What better way to experience the scenic roads of the Shenandoah Valley this year than from the seat of a motorcycle? Shops and Web sites are sources for gear and information to get you on your way.

Motorcycle shops:

• Grove's Winchester Harley-Davidson/Buell Inc. at 140 Independence Drive right off I-81 in Winchester is Virginia's oldest Harley-Davidson dealership. The 2008 motorcycle families include Sportster, Dyna, Softail, VRSC and Touring. New and used Harley-Davidson and Buell bikes are available, as well as EagleRider rentals, parts, service and Harley-Davidson apparel. 662-4468 or (800) 777-4275. www.hdwinchester.com


• Guard Hill Cycle Shop at 994 Guard Hill Road in Middletown offers motorcycle repair, parts, service and accessories for all major brands of motorcycles. 869-1085


• CR's Trike Shop at 952 Yeagers Road in Luray converts two-wheel motorcycles into three-wheelers using The Champion Trike Kit. The store also sells side cars, hard bags and other accessories and provides oil and air filter changes and general maintenance on motorcycles and trikes. The store is open Monday to Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 743-4179. www.crstrikeshop.com


• Duc Pond Motosports at 663 N. Loudoun St. in Winchester provides sales, parts and service. A complete Ducate and MV Agusta dealership, the store also sells used bikes, biking apparel and accessories. The store is open Tuesday to Thursday 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m., and Saturday 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. 667-3498. www.ducpond.com


• Winchester Motosports at Exit 321 off Interstate 81 in Clearbrook offers many popular brands of motorcycles as well as Triumph, Victory, Moto Guzzi and Polaris ATVs. In addition to selling pre-owned bikes, the store also sells Schwinn motor scooters and provides parts and service. The store is open Monday to Wednesday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursday and Friday 9 a.m.-7 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 722-2688. www.winchestermotosports.net

The following Web sites offer visitors information on the best places to ride in Virginia:

• The Web site www.motorcycleva.com lists great places to ride throughout Virginia and events throughout the year.


• The Web site www.motorcycleroads.us/va mentions the best roads for biking in the area.


• The Web site www.rideva.net lists events throughout Virginia as well as motorcycle dealers and shops.

The valley can offer whatever shopping opportunity fits your needs. All kinds of unique stores dot the valley. Here are just a few:

Clarke County:

• The Barns of Rose Hill, at Milton Valley Farm off U.S. 340 south Berryville, holds an annual gala and auction in June each year. The Barns' biggest fundraiser, which serves to raise money to restore the barns in Rose Hill Park in Berryville, presents an opportunity for residents to shop locally and help a cause that will benefit the community. Each year the event offers piano music, cocktails, food for every palate and more than 150 items for the silent and live auctions. Reservations are $75 per person. 955-4648 or 955-5283

Frederick County/Winchester:

• Arabella, at 3119 Valley Ave., Suite 106, in Creekside Station in Winchester, sells fashion brands such as Tyler Boe, Jade, Donna Morgan and Chili Peppers. 667-8822. www.winchesterboutique.com


• Creekside Gifts, at 3103 Valley Ave., Suite 120, in Creekside Station in Winchester, offers collectible items and gifts, such as jewelry, bath and body products and Christmas items. 662-0270. www.creeksidegift.com


• Lavender Moon, at 3113 Valley Ave., Suite 108, in Creekside Station in Winchester, sells various soaps, lotions and bath tea for men and women. A baby collection is also available. 722-1033. www.lavendermoonsoap.com


• Patton's Furniture, at 29 S. Loudoun St. in Winchester, offers furniture from a variety of manufactures, such as Cresent, Durham, Henkel Harris and Lexington Home Brands. The store also offers delivery options and interior-design services. 662-1732. www.pattons-furniture.com


• The Miller House, at 5960 Valley Pike in Stephens City, specializes in antique-reproduction furniture and decorative accessories. The furniture is made from solid woods, including tiger maple, cherry and oak, and designers include Tom Seely, Gat Creek, Joe Ruggiero and J.L. Treharn & Co. Interior design services are also available. 869-2148. www.themillerhouse.net


