April - Sacramento Area Miata Owners Association

SACRAMENTO AREA MIATA OWNERS ASSOCIATION
APRIL 1, 2009
MiataTudes
Robin’s Nest
Great driving music
Sushi and Autocross...
Hello everyone. On March 22nd
Events Coordinator Jack Parker
organized SAMOA’s Autocross
Championships in Stockton at the
fairgrounds. Even though it was
early in the season and the weather a
little chilly those that attended had a
wonderful time.
The SCCA
basically ran the event for us. If you
think running in an autocross is not
for you, you must at least try one.
Ask our Woman’s Champion Diana
Loo.
She hung in there and
dominated the course. Those that
decided to show up had the course
to their selves and had a ball. Poor
Jack, the pressure got to him and he
had that fateful unplanned
equipment malfunction. But he was
able to get some time on the track
thanks to Jim Burgess and his
generosity. Another great event was
the Chili Cook-off hosted by Vi and
Frank Nicholson. Even though I
was unable to attend I heard it was
fantastic and the Chili was delicious
and ever-lasting. (See story)
As most of you know we have
moved our General Meetings to the
Tex Wasabi’s Restaurant on Arden
Way. I requested members to give
their opinions. All responses were
favorable except for the sound and a
noise issue. In talking with the
manager, Bob, he agreed to address
our concerns by doing whatever it
takes to make our meetings
enjoyable. He is very happy with
our group and wants our business.
With that I thank you for being a
great group. Wherever we go, we
have acted responsively and in a
manner that reflects positively. Pat
yourselves on the back. Word gets
around too.
We have received
several invitations from other
restaurants in Northern California
ever since it was discovered we are
looking for a meeting place. So to
further our sphere of influence and
reach new members we will conduct
a meeting in your area based on
various specifications to be
determined later.
But in the
meantime attend the General
Meeting at TexWasabi’s. It should
be a fun time.
One of my favorite songs
to enjoy as I’m out for a drive
is Cake’s “The Distance”. If
you’re familiar with the band,
you undoubtedly know the
song. If you’re not familiar
with Cake, you should check
out their music. They use a
lot of horns and other
instruments and styles that
aren’t too common with
popular bands. Their style is
hard to define, but when you
look at the names of some of
their songs, it’s obvious that
they like cars! ... songs like
“ R a c e C a r Ya -Ya ’s ” ,
“Wheels”, “Long Line of
Cars”, “Satan is my
Motor”, and “Stickshifts
and Safetybelts” are all
fun songs to drive to
and are easy to
enjoy. The fact
that Cake is from
Sacramento is
just a bonus.
-Mark
PAGE 1
SACRAMENTO AREA MIATA OWNERS ASSOCIATION
SHRINER’S CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE - ROD
GONZALEZ
There's only six weeks to go before the 16th Annual
Shriners Hospital for Children Concours d'Elegance, A
Classic Celebration to Benefit a Classic Cause, will
take place on Sunday, May 17th at Mather Field in
Rancho Cordova.
The Shriners Hospital Concours d'Elegance, sanctioned
by the Sports Car Club of America, is one of the
Sacramento area’s premiere automotive events. This
year's featured marques are Oldsmobile, Mercedes
Benz, and Ford.
The entry fee is only $40.00 which will get your MX-5/
Miata and two people into the Concours club area.
Your entry fee also includes two lunch tickets, two
drink tickets, event program, and a gift bag. Additional
guest wristbands are available for $10 each at the time
of registration.
With a minimum of 10 cars pre-registered for this
event, our club will be given three trophies to present as
we wish. As before, our members will judge each
other’s cars and use the awards provided for “Club
Choice”, “Best Detailed”, and the “Zoom Award” (for
most personalized). The three club winners will also
participate in the Shriners Concours d'Elegance Award
Ceremony.
Last year we displayed 13 cars. The award winners
were:
Club Choice - Tom Tyler - '91 Classic Red
Best Detailed - Skip Noyes * - '04 Red Mazdaspeed
Zoom Award - Ken Johnson - '92 Crystal White
* Three-time Shriners Concours d'Elegance car club
winner
Contact me at rodnoid@sbcglobal.net or call
916-366-1670 if you have any questions or to request a
registration package. Registration forms will also be
available at the April membership meeting. Event
details are available on-line at the Shriners improved
web site, www.shrinersconcours.com. However, it is
recommended that you download the complete printerfriendly registration package directly from the SAMOA
Events web page.
