1. New Members & Membership Update (Sharon)
2. Future Upcoming Events for 2018
   – Virginia City Tour
3. 2018 National Automobile Museum Tour video
4. BMW Briefs
5. BMW Trivia
6. Q&A?
7. Dinner @ Miguel’s (1415 S Virginia St)

The post March 8, 2018 appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

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

The post 2017 Holiday Party appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

The post Driving the Roads of Europe appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

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!

The post My Name is John Strom appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

Click here to view the picture gallery

The post 2017 Holiday Party appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

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

The post 2017 Street Survival appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

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.

The post 2017 Wine Tour appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

~ Fred Watson

The post Message from your Editor appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

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

The post From the President’s Desk appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

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.

The post My Name is Art Ona appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

View Larger Map

Itinerary

Club member were on the road again on Saturday, October 14, 2017 headed for Plymouth California. The day dawned clear and sunny. However, when the 25 restless drivers and passengers arrived at the Sierra Summit parking lot there was no standing around in groups drinking coffee and waiting for all the expected wine aficionados to arrive. The wind was bitter cold (that is why in the video there are no pictures of the group at the Sierra Summit). We hit the road at the scheduled departure time of 7:45 AM.

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 Kramere’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

The post 2017 Wine Tour appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

1. New Members & Membership Update (Sharon)
2. Upcoming Events: Holiday Party
3. Wine Tour video
4. Fun Rally Video
5. BMW Foundation
6. BMW Trivia
7. Q&A?
8. Dinner is @ Famous Daves at 4925 Kietzke Ln.

MEETING MINUTES

Ron Nicasio, President, presided over meeting.

25 in Attendance

1. MEMBERSHIP: Ron Nicasio reported 10 new members have joined the club.
2. UPCOMING EVENTS
   The club annual Christmas Holiday Party will be December 14th. It will start at 5:30 p.m. at the McGoff residence for pre dinner social hour. Attendees should bring their favored beverage.Snacks/treats will be provided by the club. Dinner will be at the Arrow Creek club at 7:00 p.m. dinner will be buffet style with a choice of mahi-mahi, chicken, or tri-tip. Cost is $32 per person with checked payable to the Sierra Chapter BMWCCA and should be sent to De Sharp ASAP if you plan to attend and have not already done so.
3. PAST EVENTSVideos were shown of the annual Wine Tour to Amador County as well as the Fun Rally to various historical places in our area. Thanks to the Sharps, McGoffs, and Rachow’s for organizing the wine tour and to Mart Jaama and Fred Watson for staging the fun rally. The videos are available for viewing on the club website.
4. BMW FOUNDATION
   Mart Jaama briefed on the BMW Foundation and the financial support needed from the local chapters. Any action by our chapter was deferred and will be discussed at the upcoming board meeting.
5. BMW BRIEFS
   Pat McGoff reported on the ongoing diesel investigation of German cars which appears centered on whether BMW, MB, AUDI AND VOLKSWAGEN had formed an illegal cartel and fixed prices on certain parts and technologies .Pat also briefed on the recall of X 3 model years 2006-2010 relating to front seat passenger occupant detection mats and not to the Takata air bags.In mid 2018 all BMWs and Minis will be getting Alexa. Details are available on the BMW CCA web site.
6. BMW TRIVIAQuestion:
   Question: What company has BMW partnered with in a self-driving research group? Answer: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
7. DINNER: Dinner after the meeting was at Famous Dave’s BBQ on Kietzke lane.

The post November 9, 2017 appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

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.

The post 2017 Fun Rally appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

(click here to view our picture gallery)

Today was the best Fun Rally that the Sierra Chapter has ever had. With all that have RSPD, there a small but great turnout for the event. Time spent making all the preparations was very rewarding as the day wore on. Doing an event takes a little time and effort for the figuring out all the various problems that might occur and having solutions thought out in advance. I hope that after reading this article, more members will get more involved with the club activities. Maybe some of you will step up and become part of the “Faithful Few”.

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 Cherie Hooten 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:

The post 2017 Fun Rally appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

Click here to open the article in a new page.

The post The duo that took center stage appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

We had our Sierra Buttes Tour and Poker Run on July 29^th.  There were about 17 cars that made the trip into the Sierra foothills and ended up at the Longboard Bar & Grill for lunch.  John English came out with the winning poker hand to bring home the coveted gift basket.  Thank you once again to Sharon and Andy Goodrich for organizing this exciting driving event.

The other event was the Fourth Annual Family Picnic. This year we decided to add a Show and Shine with radio controlled car races. This was hosted by Pat and Joann McGoff and Mart Jama. The event was well attended by thirty-six family members at the ArrowCreek Clubhouse. Besides a fabulous bar-be-que, first Show and Shine had eighteen entries. This was a great success with many trophies and awards given out. (see event article) We had mostly BMW, s in the lineup plus two MB SL’s and one lonely Subaru. I’m looking forward to a bigger and better event next year. Come out and enjoy the fun.

– Ron Nicasio, President

The post From the President’s Desk appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

Highlights
My first flight into South Vietnam we overflew a little civilian French airport on the coast that had a short little runway with asphalt potholes and a low power radio station.  10 years later I made an emergency landing there and it was called DaNang!
I delivered the first RF-4 into Continental Europe direct from St Louis, MO.  What great fun!

I always loved BMWs.
In Europe had an 1800 TI.  We could take a week end drive to the Nurburgring for a day of fun driving for just few coins.  Not like today!!!)
When we lived in Honolulu, I had the first 2002 (what) in the state.  We would put all the surfboards on top rack and spend weekends on beach in the surf with kids and wife.   Wonderful!
Today I have collection of classic BMWs.  I call them “Cars with History!!
E-24 M6: early Dinan mod car and is in final step of restoration.
E-34 M5: Personal import from Germany final production of hand built M5 Europe version.
E-39 M5: daily driver.
Alpina B12 6.0: this is the only one in US, a personal import from Spain.

E-31 850CSi: another personal import from Germany. BMW Individual Shop with customizing by Alpina factory.