• Wilkins Shoe Center, at 7 S. Loudoun St. in Winchester, carries the leading brands of shoes and offers personal service to customers. Sports shoes, safety shoes, dance shoes and accessories are available. 667-5600. www.wilkinsshoe.com


• The Wonderful Store, at 7841 Main St. in Middletown, features vintage items, including clothing, costume jewelry, antique jewelry and new fine jewelry. Gem identification is also available for a small fee. 869-7664

Shenandoah County:

• Baskets of Distinction, at 521 N. Main St. in Woodstock, sells Yankee candles, goat-milk soap and lotion, home decor, gourmet foods, custom gift baskets and Virginia Made Products. Shipping is also available. 459-4908


• The Carpetbagger, at 140 W. Court St. in Woodstock, provides unique, handmade tapestry purses, handbags, reproduction carpetbags, knitting bags, travel bags, haversacks and more. Bags from the store have been featured in several movies, including "Tombstone," "Gettysburg" and "Bewitched." 459-4499. www.thecarpetbagger.com


• Casual Friday, at 197 East Lee Highway on Va. 211 in New Market, offers unique, stylish-yet-casual ladies' clothing as well as accessories, including cancer caps for people with hair loss. 740-3700. www.mycasualfriday.com


• Linens of London, at 212 North Main Street in Edinburg, sells imported linens, sleepwear and bath and body products for women. Also available are baby clothes, toys, accessories and gifts as well as christening gowns. 984-3605. www.linensoflondon.com


• The Watchful Tiger, at 201 N. Main St. in Edinburg, specializes in women's clothing sizes 6-24. Also available are jewelry, accessories, gifts and greeting cards. The store provides a personal shopping service by phone. 984-9600. www.thewatchfultiger.com

Warren County:

• Royal Oak Bookshop, at 207 S. Royal Ave. in Front Royal, offers new and used books for young and old readers. Books are also available to order online. 635-7070. www.royaloakbookshop.com

If antiquing is a favorite pastime of yours, you've come to the right place. You can hunt for one-of-a-kind antiques at any of more than 20 area shops.

Frederick County/Winchester:

• 50 West Antiques, at 2480 Northwestern Pike in Winchester, is open Saturday through Monday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday 1 p.m.-4 p.m., and Tuesday and Wednesday by appointment. 662-7624 or 667-2791


• GNC Antiques and Collectibles, at 326 S. Braddock St. in Winchester, is open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 535-1570


• Newtown Antiques and Pawn, at 5413 Main St. in Stephens City, is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday noon-5 p.m. 869-2669


• The Polish Barn Antiques, at 3015 Northwestern Pike in Winchester, is open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. -5 p.m., and weekends by chance. 877-1881


• Why Not Antiques, at 7994 Main St. in Middletown, is open Wednesday through Sunday from about 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 868-1141. www.whynotantiques.com

Shenandoah County:

• Bull Run Relics and Coins, at 309 N. Massanutten St. in Strasburg, is open Friday, Saturday and Monday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Tuesday through Thursday by chance or appointment. Phone calls are accepted between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. every day. 465-4090. www.bullrunrelics.com


• Bygones, at 133 E. King St. in Strasburg, is open Friday, Saturday and Monday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. 465-2123


• Country House Antiques, at 1395 John Marshall Highway in Strasburg, is open daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 465-5192.


