After cocktails, we went to the Club which was only minutes away. The McGoff’s are members of the Club so there was no rental charge for the room. The Sierra Chapter also provided the wine for dinner. This year we had a buffet style dinner with mahi-mahi, tri-tip and chicken for the main entrees. The room was beautifully decorated and had a cozy fireplace that enhanced a lovely venue for the party.

The highlight of the evening was the annual raffle. Again, Bill Pearce BMW contributed several raffle items and Mike Dietel donated a gift from The Sport Haus. Almost everyone won a prize. For those who weren’t so lucky, we had BMW lapel pins. Everyone was a winner! The party is booked again at The Club for 2018. We encourage our members who didn’t come in 2017 to come this year. It is a great event and a good opportunity to meet other members of the Sierra Chapter.

Happy New Year!

~ Pat McGoff

Click here to watch the video or or visit our photo gallery

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My first extensive personal experience with a BMW came in 1986 when I worked for Porsche Cars North America.  I purchased a new red 635CSi 5-speed for a competitive comparison driving event we did around the country.  Alice and I flew to Oakland where we picked the car up from Weatherford BMW and drove it back to Reno.  I remember how wonderful the car was to drive.  And as I got to experience the car more during its break-in period, I marveled at the great the clutch/shifter action and how smoothly and evenly the power came on as you accelerated.  Then as I got to drive it on three racetracks during the Porsche event during the summer of 1986, I learned how truly great the car was.  I wanted one!

I bought my first personal BMW in September 2003 when I came across a beautiful 1972 2002tii on consignment at Sport Haus.  It was Polaris Silver with a mostly-original, blue interior.  Special features were a Nardi wood steering wheel and Campagnolo alloy wheels.  It was a BMW I always wanted to experience – the classic round-taillight tii in a perfect color!

Once I had the car I joined the BMW Club as both Alice and I have been long-time Porsche Club members and we always enjoyed the car-club experience.  At the time there was no local chapter in Northern Nevada so I was assigned to the Sin City Chapter in Las Vegas.   That was too far away and I was delighted to be part of the core group who formed our Sierra chapter in 2007.

I sold the 2002tii in 2009 but continued to enjoy driving a BMW as our daily driver was a silver 2008 E83 X3.  Today we have a grey 2012 F25 X3 xdrive 35i daily driver and a red 2003 E46 M3 6-speed convertible.   My other German performance car is a 2009 Porsche Boxster S with the PDK transmission and Sport Chrono package.

The optional Dynamic Handling Package on the F25 X3 makes it amazingly fun to drive when the roads get curvy.  Changing the setting from Normal to Sport brings everything to life and really makes a difference in the handling.  Moving the shifter to the manual mode and using the steering wheel paddles to control the 8-speed automatic also adds to the driving fun.  It’s definitely not your typical SUV – BMW’s label of SAV – Sport Activity Vehicle – truly fits!

As for the E46 M3, what can I say…to me it’s the most beautiful 3-series to date.  And with the 6-speed manual and a 7,900 rpm redline and 333 hp, it’s so much fun to “play with”.   And we can enjoy cruising with the top down!

I’m a car nut for sure!  I’ve owned lots of unique and interesting cars over the years and there’s nothing I like better than talking about cars and experiencing them.   Cars have always been an avocation and in 1981 I was able to combine this avocation with my vocation when I went to work for a large car dealer in Roanoke, Virginia, doing Organizational Development work.   I spent over 30 years in the car business, working in retail for four years, for Porsche Cars North America for six years and 22 years running my own business providing training, coaching and consulting, primarily in the car business.

Alice and I have always enjoyed our car club experience.  We describe it as a social club based around cars – very special cars!  We’ve been Porsche Club members since the early ‘90s and BMW Club members since 2003.  We’ve hosted many events for both clubs and attended many, many more.   I served as the newsletter editor for both clubs and as President of the Porsche Club in 2000.  It’s truly “about the people not just the cars.”    I say, if you like people and you like cars, join the club and have fun with both!

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It has been several months now since pulling off the Street Survival 2017 event on October 7^th. I would like to take the opportunity to personally thank all those volunteers who showed up to help – you were all “Rock Stars!”  A special thanks to the in-car coaches from the SCCA who showed up to assist, you guys got rave reviews from your assigned students. Please pass on my gratitude to Carol Deborde for getting the word out to her club.

As luck would have it, the weather gods shone down on the event all day and provided us with almost 80 degrees and plenty of Reno sunshine on an early October day, it was just great to be outdoors. We had 20 enthusiastic students from lots of different places; Petaluma, Cameron Park, San Jose, Nevada City, and Alpine Meadows in California, Sparks and Reno in Nevada. It just blows me away how far some people will travel to get to this event – a true testament to the cause if you will. I would also mention that 15 of the 20 students required a “Minor Release.” My hats off to their parents for ensuring a valuable lesson in their children’s driver education.