Aston Martin DB7: this was first year of production for the V12 convertible.
E-36/8 Z3/M Roadster: this has been customized into auto cross special.
E-34 M5: Barn Find, for sale, this was the first E-34 M5 factory demonstrator on West Coast.

The post James “Jim” Goodfellow appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

In the mid-1980s BMW built a one-off car using parts from their sports/racing cars, their mid-sized sedans and their luxury 6 series coupe.  They showed it at the European car show and it was an immediate success.  They made it into the E-28 M5 hand built production Uber super sports sedan and it was an instant classic success!

When BMW continued into the E-34 production they continued the M5 hand built model Uber super sports sedan.  They sent the first West Coast car to their San Francisco office where it was used as the demonstrator for the West Coast.  When the model was continued the next year they sold the first car to a doctor in Marin County, Cal.

The Doctor eventually sold it to Jim Goodfellow and he later sold it to a friend in Carson City.  During a routine service a mechanic forgot to refill transmission with fluid and subsequent driving ruined the transmission.  A replacement was fitted but Jim’s friend became ill and which caused him to finally store it.  When he died the M5 became part of the estate and it has been parked for several years.

Jim is now the current owner again, the car is running; Reno Rennsports has inspected it and can tell anyone about the car.

If you are interested in owning an “M” classic with history you can contact Jim at 775-750-7098 or Reno Rennsports at 775-997-8164.

The post Car News and History appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

Click to visit the picture gallery.

A HUGE thanks to all of our COACHES/VOLUNTEERS (see below)
Motorcycle Officer Ben Lancaster – Reno PD,
Shannon Lagace, Jonah Dillman & Craig – SAIA LTL Freight,
Kim Myers – BMW CCA,
REGIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING CENTER
And mostly to our fearless Leader: STEVE POLIMENI, without you this event would not be possible!
Thanks Parents, because you care

BMWCCA Sierra Chapter White Knuckled, Fearless Coaches (in alphabetical order):

 Volunteers

Greetings to all my Street Survivor fans!

It has been several months now since pulling off the Street Survival 2017 event, and 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

The post 2017 Street Survival appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

1. New Members & Membership Update (Sharon)
2. Upcoming Events:
   1.  Saturday & Sunday, October 14^th & 15^th – El Dorado & Amador County Wine Tour (DeArmond)
   2. Saturday, October 28^th – Fun Rally
3. Family Picnic Photos
4. Street Survival video
5. BMW Trivia
6. Q&A?
7. Dinner is @ Olive Garden at 4900 S. Virginia

MEETING MINUTES

Ron Nicasio, President, presided over meeting.

25 in Attendance

1. MEMBERSHIP: Sharon Goodrich reported 1 new member has joined the club.
2. UPCOMING EVENTS
   1. Wine Tour: The annual wine tour to Amador county will be October 14th. 13 cars are signed up for the trip. De Sharp gave update and distributed written information.
   2. Fun Rally: Fred Watson gave some details on fun rally scheduled for October 28th. Tour will send participants to various historical sites and finish up with a late lunch in Carson City. Prizes will be awarded to rally winners and also for best costume. More details will be provided to those who sign up.
3. PAST EVENTS: Videos were shown of the annual picnic/show and shine as well as videos of street survival. Thanks to Carol Villar for her great work in preparing the videos. The videos are available for viewing on the club website.
4. BMW BRIEFS:
   1. Pat McGoff reported on a mysterious BMW collector in Southern California who buys and sells on a whim. Now he has 52 cars and at one time had 14 2002tii models in various stages of repair. More details are available at automobilemag.com.
   2. Pat also briefed on the new X3 and engines available including an M 40 model.
5. BMW TRIVIA
   Question: What BMW model convertible is being discontinued in 2018?
   Answer: The 6 series convertible will be replaced by the upcoming 8
6. DINNER: Dinner after the meeting was at the Olive Garden on South Virginia

The post October 12, 2017 appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

The Sierra Chapters 4th annual summer picnic was held on August 12th at the ArrowCreek Residence Club. The day turned out to be a perfect day for a picnic. Mart Jaama held a “Show & Shine” in the Club parking lot. A big thank you to Mart for making some great trophies to pass out to three lucky winners. I and new member Mark Hannon did the grilling duties. We had awesome hamburgers, hot dogs and sausage provided by the club. Members brought side dishes to compliment the main meal. There was plenty of food to go around for everyone. We were able to use the indoor residence club to dine although picnic tables were also provided outside with umbrellas.

We had 18 member cars show up for the event, 15 BMWs, two classic MB SL’s and a Subaru. De Sharp brought his beautiful M4, which did win one of the Show and Shine trophies, the People’s Choice award. Sharon Goodrich had her blue M228 on hand and it also won a trophy, the brightest award. Pat & Joann’s 2018 440i convertible won the Cutest Car award. There was a BMW hubcap award given to the Subaru owners. Plus there were another gifts and gag items given out. It was a great idea to have a show and shine with the picnic. Mart also invited members to bring remote control cars to the picnic. Ron Nicasio brought his to challenge Marts remote car. Maybe next year we can get more cars to show up and race. This event is a lot of fun and we hope that members will put it on their calendars for next year!!

Pat and Mart

The post 2017 4th Annual Family Picnic appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

1. New Members & Membership Update (Sharon)
2. Upcoming Events:
   1.  Saturday, October 7^th – Street Survival (Message from Steve Polimeni)
   2.  Saturday & Sunday, October 14^th & 15th – El Dorado & Amador County Wine Tour (DeArmond)
3. Photos from: Fourth Annual BMWCCA Sierra Chapter Picnic | Show & Shine
4. The 6^th Generation M5 (Video)
5. BMW Trivia
6. Q&A?
7. Dinner is @ Olive Garden at 4900 S. Virginia, Reno, NV 89502

MEETING MINUTES

Ron Nicasio, President, presided over meeting.

