallac Historic Site

South Lake Tahoe

(530) 541-5227 | tahoeheritage.org Once known as the “Grandest Resort in the World” as the summer retreat for three San Francisco elite families with the Baldwin Estate, Pope Estate & Valhalla. Grounds open yearround. South Tahoe South Lake Tahoe

Truckee

Kings Beach

North Shore

northtahoebusiness.org Kings Beach is a popular spot for dining and shopping with the North Shore’s largest sandy beach located in the heart of town. Free parking at North Tahoe Beach, Brook Street, Minnow and the Christmas Tree lot on Hwy. 28. TART

North Lake Tahoe Demonstration Garden

Incline Village

Summer | Free (775) 586-1610, ext. 25 | demogarden.org Demonstrations of lake-friendly landscaping using native and adaptive plants, water conservation, soil stabilization techniques, defensible space from wildfires & BMPs. Self-guided tours & clinics. TART

North Tahoe Arts Center

Tahoe City

(530) 581-2787 | northtahoearts.com Featuring exhibits of work by local artists and works for sale by local artists. TART

Tahoe Art League Gallery

South Lake Tahoe

(530) 544-2313 | talart.org Featuring local artists, workshops. South Tahoe

4

truckeehistory.org | truckee.com Settled in 1863, Truckee grew quickly as a stagecoach stop and route for the Central Pacific Railroad. During these early days, many historical homes and buildings were built including The Truckee Hotel (1868) and the Capitol Building (1868). Stop by the Depot for a walking tour of historic downtown. Paid parking downtown. TART

Vikingsholm Castle

Emerald Bay

200,000 AF

225

175

100,000 AF

75

50

25

Gatekeeper’s Museum

Tahoe City

Truckee River | FLOW AT FARAD 586 (530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org Featuring historic photos, the Steinbach Indian Basket Museum and historical memorabilia. TART

KidZone Children’s OPENING TBD Museum

Incline Village

Tues.-Fri. & by appt. | Free (775) 881-7566 | tahoesciencecenter.org University of California, Davis, science education center at Sierra Nevada College. Exhibits include a virtual research boat, biology lab, 3D movies and docent-led tours. Ages 8+. TART

Truckee Railroad Museum OPENING TBD

Measured in Cubic Feet Per Second (CFS)

TROA.NET

Truckee

Sat.-Sun. & holidays truckeedonnerrailroadsociety.com Learn about the historic railroad. Located in a caboose next to the Truckee Depot. TART

Truckee

Tues.-Sun. | Locals’ first Tues. half price (530) 587-5437 | kidzonemuseum.org Interactive exhibits, science & art classes for kids up to age 7. BabyZone & Jungle Gym. TART

Find more places to explore

Lake Tahoe Museum

VISITORS’ CENTERS

South Lake Tahoe

Museum of Truckee History

High Camp OPENING TBD

TROA.NET

Measured in Acre Feet (AF)

Tahoe Science Ctr OPENING TBD

Truckee

2 PROSSER 11,061 CAPACITY: 29,840 (530) 582-7892 | parks.ca.gov CAPACITY: C 9,500 5 features exhibits DONNER 4,690 The Emigrant Trail Museum and artifacts on the Donner Party (1846-47) at 8 INDEPENDENCE 1,3763 CCAPACITY: 18,300 Donner Memorial State Park. See the towering Pioneer Monument.

A TART 20,400 40 MARTIS 1,052 CAPACITY:

Thunderbird Lodge CLOSED

East Shore

Measured in Cubic Feet Per Second (CFS)

CAPACITY: C 226,500

Emigrant Trail Museum

(530) 541-5458 | laketahoemuseum.org Features Washoe artifacts and exhibits on early industry and settlers. South Tahoe

Parking fee | parks.ca.gov (530) 525-7232 Park | (530) 583-9911 Tours Sugar Pine Point State Park is home to the historic Ehrman Mansion (summer tours), see boathouses with historic boats and General Phipps Cabin built in the late 1800s. TART

(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com Aerial tram rides with views of Lake Tahoe, Olympic Heritage Museum, events and more.

Ticket required. TART

586

(530) 543-2674 | fs.usda.gov Features Stream Profile Chamber to view slice of Taylor Creek, nature trails & more. South Tahoe

May-October | thunderbirdtahoe.org The former Whittell estate. This magnificent lakefront home features the Lighthouse Room, Old Lodge, 600’ underground tunnel (with a former lion cage) and Boat House, home to the “Thunderbird,” a 1939 wooden boat. Ages 6+ only.

No on-site parking. Tours by reservation only.

Olympic Valley

STAMPEDE 19,9661

FLOW AT FARAD

6,228.88

200,000 AF

North Shore

Summer | (530) 583-3279 | terc.ucdavis.edu This 1920s-era building features a history of the field station, current UC Davis research projects, interactive exhibits and demonstration garden. Ages 8+. TART

Taylor Creek Visitor Center South Lake Tahoe

(775) 586-7000 | skiheavenly.com Enjoy a 2.4-mile ride on the gondola to the top with panoramic views. Ticket required. South Tahoe

Hellman-Ehrman Mansion

Tahoe City Field Station

|

6,227.33 |

175

Eagle Rock, one of the lake’s famous natural sites, is a volcanic plug beside Highway 89 on the West Shore. Trail to top is on the south side. TART

Truckee River C PACITY CAPA CITY:: 40 CIT 0,870 0 BOCA 12,362

ELEVATION :

Readings taken on Friday, August 7, 2020

150,000 AF

West Shore

visittahoecity.com Popular for shopping and dining with historical sites. At the junction of hwys 89 & 28, visitors may see the Tahoe City Dam, Lake Tahoe’s only outlet, and Fanny Bridge. Peer into Watson Cabin (1909) for a glimpse at pioneer life. Free parking at Commons Beach, Grove St., Jackpine St. and 64 acres at Hwys 89 & 28. TART

RESERVOIR CAPACITY

125

Eagle Rock

North Shore

50

Drive through one of the area’s natural wonders at Cave Rock, the neck of an old volcano.

The area is named for the small caves above Highway 50 that were cut by waves when Lake Tahoe was 200 feet higher during the ice ages.

Tahoe City

25

East Shore

CAPACITY: 18,300 C 8

LAKE LEVEL A 20,400 40 MARTIS 1,052 CAPACITY: Lake Tahoe Natural rim 6,223’

150,000 AF

INDEPENDENCE 1,3763

Check schedules & openings before visiting.

Cave Rock

An early morning paddleboard on Fallen Leaf Lake with Joleen Ferguson. | Justeen Ferguson

CAPACITY: 9,500 C 5

125

DONNER 4,690

CAPACITY: 29,840 2

100,000 AF

ATTRACTIONS

PROSSER 11,061

CAPACITY: C 226,500

75

SIGHTSEEING

STAMPEDE 19,9661

Measured in Acre Feet (AF)

225

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Truckee

Thurs.-Mon. | (530) 582-0893 | truckeehistory.org Housed in the original Depot, built in 1901. Exhibits cover different eras in Truckee history. TART

Old Jail Museum

Truckee

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

Kings Beach Kings Beach State Rec. Area (Thurs.-Mon., July-Aug.)

Incline Village 969 Tahoe Blvd. (800) 468-2463 Stateline 169 Hwy. 50 (775) 588-4591 Tahoe City 100 N. Lake Blvd. (530) 581-6900 Truckee 10065 Donner Pass Rd. (Depot) (530) 587-8808 U.S. Forest Service | Incline Village

Open by appt. | (530) 659-2378 | truckeehistory.org One of a few surviving 19th Century jailhouses used from 1875 until May 1964 (summer tours). TART

855 Alder Ave. (775) 831-0914 (Wed.-Fri.)

Olympic Museum OPENING TBD

U.S. Forest Service | Tahoe City

Olympic Valley

(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com Squaw Valley, host of the VIII Winter Olympic Games in 1960, celebrates its Olympic History with the Tower of Nations with its Olympic Flame and the symbolic Tower of the Valley at the entrance to the valley. The Olympic Museum at High Camp features historic memorabilia and photographs. TART

U.S. Forest Service | South Lake Tahoe 35 College Dr. (530) 543-2600

3080 N. Lake Blvd. (530) 583-3593 (Fridays)

U.S. Forest Service | Truckee 10811 Stockrest Springs Rd. (530) 587-3558

TRANSIT North Tahoe & Truckee (TART) | laketahoetransit.com South Tahoe | tahoetransportation.org

Parking fee | (530) 541-3030 | (530) 525-9529 ADA parks.ca.gov or vikingsholm.com Tour the grounds of Vikingsholm Castle (summer), see Eagle Falls and Fannette Island (the Lake’s only island), home to an old Tea House. TART/South Tahoe

Watson Cabin

Tahoe City

(530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org Watson Cabin, built by Robert Watson and his son in 1909, is the oldest building in Tahoe City and on the National Register of Historic Places. (summer tours). TART

MUSEUMS Donner Summit Historical Society

Soda Springs

donnersummithistoricalsociety.org At the corner of Old Hwy 40 & Soda Springs Rd. 20-mile interpretive driving tour along Old 40. TART

Boots McFarland by Geolyn Carvin | BootsMcFarland.com

August 12-18, 2020

lake tahoe facts |

Read about how the lake was formed, Lake Tahoe’s discovery, lake clarity and more at TheTahoeWeekly.com. Click on Explore Tahoe.