APRIL 1, 2009
I will collect the SAMOA registrations and send them
in together as a package to the event registrar. Please
forward your completed registration form with a check
in the amount of $40 made payable to Shriners
Hospital for Children Northern California to Rod
Gonzalez, 2905 Gwendolyn Way, Rancho Cordova,
CA 95670.
Credit card payments will also be
accepted...space is provided on the registration form.
Entry forms must be received by me no later than
Monday, May 4th. Participant confirmation letters will
be mailed shortly thereafter.
You do not need a pristine MX-5/Miata to join us in the
Concours club area. (My '99 Emerald Mica has plenty
of road scars.) This is all for fun and is a great way to
promote our club, allow us to enjoy the company of
fellow car enthusiasts, and to show our support for this
very worthwhile community charity event.
All
proceeds benefit the Shriners Hospital for Children.
As a prelude to this event, SAMOA will hold its first
annual Detailing Clinic on Saturday, May 9.
Information for the Detailing Clinic is at the SAMOA
Events web page.
So come on out, join the fun, and the cause. Let's have
a big club turnout for the Shriners Hospital for Children
Concours d'Elegance!
About the Shriners Hospitals for Children: Shriners
Hospitals for Children is a one-of-a-kind international
health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to
improving the lives of children by providing specialty
pediatric care, innovative research and outstanding
teaching programs. Children up to the age of 18 with
orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and
cleft lip and palate are eligible for admission and
receive all care in a family-centered environment at no
charge – regardless of financial need.
More
information about the Shriners Hospitals for Children,
Northern California is available at www.shrinershq.org/
Hospitals/Northern_California.
PAGE 2
SACRAMENTO AREA MIATA OWNERS ASSOCIATION
UPCOMING EVENTS - JACK PARKER
SAMOA OTM III April 11
OTM III will meet in the parking lot of the Towe Auto
Museum at 10:00 for a little car conversation and story
sharing about your cars. Keep in mind this event is for
"Other Than Miatas". Some members have requested that
they bring their MIatas because they only own Miatas. Yes
that is O K as well. All are welcome. All cars are acceptable
for the event. I am sure there are even transmission stories
about Kias and Hyundais that are worth talking about. After
the car talk, we will adjourn to the museum and will
participate in a docent led tour of the many displays in the
museum. Admission to the museum is free to all club
members. Due to the recent “club membership” category
changes to encourage more participation from car clubs,
members need to be approved and have an admission card to
attend and be on the approved list. Non club members
attending the event are very welcome but will be charged a 7
dollar admission fee. There is currently a Cobra display of
cars with significant racing histories. After the tour we will
leave for lunch at Suzie Burger on the corner of P and 29th.
This is a diner type place that we will try out for a future
meeting location. It is owned by the same group as 33rd
Street Bistro, TRE and other very nice places in town. The
Museum is located at 2200 Front Street in Old Town
Sacramento.
The drive will be a short trip through
downtown. ALL CARS are welcome, even if you are OTMly
challenged. In the past we have had classics, hot rods,
Cobras, Vettes, Pt Cruisers, Kias, Hondas and other Mazdas.
This year promises to be a similar experience. Please RSVP
by April 4 so Susie Burger can prepare for us. For more
information you may contact Jack Parker at
culdad@svics.com or 916 698 2006.
Other Upcoming Events
Cat Black and Ken Johnson plan to host a drive on Saturday,
April 25th, 2009. It will start at the lodge next to their house
in Natomas. Coffee and donuts provided. The ride will
proceed north along the Sacramento and Feather Rivers, east
toward Camp Far West Lake up towards Auburn, and then
south through the foothills.
Details have yet to be
determined, but I am sure Cat and Ken will host a great run.
For more information contact Cat Black and Ken Johnson at
catblack@aol.com or (916) 515-0789.
On May 2, Mike & Marlaina Wilson will lead a very leisurely
drive. Over the past few years they have become friends with
a couple of wonderful people, Dave & Helen, who own the
D'Art Winery in the Lodi area. The run will end at their
winery, where they will welcome us to picnic, party and wine
taste. There is a large grassy area that will accommodate
Bocce Bal, and we can use their barbecue to grill whatever
we want to bring.