I realize that some of you reading this article may not be very impressed by the meager number of 20 students out of what feels like a bazillion number of young drivers on the road today. Personally speaking, if I get one student to be a better driver then I’m way ahead of the game. And I can safely say that our volunteer coaches and staff pretty much feel the same way. If you haven’t participated in the past then I highly encourage you to check it out, we would love to see you next year in any capacity.

I would also like to mention my gratitude to the Reno Police Department for sending Motorcycle Officer Ben Lancaster to answer student questions, to SAIA LTL Freight (Craig, Shannon and Jonah) for providing an 18-wheeler so students could understand what it is like to drive one these from a vision standpoint, and to retired WCSO Deputy Kimberly Myers for her inspirational message to our students.

~Steve Polimeni, Driving Events Coordinator

Click here to watch the video or or visit our photo gallery

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First time wine tour members Kathy and Bob Bennett joined the group in Genoa and Bob and Linda Sanfilippo joined at the first rest stop in Carson Pass.  It was warmer at 8000 feet than in the Sierra Summit parking lot (you will see pictures from Carson Pass).  We were on time and on schedule and everything was under control for the 13 cars in the group—but that did not last.

The route leaving Carson Pass continued to SR 88 about 20 miles to the turn off onto Mormon Immigrant Trail road.  The first 7 cars in line followed the leader when he turned on to Mormon Immigrant Trail but the next 6 did not!   Three of the six took Omo Ranch Road and found their way to the first stop Amador Cellars on Shenandoah Road.  Here is where the fun starts.  The other three ended where SR 88 connects with SR 49 and headed toward Plymouth and were looking for Amador Cellars on Steiner Road because that was the address your “all knowing” tour guide put in the Itinerary (Amador Cellars is on Shenandoah Road).  But all is well that end well—all three found Amador Cellars in plenty of time to enjoy its wine before the Lunch stop at Karmere Vineyards.

Linda Long and her husband, the owners Amador Cellars, welcomed the group to a private tasting area outside of the winery public tasting room in the barrel storage warehouse.  The Weather was perfect for outside tasting of Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Barbara and Rhone valley varietals.

Then it was on to Karmere Vineyards for lunch.  Karmere reserved its outside patio for our use. Before and after lunch tasting and shopping were the order of the day in the large Karmere tasting room and gift shop.  Sampling Karmere’s  2016 vintage Zinfandel and Primavera still aging in the barrel was available to entice purchase of a future for delivery in 2018.

From Karmere we traveled up hill and down dusty dale to MaBeRa Wines where Ramona and Mario provided a fantastic setting (outside with tables and umbrellas) for tasting their wonderful wine.  Ramona displayed a BMW Club flag to welcome us (See Joyce and Cheri in front of flag in pictures on web page).  Although we had just come from lunch we all enjoyed the assorted meat, cheeses and other snacks Ramona provided to enhance the enjoyment of the six wines offered for tasting.  Ramona and Mario patiently answered questions and invited us back in 2018.

Last stop of the day was Scott Harvey Wines also a new stop for the group.  Scott Harvey arranged for us to be in a small area adjacent to public tasting area and served its award-winning Zinfandel for tasting.

After enjoying the Scott Harvey wine, the group moved on to the Shenandoah Inn to check in and prepare for the pool side party.  At the appointed hour the group assembled pool side with a bottle of their favorite wine of the day.  Party Platters from the Amador Vintage Market were waiting.  Platters included assorted artisan cheese, fruit, nuts bread & crackers; Grilled chicken, and pork tenderloin with mustard and chutney; hummus with chips and vegetables and Amador Vintage Famous Chips and salsa.  After appetites had been wetted, Pokerville Market Pizza showed up—Combination; Vegetarian; and Chicken Pesto.  Drinking Wine and visiting must make you ravenous because there was no Pizza leftover.   Cheri and Russ provide Halloween pumpkin cookies for dessert.

The adventure ended Sunday morning at what is now the traditional breakfast at Marlene & Glen’s Dead Fly Dinner.  If you have not been there you need to experience the family size single servings available from a menu that has everything. Marlene sets a table big enough for all of us.  After breakfast members found their way home some stopping first at the Amador Flower Farm, Pokerville Market or other wineries.

The tentative plan is to hold the tour on the same weekend next October—so save Saturday and Sunday October 13 &14, 2018 and join the fun.

~ De Sharp

To watch the video and trip details click here and here to view the photo gallery.

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~ Fred Watson

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On Oct. 7th, the chapter hosted the Tire Rack Street Survival event at the NVHP Vehicle Training Facility.  The event had 19 students who learned in their own cars its handling limits and how to control them.  A couple of guest speakers were present to communicate to young driving adults how important it is to be alert at all times when behind the wheel.  A semi-trailer truck was parked on the track where students were allowed to climb on the driver’s seat to give them a glimpse of what the driver can see or not see.  As always Steve Polemini did an outstanding job in being the event leader and class room god.  Thank you to all who volunteered and donated their Saturday to make sure that this event was a success.