• Heirloom Emporium, at 110 N. Massanutten St. in Strasburg, is open Tuesday through Friday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 465-2627


• The Great Strasburg Emporium, at the intersection of U.S. 11 and U.S. 55 in Strasburg, is open Sunday through Thursday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., year round. 465-3711. www.strasburgemporium.com


• Vilnis and Company Antiques, at 329 N. Massanutten St. in Strasburg, is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday noon-5 p.m. 465-4405


• Edinburg Antiques and Tea Rooms, at 113 N. Main St. in Edinburg, is open Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday noon-5 p.m. 984-3303


• Richard's Antiques, at 14211 Old Valley Pike in Edinburg, is generally open Monday through Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 984-4502


• Mansion House Antiques, at 5727 Main St. in Mt. Jackson, is open Thursday and Friday 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 477-9341


• Just Looking Antiques and Thrift Shop, at 164 N. Main St. in Woodstock, is open Thursday through Sunday 1 p.m.-6 p.m. 459-7611


• Spring Hollow Antiques, at 322 S. Main St. in Woodstock, is open Monday through Sunday, but call ahead if coming from a distance. 459-3946


• Valley Treasures, at 466 N. Main St. in Woodstock, is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday noon-6 p.m. 459-2334


• R&S Valley Antiques, at 9294 Congress Street in New Market, is open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 740-3268.

Warren County:

• Ole Timers, at 220 E. Main St. in Front Royal, is open Monday through Friday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 636-9444

Clarke County:

• Headley Mack and Sons Antiques, at 217 Helmley Lane in Berryville, is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and weekends by appointment. 955-2022


• Red Schoolhouse Antiques, on Va. 255 in Millwood, is open Thursday and Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 837-3033

Gourmet food shops in Virginia offer a variety of local and regional products. Check out some of these locations for area specialties or just to try something new.

• J's Gourmet, in Front Royal, has a selection of cheeses, meats, pâtés, coffee beans, teas, beer, wine, sauces and other items for sale. Take-out sandwiches and boxed lunches are also available. 636-9293. www.jsgourment.com
• Virginia Memories, in Strasburg, features Virginia peanuts, jams and jellies, pie fillings, honey, marinades, cake and cookie mixes, relishes, hot sauces, fudge, candy, snack mixes, country ham, salsa, apple cider and much more. 465-8755
• Locke Modern Country Store, in Millwood, offers a selection of fresh local and regional foods, including fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products. 837-1275. www.lockestore.com
• The Virginia Touch, in Berryville, specializes in Virginia gourmet foods, wine, beer and gift baskets. Apple butter, ciders, jams, honey and more are also available. 955-9098. www.thevirginiatouch.com
• Salute! Wine Market, in Winchester, has much more than wine in its gourmet shop. Look for spreads, sauces and coffee. 535-2171. www.salutewinemarket.com

There are many places in the valley to find bargains on anything from vinyl records to furniture. Tourists and locals alike can visit a variety of flea markets or any of the more than 30 area thrift stores.

1. The Discovery Center, at 28814 Old Valley Pike south of Strasburg, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday through Sunday, year-round. The Corner Shop, an antique and collectible shop open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday, is also at this location. 465-2114
2. The Flea Market, at 164 Landfill Road north of Edinburg, is open Friday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., year-round. 984-8771
3. The Front Royal Flea Market, at 490 N. Commerce Ave. in Front Royal, is open on weekends and holidays from 6 a.m. until about 5 p.m. 636-9729
4. Past & Present, at 725 N. Loudoun St. in Winchester, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 722-4800
5. The Shen-Valley Flea Market, at 3700 Stonewall Jackson Highway in White Post, is open Saturday and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 869-7858
6. The Shenandoah Valley Flea Market, at 3549 Old Valley Pike near New Market, is open from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday. 740-3900
7. The Strasburg Flea Market, at 160 N. Massanutten St. in Strasburg, is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 465-3550. www.strasburgfleamarket.com

If the sun is shining, odds are good there's a yard sale going on somewhere in the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Keep your eyes peeled for homemade directional signs, which sometimes appear the day of the sale. Visit the nvdaily.com Classifieds section for yard sale announcements.

• The Route 11 Yard Crawl, a giant yard sale stretching along U.S. 11 from Strasburg to New Market, is in its fourth year and will take place on Aug. 9. As well as yard sales, the event will feature business sidewalk sales, antiques, food and much more. 459-6227