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Porsche Friend,
Last year, the December Letter from the
Editor was a farewell to the printed version of
our club newsletter. Here we are, a year later,
this time bidding farewell to our email edition of
the Prieta Post. Next year Laurie and I will be
stepping down as Post Editors and passing the
baton.
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Post Editors
Pam Ryder & Laurie
Delimon | As we
acknowledged in our first issue, change isn't easy
and sometimes it can be next to impossible. LPR is
a club based on tradition, of which the printed
Prieta Post is perhaps the most sacred. While our
move to keep abreast of technology in the areas of
e-communications, Facebook and YouTube was greatly
appreciated by many club members, it was also a
difficult transition for others. We hope that the
groundwork laid this past year will continue in
whatever publishing format the 2013 Board of
Directors and the new Prieta Post editor select.
A change of direction doesn't
diminish LPR's tremendous accomplishments this
last year. Our 2012 Marketing Partners program was
a resounding success. We increased our advertising
revenue and our Marketing Partners valued their
increased exposure on our new website, Facebook
Page and YouTube Channel. We made communicating
with club membership effective, easy, timely and
efficient by incorporating a mid-month event
reminder and using Facebook to help get "the word
out". The email newsletter format allowed you to
easily share the Prieta Post with fellow Porsche
enthusiasts. GTGs were well attended, AX
participation grew, Tours were sold out and new
folks joined in the fun. So this is
it. It's been quite a ride. Kind of like Patterson
Pass. Lots of ups and downs, unexpected curves and
a few hazards along the way. But at the end it's a
great feeling to have navigated the road
successfully. Wishing you a happy
holiday season and all the best to you in
2013! ~ Pam
Ryder |
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The
Inside Track |
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Doug
Ryder
LPR
President
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As
this is the final edition of The Inside Track, it's time
to express my gratitude to the 2012 Board of Directors
for their dedication and support throughout the year.
Thank you all for a job well done!
To
the Committee Chairs, thank you for your hard work and
contributions to this very successful year. Without your
guidance and leadership LPR would not have sustained
such a high level of productivity and
success.
This
year was a year of change for LPR. Our new award-winning
website is a tremendous success and was recognized at
Parade as one of the top sites in the country!
Congratulations to Pam Ryder, Greg Ryder and Dave
Dunwoodie. In addition to the website, the electronic
version of the Prieta Post has been fantastic and the
writing has raised the bar significantly for style and
content. The success of this program, initiated by Ed
Tefankjian and implemented during this past year, has
achieved a remarkable financial improvement for the
club, reducing the cost of producing the Post from
nearly $11,000/year to less than $400. At the same time
ad revenues went from $3,900 in 2011 to over $8,800 this
year.
And
finally, to the vocal minority who have remained
steadfast in their criticism of the change to an
electronic version of the Post, I only ask that you step
back and assess the overall value it has brought to the
club. For some, this issue has been a dominant
undercurrent impacting the harmony of the club. It's
time to let it go and allow yourselves to move forward
into the twenty-first century by accepting the changes
mandated by the fiscal requirements of the club.
Personally,
this has been an interesting and challenging year. I've
had a lot of fun touring with our friends, learning new
things at the Tech Sessions and improving my driving
skills in Autocross. I've learned lot in this role as
your President and will take those lessons with me.
And
I mean that literally, as later next year Pam and I will
be relocating to our new home in Cameron Park, which is
about a half hour outside of Sacramento on Highway 50 as
you travel to Tahoe's South Shore.
In
closing, I want to thank you for allowing me to serve on
the Board, for your friendship and camaraderie. We will
miss you, LPR, but look forward to new friends and
experiences as time marches on.
So
dance to the music in your head and live by the creed of
Illegitimi non
carborundum.
~Doug
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It's the
People -- November 2012 Membership
Report |
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Tom
Provasi
Membership Director |
Welcome
to our new members Kay and Sandy Moeckel from Los Gatos.
There are no transfers in to report this month.