We will be meeting at Starbucks at 1160 Exposition
Boulevard (just west of Capital City Freeway near REI and
Costco) at 10:00 AM for a 10:30 AM departure. There will
be a nice drive along the Sacramento River to Highway 12
and then Lodi. There is ample parking for all who choose to
attend. Bring your own food, cold if you prefer, or something
to put on the grill. After the picnic, there are 30 some
additional wineries to explore in the Lodi area, or a fantastic
chocolate retailer called Chocoholics. The winery's website
is www.dartwines.com. For more information contact the
Wilsons at mme3929@sbcglobal.net or (916) 331-3670.
The next day after the Wilsons, Ferrari North America will be
hosting the Ferrari Challenge Series races at Infineon
Raceway in Sonoma. These races take place over a three day
period, and this year will take place on May 1-3, 2009.
Although it has not yet been announced if the Corse Clienti
APRIL 1, 2009
F1 and FXX cars will be present, there will be a full
complement of F430, 360, 355 and historic challenge racers
participating. In addition, the paddock is open to the public,
presenting an opportunity to get up close and personal with
both race cars and drivers. Ron Petrich will once again lead a
group of interested enthusiasts on a spirited drive to Sonoma
on Sunday, May 3rd. All are welcome to join in the drive and
attend the races. You do not need to be a SAMOA member to
join us, so tell your friends as well. There is a nominal fee at
the track. In 2008 it was $20 per person.
We will meet at the Chevron station in Winters and depart
promptly at 8:00 AM. Our early departure will allow us to
arrive at the track by 9:30 AM for a full day's
enjoyment. Our meeting place is located just west of the
intersection of I505 and SR128 in Winters, which is 7 miles
due west of Davis.
An RSVP is not required. You may bring your own food and
refreshments, or buy your lunch from one of the vendors at
the track. For more information about this racing series, go
to www.ferrarichallenge.com or contact Ron at
freescopesdad@comcast.net or at (916) 454-1008
Also taking place before our next general meeting, SAMOA
will host its first annual Detailing Clinic on Saturday, May 9,
2009. Coincidentally, this date is the weekend before the
Shriners Concours d'Elegance club corral, so it is an
appropriate time to learn about how best to make your Miata
shine as it never has before. The event is free to all SAMOA
members and their families, but you must RSVP me in order
to attend and participate in the drawing to select a car for a
free detail. Please RSVP as soon as possible so we can
adequately plan for enough parking, hookups and food for
everyone.
We will have a professional detailer conduct the clinic. It is
Mike Morris, owner of Mose Auto Detailing in Sacramento.
A lucky SAMOA member will be chosen at random in a
drawing of all those who RSVP for this event, and his/her car
will be the lucky beneficiary of a professional external detail.
This will include washing, claying, polishing and wax of the
paint, complete wheel/tire cleaning, and detailing of all other
exterior areas. Our maestro will show us the proper way to
perform these tasks, and the proper tools, chemicals and
waxes to use. The use of the popular Porter Cable random
orbital buffer will also be demonstrated. This entire process
is one that many detailers charge $200 - $400 for, depending
upon the size of the car and how much work may need to be
done to restore a finish. But Mike has agreed to donate his
services in exchange for the referrals and good will it will
provide.
But you don’t have to just stand around and watch Mike do
his magic… you can if you want to, but we will have plenty
of hoses available for your use as well. Just bring a bucket
and some rags, your favorite car soap and wax products, and
have at it. For those who want to use a buffer, electrical
hookups will also be available. In addition to Mike Morris,
we are also arranging to have dent removal services
available on site as well.
The clinic will take place at the South Natomas Unified
School District headquarters, 1901 Arena Boulevard,
Sacramento, in and adjacent to their school bus maintenance
shop. There is enough indoor and outdoor shaded parking to
accommodate 30-40 Miatas.
Thanks to our SAMOA
president Robin George for securing this venue. A free BBQ
lunch and refreshments will be provided to all (nominal fee
of $5 for guests). There is no cost to attend, but your RSVP
is required no later than Saturday, April 18, 2009… however
sooner is better so we can plan the scope of this event. And,
as mentioned above, your RSVP automatically gets you into
the drawing.