GRAY ’S CROSSING

COYOTE MOON

TAHOE DONNER

Truckee

DONNER TAHOE DONNER LAKE

Truckee Truckee

il

The Lost Sierra

il

N

North Shore

Incline Village Incline Village Crystal Incline Village Kings Bay WHITEHAWK Tahoe Vista RANCH Crystal Beach Carnelian BayTahoe Vista NAKOMA Crystal Kings Bay Olympic Tahoe Vista POINT FEATHER Kings Crystal Bay Beach BOAT LAUNCH SIERRA Carnelian Bay Valley RIVER PARK BOAT CO. Kings Beach DEEPEST Bay Olympic Carnelian Bay COON ST. POINT SANDDEEPEST BOAT LAUNCH SIERRA Beach Olympic TAHOE COON ST. NORTH Valley Carnelian Bay CITY HARBOR BOAT CO. POINT Marlette BOAT LAUNCH TAHOE SIERRA RESORT AT DEEPEST Valley Olympic Lake BOAT CO. COON ST. Tahoe SAND SQUAW CREEK POINT BOAT LAUNCH SIERRA NORTH Dollar Hill TAHOE CITY HARBOR Valley LAKE TAHOE VISTA SAND City BOAT CO. TAHOE RESORT AT MARINAS NORTH FOREST TAHOE CITY REC AREA HARBOR Tahoe SQUAW CREEK TAHOE SAND Alpine RESORT AT Dollar Hill NORTH CITY LAKE HARBOR TAHOE VISTA Tahoe City SQUAW CREEK TAHOE TAHOE TAHOE NV Dollar Hill RESORT AT CITY Meadows FOREST REC AREA LAKE TAHOE VISTA City Tahoe SQUAW CREEK Alpine Dollar MARINA Carson FOREST Hill RECTAHOE AREA LAKE TAHOE VISTA City Meadows Alpine CITY City Sunnyside FOREST TAHOE REC AREA MARINA BOAT RAMPS Carson AlpineMeadows CITY SUNNYSIDE TAHOE MARINA Carson City CITY Meadows Sunnyside il Spooner Lake a MARINA Tr Carson City Sunnyside SUNNYSIDE City il SUNNYSIDE Sunnyside ra GRAEAGLE MEADOWS

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Zephyr Cove CAVE ROCK Cave Rock South EDGEWOOD CAVE ROCK Lake Tahoe Zephyr Cove TAHOE EDGEWOOD CAVE ROCK Stateline Emerald Bay Average Water Temperature: 42.1˚F Zephyr CoveSouth TAHOE Fannette Island South Lake Tahoe Zephyr Cove SKI RUN Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe South Average Surface Water Temperature: 51.9˚F Fannette Island LAKESIDE Stateline Emerald Bay TAHOEEagle Lake Tahoe SKI RUN Fannette Island Stateline Lake KEYS Emerald Bay64.9˚F BIJOU SKI RUN Average Surface Temperature in July: Watershed Area: 312 square miles

CAMP RICHARDSON

Highest Peak: Freel Peak at 10,881 feet Average Snowfall: 409 Tr ail R i minches Ta h oe

Permanent Population: 66,000 T Ta h oe

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CAMP RICHARDSON CAMP RICHARDSON Ta h o e R i m Tr ail

Cascade SKI RUN Lake TAHOE

TAHOE KEYS

Meyers

R i m Tr ail

ra

R i m T il Number of Visitors: 15 million annually

Learn about the natural history of the Tahoe Sierra

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

TAHOE LAKESIDE KEYS LAKESIDE

KEYS

EDGEWOOD TAHOE

Stateline LAKESIDE BIJOU

anne@tahoethisweek.com for details

LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT Fallen

PEAKSouth Shore

Leaf Lake

LAKE TAHOE

TAHOE PARADISE LAKE TAHOE

Kirkwood Kirkwood

Lake Clarity: 2019: 62.7 feet avg. depth.

1968: First recorded at 102.4 feet Average depth: 1,000 feet Maximum depth: 1,645 feet Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the U.S. (Crater Lake in Oregon, at 1,932 feet, is the deepest), and the 11th deepest in the world.

LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT

There is enough water in Lake Tahoe to supply everyone in the United States with more than 75 gallons of water per day for 5 years.

Natural rim: 6,223’

Size: 22 miles long, 12 miles wide Lake Tahoe is as long as the English Channel is wide.

Lake Tahoe has a surface area of 191 square miles. If Lake Tahoe were emptied, it would submerge California under 15 inches of water.

FREEL PEAK

TAHOE PARADISE

TAHOE PARADISE

LAKE TAHOE

Lake Tahoe is located in the states of California and Nevada, with two-thirds in California.

Shoreline: 72 miles

BIJOU CAMP RICHARDSONBIJOUFREEL

FREEL Meyers TAHOE PARADISEPEAK FREEL LAKE TAHOE Meyers AIRPORT PEAK LAKE TAHOE Meyers Echo Lakes AIRPORT

Kirkwood

Email

Lake Tahoe sits at an average elevation of between 6,223’ and 6,229.1’. The top 6.1’ of water is controlled by the dam in Tahoe City and holds up to 744,600 acre feet of water.

Cave Rock

EDGEWOOD

Cave Rock TAHOE

Fannette Island

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MEEKS

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Only Outlet: Truckee River (Tahoe City)

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East Shore

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m Tr a i l

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Volume: 39 trillion gallons

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YOUR BUSINESS COULD

SPONSOR THIS PAGE

LAKE

Hope Valley TAHOE Markleeville

Kirkwood Hope Valley Hope Markleeville Valley Markleeville

Hope Valley Markleeville

Why is the lake blue?

The Lake of the Sky appears blue in color as other colors in the light spectrum are absorbed and the blue light is scattered back.

Thank you for your donation to Tahoe Weekly Tahoe Weekly Supporters Beverly P., Carnelian Bay Diane M., Tahoe Vista Francis C., Mill Valley Fred & Robin K., Rancho Murieta Gerald J., Oakley

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GET outside

Email news to editor@tahoethisweek.com

Tim Hauserman

the outdoors | recreation | events | mountain life

D RO P I N TO

Tahoe’s skateboard parks S TO RY BY K AY L A A N D E R S O N

#RaiseTheRim

Trail-a-thon

F

or alternative sports enthusiasts, who get an adrenaline rush from snowboarding and freestyle skiing in the winter, skateboarding offers a way to stay in shape, practice tricks and progress in the off season. Fortunately, a plethora of skateparks around the region provides affordable — or free — entertainment for those who want to push themselves. Here are the best places to skate in Tahoe.

Tahoe Rim Trail Association’s fundraiser #RaiseTheRim Virtual Trail-a-thon is happening until Aug. 31. It’s easy to participate. Visit the website and follow the steps to create your own page and set your goals. Share with your family and friends to qualify to win prizes. Everyone who raises more than $20 will be entered into weekly prize drawings throughout the month. The top fundraiser on the leaderboard on Aug. 31 will win an REI tent.

“ A lot of progression happens here. It’s cool to see. We’re just trying

All donations made are tax-deductible and go toward supporting Tahoe Rim Trail Association’s trail crews during this critical time. | tahoerimtrail.org

to keep it here to have a place to skate. That’s all we care about.”

events

–James Thomson

Virtual Wine on the Water 2020

BIJOU COMMUNITY PARK

Online | Kings Beach | Aug. 12-16

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

Tucked into a heavily wooded area off the main drag, Bijou Community Park is always buzzing with people playing with their dogs in the dog park, on the pump track in the bike park or cruising on small wooden planks in the skateboard park. On one side of the paved park are three small connected half bowls and the other has a couple of taller 6- to 8-foot or so quarter ramps. A rail and additional features sit in the middle of the bowl where skaters attempt shuvits and tail slides or try to get enough speed to make it to the top of one of the taller bowls. Two small sets of bleachers next to a well-worn curb allow onlookers to watch the action or skaters to rest after putting in long sessions. | cityofslt.us

INCLINE SKATE PARK INCLINE VILLAGE

In the middle of Incline Village along Highway 28, the free outdoor Incline Skate Park is a small yet fun place to practice.

Two 6-foot-tall concrete bowls are on one side and a decently sized quarter pipe on the other are perfect for beginners. It all flows in a circle and a ramp allows skaters to easily enter the bowl. A set of stairs, an 8-foot flat rail and a 6-foot down rail are on the outskirts of the bowl for those who want to practice their ollies and slides — and a 3-foot-tall fun box sits in the middle.

It never gets too crowded and it’s a nice spot to go when the snow doesn’t start building up or the bowl isn’t frozen over. | yourtahoeplace.com 6

SKATEHOUSE SKATE PARK SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

This one is my favorites. Skatehouse Skate Park is tucked into a 40-foot-by80-foot warehouse, an indoor space that’s skater owned and operated. The passion is palpable walking into the warehouse. Partowner James Thomson points out its the skaters who’ve helped keep the place going.

When a person lands a new trick, the other skaters in the room explode in cheers.

“If I drop into the big bowl in the next few days, then my mom’s gonna buy me a beanie,” a 9-year-old, flannel-clad skateboarder says. We are in the skate shop, which is underneath all the action on the top floor of the building. Thomson says that the girl skates here two to three times a week and usually brings all her friends.