My
two years as Membership Director will be ending at the
end of December and this will be my last membership
column. It has been a pleasure serving the club in this
capacity on the Board of Directors. Les Schrieber will
be taking over the position and you will be in good
hands. Les is no stranger to the job. I will be taking
over the tech session committee job next year and will
have a full slate of events for you to enjoy. Please
come out and join us.
I
wish you all a happy holiday season and a safe and happy
New Year!
New members from PCA: 1
Transfers in:
0
Transfers out: 0
Memberships that expired October
2012: 5
Total renewals October 2012:
21
LPR Membership as of 11/01/12
Total = 513 (Primary = 295 ,
Affiliates = 218)
Respectfully Submitted,
Tom Provasi
Membership
Director
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Jan.
5 AX Steering Committee Meeting - for
details contact Larrysharp@comcast.net
Jan.
8 LPR Board Meeting
Jan. 13 Crow's Nest Brunch
GTG
Feb 10 Blackhawk Museum
Tour
For more details and sign up information
go to the Event Calendar on
our website.
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Off-Camber
Report |
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Anne
Roth
AX
Co-chair |
Wow, I
can't believe that 2012 is ending in just a few short
weeks. Seems like just a couple of weeks ago we were at
Marina battling what seemed to be a
hurricane!
Ah,
but the end of the year, it is. I want to once again
congratulate all of the 2012 Trophy Winners-job(s) well
done guys and gals!
There
are a number of tasks I wish to accomplish before I ring
in 2013, namely securing dates for the 2013 AX
Season.
With
an offering or two to the Porsche gods, I hope to have
the dates finalized and posted to LPR's calendar by the time this Post
hits your in boxes.
It
is also time to start assembling the 2013 AX Team. I
know that Larry will be returning as co-chair and I am
hoping the rest of the Team will hitch up again, as
well. We can never have too many team members, so if you
are interested, please contact me.
The
last, but by no means the least, of my tasks is to
secure trailer transport to the AXes! You have all heard
it before and I am going to say it again:
If we can't get the timing trailer
to Marina on AX day, there will be no AX!
The
kind, generous, good people at Borelli Motorsports allow
our trailer to live on their property, with great
security, 24/7 accessibility and very convenient to the
freeway. If you or anybody you know would be interested
in towing the trailer in 2013, please, please contact
me. You don't have to commit to the whole season! A
one-time or two-time commitment is a huge
help...please...pretty please?
Do
I need to use a batch of brownies as a
bribe??
See
ya in 2013!!
Anne
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2012
is drawing to a close and it was great spending time
with many of you at Paolo's.
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Larry Sharp
AX
Co-Chair |
We are
going to start off 2013 by having LPR's very first
'steering' meeting. If you have any ideas on how to
improve the AX series, please come by and let us hear
them. The meeting is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Saturday,
January 5th at LeMans Karting in Fremont at 45957
Hotchkiss St.Feel free to contact me for details. Larrysharp@comcast.net.
You may
have heard that I recently returned from Las Vegas where
I participated in a Porsche North America event called
"Code of the Curve". I must admit that my head is still
spinning.
About 45 Cayman owners were invited to a
speed competition at Las Vegas Speedway. The basics were
that everyone competed in a braking exercise and a
slalom. The top 3 from each exercise went to the final
which was one practice lap and one timed lap around the
infield road course of the speedway. The three fastest
times continue on to a second event that will be in
February sometime. The second event will be different in
that the three PCA drivers will each be teamed with a
pro driver and a celebrity driver. Both of these events
will be combined to create a Speed Channel TV show.
Footage will also be used in Porsche New Cayman
commercials. It was an incredible experience that I will
detail in the next edition of the Prieta Post.
~
Larry
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Back by Popular Demand -
Crow's Nest Brunch
GTG |
Crow's Nest Tour &
Brunch
When: Sunday,
January 13, 2013
Where: 10:00 AM
Driver's Meeting at Hobee's in Los
Gatos
10:30 AM Depart for the Crow's Nest in Santa
Cruz Menu: Choose
your entree from the 2 course Harbor Lunch Banquet Menu.