To R S V P, s i m p l y e m a i l m e a t
freescopesdad@comcast.net or leave a voice message at
(916) 454-1008.
PAGE 3
SACRAMENTO AREA MIATA OWNERS ASSOCIATION
APRIL 1, 2009
A N E XO T I C C A R R E C YC L E R A N D A I can only describe the one below as a “Hog911” or to
BLOWTORCH - THE POSSIBILITIES ARE be more precise “Porksche”. But I think the wheel
bearing on the left front axle is gone!
ENDLESS! - ADI DAMANIA
Have you ever wondered where all those exotic cars
that crash due to inexperience and more money than
sense type of drivers? Well, there is one exotic car
dismantler who also has a diploma in welding who has
created a string of what I can describe only as
“Exihogs”. Just look at these!
No prize for guessing what this hog once was. A red
Well can any bright SAMOAN guess what the car once
was? I can provide a hint. The name has something to
do with an aquatic flower more common in Asia.
late-model Corvette now christened “Hogvette”! Well,
it was always a 2-seater wasn’t it? But I wonder if it
still has the big bore (no pun intended) V-8 in the
bonnet?
Well, the 5 intertwined rings give this one away. Yes,
Sir! It is “Hogaud”. Boy, those wheels sure look
interesting!
Which brings me to the last but not the list, and which
exotic car dismantler worth his salt would not have a
“Hograri” to play with? But I pity the previous
unfortunate owner. I wonder what he got from his
insurance Co. Not a lot I think. Something tell me this
one does not run! - Bye, until next time!
PAGE 4
SACRAMENTO AREA MIATA OWNERS ASSOCIATION
2009 CLUB AUTOCROSS
CHAMPIONSHIPS - JACK
PARKER
The day dawned as expected.
Really yucky. Clouds, a little rain
and very windy conditions persisted
but it was off to the races as usual.
As the group of ten entrants arrived
the talk of the weather became the
topic. Most thought that the rain
would hold off. The day would
have many twists and turns, pun
intended, and when the first car out
at 9:30 blasted through the timing
lights the competition started.
The first run saw Nick Csik stop the
lights at a 35.679 which held all the
way through that round as the top
time not only in class III but overall
as well.
Jim Burgess followed
closely with a 36.841 but the death
and destruction of a few cones were
his downfall.
After round one
Robin George held first in open
division, Nick held onto first in III,
Rod Gonzalez was first in II, first
timer Rich Kelly was strongest in I
with a 37.495 and eventual ladies
champ, Diana Loo was first in her
class.
In round 2 Nick continued to hold
onto his lead in III, Robin improved
a half second in the open class, Rod
was first in II and Ross Donner ran
a fast 37.392 to take over the lead
in the novice/I class by .1 seconds.
At this point overall was still held
by Nick with his fast 35.679
followed by Jim’s 37.022 and
Robin’s 37.079.
Notice that
autocross scores are often very
close as Robin and Jim were
separated by just .057 seconds. I
think that equates to less than 6
inches. At this point Jack Parker’s
car decided to stop working so he
scratched from the competition and
thanks to Robin and Jim who
APRIL 1, 2009
volunteered cars, he was able to at
least have a few fun runs.
Round three brought some surprises.
Robin continued to improve. His
36.720 put the pressure on Nick and
he responded with a 35.090 for
overall. In class III Nick’s time held
as the whole class improved their
times.
In class I Tak Auyeung
continued to improve and put the
pressure on Rich with a 37.722.
Rich also improved with a 37.130 to
keep his lead. Rod continued his
steady times and Diana, going for again by over a second to take the
She improved by
the “most improved” status ran off a ladies class.
3 second improvement.
almost six seconds during the
competition. Great job. Rod ran
Round 4 had Robin showing some his fastest time and took first in
signs of what was to come by class II. In class III Nick did not
improving to a 36.043, knocking improve his time but Eric Vance
off .7 seconds to start to get close to came almost out of nowhere and
Nick for the overall lead. Nick improved his time by more than 1.5
failed to improve on his third run seconds to 35.258 to take second in
with Jim turning in a 35.815 to class. Jim finished the day in third.
improve by .1 seconds. In class I Then the surprise of the day
Tak turned in a much improved occurred.