“A lot of progression happens here. It’s cool to see. We’re just trying to keep it here to have a place to skate. That’s all we care about,” he says.

Skatehouse Skate Park is open daily from 3 to 9 p.m. and costs $10. | Facebook Skate Tahoe

TRUCKEE SKATE PARK TRUCKEE RIVER REGIONAL PARK

It’s one of the most used facilities of Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District because the outdoor Truckee Skate Park appeals to skateboarders of all abilities with its unique design of sprawling bowls, concrete boxes and strategically placed metal rails to ollie up onto.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Mike Dawson | Woodward

Tahoe; The Bijou Skate Park. | Kayla Anderson; The Incline Skate Park. | Kayla Anderson

While it’s free to use, the skate park is becoming increasingly congested, which is why a group of passionate local skaters petitioned the district to provide lighting to keep the park open longer. However, it also sparked the conversation about the need to expand the park — with the Rocker Memorial Skatepark, named after the late Steve “Rocker” Anderson.

A group has raised more than $150,000 so far to build a new 25,000-sq.-ft. park adjacent to the existing one at Truckee River Regional Park. The organizers have the space, the construction plans and the approval; they just need the cash to get Phase 1 started. Donations can be made at rockermemorialskatepark.org. | tdrpd.org

WOODWARD TAHOE SODA SPRINGS

In 2010, Boreal Mountain opened Woodward Tahoe training facility complete with 11 outdoor adventure parks, including a concrete skatepark, parkour features and mountain bike trails, and a 33,000-squarefoot indoor space filled with wooden ramps, trampolines and foam pits labeled the Bunker. Woodward Tahoe offers summer campers looking to progress in skateboarding, skiing or gymnastics many training opportunities, as well as drop-in sessions for the occasional rider. | rideboreal.com 

Virtual Wine on the Water offers deals from wineries, restaurants and Tahoe establishments all available during the online auction benefiting the Boys & Girls Club. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. | facebook.com

Truckee Storywalk Legacy Trail | Truckee | Aug. 12-15

Based on the book “Also an Octopus” by Maggie Tokuda-Hall. The storywalk begins below the Truckee Regional Park and continues east for about .7 miles. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Free | (530) 582-7846, mynevadacounty.com

MFA IA Virtual Summer Residency Sierra Nevada University Incline Village | Aug. 12, 3, 16, 18

The events are all free; register online to receive a Zoom link for each event. 5 p.m.

Free | (775) 831-1314, eventbrite.com

Fundamentals & Wheel Lifts Mountain Bike Clinic Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area Tahoe City | Aug. 12

Designed for beginner and experienced riders who’ve had limited coaching. Wheel lifts allow you to have better control of your suspension and is the foundation for learning jumps and drops. 5-7 p.m. $45 | facebook.com

Hike for Parks Sierra State Parks Foundation Truckee | Aug. 12-19

Help reach a goal of 1,500 collective miles spread over at least 150 hikers, funding local state parks, which are being overused and underfunded. $35 | facebook.com

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Beaches & Parks

HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE

August 12-18, 2020 GET OUTSIDE

EAST SHORE

CHIMNEY BEACH & SECRET COVE ROUNDHILL PINES BEACH

Hwy. 50

SAND HARBOR STATE PARK ZEPHYR COVE PARK

5.9 miles south of Incline Vlg.

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KINGS BEACH

COON STREET DOG BEACH

Hwy. 28, bottom of Coon Street

KINGS BEACH STATE REC AREA

Kings Beach

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MOON DUNES BEACH

Hwy. 28

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NORTH TAHOE BEACH

Hwy. 28, across from Safeway

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SECLINE BEACH

Hwy. 28, at the end of Secline Street

SPEEDBOAT BEACH

CLOSES AUG. 19 FOR SEASON.

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NORTH TAHOE REGIONAL PARK & DOG PARK Hwy. 28, at top of National Ave.

SANDY BEACH

Hwy. 28, across from the Perennial Nursery

TAHOE VISTA RECREATION AREA

Hwy. 28, at National Ave.

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Experience Lake Tahoe

CARNELIAN BAY

CARNELIAN WEST BEACH PATTON LANDING

Hwy. 28, next to Gar Woods

Hwy. 28, at Onyx Street

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Jet Ski Rentals (2019 sea-doo gti 130) & Boat Charters

TAHOE CITY

COMMONS BEACH HERITAGE PLAZA

Hwy. 28, Tahoe City behind old fire station

Hwy. 28, Downtown Tahoe City

LAKE FOREST BEACH POMIN PARK SKYLANDIA

Lake Forest Rd, 1.5 miles east of Tahoe City

Lake Forest Road, east of Tahoe City Lake Forest Road, east of Tahoe City

64-ACRES PARK & BELL’S LANDING

South of Tahoe City

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2.5 miles south of Tahoe City

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Water Ski · Wakeboard · Wakesurf

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(530) 525-7962 - ObexersBoat.com Obexer’s Marina - 5300 West Lake Blvd. - Homewood, CA

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WEST SHORE

D.L. BLISS STATE PARK

17 miles south of Tahoe City

ELIZABETH WILLIAMS PARK EMERALD BAY BEACH KILNER PARK

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Hwy. 89, 3.5 miles south of Tahoe City

MARIE SLUCHAK PARK MEEKS BAY

4 miles south of Tahoe City

Corner of Hwy. 89 & Pine St., Tahoma

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SUGAR PINE POINT STATE PARK

9.5 miles south of Tahoe City

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BALDWIN BEACH

BIJOU COMMUNITY PARK CAMP RICHARDSON EL DORADO BEACH KIVA BEACH

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Hwy. 89 Hwy. 50 at Lakeview Commons

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Hwy. 89 east of Taylor Creek

NEVADA BEACH POPE BEACH

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Hwy. 50

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REGAN BEACH

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Celebrating 20 Years

of service to the Lake Tahoe Boating Community

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SQUAW VALLEY PARK

At Hwy. 89 & Squaw Valley Road

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MARTIS CREEK

Hwy. 267, 1 mile south of Truckee Airport

RIVER VIEW SPORTS PARK

12200 Joerger Drive

TRUCKEE RIVER REGIONAL PARK

Hwy. 267, Truckee

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DONNER MEMORIAL STATE PARK SHORELINE PARK WEST END BEACH

I-80 Donner Lake exit

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No smoking or vaping of cigarettes, e-cigarettes or marijuana on state beaches or in state parks allowed per state law.

BUS & SHUTTLE SCHEDULES

North Tahoe & Truckee (TART): laketahoetransit.com | South Tahoe: tahoetransportation.org

Call Steve at (775) 287-1089

for our full service, low rate guarantee.

TahoeBoatManagement.com 7

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Shop tahoe

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Summer Fun

Ads as low as $100 per issue. E-mail anne@tahoethisweek.com

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ADVERTISERS

Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com for more Summer Fun Activities.

Always check operating schedules before visiting.

GEOCACHING

PUBLIC POOLS

OLYMPIC VALLEY

INCLINE VILLAGE

High-tech treasure hunt on mountain using GPS to find 10 caches. Free with Aerial Tram ticket; GPS rentals available. Opening TBD. TART

25-yard, 8-lane indoor pool at Incline Recreation Center, swim lessons, aqua fitness, 1-meter spring diving board, inflatable slide (weekends). Daily rates & memberships available.

CRUISES

OLYMPIC VALLEY

“SIERRA CLOUD”

Catamaran cruises. Daily cruises, parasailing and rentals.

Swimming Lagoon & Spa at High Camp at Squaw Valley, free form lagoon with 50-meter lap lanes, two islands with waterfalls and native boulders. Opening TBD. TART

“TAHOE GAL”

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

Daily cruises.

25-yard indoor/outdoor year-round pool. Lessons.

Opening TBD. BlueGo

DISC GOLF

TRUCKEE

DONNER SKI RANCH

25-yard indoor pool with 6 lanes, 1-meter spring diving board, swim training, hydraulic lift at Tahoe-Truckee High School. Opening TBD. TART

(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com

(775) 831-4386 | awsincline.com

(800) 218-2464 | tahoegal.com

530.583.5709

(530) 426-3635 | old40barandgrill.com HISTORIAN & AUTHOR

MARK MCL AUGHLIN’S NEWEST BOOK - UPDATED EDITION

18-hole course. Free to play; must register at restaurant.

Practice basket.

TRUCKEE

Experience disc golf at 7,800 feet with the notorious DiscWood disc golf course. The 18-hole course weaves through the trees and over mountainous terrain. Free. Scorecards and maps may be picked up at the General Store.

Wisdom at Steve Schmier’s 530.583.5709

• Geared for Games • Alice’s Mountain Market located at Squaw Valley • Donner Memorial State Park

MARKLEEVILLE

(530) 694-2140 | alpinecounty.ca.gov Located at Turtle Rock Park Campground.

• Word After Word Bookshop • Gratitude Gifts • Mind Play

OLYMPIC VALLEY

(530) 583-6985 | squawalpine.com

Group presentations · In-home talks (530) 546-5612 · mark@TheStormKing.com

2 edition

Family Meals

HEALTHY. ORGANIC. LOCAL. WITH

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Meal Delivery Service for Individual &

Bulk orders available at books@tahoethisweek.com

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

(772) 913- 0008

Call to set up your

personal menu

(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com Community Recreation Center offers 29’ climbing wall & 12’ bouldering wall. All ages & levels. Lessons available. Opening TBD. TART

SKATE PARKS INCLINE VILLAGE

(775) 832-1300 | inclinerecreation.com Intermediate/advanced area with two, 5-foot tall bowls with a spine, 3-foot box and 2.5 foot bowl for beginners. Street course on top, with 8-foot flat rail, 6-foot down rail, four stairs and a 10-foot downward ramp. Corner Hwy. 28 & Southwood. Daily dawn-dusk.