Click here to see the
lunch menu
choices. ContactLes for
more details on selecting your lunch
entree. Cost: $19.95 per person
plus tax &
tip
===> No Host Bar - you buy your own
<=== This tour has a 60
person limit so reserve your spot today! The
deadline to sign up is
01/05/13. RSVP to Les
Schreiber les996@me.com
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Contributed by Kevin Bennett
When
we arrived at the home of Jennifer and Jim Bryant on
Saturday, October 20, Debbie and I politely knocked at
the door and waited for admittance. It turned out that
Bill & Emilie Highley, Nancy Bishop & Paul
Seidel along with Tony & Kris Vanacore had already
arrived, and the party was already on high beams. Since
no one was paying any serious attention to the door,
falling back on my well-honed Goodtimer survival skills,
I did what any self-respecting club member would do and
just walked in.
Just inside the door we encountered
two trees. One was an inflatable palm tree complete with
inflatable monkey (do they have monkeys in Hawaii?) and
the other was a non-inflatable hat tree festooned
with... wait for it... leis! The Bennett Party
Paraphernalia Larder had already been raided, thus when
we arrived we were not only already lei'ed but Debbie
was replete with grass skirt and coconut shell bra. So
we bypassed the lei tree, clearly intended to add to the
evening's sartorial splendor, were greeted immediately
with smiles and hugs from all and then led into Bryant
Party Central.
Jim
Bryant started me off by handing me a little alcoholic
hand grenade and saying, "Mai Tai?" I, who am somewhat
averse to booze, responded, "This is my Tai?" Jim
retorted, resignedly, "Yes, Kevin, that is your Tai."
Hosts have to put up with so much from their
guests...
As
I sipped at my drink I wandered into the Bryant's
sunroom and staked out a corner chair. The  appetizers were on display here
and I of course helped myself to the bounty. In my
opinion, the highlight of the appetizer leg of this
gustatory triathlon was the arrival of Peter Ridgway and
Jacqueline Shanafelt, bearers of a dish of raw Ahi
chunks marinated in soy sauce, onions and other
delicious stuff. It didn't last long and rightfully so.
As I partook of these initial comestibles I, once again,
was reminded of Tony Vanacore's iconic tale of his
mother advising, "Don't eat too much, we're going to be
eating soon."
Tony
V. elected to keep me company and he and I commiserated
with each other about how difficult it has been trying
to keep the weight off. I think he has by far the
greater challenge working at Google with all of the free
gourmet cafes that he has to spurn on their campus. I
don't think I could succeed at that daily challenge
either.
 Jen made that fateful (plate
full?) announcement about more food and the gang lined
up for a wonderful meal comprised of loin of pork
(cooked to perfection!), spinach salad, mashed sweet
potatoes with pecans, green beans with bacon, and rice
(with or without Spam). The pork had a light marinade
and was not only wonderful, but plentiful. I went back
for a second hit of the pork, the sweet potatoes and
even the Spam rice. The entire meal was well conceived,
well received and well... terrific!
After
the second leg of the triathlon, Emilie Highley convened
the customary membership meeting. The Bryants were given
a host's gift that included a fresh pineapple. The ever
helpful Tony V. volunteered that the fruit was from the
Komeoniwannalayou pineapple plantation and was presented
by Queen Kopafeelie. (I swear, that man should be in
politics as he has input on everything.)
J&J
then presented an entertainment composed of picking out
the Hawaiian State fish, flower and bird from the dozens
of pictures that were presented in three stages. I have
to admit that I did not participate in this activity as
I was talking to Mike Zampiceni during the whole affair.
I already knew however that the state fish was the
humuhumunukunukuapua'a. I'm pretty confident that I
would have ID'd the picture as I've see the fish before
and the Bryants also have a plastic refrigerator magnet
of one in their kitchen (sometimes it pays to be
observant). I'd have had to just guess at the others, as
I am sure most of the participants did. The
ever-unflappable Tony Vanacore took home the prize on
this event by getting two out of three correct.