16 in Attendance

1. MEMBERSHIP: Pat McGoff reported one new member has joined the club.
2. UPCOMING EVENTS
   1. Street Survival is set for October 7^th.  Steve is in need of volunteers for the event to include coaches, course workers, and admin tasks. Please contact Steve and let him know how you can help.  Set up for the event will be Friday, October 6, at 4:30 pm at the event site.  Volunteers needed to help with set up. The school starts at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 7^th
   2. The annual Wine Tour to Amador county will be October 14^th. 13 cars are signed up for the trip.
   3.  Mart Jaama is working on Fun Rally for later this year. Details to follow.
   4. Reno SCCA is holding a track event at Thunder Hill on October 28^th and 29^th–Thunder On The West Course PDX/Time Trial #4. This is NOT a BMW club event.  Contact Mike Foster for further details.
3. BMW BRIEFS
   1. Ron Nicasio reported on new M5, the fastest and most technologically advanced 5 series vehicle. It will come in 3 drive modes including all wheel drive. Ron showed a video of this 6^th generation M5.
   2. Pat McGoff reported on 3 new concept cars being brought out by BMW.  They are the new 8 series, the new Z4, a Grand Coupe aimed as a Tesla challenger with a range of 373 miles on a charge. Details are available on the BMW car club of America website.
   3. Schnitzer has developed the fastest street legal BMW around the Nürburgring, a lightweight coupe based on an M235i. More details in the Roundel.
4. BMW TRIVIA
   BMW i Ventures invests in electric buses manufactured by Protera which has a 60% market share of the North American electric mass transit market. Reno is one one of the cities currently running Protera buses on city streets.
5. ERRATA: Jim Goodfellow has purchased a “barn find” 1991 E34 hand built M5. It was the first M5 sent to the West coast. Jim has the history of the vehicle. It is in running condition but needs substantial renovations. Contact Jim if you are interested in the car or know anyone who might be.
6. DINNER:  after the meeting was at Miguel’s in the summit shopping center

The post September 14, 2017 appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

Only Sierra Chapter Club Members can Place Ads – Members get two free ads per month – Members cannot place ads for non-members  – Members will need to login in to access the Classy-fieds page to create an ad – All site visitors (members and non-members) will be able to view and reply to an ads.
Note: To reply to an ad simply click on the ad and then click on the Contact Name in the ad.

The post Classy-fieds appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

Click here to view media

At about 9:15 am, members of the Sierra Chapter, BMWCCA, started to show up for the Virginia City Cruise and Tour at the Starbucks on Mt Rose Hwy and Wedge Pkwy. John English, the Wagon Master, assembled everyone for a briefing at about 9: 35 on the trip details. The fifteen BMWs soon departed west on Mt Rose Highway on time at 9:45 am. We proceeded up the twisty and windy highway and in about a half hour we were at the parking area overlooking the scenic Lake Tahoe. Besides the beauty of these surroundings, this was a time to meet and talk to the other participants. Some were old friends and a few were new to the BMWCCA activities. After about a 15 minute stop, we then proceed to Incline Village where turned left on Hwy 28.  We proceeded a few miles down the road to the Incline Village Starbucks. We arrived there at about 10:30 am. This was a 15-20 minute stop for picking up more members and some refreshments. We departed Starbucks and stayed on Hwy 28 around Lake Tahoe; luckily the heavy traffic was in the other direction. At the intersection of US Hwy 50 we made a left turn toward Carson City. This was an uncontrolled intersection and it was a challenge to get all the cars onto highway. After a mile or so, John pulled over to regroup and make sure that all the cars made the turn. It was downhill from there to Carson City. Then it was to Hwy 395 north to the cut off to I-580 north. Then it was right onto Hwy 50 again to Virginia City. After several miles, we turned left on the old truck route to Virginia City. This route goes up the very curvy road up 6 mile canyon. By the way, if you missed the trip, this is a very pretty drive that you might want to take someday.

Once in Virginia City, everyone drove around until they found a parking place. Some had to park on the lower and side streets while others were able to park in the public parking lot. We ended up at the Palace Hotel and Restaurant for lunch at about 12:30 pm. Because of the heavy lunch hour traffic, we had to split up and find our own seating.  After lunch everyone went their own way. Some returned to Reno and some stayed in V.C to shop until they dropped. In all, if you missed this trip, prepare for the next event. Join the experience and some HAVE FUN.

(Click here for the mapped Route)

The post 2017 Virginia City Drive appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

He was born in Kalamazoo, MI. His family migrated to California when he was 10, and he spent much of his time in Southern California before coming to Reno over 35 yrs ago. Fred spent 4 years in the Air Force. Soon after marriage, came the kids and all the responsibilities that come with fatherhood. While working full time for Douglas Aircraft Company he started collage at 29 years old and earned a BA degree in psychology from Cal State Long Beach. He went to work as the Assistant Director of the Orange County Employee Assistance Network, OCEAN. In this position he worked with several large companies, counseling their troubled employees who were about to be terminated.  During this time he was able to earn a MA in Management and Business Administration from the University of Redlands. And after a few more years, he received a PhD in Management and Human Behavior from University of California, Irvine.

The year was 1979 and this became a new chapter in his family lives. They moved to Reno and found that despite his education and experience, he was blackballed from any position in Reno. Back then Reno was still a small good old boy town. He had done picture framing as a hobby for years, and his wife Cherie was an art consultant. They now turned their skills into a successful business selling art and doing custom picture framing at Vision Quest Arts. Even though he has now officially “retired”, he still operates Vision Quest Arts from his home on a part-time basis. His work adorns the walls at several businesses and homes in Reno and board room across the U.S. and even the White House under President Reagan.

He and his present wife Karen have been married close to 13 years. Between them have 7 children, 14 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Karen is an avid doll collector and has over 2500 dolls on display in their home. Fred has built several doll houses for her and they have been featured in national magazines.