Robin, seemingly
37.037 to take the lead. Rich Kelly determined, blasted off the line and
ran a 36.766 to take the lead and it was apparent to both Jeanne and
Ross Donner took the lead with a myself that something was different.
36.512. Diana Loo improved Turns were more fluid and lines
another second to just barely out of were more precise. He was going
the 40s with a 50.080. At this point really fast compared to his previous
the overall standings showed Nick runs. He went through the lights at
still in first with a 35.090, Jim in 34.757 to take the overall title for
second with a 35.815 and Robin in the day. Good going Robin. That as
third by just .2 seconds. Three an amazing improvement that even
others were bunched with 36s less c a u g h t t h e a t t e n t i o n o f t h e
than .7 seconds behind.
announcer. Overall it was Robin
first, Nick second and Eric with that
Round 5 were where all the fast final run taking third overall.
surprises began to show up. Six of
t h e n i n e r e m a i n i n g e n t r a n t s I would like to thank the CSCC for
improved their times, which made putting on the event. Also all the
the competition exciting. Class I guys who came over to help some
saw Rich run his fastest time with a “old guy” change his wheels. That
36.590. His time was just .078 off was really appreciated by the old
the leader but Ross improved his fart. It looked like a NASCAR pit
time to take the class by .4 seconds. stop for a while with everyone
First in class I was Ross, followed helping out. Jeanne deserves special
recognition for coming out, driving
Robin’s support truck and keeping
score despite not running on all 8
cylinders. And thanks to all the
entrants who made the day fun.
Jim was very trusting to let me run
his car for fun and I learned a lot by
driving a gen 1 fairly stock car for
the first time in a year. Trophies
will be presented at the April
meeting some come out and see
what Jim Burgess at JB Awards in
Jackson did for us. If you did not
receive a dash plaque we will have
those along as well.
by Rich in second and Tak in third.
Diana finished the day by improving
PAGE 5
SACRAMENTO AREA MIATA OWNERS ASSOCIATION
APRIL 1, 2009
2009 SAMOA AUTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP - JEANNE GEORGE
Last Sunday, March 22 the SAMOA Autocross
Championship was held at the Stockton Fair Grounds. After
several days of rain and despite projections of thunder
showers for day of the event all indications were that Robin
would be participating. Our preparations entailed going to
the storage shed to remove the Miata hard top (the old
fashion way) and pick up his racing tires. The wire spoke
rims on his 96 are not conducive to the stress of the course,
nor are his racing tires safe for the drive to Stockton. All his
necessary gear required me to accommodate him with our
SAMOA support vehicle.
The group positioned their cars for inspection and headed out
to walk the course. The parking lot and part of the course
was covered in standing water from all the rain. The
promoters of the event were attempting to push the water off
the starting and finishing area with large brooms. The
individuals received their safety instructions and were
divided into two groups: drivers and course workers.
I was bundled up and headed to a good viewing area. I was
attempting to keep track of the driver’s times, take
photographs, and shiver. Every time I got up from my chair,
the wind blew it over. The wind sent small pebbles pelting
We arrived at 7:30 am and found Rod Gonzales, Eric Vance, our legs and faces.
Ross Donner, Tak Auyeung, and new member Richard Kelly
standing around shivering in the cold. The temperature was For me, the best part of the event was listening to the
in the low 40’s and high wind which defied our attempts to comments made by the announcer. The drivers couldn’t hear
warm ourselves. The guys were busy preparing their Miatas them because of their helmets.
He was especially
and Tak offered Robin help changing his tires just to keep encouraging to Diana and had high praise as she improved on
warm. “You are doing me a favor letting me help.” Next to each of her 5 laps. He was generous with his critique of the
arrive was Diana Loo for her first attempt at autocross. She guys driving ability, and their attempts to push their Miatas
was nervous about what to expect. Soon Jack Parker arrived and themselves to the limit. After they all had 5 laps some
followed by new member Jim Burgess. Jim distributed choose to do fun laps for charity. Robin and I choose to get
special dash plaques which he designed commemorating the home and warm up. We both took naps and woke up 3 hours
event to the other participants.
later.