Meanwhile,
I was deep in the aforementioned confab with Mr. Z in
which it was revealed that he had done a recap of his
car ownership over the years and he reckoned that he had
bought and sold 130 cars. That's a lot of cars. He said
that he did 50 in just one ten-year period. A lot of
them were BMWs, but we won't hold that against him. He
wistfully wished that he had some of that money back and
noted that the Internet and Craig's list had been his
undoing. Being a relatively frugal guy, I told him that
I could empathize with him about the money, but at least
he had the memories of indulging his fascination with
cars and, as I get older, I'm placing a lot of stock in
memories. So, good luck, Mike, with your quest for the
perfect vehicle, and for those reading this, the next
time you're at the DMV and you see the Mike Zampiceni
Honorary Express Line, you'll have the inside
story.
After
the Hawaii trivia game, an award was given for the best
costume which was won by my significant other, Debbie
Bennett. She stated that she was going to be happy to
get home and remove the coconut shells because every
male in the room had given them a knock or
two.
Desserts
were rolled out to complete the triathlon and once
again, there was plenty for all. Another trip through
another food line... life is good!
I
chatted with Vince Vincent who, barring some unforeseen
turn of events, will be our president next year. We
talked a little about business and a little about club
business. He seems pretty motivated and has a lot of
plans for next year. It's nice to see such enthusiasm...
it's almost infectious. Almost.
The
party started at 5 and by 9 was starting to break up.
Debbie was caught up in the tide and started to say
goodbyes and instructed me to do the same, but I
identified with Jim Bryant who was vocally chagrined
that this wonderful affair was going to break up so
early. The Bryants are from eastern Canada and Sue
Sickal volunteered to Jim that it was midnight in
Toronto, but he would have none of it. So I dug in my
heels and got Debbie to further endure her coconut
shells by staying until near ten-thirty. The party had
shrunk to a mere 8 peeps by then, all standing in the
kitchen and it was much more vociferous and therefore
much louder as everyone struggled to be heard standing
amid all of the hard surfaces.
The
Sickals were collecting coats for a charitable donation,
and after goodbye hugs that had been repeated several
times over the last hour, we finally bid the Bryants
aloha, carted bags of coats out to the Sickal's car and
then toddled our way home.
Exuberant
thanks from the Bennetts and on behalf of LPR to Jim and
Jennifer for their gracious and conscientious endeavor
in pulling off such a wonderful event. I am officially
nominating them for the Mount Rushmore of Goodtime
hosts. You are both a treasure to us and the
club.
To see more photos of the Bryant's Hawaiian
GTG,
click on the Flickr icon below.
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Making a
Difference |
Contributed by June Iles
The
Charity Event this year was very different from previous
years and so very worthwhile. Karen Tefankjian suggested
to Sue Sickal, our very capable Charity Chair, that it
would be great if we did something for people in need at
the San Jose Family Shelter.
Family
Supportive Housing provides a full spectrum of
services to hundreds of people for whom overcoming
poverty, hunger, and homelessness is a daily struggle.
Their programs address the needs of the whole family,
including interim supportive housing, childcare, life
skills classes, transitional housing and supportive
services for families in permanent housing.
With
LPR volunteers supplying food, cooking and serving it
was such an experience for all of us, and one we would
like to repeat, as it was so rewarding. Planning the
food was quite a big job, but Sue took this on with
great enthusiasm. 
The
Mitchells were first to arrive and had all the pots and
pans out ready. Our first instruction from Cristi Moyer
Kelley, - the Volunteer Coordinator for the San Jose
Shelter, was that we all had to wear hair nets, both men
and women, also plastic gloves. I can't say we
looked a very glamorous crew, but we were all willing to
work to feed the hungry people.
Ed
Tefankjian cooked the noodles, while Steve Mitchell put
together the great sauces. Karen Tefankjian, Jackie
Mitchell and Angie Reed were servers to much
appreciative people - (one guy had four helpings.) Bill
Highley and Ken Iles were in charge of heating and
cutting into slices a mountain of garlic bread. The best
dish washer-upper was Kathy Musser, she always seemed to
be up to her elbows in soap suds.
John
Reed was busy taking photos of us at work. Unfortunately
he was not allowed to take photos of the many children
whose faces were full of icing from the cup cakes
supplied by Karen and Bob Morgan and Angie and John
Reed.