He is a man of much education and many talents. Now he spends several hours working on his and his wife’s BMW’s. They both have 1999 BMW’s. Her favorite is a 323i convertible which was purchased to match his convertible. Well that lasted for a while, but his as totaled by the insurance company. Not to be discouraged he bought another, but this one is a 1999 328ci M-Sport Convertible. Another hobby that he loves and like all older BMW’s is a money pit. BMW’s are fun to drive and a challenge to work on. They both love the companionship and the friends that they have made with members of the Sierra Chapter of the BMW CCA. We hope to meet you at the next event.

The post Fred Watson appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

MEETING MINUTES

Maart Jaama, vice club president, presided over meeting.

26 in Attendance

1. MEMBERSHIP
   Pat McGoff reported 3 new members have joined the club and 2 others rejoined.
2. PAST EVENTS
   Mart Jaama prepared and presented a slide show from the Sierra Buttes drive on July 29^th.  Kudos to Mart for the slide show and to Sharon and Andy Goodrich for organizing the drive.
3. UPCOMING EVENTS
   1. Mart Jaama gave an update on the club’s annual picnic scheduled for August 12^th at the Arrow Creek club. The picnic will run from 12 noon to 3 p.m.  Mart is planning a “Show and Shine” as part of the activities. There will also be “road racing” with radio controlled cars.
   2. Ron Nicasio is replacing brakes on his car. There will be a tech session scheduled when this takes place so those who are interested can learn installation techniques and methods on replacing brake parts.
   3. Steve Polimeni reminded that Street Survival is set for October 7^th.  So far 10 students have signed up. Steve is in need of volunteers for the event to include coaches, course workers, and admin tasks. Please contact Steve and let him know how you can help.
   4. The Annual Wine Tour to Amador county will be October 14th. There are still rooms available at the Shenandoah Inn so make your reservations ASAP as the Inn will be releasing the rooms in the near future. Also let De Sharp know if you plan on going.
   5. Mart Jaama is working on Fun Rally for later this year. Details to follow.
   6. BMW will be running an “M” car event at Thermal in Southern California in November. Here is your chance to have a full days driving their cars on the track.
4. BMW BRIEFS
   1. Pat McGoff reported on diesel issues in the European. There is an investigation of German auto makers with focus on Audi and Mercedes diesels. BMW uses a different system to control emissions so is not a target of the EU investigation.
   2. The former head of BMW in North America who was a friend of BMWCCA has resigned.
   3. The new 5 series has received the highest safety ratings.
5. BMW TRIVIA
   Question: Where does BMW’s business reputation rank?
   Answer:  12^th out of 100 ranked world wide businesses. BMW was the highest ranked automobile manufacturer
6. ERRATA
   1. Contact Fred Watson if you would like to get a club name tag. Price is $10.  Fred is also asking for input for the newsletter. That includes any car related items you would like to buy or sell.
   2. For 6 series owners there will be a “SHARKFEST” in Murphy, California on September 30^th and October 1^st.
7. DINNER after the meeting was at Napa/Sonoma South on South Virginia Street.

The post August 10, 2017 appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

Our club is growing with new members and I hope to see them participate in the many activities that the club has scheduled. Speaking of participation, it would be great if many of you would also participate in another way. Remember our goal is to HAVE FUN. Not only is there are a lot of activities for the fun aspect, but there is a chance to share stories about our favorite car or cars –   the BMW, MINI, & Rolls Royce – That’s the “BMW Group” of fine automobiles.

What makes a club great is participation. Not only in going to the events, but also by submitting your life experienced on the road and, especially, about your BMW experiences. This is your newsletter and you are invited to submit things of interest. As long as they are family friendly they could be published for all club members to enjoy. I know that you have great things to share. Send your contributions to newsletter@sierrabmwcarclub.org. I promise that it doesn’t hurt one little bit to share.

Fred Watson, Editor

The post Message from your Editor appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

What does that have to do with the BMW Club you ask—nothing directly but I liked the song.  However summer is almost gone (gone already for school kids) and our Club is movin’ on from our August meeting and picnic to a September meeting and maybe President Ron installing rotors and pads on his M3;  to Street Survival October 7^th and Wine tour October 14^th and fun rally October 28^th.

Movin’ on after October excitement winter will be coming in November and December as will the Holiday Party.

But if you want to enjoy the great fall weather in Reno movin’ on to your own drive.  The trip to Murphy via California Route 4 is a great drive.  Taste some wine (not to much) have lunch and drive back.  About 6 hour drive time.

If you missed Sierra Buttes Poker Run tour email Sharon Goodrich and ask her to send the route instructions or click here to go to the event page and enjoy ribs at the Longboard restaurant at Plumas Pines Golf Course.

Drive around Lake Tahoe stop at Sugar Pine Point State Park (Californian Side) and visit the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion. The take Kingsbury Grade from South Shore end up in Gardnerville/Minden and have dinner or lunch at JT’s Restaurant, 1426 US-395, Gardnerville.

Stay in Reno and visit the National Auto Museum rated in top five in the nation. It has a new space exhibit.

Before you know it you have moved on into 2018—Happy New Year!

De Sharp, Treasurer

The post Movin’ On appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

Event registrations are underway and we already have 10 students enrolled…ummmm…that would be a need for 10 in-car coaches already – you might see where I’m going with this. If you have never coached before then let me tell you… it can be an exhilarating, hair-raising, rewarding, fun experience, and probably all in that order! And no… you don’t get to teach your child or even your neighbors child… that wouldn’t be good! Best of all… you might even learn a few maneuvers you didn’t know about.

To keep the Street Survival folks happy, they require you to complete an on-line course that takes about 1 hour. The course material basically covers the psychology of teaching a teenager car control skills. You can do this. Upon completion you are rewarded with a certificate which officially makes you a coach – then we can play. Click here to start the online course.

The event takes place at the Washoe County Regional Public Safety Center and the facility is terrific – complete with track facilities, air-conditioned classrooms, proper water closets and ample parking. Food and beverages are provided. In addition to coaches, I need volunteers and cheerleaders – yep, if you just want to check it out and cheer on the students and coaches you are more than welcome. Just let me know so I can make sure we don’t run out of food.

Please send me some fan mail so I can get off my knees!