APRIL BIRTHDAYS - RON PETRICH
The month of April blesses us with a taste of warm
weather, blue skies, new colors, allergies, and great
driving days. Oh…and taxes. Taking the good with the
bad is a part of life. And here is some good – our April
birthdays…
APRIL 9 MEETING AT TEX WASABI’S JEANNE GEORGE
We will hold our April meeting at Tex Wasabi’s Sushi and
BBQ, located at 2243 Arden Way in Sacramento. The
Arden Way location is between Howe Ave. and Bell Street
approximately ½ mile past Coco’s location (1830 Arden
Way). www.texwasabis.com
Mark Brooks April 9th
Teri Dart April 8th
Pam Hunt April 7th
Diana Loo April 11th
Genny Paauwe also April 11th
Barbara Penfield April 13th … missed by 2 days
Lori Utley April 26th
Kathy Bell April 16th
Marlaina Wilson tax day
Gary Winney also also April 11th
… and Susan Yerzy another taxpayer
We will again be testing this facility to determine if it meets
our group’s needs. At the March meeting almost 70 people
were accommodated. The manager, Bob spoke to the group
and welcomed us and told a little history about his
restaurant. True to his word, Bob had plenty of staff
prepared to take care of our members. Robin received many
positive e-mails from members regarding the service, food
and room accommodations.
One complaint was regarding the inability of the group at
the back of the room to hear what was going on. The noise
from the bar interfered with all the Officers except Ron,
whose sorry jokes were heard all the way to the back of the
Robin went a few days later to meet with the
Happy birthday to all. Since Mark’s birthday falls on room.
manager
and
arrange to reserve the room for April. At that
our meeting day, the drinks are on him.
Thanks time, Robin brought
up the sound issue and the manager
Brooksie!
indicated he noticed it that night and would move a speaker
from the front of the room to the back area. We are hoping
this will correct the sound issue.
Meeting time will be 7:00 pm but come earlier to enjoy
dinner and visit with other members.
THE LES BOIS MIATA CLUB COMING TO TOWN - JEANNE GEORGE
Former SAMOA members Connie and Marv Miller are leading a group of Miata drivers from Idaho to the
Jackson, CA area. They are inviting current members to join them June 22-25 on some day trips around the Gold
Country hills and towns. If you are off during the day and looking for something to do, it will be a great
opportunity. A copy of their schedule is posted on the SAMOA web site. Let’s offer their club a warm welcome.
PAGE 6
SACRAMENTO AREA MIATA OWNERS ASSOCIATION
APRIL 1, 2009
TREASURE TROVE - JEANNE GEORGE
Welcome to our Newest Members
Allyn and Tami Walter
Patrick Johnson
back along with the 17 other memberships that have
renewed.
Memberships Expiring April 1
Coleman, John and Susan
DeNuzzo, David and Deidre
Gonzalez, Rod
Pike, Gary and Lynda
SAMOA Membership Dues Will Increase to $31.35
on July 1
Memberships renewed in March
Nick Csik
Larry Hamilton
Grame Kinsey and Sharon Howe
Sherri and Rex Rowland
In an attempt to keep membership dues comparable to
other California Miata Clubs, the BOO has voted to
increase SAMOA dues to $31.35 effective on July 1.
Of the 10 clubs I researched for this project, I found
that 3 were $25, 5 were $30 and 2 were $35. Most
clubs collect all membership dues in January; if you
join mid-year you pay $20 for 6 months. SAMOA
membership is good for 12 months from the day you
join which allows us to have a constant cash flow.
At the March monthly meeting, I received a
membership application from Patrick Johnson. Patrick
is the lucky winner of a one year free membership as
the result of becoming our 200th member.
Based on the California average and future projections
of the current economy we feel this increase will allow
us to continue to perform in a solvent manner. To
prepare for this increase, we will allow members to
renew at the current rate through June 30, no matter
Last year during the months of January through March when your renewal date is.
We hope you will
we had 6 new memberships join. This year 5 of those 6 appreciate the thought that went into this decision.
chose to renew their membership. We welcome you
EBB AND FLOW - MIKE DELAURENTIS
Welcome to Patrick Johnson – Nicholson’s may be inclined to host I couldn’t resist. Top down weather
SAMOA member # 200. Actually this again next year.
has arrived.
we used to have a member #200
several years ago when we had ~250 Also thanks to all of you who came Mike
members but as the tide ebbs and along on the Spill the Beans run and
f l o w s ; s o d o es me mb er s h ip . a special thanks to the Hunts for
helping me navigate. What are a
few u-turns between friends?