My favorite club event, Sierra Foothills Wine Tour took place on October 14th & 16th.  We had a good mix of new and not so new members that were in attendance.  I always encourage everyone especially the people new to the group to go to this trip, it will not disappoint.  Ron Rachow did a brilliant job of leading the group thru the windy roads off Rt. 88 on our way to Plymouth, CA.  We visited two well liked wineries and two new ones that we can definitely add to our “go to” vintners for next year’s trip.  A relaxing stop for lunch, dinner and drinks by the pool, and a breakfast fit for a king make this one a complete experience.

The Halloween themed Fun Rally was held on Oct 28 and was organized by VP Mart Jaama and Newsletter editor Fred Watson.  Participants were asked to complete a predetermined set of stops and note the time and location of each in costume!  Everyone had a blast.  Thank you and hats off to the organizers for making this event fun.

The two part Holiday party on Dec 14th started off at the well-appointed home of the McGoff’s.  Serving a few fun appetizers and opening a few bottles of wine was all it took to get the Holiday party going.  Followed by dinner at The Club at Arrowcreek which is just a quick jaunt from Casa McGoff.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and I am looking forward to a fantastic 2018!

~Ron Nicasio

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My first BMW was a 1983 320i which I purchased in 1989. I then upgraded to a 1985 318i in 1991. My first exciting driving experience in a BMW was going from Tucson to Kino Bay Mexico. I was able to utilize the car full capabilities at high speeds. Since then, I have had a total of 9 BMW’s and hope to have more in the future.

In 1992 while driving home, a car made a U-turn in front of me. I tried to avoid the other car but hit it and spun out. My car ended up on the median and sustained minimal damage. My car was drivable, and I had no injuries. Safety and reliability are the major reasons why I like BMW’s.

Like most European automobile, the cost of maintaining it is higher compared to Japanese and American cars. During my high school years, we had 2 European cars, 3 Japanese cars and 2 Ford pick-ups.  I do feel that BMW’s is the “ultimate driving machine” and the cost is well worth the extra cost.

The interest in BMWCCA is growing because of the involvement of the members. I’m a past president of the Sierra Chapter BMWCCA and am currently on the Board of Directors. To me our members are like my extended family. I look forward to seeing them at every meeting and at our various events. As a small chapter, we are trying to develop new activities. Hopefully, these will attract more of our members to participate.  I also encourage my clients that have BMW’s to join the club, or their local chapter, if they live out of state.

My wife, Diane, and I were members of the Porsche club until she sold her Boxster 4 years ago. We are currently members of the Audi Club too. They are currently forming a Sierra Chapter in Northern Nevada and I hope to share ideas with them. The new president of the Audi club thinks very highly of the BMWCCA and especially our chapter.  Her welcomes my input.

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The day began at the Raley’s Shopping Center, off Wedge Parkway, at 9:00 am for registration. The briefing with hand-outs at 9:15 am and the first team off at 9:30 am. This was in a typical rally format with time intervals between each car starting off on this great day. Thankfully, Mart had several years of rally experience. This was a timed event, time out and time in had to be within 4.5 hours. We didn’t want everyone bunching up become a race and follow leader to be the norm. With four different possible routes, the teams had to figure out the best way to meet the final objective. Out of all the possible sites that were originally surveyed, they had to locate 12 possibilities and remember details about what they observed. Out of 50 or so possibilities, it was narrowed down to something attainable. The sites included historical markers, haunted mansions, and local cemeteries. The area covered was from South Reno to Gardnerville. Of course, Virginia City and Genoa were also included.

What a great day. Mother nature really cooperated this time. Beautiful and temperatures in the mod-seventies. We couldn’t have asked for a better day this last weekend of October. By briefing time, we had 8 teams assembled and were excited to begin. The number “1” team to leave was Art and Diane Ona.

The final team, number “8“, Jim and Bridget Johns, was off and running at 9:45 am. Things were finally under way and on time.

For the Rally they were required to find the specific sites and explore and remember details about the sites. Learn about our historical area and drive on some beautiful and challenging roads. The challenging part of the Rally was answering a 24-question test. We ended up in Carson City for a late lunch. Gift baskets were awarded for the Rally and Costume Winners. Russ and Cheri Huntoon had the best scores and got at all the sites and took home a great gift basket. She had worn a spider costume and had her giant spider draped on the basket. I guess she had already won before the test was administered. Jim and Bridget Johns were the best costume award winners by the people’s choice survey.

The bar has been set for this event. Expect something bigger and better next year. As a club member, you are missing a lot of Fun by not participating in the activities that are offered each year. If there is something or some activity that you would like to have the club incorporate into the schedule, get in contact with one of the officers or board members and let your desires be known. The Board, the Faithful Few, meets and set the activities up for the next year. Currently the Board Meeting is in December. You have several months to get your ideas to someone.

People you should get to know who were present at the rally:

To watch the video and trip details click here. To view the photo gallery click here.

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