Look forward to seeing you all and please save the date.

Stephen Polimeni, Driving Events Coordinator

The post Street Survival – October 7 appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

We just completed our fifth BMW European Delivery this past May. The journey began on May 18, 2017 when we picked up our 440ic at the Welt in Munich. But before we drove off with our car we were treated to food and beverages in the VIP lounge. This is where you relax prior to going down to the floor where all the BMW’s are rotating on discs.  What a great presentation to see all sides of the car. A representative spends about 30 minutes going over all aspects of the car. Our representative even programmed all the stops on our route thru Switzerland and Italy. We drove the car back to the Platzl Hotel which is a 4-star hotel that BMW recommended. It was spectacular and the breakfast was to die for.

After three days in Munich, we drove on to Lucerne, Switzerland for two days. The city is located on Lake Lucerne. We took a boat tour of the surrounding areas which is a must if you visit. There are several great restaurants in Lucerne but food is extremely expensive in Switzerland. We then went on to Bellagio on Lake Como, Italy for three days. George Clooney owns a mansion across the lake from Bellagio which seems to be a big draw to this area. We came here once before many years ago when we did another European delivery. We liked the area so much, we decided to return. This is a great place to relax and enjoy the beautiful mountains surrounding the lake.

On to San Gimignano, Italy which is in the center of Tuscany. We did some serious wine tasting for 4 days. We stayed at a quaint apartment named Il Borghetto. The only set back was the last two miles to the apartment was on a dirt road. With a new white BMW, it was very frustrating. The good news was we did find a car wash on the day we were leaving, so all was good. We then traveled to Asti, Italy which is in the center of the Piedmont wine region. We stayed in Asti for three days and traveled around this area visiting wineries and tasting some great Italian wines. Our final stop in Italy was a small medieval town called Aosta. It is close to the French and Swiss borders. We had also visited it several years ago. It is a walled town with many Roman influences. A great place to take photos.

We finished our trip by stopping back in Lucerne for one night and then back to Munich. We returned our car at the Munich airport. There are about a dozen places you could drop your car off in Europe but we learned early on that your best chance of getting your car back in 8 weeks is to return it to Munich. BMW pays for one month of lease if you are leasing. The downside is you have to wait two months to get your car from Europe. We still think it is worth it.

This was our fifth (and probably last) European delivery. Our first was way back in 2000 when we visited Austria. In 2007, we went to Italy for the first time. In 2010, we traveled to France and dropped the car off in Nice (a big mistake). And in 2014 we went to Prague and then around Germany. I have included a few photos to give you a flavor of our travels. Ciao

Pat & JoAnn McGoff, Past President

The post BMW European Delivery – The Ultimate Vacation appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

– Ron Nicasio, President

The post From the President’s Desk appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

The Sierra Chapters 4th annual summer picnic was held on August 12th at the ArrowCreek Residence Club. The day turned out to be a perfect day for a picnic. Mart Jaama held a “Show & Shine” in the Club parking lot. A big thank you to Mart for making some great trophies to pass out to three lucky winners. I and new member Mark Hannon did the grilling duties. We had awesome hamburgers, hot dogs and sausage provided by the club. Members brought side dishes to compliment the main meal. There was plenty of food to go around for everyone. We were able to use the indoor residence club to dine although picnic tables were also provided outside with umbrellas.

We had 18 member cars show up for the event, 15 BMWs, two classic MB SL’s and a Subaru. De Sharp brought his beautiful M4, which did win one of the Show and Shine trophies, the People’s Choice award. Sharon Goodrich had her blue M228 on hand and it also won a trophy, the brightest award. Pat & Joann’s 2018 440i convertible won the Cutest Car award. There was a BMW hubcap award given to the Subaru owners. Plus there were another gifts and gag items given out. It was a great idea to have a show and shine with the picnic. Mart also invited members to bring remote control cars to the picnic. Ron Nicasio brought his to challenge Marts remote car. Maybe next year we can get more cars to show up and race. This event is a lot of fun and we hope that members will put it on their calendars for next year!!

Pat and Mart

The post 2017 4th Annual Family Picnic appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

1. New Members & Membership Update (Sharon)
2. Upcoming Events for 2017
   1. July 29 Sierra Buttes Tour & Poker Run (Sharon)
   2. Aug 12 4th Annual Sierra Chapter Picnic (Mart)
3. Photos from Virginia City Drive
4. The 3rd Generation X3 (2018) video
   
5. BMW M Track Days
6. BMW Trivia (Pat)
7. Q&A?
8. Dinner @ Famous Daves, 4925 Kietzke Ln

MEETING MINUTES

Ron Nicasio, club president, presided over meeting.

22 in Attendance

1. MEMBERSHIP
   Sharon Goodrich reported 5 new members have joined the club.
2. PAST EVENTS
   1. Cheri Huntoon reported that the Reno Aces will not return the $150 deposit from our previously scheduled June game but will credit the money to a future game or Ace’s merchandise. The decision was made to use the money for Ace’s merchandise which can be used as prizes for club events.
   2. Photos from the Virginia City drive were shown and should be available on the club website.
3. UPCOMING EVENTS
   1. Sharon Goodrich spoke about the Sierra Buttes drive scheduled for Saturday, July 29th. The drive will begin by meeting at Raley’s shopping center at 9 a.m.  Anyone going must provide a $15 per person deposit with Sharon to reserve space at Long Boards for lunch.  Sharon will return deposits at beginning of the drive. Attendees are reminded Long Boards accepts cash only for lunch.  An email with more details will come out prior to the drive.
   2. Mart Jaama gave an update on the club’s annual picnic scheduled for August 12th at the Arrow Creek club.  The picnic will run from 12 noon to 3 p.m.  Mart is planning a “show and shine” as part of the activities.
4. BMW BRIEFS
   1. A video on the upcoming new 3rd generation X3 (G 01) was shown high lighting the many new features on the vehicle.  Production is scheduled to begin in August with the expectation it will be in showrooms by November of this year.  The M division is also looking at building an X 3 M.
   2. Details are available on the BMWCCA website.
   3. BMW is going to install up to 100 charging stations for electric vehicles in national parks and nearby communities as part of BMW’s celebration of its first hundred years in existence.
   4. BMW is investing another $600 million in the Spartanburg plant bring the total investment to more than $8 billion. The upcoming X7 will be produced there along side the current production of X series models.
   5. BMW’s partnership with Oracle in building an America’s Cup contender hit rough sailing as New Zealand won the Cup 8 to 1 in the races.
5. BMW TRIVIA
   Question: The X3 is currently built in Spartanburg.  Where are the 2 new plants to produce the X3 being built?
   Answer:  South Africa and a plant in China for the Chinese market.
6. ERRATA There will not be a Cars for Kids show this year.
7. DINNER after the meeting was at Famous Dave’s BBQ on Kietzki lane.