TART

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE Bijou Community Park features a skateboard park on Al Tahoe Boulevard off Highway 50. BlueGo

TRUCKEE

(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com

(530) 546-4212 | northtahoeparks.com

Truckee River Regional Park with several bowls with a spine and channel, a long rail and ledges. Knee and elbow pads and helmets required. Free. Daily dawn10 p.m. TART

18-hole course at North Tahoe Regional Park, off National Avenue. Parking $5. Daily dawn-dusk. TART

WOODWARD TAHOE

TAHOE VISTA

Organic

Purchase your copy at Amazon.

18-hole course at Squaw Valley’s High Camp. Disc rentals. TART

A mostly flat and moderately wooded course is located at Bijou Community Park featuring 27 holes covering 8,324 feet. The course features mixed tees with varied fairways with slight elevation changes. On Al Tahoe Boulevard off Highway 50. BlueGo

NOW ndAVAILABLE

(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com

18-hole course at Incline Park at 980 Incline Way. Free. Daily dawn-dusk. TART

(209) 258-7277 | kirkwood.com

or pick up a copy at:

(530) 542-6056 | citiofslt.com

ROCK CLIMBING WALLS

KIRKWOOD

TheStormKing.com

(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com

INCLINE VILLAGE

(775) 832-1300 | inclinerecreation.com

O rd e r b o o k s d i re c t a t

(775) 832-1300 | inclinerecreation.com

TRUCKEE

(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com 18-hole course at Truckee River Regional Park, off Brockway Road. Dogs must be on leash. Free. Daily dawn-dusk. TART

(530) 426-1114 | rideboreal.com Featuring two skateparks – The Sierra Skatepark and the Eastern Sierra Skatepark. Plus, indoor skate park inside The Bunker.

TRUCKEE

(530) 550-2225 18 holes at Sierra College Campus. Free. Daily dawndusk. TART

ZEPHYR COVE The Zephyr Cove course is 18 holes covering 5,256 feet with holes of varying lengths. On Warrior Way. BlueGo

Call (530) 546-5995, ext. 110, to be listed in Summer Fun. 8

August 12-18, 2020 GET OUTSIDE

RENTALS | TOURS | LESSONS | SALES | DELIVERY

NIGHTLY SUNSET KAYAK TOURS $5 OFF Rentals & Tours

Must mention ad at booking & present upon arrival.

TAHOE CITY

Shop at 521 North Lake Blvd.

Rentals on the water at Commons Beach SAND HARBOR STATE PARK

Rentals next to the boat ramp

Reservations 530.581.4336 | TahoeCityKayak.com & SandHarborRentals.com

Lake Tahoe Summit Goes Virtual The 24th annual Lake Tahoe Summit on Aug. 25 is going virtual this year due to pandemic concerns. The theme for this year’s summit is “Resilient Tahoe,” reflecting the legacy of 50 years of bi-state cooperation through the interstate compact and 24 years of bipartisan collaboration at the summit while looking ahead to future environmental, infrastructure and economic challenges. Summit guests will hear from Nevada and California Congress members and governors and others who support funding for the Environmental Improvement Program at in the Tahoe basin. More information will be available soon on the summit’s keynote speaker.

UC Davis

Summer Science Speaker

August 20 Learn more at https://tahoe.ucdavis.edu/events

Participants can register online or by calling the office of U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). | (775) 686-5750, rrpartners.zoom.us

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

Aces High Rally Car Show & Drift Series

Sierra Summer Challenge

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe Stateline | Aug. 15, 16

Virtual challenge South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 12-19

Register for a friendly competition to either summit the most Sierra peaks or swim in the most Sierra alpine lakes, all while documenting their adventures and raising donations. | (530) 542-4546, sierranevadaalliance.org

Birding by Ear, Birds of Lake Tahoe online Online | Tahoe City | Aug. 13

Listen while you lunch and join Rich Chambers, former Tahoe Institute for natural Science board member, in this four-part online exploration of Tahoe’s Bird Songs and Calls. 12-1 p.m.

Free | tinsweb.org

A car show and drift series nestled in the heart of the Sierra Nevada at South Lake Tahoe. Face masks are required. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $30-$175 | aceshighrally.com

Virginia Reed’s “Across the Plains” (virtual) Sierra State Parks Foundation Truckee | Aug. 15

An 18-song cycle for piano, guitar and voice chronicling the Donner-Reed Party’s transcontinental emigration to California in 1846, through the voice of 13-year-old Virginia Reed. 5-6:30 p.m. Free | facebook.com

Free Outdoor Movie Nights Authentic Wellness: Virtual Workshops Barton Health South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 13

Learn tools to cope with life’s daily challenges from experts in their fields. Whether it’s stress, insomnia, nutrition, lack of energy, feeling overwhelmed or general habit change, we have you covered. 5 p.m. Free | (530) 5873769, tfhd.com

Big Blue Adventure Race Series Area venues | Truckee | Aug. 15

The summer events begin with XTERRA Lake Tahoe 5K and 10K on Aug. 15 and end with the Great Trail Race on Oct. 6, a run from Truckee to Tahoe City that doubles as a run and bike race. 7:30 a.m. | bigblueadventure.com

Chicken in a Barrel South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 16

Enjoy free outdoor movies every Saturday (date night) and Sunday (family night). The movie begins at dusk, 8:45 p.m. 8:45 a.m.

Free | tahoesouth.com

Baby Storytime on Facebook Truckee Library | Truckee | Aug. 17

Join Miss Amy for songs, books, and early literacy tips for babies during this Facebook Live event. Free | facebook.com

LEGO Challenge on Facebook Live Truckee Library | Truckee | Aug. 18

Miss Amy will read a story to inspire your brick creations and show you examples to create at home. 4-4:30 p.m. Free | facebook.com/ nevadacountylibrary, mynevadacounty.com

9

TheTahoeWeekly.com

BOUNDLESS ADVENTURES TO

EUER VALLEY 60 MILES OF HIKING, BIKING T R A I LS I N TA H O E D O N N E R

THE TRAIL Euer Valley Loop 6.5 miles | Moderate-Strenuous

10

S TO RY A N D P H OTO S BY P R I YA H UT N E R

EUER VALLEY IS STUNNING with its sweeping views from the top to the valley floor’s lush meadow. Located in Tahoe Donner, it is a fantastic place to hike or mountain bike. It’s wooded for much of the journey. I love rolling down on my mountain bike and circumnavigating the valley floor.

Wildflowers abound for much of the summer and fall.

There are several ways to bike down and around the valley. With 60 miles of trails, there are plenty of trails for all riding and hiking levels.

Parking at Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center or at the dead end of Alder Creek Road makes connecting to Euer Valley trails easy.

Start at the entrance of the cross-country ski center and follow the single-track Alder Creek Trail and ride up Tim’s Trek to Cinnamon Twist. Cinnamon Twist is a fun, gentle uphill that will eventually roll down to the valley. You’ll cross over a series of three wooden bridges. You’ll cross a fire road and start descending

on a windy, single track. Look for bikers coming up; they have the right of way.

This part of the trail brings you on South Euer Valley Road. Make a left onto the fire road. Cinnamon Twist will continue on your right. This is a fun winding trail that eventually drops you down onto the east side of the valley. Follow the fire road over the bridge of South Fork Prosser Creek. There are a few trail choices here to connect with; a Tahoe Donner trail sign is on the right.

Download the Tahoe Donner trail map

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

If you are looking to take a gentle breezy ride, take North Euer Valley Road. This route winds along the meadow and is charming and beautiful. There are plenty of places to stop and take in the sights and contemplate the area’s beauty. I really enjoy this ride.

For an intermediate ride, follow the fire road and catch Sidewinder on the left. For a more advanced ride, try East Mustang Sally, a challenging singletrack trail just beyond Sidewinder.

I am partial to Sidewinder. It is winding gradual uphill single track through the woods. The valley remains to your left with glimpses of the the meadow below. Sidewinder is a fun, rolling trail that eventually dumps you out on North Euer Valley Road and connects to Coyote Crossing. This single track takes you across the meadow and past the Coyote Hut. The meadow is lush and green this time of year.

August 12-18, 2020 FEATURE

Outdoor Apparel Sporting Goods Fishing Gear Barbecues & more

second Truckee Location

10001 Soaring Way #105 | Truckee, CA 11320 Donner Pass Rd. | Truckee, CA

If you are looking to take a gentle breezy ride, take North

ALL RIDES ARE FREE! Just hop on the bus.

Euer Valley Road.

This route winds along the meadow and is charming and beautiful.

TART Daily Regional Routes Coyote Crossing will eventually connect to Euer Valley Road. If you’re looking to ride more challenging terrain, make a right turn and connect with Fools Gold, Mother Lode and Hidden Gem for some more advanced uphill single track.