Former and very active SAMOANs
Marv and Connie Miller, who have
relocated to Idaho, are bringing a
group from the Les Bois (which is
French for Les Bois) Miata Club to
Nonetheless we’re happy to be back our area in June and have invited us
to 200 members and most happy to join them. See the details on our
that Patrick is it. As you can see events page.
from his Spill The Beans Run article
elsewhere in this newsletter he is a The weather has been great lately. I
great writer and good sport. Thanks don’t usually drive my Miata to
to Vi and Frank Nicholson for work but it was so beautiful the
hosting this year’s Chili contest. o t h e r m o r n i n g ( h t t p : / /
Thankfully all of you participants w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / w a t c h ?
b e h a v e d y o u r s e l v e s s o t h e v=yZldHDOCNgo&feature=related)
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SACRAMENTO AREA MIATA OWNERS ASSOCIATION
SPILL THE BEANS RUN - A NEWBIE’S
PERSPECTIVE - PATRICK JOHNSON
Within 17 days of purchasing my Galaxy Gray 08
MX-5 Miata, I had attended my first Miata Club
meeting and become a member, participated in a run
and entered my first ever chili cook-off, enjoying every
minute of all the above activities. I have discovered
that there is a relatively sharp learning curve with
regard to club rules and procedures. I was informed at
the start of the run, that as the newest member, I had
been given the honor of writing the newsletter article
describing the run. I thought it unusual, that the least
experienced person should be given this responsibility
but all the members present didn't seem at all concerned
and were quite encouraging. However, I was
not prepared to take notes in route as Mike suggested.
Without a navigator and knowledge of operating a
hand-held VHF radio, I knew that just keeping up and
not getting lost would require my undivided attention.
After each member gave a brief self-introduction and
description of their Miata, Mike provided a synopsis of
the upcoming route, stating that there would be a few
brief stops along the way to regroup.
With that
completed, sixteen beautiful Miatas departed the El
Dorado staging area for the 67 mile run. My impression
of the first segment of the run was that each successive
roadway was becoming narrower.
The notion
that, what appeared to be a single lane, one way road,
possibly a scenic loop of some sort was dispelled upon
meeting an oncoming truck and later, two equestrians.
The segment of the route with the greatest relief in
terrain was, in my experience, reminiscent of the twists
and turns of highway 152, Hecker Pass Road, between
Gilroy and Watsonville. The pit-stop at Gold Hill Olive
Oil Company was a welcome break, a chance to taste
samples and enjoy each others company and stories.
APRIL 1, 2009
From Sutter's Mill to Auburn was a route with which I
was familiar but made more enjoyable by being one in a
line of the world’s most fun cars to drive. Temperatures
varied between pleasant in sunshine to nippy when the
sun chose to hide behind a patch of opaque cloud. The
trip went smoothly with only an occasional, minor
hiccup, to be expected during any great adventure. At
one point Mike surprised us with, by example, an
innovative driving lesson.
It was an opportunity
to practice a U-turn on a relatively narrow road, by
foregoing a mundane right turn at an intersection
and returning to execute a more elaborate left turn. The
other drivers may not have appreciated this particular
exercise but I found it quite helpful and instructive.
We arrived at the chili cook-off with healthy appetites,
all safe and sound. Shortly after arriving the contest
began.
There were seven chili recipes staged
throughout Vi and Frank Nicholson’s dining room,
kitchen and family room; as well as a variety of green
salads and fruit salads; breads (including Ralph’s
beyond scrumptious recipe); and deserts. After tasting
several times the group moved outside for balloon and
card toss games. Winners were then announced:
Hottest chili…Can’t remember their names but I’m still
gulping cold water!
Best all around…Helen DeLaurentis
Most unusual…Susie and JR Hahn
Balloon contest….Wes Zicker
Card toss….Skip Noyes
I don’t think I could have chosen a better event for my
first and I look forward to my next.
Patrick Johnson (SAMOA member #200!)
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