The post July 13, 2017 appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

Click here to view the gallery.

At about 9:15 am, members of the Sierra Chapter, BMWCCA, started to show up for the Virginia City Cruise and Tour at the Starbucks on Mt Rose Hwy and Wedge Pkwy. John English, the Wagon Master, assembled everyone for a briefing at about 9: 35 on the trip details. The twenty-three BMWs soon departed west on Mt Rose Highway on time at 9:45 am. We proceeded up the twisty and windy highway and in about a half hour we were at the parking area overlooking the scenic Lake Tahoe. Besides the beauty of these surroundings, this was a time to meet and talk to the other participants. Some were old friends and a few were new to the BMWCCA activities. After about a 15 minute stop, we then proceed to Incline Village where turned left on Hwy 28.  We proceeded a few miles down the road to the Incline Village Starbucks. We arrived there at about 10:30 am. This was a 15-20 minute stop for picking up more members and some refreshments. We departed Starbucks and stayed on Hwy 28 around Lake Tahoe; luckily the heavy traffic was in the other direction. At the intersection of US Hwy 50 we made a left turn toward Carson City. This was an uncontrolled intersection and it was a challenge to get all the cars onto highway. After a mile or so, John pulled over to regroup and make sure that all the cars made the turn. It was downhill from there to Carson City. Then it was to Hwy 395 north to the cut off to I-580 north. Then it was right onto Hwy 50 again to Virginia City. After several miles, we turned left on the old truck route to Virginia City. This route goes up the very curvy road up 6 mile canyon. By the way, if you missed the trip, this is a very pretty drive that you might want to take someday.

Once in Virginia City, everyone drove around until they found a parking place. Some had to park on the lower and side streets while others were able to park in the public parking lot. We ended up at the Palace Hotel and Restaurant for lunch at about 12:30 pm. Because of the heavy lunch hour traffic, we had to split up and find our own seating.  After lunch everyone went their own way. Some returned to Reno and some stayed in V.C to shop until they dropped. In all, if you missed this trip, prepare for the next event. Join the experience and some HAVE FUN.

(Click here for the mapped Route)

View Larger Map

The post 2017 Virginia City Drive appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

We will still be visiting the fantastic city of New Orleans, but now we’ll enjoy temperatures a full twenty average degrees cooler, more track resources, an expanded concours event, and much more! Although this change does present challenges, the opportunities it gave us for a bigger and better Oktoberfest were too great to turn down. We are already working with current registrants to accommodate any inconveniences―and getting great feedback. It seems like Halloween in New Orleans is a definite attraction!

In a nationwide organization of 70,000 members strong, we cannot always accommodate all of the needs of every member. We’re excited that this new opportunity aligns so well with member feedback and interests! Click here to go to the Ofest website with all the details.

The post New Ofest Dates appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

The Sierra Chapter of the BMW Car Club has been successful because of the friendship, camaraderie and the ability of our members to volunteer their time and effort in making events and driving tours well organized and fun. We still need volunteers for different activities – hint: September’s Kars for Kids and Street Survival in October to name a few. So if you would like to get more involved just let me or anyone of the board members know and complete the RSVP forms on our site. Click here to view our event calendar.

We are rolling April and pretty soon summer is in full swing. After this winter, blue skies and the sight of green will bring smiles to everyone’s face. Welcome to the summer driving season, buckle up and let’s go for a drive. The first quarter of the year is pretty lackluster when it comes to club events. The only thing of interest was the tech session highlighted later in the newsletter.

Two events are on deck for June. This is when we come into full swing for club events. We will take the club’s June monthly meeting outside of the Bill Pearce and into the ballpark to watch the Reno Aces take on the Tacoma Rainiers. “Take me out to the ballgame” is scheduled on June 22^nd. Family and friends are welcome to this event. This is our first real social gathering since Christmas and we are looking forward to seeing old and new friends.
The popular Virginia City Tour will be on June 24^th. This touring event will take the club to Historic Virginia City thru Incline Village and Carson City. After taking in the scenery and tackling the twisting roads, the hungry drivers and navigators adjourn at The Palace in Virginia City for a tasty lunch.

June is National Safety Month! Let us all enjoy driving our BMWs and concentrate on being the best drivers that we can be.

– Ron Nicasio

The post From the President’s Desk appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

One Small Step Turns into Giant Leap for National Automobile Museum

Mission control has never been more accessible. We are proud to announce that the Nevada Space Center is now included in your price of admission. It’s an opportunity to become an astronaut for a day and make childhood dreams come to life!

Once a traveling exhibit, the Center’s new Be the Astronaut exhibit features scientifically verified experiences once had only after years of NASA training. Feel as if you’re actually flying a spaceship, driving a surface rover in pods or piloting a lander with the assistance of 70-inch monitors, touchscreens and industrial–quality joysticks. Watch the entire cockpit come to life with animated lighting effects, game visuals and space sounds. 

While visiting the new experience, check out the space memorabilia, an actual rover and collection of space suits and artifacts from NASA missions, plus U.S. Apollo and USSR space programs. The Nevada Space Center exhibit is open during regular Museum hours. Magnetic swipe cards that activate the simulators are issued at the Museum’s admissions counter.