Beginners and intermediate riders and hikers can make the left onto South Euer Valley Road and circle back up Cinnamon Twist. Navigate your way up Cinnamon Twist, cross over the wooden bridges. You’ll spill out onto a fire road. Ride for a few yards and reconnect with Cinnamon Twist; look for the wooden post that marks the trail. This part of the trail is a fun and gentle, winding downhill that connects with Tim’s Trek and back to the cross-country ski center.

The Euer Valley Loop is about 6.5 miles. | tahoedonner.com 

TART Night Service ABOVE

Author stopping to check out the scenery at Coyote Crossing.

TART Truckee Local Route

Jennifer Pennington on Sidewinder.

OPPOSITE PAGE

Euer Valley.

Interesting stops along the way.

Covid-19: Social distancing and safety precautions are in place to keep riders and drivers safe.

TahoeTruckeeTransit.com 11

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Spain’s mission system enslaved native Californians

MARK’S COLUMN IS

SPONSORED BY

S TO RY BY M A R K M c L AU G H L I N

n Jan. 24, 1848, a New Jersey-born millwright and carpenter, James W. Marshall, discovered gold on the South Fork of the American River in northern California. Those small shiny particles quickly triggered what would become the greatest voluntary human migration in history.

This is an excerpt from Mark McLaughlin’s forthcoming book “Truckee & The 601, Vigilantes and Racism in 19th Century California and Nevada” due out this fall.

Years before Marshall’s fateful find, however, modest amounts of gold had been extracted from crushed ore and surface deposits by Mexican miners in southern California. In 1821, a Spanish priest at one of the coastal missions presciently remarked: “If the secret of gold in California ever gets out, the Yankees will overrun the place.”

By the 1840s, government officials in Washington, D.C., were well aware of the abundant natural resources in the isolated, unprotected Mexican province of California, including its gold. In addition to scouting

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reports by U.S. merchant and naval ships that sailed the Pacific Coast, in 1843 nearly 2,000 ounces of the prized metal was shipped to the United States from mines discovered near the San Fernando Mission in southern California. In a few short years, the Americans would declare war on Mexico to obtain this undefended land of golden bounty.

The reports of gold in 1848 came at a propitious moment. The Mexican-American War had just ended and the Yankees had prevailed. California was now a Military Protectorate, wholly owned and controlled by the United States. In a bitter twist of fate, the unwanted war had cost Mexico about

Spain utilized this mission system to entrap, Christianize and Hispanicize native peoples so they could provide a coerced labor force to sustain its distant colonies. one-third of her sovereign soil, including the jewel that is California, with its vast Pacific Coast, varied terrains and microclimates, along with one of the most richly concentrated deposits of gold ever found. If you count the controversial 1845 annexation of Texas, Mexico’s loss of land to aggressive and imperialistic acquisition policies by the United States reached 54 percent.

The news of the American River gold strike promptly reached the fog-bound seaport of San Francisco. From there word spread quickly through trade and shipping connections to the Hawaiian Islands, Asia, China, South America, Europe and the United States’ eastern seaboard. At first, claims of gold were greeted with skepticism, but for poor farmers, unskilled laborers and factory workers who were working for $1 a day or less, it represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get rich — or at least a chance to make enough money to return home and dramatically improve one’s family life.

Finally, in his December 1848 State of the Union speech, President James K. Polk confirmed that the rumors of gold in California were true. Polk’s announcement precipitated a global rush for wealth, excitement and opportunity — especially for single young men. More than 100,000 gold seekers from around the world inundated the region.

San Francisco’s population exploded from 1,000 residents in January 1848 to 25,000 in

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Photo Credit | Photographer?

O

Native California woman, circa 1880s. | Courtesy California State Library

December 1849. The unrelenting exploitation devastated native peoples, the environment and irreversibly reshaped California.

Historians point to California’s Gold Rush immigration as the catalyst for violence and racism against Native Americans, Mexicans, Chileans, Blacks, Chinese and others, along with an aggressive attitude and racial superiority mindset that at times manifested itself as vigilantism. The tidal wave of humanity undoubtedly transformed California and enhanced racist attitudes among the new arrivals, but the process had been underway for nearly a century — imported by missionaries, soldiers, settlers, trappers and merchants from other countries, including Spain, Mexico and the United States.

Over thousands of years, California had a remarkably diverse group of people enter the region at different times. In the pre-contact era before Europeans first arrived, the peak Indian population has been estimated at about 310,000, consisting of 500 disparate tribal groups with various languages, dress, religion and customs. Intermarriage, trade and communication was common, despite challenging dialect issues between some tribes. It was a largely peaceful existence with little violence between tribal subgroups. The mild climate, plentiful resources and absence of European-American-Asian exploitation sustained and protected the most densely populated area in North America, north of what is now Mexico.

MISSION SYSTEM EXPLOTIATED NATIVES Spain’s last significant colonial expansion began in the early 1500s. Armed conquistadors, commissioned adventurers and Franciscan friars sailed out to conquer, explore and convert indigenous people living in the Americas. Indigenous Mexican and Californians were among the many victims of this military, religious and cultural incursion into the New World. Early Spanish explorers reported that Alta California (roughly the current state borders) showed promise, but for nearly 170 years royalty in Madrid felt the region too far and costly to colonize by sending ships, supplies and people to settle the region. In 1769, Spain’s first California mission was established by Roman Catholic

LOCATED IN

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Franciscans at San Diego. Twenty more mission outposts were built, primarily along the Pacific Coast. They were generally staffed by two priests and protected by a garrison of armed Spanish soldiers.

Spain utilized this mission system to entrap, Christianize and Hispanicize native peoples so they could provide a coerced labor force to sustain its distant colonies.

Missions were imposing structures in primitive California. The padres lured neophytes to the mission with food, gifts and beads, a contemporary form of money. After baptism into the Catholic faith, however, once-independent Indians could be held at the mission against their will because the clergy demanded control over every aspect of their lives. If a neophyte resisted, punishments were harsh, including whippings and beatings. Indian labor was used to produce crops, as well as finished products like pottery, rope, candles, wine, leather goods and simple furniture to trade with Spanish soldiers and local settlers.

Read Mark’s four-part series on the Mexican-American War

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

It’s been well-documented how physically violent and cruelly misguided the subjugation of Californian natives was under Spain’s colonial mission system. Early 19th Century Russian fur-trappers living at outposts established on the coast north of San Francisco did not proselytize religion to the indigenous natives and the relationship between the two was more equitable and less imperious. But more devastating than organized religion to the American Indian population was the introduction of European germs and diseases. The natives had no resistance to the new microbes: smallpox, dysentery, malaria, measles and other illnesses spread like wildfire and decimated the population. By 1848, there were only about 100,000 left out of approximately 300,000 at pre-European contact.

Tragically, for California Indians the struggle for survival grew more dire with the arrival of the first Forty-Niners in 1849, followed by subsequent mass migration over the next decade. The California Indian Wars between the United States and native people can only be called genocide; by the end of the 19th Century there were barely 15,000 native Californians left. A rare bright spot is that today California has the largest population of Native Americans out of any state in the country with about 723,000.  Tahoe historian Mark McLaughlin is a nationally published author and professional speaker. His award-winning books are available at local stores or at thestormking.com. You may reach him at mark@thestormking.com.

August 12-18, 2020 THE MAKERS

THE makers

Email news to editor@tahoethisweek.com

Courtesy Bill Jewell

creative awareness | arts & culture | the makers movement

Jewell’s

work featured

Artist Bill Jewell will be holding a display of his work at Tahoe Style in Olympic Valley from Aug. 14 to 16 and Aug. 21 to 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and will be on site during the show.

Jewell is a self-taught painter. His interest in creativity began drawing detailed birds out of an old book that his favorite aunt gifted him as a child. From there he became intrigued with the unique color transitions and silhouettes at sunset and sunrise which were inspiration for his earliest watercolor paintings. They are still one of his preferred subject matters to paint. | billjewell.com, tahoe-style.com

Raymond Kinman M AST E R I N G T H E Z E N O F WOO D C A RV I N G S TO RY BY K AY L A A N D E R S O N

M

ore than 40 years ago, young bass guitarist Raymond Kinman moved to North Lake Tahoe to pursue his dream of playing music. However, since he wasn’t old enough to be in the region’s casinos and nightclubs, Kinman realized he would have to pick up a day job to make ends meet.

That need was accelerated when his wife came home and told him that they were expecting a baby.

“I had no education, no skills. I could just play bass pretty fluently,” Kinman says.

“[The first sign] was trial

dered if maybe Disney would be interested in his work. He started submitting sketches, images, designs and ideas to Walt Disney Imagineering, but never got a response.

Then one day, chance intervened. The principal graphic designer of Walt Disney Imagineering saw a wood-carved sign at a Claim Jumper restaurant in Southern California that Kinman had designed — and it was Disney that reached out to him and invited Kinman in for an interview.

“It was pure luck,” Kinman says. “I was led into this big meeting room with all of these designers and the best artists and creative minds in the world and they just grilled me. I was intimidated.”

It worked out well, however. After the meeting, they handed Kinman a blueprint of a sign they needed for their then-secret, new Disney attraction — Indiana Jones Adventure.

After finishing the mahogany woodcarved Indiana Jones display, Disney continued using Kinman to create signs for other attractions such as The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Splash Mountain.

Kinman missed Tahoe, though, and with his woodcarving business well established, he moved back to Northern California in 2009.

