Best Gym

Marin

Elan Health & Fitness Center

230 Greenfield Ave., San Anselmo. 415.485.1945.

Napa

Exertec Fitness Center

1500 First St., Napa. 707.226.1842.

Sonoma

Coaches' Corner

420 Morris St., Sebastopol. 707.829.5180.

Honorable Mention Tie

Body Zone Fitness

545 Ross St., Santa Rosa. 707.544.9663.

Fusion Fitness

791 Lombardi Court, Santa Rosa. 707.542.4500.

Best Health Club

Marin

Bay Club Marin

220 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera. 415.945.3000.

Napa Synergy Medical Fitness Center

3421 Villa Lane, Napa. 707.251.1395.

Sonoma

Airport Health Club

432 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa. 707.528.2582.

Honorable Mention

Park Point Health Club

www.parkpointhealthclub.com.

Best Pilates Studio

Marin

Pilates of Marin

400 Tamal Plaza, Ste. 402, Corte Madera. 415.927.7800.

Napa

Downtown Pilates

1338 Pearl St., Napa. 707.257.7382.

Sonoma

Tone

850-A Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.526.3100.

Honorable Mention

Healdsburg Pilates & Personal Fitness

424 Center St., Healdsburg. 707.433.2737.

Best Yoga Studio

Marin

Bikram Yoga San Rafael

1295 Second St., San Rafael. 415.453.9642.

Napa

Ubuntu Yoga Studio

1140 Main St., Napa. 707.251.5656.

Sonoma

Bikram College of India

522 Wilson St., Santa Rosa. 707.545.9642.

Honorable Mention

Tone

850-A Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707.526.3100.

Best Martial Arts School

Marin

East-West Karate School

1414 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.456.2490.

Napa

Aikido of Napa

2516 Laurel St., Napa. 707.257.6639.

Sonoma

Five Dragons Martial Arts

506 Lewis Road, Santa Rosa. 707.523.4744.

Honorable Mention

American Karate Academy

424 Moore Lane, Healdsburg. 707.433.4717.

Best Bike Shop

Marin

Mike's Bikes

836 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.454.3747.

1 Gate 6 Road, Sausalito. 415.332.3200.

Napa

First Place Tie

St. Helena Cyclery

1156 Main St., St. Helena. 707.963.7736.

Calistoga Bike Shop

1318 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga. 866.942.2453.

Sonoma

The Bike Peddler

605 College Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.571.2428.

Honorable Mention

NorCal Bike Sport

425 College Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.573.0112.

Best Independent Bike Frame Builder

Marin

Breezer Bicycles

www.breezerbikes.com.

Sonoma

Sean Walling, Soulcraft

www.soulcraftbikes.com

Honorable Mention

Sycip Bicycles

www.sycip.com

Best Outdoor Gear

Clavey River Equipment

409 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma. 707.766.8070.

Clavey River Equipment: It's a Blast

Walk into Clavey River Equipment in Petaluma and you'll run into three very hairy things: the resident dogs, Matt and Daisy, and George Lucas smirking down from the wall in an autographed glossy. But the shop, which has moved around from San Rafael to Point Reyes and then Petaluma in its 26 years, specializes in a different kind of hairiness—like surviving the wild rapids of the Illinois River, where co-owner Scotto Galbreath is headed in a couple weeks. "It's solid class 4, one big class 5, it's a blast," he says. "And you really want to pay attention, 'cause it's back-to-back action."

Though the shop does its biggest business in roof racks and kayaks, it's easy to tell that whitewater rushes through the owners' veins. In addition to hitting the rapids as often as possible, all of them have guided rivers for over 20 years, including some stints as counselors for Outward Bound working with troubled teens. ("Years later you bump into them," Galbreath laughs, "and they're totally successful, buying $10,000 rafting packages, and you're like, 'Wow, last time I saw you, didn't you get kicked out of school for selling pot?'")

Galbreath himself calls rafting's risk more perceived than real, although he did once have to swim though a class 5 rapid on the south fork of the Clearwater River in Idaho, a genuinely fear–inducing ordeal. And yet hands–on experience like this positions the staff at Clavey for distinguished customer service, be it hands–on advice, local recommendations and suggesting thoughtful accessories like a portable environmental toilet or a hand–operated blender. "Margaritas on the river!" Galbreath enthuses, "never leave home without it!"

What did George Lucas buy when he came in? "It's funny you should ask" Galbreath says, relating that, for some unknown reason, Lucas' photographer left behind about a dozen 8–by–10s. "And so I autographed one for us," he laughs, "and then the rest of 'em I slipped in various file folders throughout the shop. So as you're here looking for something, occasionally George's face will pop up. It's an ongoing joke."

Clavey River Equipment, 409 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma. 707.766.8070.—G.M.

Best Ski Shop

Marin

Uli Seiler Ski Shop

929 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Kentfield.

415.456.2323.

Napa

Snowdrift

3090 Jefferson St., Napa. 707.255.3509.

Sonoma

Santa Rosa Ski & Sport

1125 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa. 707.578.4754.

Best Surf Shop

Marin

Fat Kat Surf Shop

1908 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Fairfax. 415.453.9167.

Sonoma

Northern Light Surf Shop

17191 Bodega Hwy., Bodega Bay.

707.876.3032.

Honorable Mention

Brotherhood Board Shop

1216 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa.

707.546.0660.

Best Snow / Skate / Board Shop

Marin

First Place Tie

Triumph

907 Fourth St., San Rafael. 415.457.1625.

Demo Sport

1101 E. Francisco Blvd., San Rafael. 415.454.3500.

Napa

Board Garden

2740 Jefferson St., Napa. 707.253.7949.

Sonoma

Brotherhood Board Shop

1216 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.546.0660.

Best Sunset

Marin

Nick's Cove

23240 Hwy. 1, Marshall. 415.663.1033.

Napa

Auberge du Soleil

180 Rutherford Hill Road, Rutherford. 707.963.1211.

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