Click here to read the Museum Newsletter

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John Strom

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What makes a club great is participation. Not only in going to the events, but also by submitting your life experiences on the road. This is your newsletter and you are invited to submit things of interest to me or Carol. As long as they are family friendly they could be published for all club members to enjoy. I know that you have great things to share. Send your contributions to newsletter@sierrabmwcarclub.org. I promise that it doesn’t hurt one little bit to share.

Fred Watson, Editor

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DeArmond Sharp Treasurer.

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1. New Members & Membership Update (Sharon)
2. Upcoming Events for 2017
   1. Meeting – Reno Aces Ball Game
   2. Virginia City Tour
3. Sport Haus video
4. BMW vs BMW. The BMW 5 Series. 6th vs 7th generation. 
   
5. BMW Briefs
6. BMW Trivia
7. Q&A?
8. The New 5 Series (with Vince) at Bill Pearce
9. Dinner @ Skipolini’s Pizza, 13971 S Virginia St, Reno (click here for menu)

MEETING MINUTES

Ron Nicasio, club president, presided over meeting.

27 in Attendance

1. MEMBERSHIP – Nothing new on membership.
2. UPCOMING EVENTS
   1. The June meeting will be at the ACES ballgame on June 22^nd.  Cheri Huntoon is coordinating details.  Game starts at 7:05pm.  Cheri will be outside gate with tickets starting at 5:30 pm. Deadline for anyone who wants to attend must have their money to Cheri no later than June 5th.   Checks should be made payable to Sierra chapter of BMWCCA. Guests are welcome to join us at the game. If you are bringing guests please let Cheri know.
   2. Our annual Virginia City drive will be on June 24^th with John English as coordinator.
   3. De Sharp reminded members that annual wine tour to Amador County will be October 14-15 and 15 rooms have been blocked at the Shenandoah Inn. Members planning to go should call the Inn and make their reservations telling them they are with the club.
3. BMW BRIEFS
   1. In lieu of normal briefs members at the meeting were given the opportunity to check out the new 5 series sedan in the dealership show room. When “spec’d” out car will cost about $75K.  A video was shown delineating differences between the 6^th and 7^th generation 5 series.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRG9atqFC6M
   2. Ron Nicasio also showed a news clip reporting numerous BMWs have mysteriously caught on fire while parked after having been driven earlier. There was no mention of any car catching on fire while being driven.
4. BMW TRIVIA
   1. Question: What makes are include in the BMW Group?  Answer:  BMW, Mini, and Rolls Royce.
   2. Question: How many different models will the BMW Group produce in 2018?  Answer:  40
5. DINNER – Dinner after the meeting was at Skipolini’s Pizza restaurant on south Virginia street with more than 25 attending.

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1. New Members & Membership Update (Sharon)
2. Upcoming Events for 2017
3. Updates from BMWCCA Leadership Meeting in Dallas (Mart & Ron)
4. Video: Go Like Schnell:  The Story of BMW Motorsport In The USA
5. Sierra’s Facebook page
6. BMW Appreciation @ Sport Haus Video
7. BMW Briefs
8. BMW Trivia
9. Q&A?
10. Dinner @ Napa-Sonoma Restaurant, 7671 South Virginia Street (click here for menu)

MEETING MINUTES

Ron Nicasio, club president, presided over meeting.

29 in Attendance

1. MEMBERSHIP – Sharon Goodrich reported 3 new members had joined which included a renewal.
2. UPCOMING EVENTS
   1. The June meeting will be at the ACES ballgame on June 22^nd.  Cheri Huntoon is coordinating details.
   2. Our annual Virginia City drive will be on June 24th with John English as coordinator.
   3. Mart Jaama is seeking ideas for new events for the club. He gave ideas like an auto cross or a tour of member garages to see some more of vehicles owned by members.  A survey will be coming to members in the near future requesting their ideas and input.
3. BMWCCA MEETING – Ron Nicasio and Mart Jaama attended the national meeting in Dallas. Mart said the national club is seeking more members to attend this year’s Octoberfest being held in New Orleans in July.  The suggestion was also made that local chapters make more use of social media to increase interest and membership in the club. The National club can provide assistance to any local chapter seeking to improve its presence on social media. Ron Nicasio played a video provided by BMW entitled “Go like Schnell: the story of BMW Motorsport in USA” which covered BMW’s entry into racing in the US in 1975. The members were reminded that our chapter has a Facebook Page maintained by our web mistress, Carol Villar. Many thanks and our gratitude to Carol for the many hours she devotes to our club with outstanding results.
4. BMW BRIEFS – Pat McGoff provided some updates on the 5 series including a future Alpina B5. He showed some pictures of various art cars and also said the M2 had received another prestigious award from an automobile magazine.
5. BMW TRIVIA
   QUESTION: What size were the wheels on the original 6 series? 
   ANSWER:  390mm.
6. ERRATA
   1. Jim Goodfellow has purchased a “barn find”, the first E 34 M5 in Northern California. It needs a lot of work and he hasn’t decided whether to restore it or use it as a parts car. He welcomes your suggestions.
   2. Steve Polimeni reported on attending an SCCA safe streets session at Stead airport and ideas that might be helpful in our chapter’s upcoming fall Safe Streets session.
7. DINNER –  Dinner after the meeting was at Napa-Sonoma restaurant on South Virginia Street with more than 25 attending.

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The post GO LIKE SCHNELL: The Story of BMW Motorsport in the USA. Green Flag 1975. appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

Click here to view the picture gallery

On March 11, Sierra Sporthaus hosted a member appreciation for the Sierra BMW car club members. At this event, about 20 members attended the meeting. The meeting was hosted by Jay Kaltenbach, the service manager at Sierra Sporthaus. Jay gave a tour of the facilities and services they offer. They can work on BMW, Porsche, Audi, Jaguars and all exotic cars. The members were fascinated on the Lamborghini Countach that they were restoring mechanically and the rare BMW M5 for sale. In addition, they also sell/ repair tires. Second, they can sell your car on consignment and advertise anywhere in the world.