“It’s a deeply Zen process and is cheaper and might be more effective than psychotherapy,” he says.

Kinman admits that most of his work is nature themed, a direct attribution to his early days in Tahoe: “I still do a lot of pine trees.”

Today, Kinman has perfected his craft and is still doing commissioned wood signs for Disney and private parties — and he is helping pass the torch to the next generation of woodcarvers.

“I teach beginner-level, basic relief woodcarving to people who’ve never touched a piece of wood, don’t know how to draw,” Kinman says.

In his monthly three-day retreats, Kinman is amazed at what his students produce and believes they are way better woodcarvers than he is.

“My students don’t have to make the same mistakes that I did,” he says. | woodcarverguru.com 

by fire. It was torture.

I didn’t even know what

Artist Bill Jewell

kind of wood to use.”

–Ray Kinman Explore Tahoe’s vibrant arts scene

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

th e art s The Art of Kevin Jamieson South Lake Tahoe Library South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 12-31 12 p.m. | talart.org

Call for Artist Submissions Glass Garage Collective Stateline | Aug. 12-Sept. 30

1 p.m. | glassgaragecollective.com

MFA IA Virtual Summer Residency Sierra Nevada University Incline Village | Aug. 12-20

5 p.m. | (775) 831-1314, eventbrite.com

Virtual Writing Session Word After Word Books Truckee | Aug. 12

6:30-8 p.m. | (530) 536-5099, wordafterwordbooks.com

“Black, white, and a hint of...” art show Tahoe Art League Art Center South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 14-Sept. 4

11 a.m.-4 p.m. | (530) 544-2313, talart.org

Ray Kinman painting. | Courtesy Raymond Kinman

He was living in Kings Beach in 1976 and hunting for work when one day he met up with a friend who was opening a new restaurant. Kinman suggested he promote his dining establishment with a nice woodcarved sign. His friend asked Kinman how to make one.

Kinman pondered and answered: “I’m a little rusty at it, but I can make one for you. I had no tools, no money, no place to work and I couldn’t draw, but I was pretty sure I could do it.”

He borrowed $30 from his dad to get the tools that he needed; tools that he still uses today.

“It was trial by fire. It was torture. I didn’t even know what kind of wood to use,” Kinman says of that first sign he made.

But over time, he figured it out.

Kinman’s woodcarving business slowly took off and he ended up making quite a few signs for local businesses like Soule Domain in Kings Beach and Hacienda del Lago in Tahoe City.

“I was here during the golden period of wood-carved signs; they were everywhere,” he says.

However, 10 years later with two small children in tow, he realized that he wasn’t going to make a living in Tahoe playing music. In the mid-80s Kinman moved to Los Angeles and continued his woodcarving venture. He made more signs for local businesses in Southern California and the income continued to help support his family.

One day, Kinman went to Disneyland and naturally started looking at the signs and won-

live and in person with his collection of art at Tahoe Style

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Capricorn (Dec 21-Jan 19)

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You have entered a mini cauldron of change.

Yet, it will last for a while and the heat will increase.

This need not be a negative, but it could be if you resist the ego-purging process destined to occur. The more you can let go the better. If you feel there is work to be done, be the one who does it and directs it at yourself.

FIRE

EARTH

AIR

WATER

Leo (Jul 22-Aug 23)

With the Sun and Mercury both in your sign, you will feel inspired to take new creative leads. Still, you remain happy to hover close to home. A learning curve has been underway for some time and is significant in terms of fortifying foundations for the future. Changes in your public and professional life have been rolling in for some time now and are bringing rewards.

Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22)

Slowly but surely you are moving towards your goals. Yet, this process includes a simultaneous process of letting go of what once was. Replacing the old with the new is part of the deal and includes thinking differently about what you already do.

Currently, you are happy to hang out in your creative zone. Yet you are not in a frivolous mood.

Libra (Sep 22-Oct 22)

Aquarius (Jan 19-Feb 19)

Relationship activity now could be described as heated and passionate. Positively, creative exchanges are underway which include new approaches. Meanwhile, the information war raging in the world has your att-ention, yet you may feel powerless to do much about it. If so, focus to redirect your energy to creative outlets.

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20)

Leo time for you brings a mix of inspiration and perspiration. Realizing your creative aspirations implies diligent effort. Laborious activities that require more duty and surrender than inspiration and interest and will probably not go well. Focus on want you want to do and not what you feel you have to do.

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 20)

You are determined to squeeze some fun in the sun. While you are eager to take new strides somehow, you also feel inclined to huddle close to home. Quality time shared with family is featured, but you also want to be productive and playful. It is a complex equation that can be reconciled with awareness.

Quality time shared with friends and family is highlighted now. Acknowledging yours and their differences are highlighted. Maintaining harmony is easier said than done as complexities that have been percolating beneath the surface are getting triggered.

The intensity could increase throughout the month. It may prove best to give everyone plenty of space.

Taurus (Apr 20-May 21)

A busy time behind the scenes likely includes family time. However, you may notice that you are working at more than one level. Inwardly, you are focusing to push through prior patterns, perceptions, and interpretations. The more aligned you are with destiny in the process; the more peaceful you will feel.

Scorpio (Oct 22-Nov 21)

Getting the attention feel you deserve and have earned is a central theme now. You feel the need to take charge of situations, yet it may be a challenge to maintain a steady focus especially where others are involved. Left to your own, your imagination will soar, and you will find peace provided you have complete creative license and can proceed at your own pace.

Sagittarius (Nov 21-Dec 21)

You are in a playful, adventurous, and philosophical mood. This is a good time to entertain new thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and philosophies. Your mood is extra practical these days, yet nothing comes easy. That is why the time is right to take a break. Step back from the grind and be open to new perspectives on reality.

Gemini (May 21-Jun 21)

You are in a creative and crafty mood. If you are aware of this, all will be well. Otherwise, you could feel frustrated and moody, or depressed. Exploring new methods and approaches is featured. So, focus to do something different or from a new angle. Meanwhile, much is rumbling within and it is not very peaceful.

Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22)

Powerful exchanges with significant others come as a mixed blessing. However, it is a start and represents the building of new foundations. Forging ahead in your career is featured and this trend will continue for months. Weaving inventiveness with a focus to express beauty could produce some very special results.

CryptoQuip

Irish song concerning a fellow who always smiles warmly: “The Wearing of the Grin.”

Hocus Focus differences: 1. Golf club is missing, 2. Swim trunks are different, 3. Cloud has moved, 4. Boy’s hair is different, 5. Shrub is gone, 6. Hat is different.

14

THE lineup

BROADWAY LIVE Aug. 15 | 6 p.m.

Cassidy Boathouse | South Lake Tahoe

live music | shows | nightlife

Aug. 20 | 6 p.m.

August 12-18, 2020 THE LINEUP

festivals | entertainment

South Lake Brewing Company South Lake Tahoe

Aug. 23 | 5 p.m.

Socially Distanced Broadway

The Hangar | South Lake Tahoe Watch Black Ice Theater perform songs from “Rent”

live AUGUST 12 | WEDNESDAY Live Music Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 12-9 p.m.

AUGUST 13 | THURSDAY Live Music Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 12-9 p.m.

Classical Tahoe streaming live, Tahoe City, 7 p.m.

H

ave you ever seen a play from a paddle board? How about Broadway on a boat?

This month you can experience true liquid thespianism as Black Ice Theatre Co. brings socially distanced “Broadway Live” to various locations in South Lake Tahoe.

On Aug. 15, the nonprofit presents a two-set performance of 20 Broadway songs from productions including “Rent,” “Mamma Mia!,” “Grease” and “Cabaret” at the historical one-room Cassidy Boathouse built sometime between 1908 and 1912.

The lakeside stage sits atop a dock about a quarter mile west of Lakeview Commons.

Attendees must swim, boat or paddle to the site to view the event from the water. Other shows will be Aug. 22 and 23 on land.

THEATRE

AUGUST 14 | FRIDAY Live Music Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 12-9 p.m.

Classical Tahoe Streaming live, Tahoe City, 7 p.m.

Rustler’s Moon Gar Woods Lake Tahoe, Carnelian Bay, 8 p.m.

AUGUST 15 | SATURDAY Live Music Cottonwood Restaurant & Bar, Truckee, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Live Music Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 12-9 p.m.

Sunsets Live Music Series Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Olympic Valley, 5-7 p.m.

Broadway Live Cassidy Boathouse, South Lake Tahoe, 6 p.m.

Classical Tahoe Streaming live, Tahoe City, 7 p.m.

AUGUST 16 | SUNDAY Live Music Cottonwood Restaurant & Bar, Truckee, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Live Music Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 12-9 p.m.

Backyard Boogie series (on radio) KTKE 101.5 – Truckee, Tahoe City, 4-7 p.m.

Classical Tahoe Streaming live, Tahoe City, 7 p.m.

AUGUST 17 | MONDAY Live Music Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 12-9 p.m.

BanJoe and the Grizzlies Donner Ski Ranch, Norden, 6 p.m.

AUGUST 18 | TUESDAY Live Music Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 12-9 p.m.

AUGUST 19 | WEDNESDAY Live Music Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 12-9 p.m.

Courtesy Black Ice Theatre Co.

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

S TO RY BY S E A N M c A L I N D I N

“ I know some people look at [quarantine] as a break, but people need to be entertained … People need some joy and I want to bring it to them. But we don’t want to do it if we’re going to put anyone at risk, so we’re going to be as safe as possible.”