Jay offered a 10% discount on service for all the members that attended the event along with a $20 discount on a detail. Mart Jaama won the drawing for a free detail. And  finally, Jay wants to invite the BMW car club members for a cars and coffee event that they are hosting on April 9 from 10am to 2pm (weather permitting).

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Jay offered a 10% discount on service for all the members that attended the event along with a $20 discount on a detail. Mart Jaama won the drawing for a free detail. And  finally, Jay wants to invite the BMW car club members for a cars and coffee event that they are hosting on April 9 from 10am to 2pm (weather permitting).

Click here to view the picture gallery

The post 2017 Sport Haus BMW Club Appreciation appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

1. New Members & Membership Update (Sharon)
2. Upcoming Events for 2017
   1. Membership Appreciation @ Sierra Sport Haus
3.  BMW Briefs
4. BMW Trivia
5. Q&A?
6. Dinner @ Miguel’s Mexican Restaurant, 1415 S Virginia St, Reno (click here for menu)

MEETING MINUTES

Ron Nicasio, club president, presided over meeting.

22 in Attendance

1. NEW MEMBERS & MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
   Sharon Goodrich reported 2 new members had joined including Bill Hall who was present
2. UPCOMING EVENTS FOR 2017
   1. Customer/member appreciation is scheduled for March 11^th from 10:00 to 12:00a.m. at Sport Haus.
   2. Ron Nicasio and Maart Jaama will be attending the BMW Congress meeting in Dallas from March 24^th to 26^th.
   3. The Mammoth tour tentatively scheduled for May12^th will have to be rescheduled to a new date not yet determined.  John Strom reported the roads to be driven on that trip will be impassable due to heavy snow fall in Mammoth area.
   4. Fred Watson provided and distributed name tags for club members who do not hold positions on the Board.
   5. ZoZo’s was mentioned as a possible new restaurant following club meetings.
3. BMW BRIEFS
   Pat McGoff covered a number of BMW related items:  BMW sales are slightly up in the first two months of this year; BMW is testing a new roadster to replace the discontinued Z4; BMW is opening a new production facility for the 5 series at Graz, Austria (Magna International is building 5 series sedans under contract from BMW); and a refreshed 4 series is coming in March involving minor styling changes and new colors.
4. BMW TRIVIA
   Question: Where will Oktoberfest be held this year?   Answer:  New Orleans
5. DINNER
   Over 20 club members joined together for dinner at Miguel’s Mexican Restaurant at the Summit shopping center.

The post March 9, 2017 appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

1. New Members & Membership Update (Sharon)
2. Upcoming Events for 2017
3. Holiday Party Video
4.  BMW Briefs
5. BMW Trivia
6. Q&A?
7. Dinner @ Skipolini’s Pizza, 13971 S Virginia St, Reno (click here for menu)

24 in Attendance and 1 Guest

1. NEW MEMBERS & MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
   Pat McGoff reported two new members had joined but were not present
2. UPCOMING EVENTS FOR 2017
   1. Calendar for events is still in flux.
   2. A Tech Session is scheduled for March 11^th.
   3. The Mammoth Tour tentatively scheduled for May12^th will have to be rescheduled to a new date not yet determined
3. HOLIDAY PARTY
   A video of the club Christmas party composed of Fred Watson’s pictures was shown at the meeting. Kudos to Fred for an excellent job.  Fred also presented past president Pat McGoff with a framed certificate for his dedication in that position.
4. TREASURER’s REPORT
   De Sharp requested and was granted authority to hire an accountant on an hourly basis as needed to maintain club financial records. De also reported the club had $7,780 in its account at this time.
5. BMW BRIEFS
   1. Pat McGoff covered a number of BMW related items including a story about a Kurd in Afghanistan using an armored BMW sedan to evacuate over 70 injured in an attack. He rejected an offer of a new BMW to replace his shot up vehicle.
   2. Two women won medals in the para-olympics using BMW designed wheelchairs.
   3. The new 5 series will include a hybrid.
   4. The X-1 and the M-2 and M240i were named on Car and Driver’s annual best vehicles list.
   5. An X-7 is in a pre-production mode.
   6. BMW is working with IBM’s “Watson” super computer to up grade smart technology in their cars and 4 I-8s have been provided to IBM for the project.
   7. Both the 2 and 3 series have received the insurance industry’s highest rankings for safety.
   8. BMW has hired a new design chief for automobiles and also hired a new CEO for BMW North America.
6. BMW TRIVIA
   QUESTION: Which German luxury manufacturer sold most vehicles last year and what is most expensive car made by BMW?
   ANSWER: Mercedes Benz topped BMW for number of vehicles sold in 2016. The Rolls Royce Phantom is the most expensive car built by BMW.
7. OTHER
   Jim Goodfellow presented Mike Dietel with a copy of the last issue of Bimmer magazine which carried a story about Mike and his career.
8. DINNER
   Over 20 club members joined together for dinner at Skipolini’s Pizza, 13971 S Virginia St at the Summit shopping center.

The post February 9, 2017 appeared first on BMW CCA Sierrra Chapter.

Either way, the interest level is there because we have great adventures and it gives us great stories to share.  That’s pretty much what we’re about.  Yes, we do nice things in the community.  Yes, we circle the wagons around our love of the brand.  But also, and more than anything, it’s about the adventures that we get to have as friends through this organization. 

Kudos to all those that help to organize our events/outings.  I’m always amazed and proud of the way that our outings play out.  Never any issues related to the personalities, never anything out of the ordinary or unplanned.  Just well organized, planned, and implemented.  And that’s awesome.  

My day job is working with service related companies here in Reno related to their online marketing.  There’s nothing like trying to write sales copy for a Reno plumbing company all day.  Not exactly the most exciting thing to write about.  So when I need a break from it, I can either jump in my little 335i and go for a drive, or visit our website and smile while I reminisce about our adventures.

So my point is this (about membership).  It’s really easy to talk up this club.  We are a big club because of our great people.  Kudos to all the leadership for their contributions!

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