–Richard Sargent “We’ve never done anything like this before,” says Black Ice Theatre Artistic Director Richard Sargent. “I hope people show up because I think it’s a great idea that also keeps people safe. Tahoe is very outdoorsy and this is something that combines the best of the art world with the best of the nature world.”

Originally from Pittsburg, Penn., Sargent worked for Left Coast Theatre Co. in San Francisco before relocating to South Lake Tahoe with his partner, Josh Moskoviz, who plays bass guitar in the Broadway band.

Sargent founded Black Ice Theatre Co. in 2018 as a way to engage local audiences in fresh, daring theater that explores themes vital to both the modern moment and the timeless representation of human experience.

“We felt it was time that theater was more consistent in South Lake Tahoe,” he says. “We wanted there to be more relevant theater in town, theater about things everyone can relate to, theater that represents all the people in the town.”

Black Ice partners with Lake Tahoe Community College to offer acting classes and spring performances for credit. This week Sargent is hosting a summer acting camp for kids.

“We have so much talent in this town and to be able to showcase it is great,” says Sargent. “With every show, we keep growing our audiences. Our last show was set up to be biggest show yet with sold-out houses in San Francisco and the buzz was growing here in Tahoe. That was the worst part. It finally started to take off and we had to shut it all down.”

The production of “Never the Sinner” was canceled in March shortly after its premiere in San Francisco due to coronavirus.

“We never got to bring it to Tahoe,” says Sargent. “We were heartbroken so we needed to find some way to be creative through all this.”

So the company put together “Sheltered Shorts” airing 50 plays in 50 days during quarantine with Sargent recruiting actors from throughout the United States to act the parts from their individual homes on Zoom.

He followed this up with “Musical Mondays,” which led to the idea for “Broadway Live.” When venues started to open back up in June, Sargent reached out to see about booking some live, socially distanced theater.

“I can’t stop creating,” says the everindustrious artist. “I know some people look at [quarantine] as a break, but people need to be entertained. Life is shitty right now.

People need some joy and I want to bring it to them. But we don’t want to do it if we’re going to put anyone at risk, so we’re going to be as safe as possible.”

Black Ice performers are being tested regularly for COVID-19 and wear face shields at rehearsals in Sargent’s backyard in Tahoe Keys.

“We found the masks made it a little hard to sing,” he says.

While the summer production of political beauty-pageant comedy “The Taming” and fall show of classic horror drama “The House on Haunted Hill” remain indefinitely postponed, Sargent hopes the Broadway shows help to keep some momentum alive for one of the few independent theater companies in the region.

“We want to make art a focal part of Tahoe,” says Sargent. “We want people to come here for the beauty and stay for the art. Those outdoor people who don’t think they’re into theater just don’t know they’re theater people yet because they haven’t gone to see a show. You change in the theater.

The value is a bunch of strangers who come together for a shared experience. They laugh and cry and love and leave a different person from when they came. We hope in the theater we can all grow and become better people. It helps bring people together and in this world right now, that’s what we need.” | blackicetheatreco.com.  Sean McAlindin is a writer and musician living in Truckee, who loves a secret powder stash just as much as a good jam. You can reach him at entertainment@tahoethisweek.com. Other writings and original music are available at seanmcalindin.com.

Major Motion Pictures · Independent Films Live Music · Dance Performances

Our pop-up drive-in runs Thursdays-Sundays for the summer.

Drive-In Mars Attacks!

Aug 13-16

Fletch

Aug 20-23

The Wedding Singer Aug 27-30

Visit TahoeArtHausCinema.com for showtimes, schedule, events + tkts THE COBBLESTONE CENTER 475 N LAKE BLVD., TAHOE CITY, CA | 530-584-2431

15

TheTahoeWeekly.com

EAT &drink

food & libations | recipes | delicious events

THE SECRETS OF

Sourdough S TO RY BY P R I YA H UT N E R

T

he scent of baking bread entices a rumble in the stomach. The yeasty aroma of warm sourdough, the earthy smell of whole wheat or a warm slice of focaccia can seduce the senses. Each culture has its rendition or version of bread, whether it be ciabatta or chapati, naan or arepa, roti or rolls. The list of breads from around the world is long. Matzo, tortillas and hardtack are often considered types of bread.

The term “breaking bread”’ initially referred to the Eucharist, but in this day and

“If I keep my starter out on the counter, I try to feed it every day. If I store it in the fridge, I try to feed it at least once a week,” she says, explaining that she feeds the starter by adding more flour and water.

“When you bake sourdough, you want pockets and elasticity in your bread. It gives sourdough a light, airy and delicious flavor.

Growing up near San Francisco, I love my sourdough sour,” she says.

She got serious about baking bread about two and a half years ago, who uses a no-knead method to bake: “I use a bulk fermentation process, let it rise, then shape the loaves and let it rise again before baking.”

“ We always had sourdough starter in our house. Although my dad sometimes found it in the back of the fridge and thought it was bad and threw it out occasionally.”

–Molly Knickerbocker age, it often signifies a coming together to share a meal.

Baking bread for some of us can be completely intimidating. While many of us are novice bread bakers, my first couple of sourdough attempts were somewhat disastrous and a bit hilarious. The first loaf I made produced a dense and heavy loaf, which was slightly brick-like, although it tasted pretty good.

In my second attempt — which I equate to my Philly roots — my loaf ended up

Enjoy the tastes of Tahoe

more like a soft pretzel rather than a wellbalanced sourdough. It was doughy on the inside and crusty on the outside. And yes, the best soft pretzels are from Philadelphia.

It was only after numerous attempts that I finally acquired a near-perfect loaf, crusty on the outside, yeasty and flavorful on the inside with a slight tang. I added seeds to the top, which afforded me a bit of my New York upbringing, which was an ode to the everything bagel. And yes, in my opinion, New York has the best bagels in the world — and pizza, too.

Since the pandemic’s start, it seemed as if everyone became a bread baker, myself included. My friend, Molly Knickerbocker is a baker. She has patience and precision when it comes to her craft — so much so, she started her bread business while sheltering in place.

I asked Molly what the secret is to a good loaf of homemade sourdough bread? Her response was: “Time. A good loaf of sourdough has a thick crust with a good caramelization and the right number of pockets of bubbles — varied and not too tight.”

A good sourdough begins with a sourdough starter.

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Molly Knickerbocker’s artisan sourdough loaf. | Courtesy Molly Knickerbocker; “The right number of pockets of bubbles.” | Courtesy Molly Knickerbocker; Priya Hutner’s seeded sourdough. | Priya Hutner

“I got my starter about seven years ago from a friend who was working in a bakery in Santa Cruz. The sourdough starter was around 13 years old then. At the time, I was living in a small place with limited kitchen space and only had a convection toaster oven. I made crackers, pancakes, waffles and pizza with my starter,” Molly says.

She learned to bake bread with her mother.

They made loaves for church functions and their neighbors.

“We always had sourdough starter in our house. Although my dad sometimes found it in the back of the fridge and thought it was bad and threw it out occasionally. The starter can sometimes form a liquid alcohol layer that can appear to make it funky. Some sourdough starters can be very old and handed down from family members,” she says.

Feeding your starter is imperative to keeping it well and healthy.

Kings Beach Full Service on Patio & Takeout orders 12:00pm-8:00pm

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For those who just want the fruits of another baker’s labor and don’t want to undertake the art of breadmaking at home, there are many bakers and bakeries that make delicious sourdough bread in the Tahoe Sierra.  Priya Hutner is a writer, personal chef and workshop facilitator. She is the owner of the Seasoned Sage, which prepares organic artisan meals for dinner parties and events. She also offers in-home cooking classes, parties and local pop up dinners. As a breath meditation teacher and long-time yogi, she facilitates workshops and classes that focus on gaining a deeper awareness of self. Send story ideas to priya@tahoethisweek.com. | (772) 913-0008, pria78@gmail.com, seasonedsage.com

EASY SOURDOUGH BREAD From the kitchen of Priya Hutner 3 C of flour 1¼ C warm water 1½ t salt ¾ C sourdough starter ¼ C mixed everything seeds (optional)

Mix flour and salt in a large glass bowl.

In separate bowl, mix water and starter and add to flour. Mix well with hands. The dough should be a bit sticky. Transfer into an oiled glass bowl and cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 3 to 6 hours until it rises.

Fold and turn the dough, rest seam side up and let it rise for another 30 to 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place cornmeal on the bottom of Dutch oven or use a glass loaf pan with lid and place shaped dough in pan. Add seeds and score the top of the dough down the middle. Cover and bake bread for 20 minutes.

Remove lid and bake another 10 minutes.

For a crispier crust, remove bread from Dutch oven and place directly on the oven rack for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. Check for doneness with a thermometer that should read 210 degrees F. Let cool and enjoy.

August 12-18, 2020 EAT & DRINK

Robert Parker PA R T I I S TO RY BY L O U P H I L L I P S

A

s we left the inimitable Mr. Robert Parker in our last column, we noted his ascendance to become the first truly influential wine critic and commentator to offer unbiased and fair wine information. Many also know that he is the father of the now gold-standard, 100point rating system. But what has been forgotten is that he has always been adamant the points are only a part of his wine ratings. I will address

“Scores, however, do not reveal the important facts about a wine. The written commentary that accompanies the ratings is a better source of information regarding the wine’s style and personality, its relative quality vis-à-vis its peers, and its value and aging potential.”

–Robert Parker this in detail in a minute, but first I want to address the seminal moment in not only Parker’s career, but in the direction of wine styles since that moment.

It is 1983 and although he now held some status as a wine expert, Parker was far from the top dog. It was time for wine critics to taste the 1982 Bordeaux from the barrel and forecast its present and future quality and therefore its pricing.

To a person, all of the top poseurs — I mean experts — rated the 1982s as average at best. The Wine Advocate, however, declared one of the finest vintages ever for Red Bordeaux. Most considered this quite a folly and possibly the end of Parker being taken seriously as an influencer in the wine world. Well, the rest is history because when these wines were released they were, and still are, universally lauded — and a star was born.

I can attest, after decades as a sommelier, wine director and writer, that very few either read or pay heed to any of that. When wine reviews are discussed by consumers, points are the only thing that counts. Even wine professionals mostly lean on a wine’s point rating when deciding to buy or when giving recommendations.

This is most impactful in the case of the most expensive wines. Consider top Bordeaux, Burgundy and Napa Cabernets. Especially with high-end Bordeaux, not understanding the taste profile differences between them and other top Cabernetbased wines, such as Napa’s best, is a recipe for buyer dissatisfaction. Most top Red Bordeaux also have fickle time windows where they show well, so the commentary that accompanies a point score is absolutely essential information if one really cares how the wine tastes as opposed to just impressing one’s self and others.

All that being said, a high RP rating is gold, and 100 points, well as Pink Floyd sang, “We call it riding the gravy train.”

I’ll conclude Parker’s influence on the wine world in the next edition and at TheTahoeWeekly.com. 

Back to The Wine Advocate rating system, in the words of Parker, “Scores, however, do not reveal the important facts about a wine. The written commentary that accompanies the ratings is a better source of information regarding the wine’s style and personality, its relative quality vis-à-vis its peers, and its value and aging potential.”

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Lou Phillips is a Level 3 Advanced Sommelier in Tahoe and his consulting business wineprowest.com assists in the selling, buying and managing wine collections.

He may be reached at (775) 544-3435 or wineguru123@ gmail.com.

Level 3 (Advanced) Sommelier

Louis Phillips

Read Part I

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

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TheTahoeWeekly.com

FROM CHEF SMITTY’S KITCHEN

Hoppy Duck

Spiced Grilled Chicken

Tap House Opens Voted Best Place to Take a Date for 17 years EST. 1985

THE SOULE DOMAIN CREATIVE AMERICAN DINING

Open nightly at 6 p.m.

Reservations (530)546-7529 Stateline Dr. next to Tahoe Biltmore Crystal Bay, NV - North Lake Tahoe

SouleDomain.com

The Hoppy Duck Tap House opened in downtown Truckee taking over the former Mellow Fellow location featuring 40 craft beers on tap from the super light to bourbon aged stouts, sours and ciders.

Starters feature classics like Pretzel & Beer Cheese and Chicken Wings, along with Fried Okra and Caprese, Chicken Teriyaki and Balsamic Cremini skewers. Also enjoy salads and wraps, an array of Smoked BBQ dishes from platters to sandwiches and sliders, along with burgers and brats. House specialties include the Duck & Port with Orange Sausage, the Truckee Cheesesteak and the Elk Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage.

The Hoppy Duck is located at 10192 Donner Pass Road. It is open from 2 to 8 pm. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and from noon to 8 p.m. from Friday to Sunday. | (530) 214-8927, thehoppyduck.squarespace.com

Wine on Water Famous for our Mexican Dinners (530) 587-3557 10186 Donner Pass Rd - Truckee

Sierra Community House Food Distribution We’re delivering perishable food bags weekly in Truckee & North Lake Tahoe.

Delivery staff and volunteers are following best practices and wearing masks. Please follow social distancing and NOT interact.

To sign-up or cancel, e-mail food@sierracommunityhouse.org or call 775-545-4083; Provide full name, address, phone number, birthdate and number of people in the household.

virtual fundraiser

Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe’s fundraiser, Wine on the Water, has transformed into a virtual event featuring auction items from wineries and local establishments that offer opportunities to support the club’s crucial programs for more than 2,000 local kids.

The multi-day Virtual WOW auction will run from Aug. 12 to 16. Auction items include a Kauai vacation at an oceanfront luxury cottage, premium small-production wines from Anthem Winery in Napa Valley, a foursome golf package at Northstar California, four-night stay at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa and other great items. | Facebook BGCNLT

tasty tidbits Virtual Wine on the Water 2020 Online | Kings Beach | Aug. 12-16 8 a.m.-8 p.m. | facebook.com

Tahoe City Farmers Market Commons Beach | Tahoe City | Aug. 13

BY C H E F DAV I D “ S M I T T Y ” S M I T H

S

tarting off this week, I want to answer a question I got recently: “How often do I need to season my grill?”

Not too often, usually, but it depends on how much you grill, what you grill and what is sticking to the grill. Even in a heavy-use year, I might season my grill twice. If you are getting the grill hot enough and using the oil rag, there shouldn’t be too much sticking.

Now, as long as you have the grill ready to go, here is a spicy chicken recipe to try out. It is kind of a toned-down jerk as opposed to a Cajun style. A jerk is Jamaican or Caribbean style of cooking, while Cajun is a Louisiana style. The biggest differences are the heat and Cajun is usually a dry rub while jerk is a marinade. In true jerk spices, the two main ingredients are allspice and scotch bonnet peppers. Scotch bonnets are perhaps the hottest of all the peppers and since you don’t see them here often, you can substitute habaneros. I was using only the things I had on hand, so the peppers were jalapeños. If you want a little less heat, you can always discard the seeds, but the heat, especially using the jalapeños, isn’t that overpowering — and this is supposed to be a hot dish. The Cajun heat comes from using cayenne pepper along with a combination of white and black pepper.

One thing you will notice is that when using a dry rub, the outside of the chicken is truly blackened, which is why it is often referred to as blackened chicken or fish.

you have on hand. Sometimes you won’t have one or two or even three ingredients on the list, but you might have something else that will work or that you happen to like more.

A jerk is Jamaican or Caribbean style of cooking, while Cajun is a Louisiana style.

Both the jerk and Cajun methods are great for chicken, as well as fish, so if you like this on your chicken, try it out on a piece of sea bass or halibut. I will let the chicken soak in the marinade overnight.

If I were using it for seafood, I might marinade it for a few hours, but not much longer than that. Enjoy. 

Find Chef Smitty’s tips for seasoning the grill at TheTahoeWeekly.com

With the marinade, there might be some spots that get pretty dark, but not to the point of looking burnt. The Cajun flavor also will have a much more smoky flavor.

As with all marinades, use this recipe as a guide and not as a must-follow-tothe-letter recipe. Especially when you start getting into spicy foods, you want to be sure you make something you are going to enjoy. I like spicy food, but I don’t go for things that are so hot you can’t taste what you’re eating. If you use jalapeños and you want more heat, simply add some chili paste and you can get all the heat you want.

Take a look at the ingredients before you start to put it all together and see what

David “Smitty” Smith is a personal chef specializing in dinner parties, cooking classes and special events.

Trained under Master Chef Anton Flory at Top Notch Resort in Stowe, Vt., Smitty is known for his creative use of fresh ingredients. Contact him at (530) 412-3598 or tmmsmitty@gmail.com.

Try Lou Phillips’ recommendations for wine pairings for grilled dishes at TheTahoeWeekly.com

8 a.m.-1 p.m. | tahoecityfarmersmarket.com

Incline Village Farmers Market Incline Village Library | Aug. 13

Fine Italian Food & Spirits

3-6 p.m. | (775) 832-4130, laketahoemarkets.com

Romano’s Certified Farmers Market Sierra Valley Farms | Beckwourth | Aug. 14 9 a.m.-2 p.m. | sierravalleyfarms.com

Truckee Certified Farmers Market Truckee River Regional Park | Aug. 18

Locals Love Lanza’s!

(530) 546-2434 BAR - 4:30 p.m. DINNER - 5 p.m.

7739 N Lake Blvd - Kings Beach

LanzasTahoe.com 18

8 a.m.-1 p.m. | truckeecertifiedfa.wixsite.com

El Dorado County Certified Farmer’s Market American Legion Parking Lot South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 18

8 a.m.-1 p.m. Free | eldoradofarmersmarket.com

SPICED GRILLED CHICKEN

From the kitchen of: Chef David “Smitty” Smith 1 large roasting chicken, cut in quarters 1 small onion 2½ T oil 2 t black pepper 2 t nutmeg 4 t ground ginger ½ C lime juice

½ C rice vinegar 2 jalapeños with seeds 1 T basil 1 t salt 4 t allspice 2 t cinnamon 2 T dark rum Salt & pepper

Cut up the onion and jalapenos and place in a blender with the other ingredients down to the rum and blend until smooth. I like adding the lime juice later so the flavor isn’t lost. Mix the chicken with the blended ingredients, coating it as much as possible and place it in a pan or large plastic bag and then pour the lime juice over it. If you are using a baggie, flip the bag once every few hours before cooking. If you want, you can boil the marinade once the chicken has been placed on the grill and use it as a basting liquid.

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