All
hands were on deck for the preparation of the salads
etc.  Sue was very much the
overseer.
She
is so organized and has spent many hours
putting things together and shopping for this event. It
was great too that Karen and Bob Morgan, Mary and Dick
Wallace, and Sandy Provasi, though not present, had put
time and effort into making sauces and supplying
food.
One
thing we learned was that we had over-bought on the
salads, and soon realized that salads were not
children's favorite things.
We
served around 60 residents of the San Jose Family
Shelter a dinner of spaghetti, meatballs, garlic bread,
salad and cupcakes. We heard from so many of the
residents that they really enjoyed the meal and truly
appreciated us coming down and making dinner. Also, all
of us while working talked about the next time
we should schedule another similar event. It was a
great time and was a huge success!
I
think this was one of the most rewarding things that LPR
has done. We all went home with smiles on our faces
knowing we had made a difference.
Below
are the contributions made by LPR members:
Jackie
Mitchell - sauce & salad dressing
Karen
& Bob Morgan - sauce & cupcakes
Mary
Wallace - sauce, bread & parmesan cheese
Karen
T - sauce & bread
Sandy
Provasi - sauce
Kathy
Musser - bread
Ken
& June Iles- bread
John
& Angie Reed - cupcakes
Sue
& Greg Sickal - noodles, meatballs, salad &
fixings
Vince
Vincent - donated to help defray the food
cost
Bob
& Karen Morgan, Sandy Provasi & Mary Wallace
also volunteered to come to the shelter and help, but we
had more than enough volunteers.
Sacred
Heart Community Service
Then
on the very next day, Sue and Greg Sickal, John and
Angie Reed and Ken and June Iles delivered over 20 bags
of coats, blankets, hats, gloves, toiletries, etc.
for our October Coat Drive to Sacred Heart Community
Service in San Jose. These were all donated at the
recent Hawaiian night party at Jim and Jennifer Bryant's
house. 
It
was great to see so many people helping at the site, and
the number of cars continuously driving up with many
contributions.
To see
photo albums of both events,
click on
the Flickr icon below:
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Blackhawk Museum
Tour |
Join your fellow Porsche enthusiasts on Sunday
02/10/13 for a spirited drive along the Niles ![]() Canyon and Mount Diablo back roads to
the Blackhawk Museum for a tour
of its amazing car collection. There will be some choice
driving roads, some magnificent cars and, of course, a
lunch stop along the way. No Host Lunch
TBD.
Tour Fee: $5.00 per car.
To register for this tour, please email Les
Schreiber at les996@me.com.
The deadline to sign
up is 02/04/13.
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LPR's
Gala 2012 Awards
Banquet |
Paolo's
was the perfect venue for LPR's Annual Awards Banquet.
Downtown San Jose was aglow in
holiday lights giving the evening a celebratory feel as
more than 80 LPR members, dressed in their finest, came
to enjoy an evening filled with friends and
food. Our
Vice Presidents, Emile Highley and Kris Vanacore did a
magnificent job of planning LPR's most elegant and
well-attended event of the year.
After a spirited social hour, the group
settled down to enjoy Paolo's award-winning
cuisine. Add a raffle over-flowing with prizes
from our generous marketing partners, witty banter
from our MC Tony Vanacore and some great
tunes, and the evening just flew by.
But before the night was through, it
 was time to honor a
few guests with some very special awards.
Newcomer of the Year ~ Larry
Sharp
Larry has been a dual member with LPR
on and off for more than 20 years, but in 2012 made LPR
his primary region. This year he joined the AX Team as
Co-Chair and hosted the fantastic Death Valley Tour.
Next year we welcome Larry to the LPR Board of Directors
as Member-at-Large.
Harry Reed Memorial Worker of the
Year Award ~ Laurie Delimon and Pam Ryder
Combining their creative juices and
marketing expertise, these two professionals spent
incalculable hours redesigning the Prieta Post into an
electronic format. They introduced the popular mid-month
event reminder to keep our membership informed of
all upcoming LPR events and maintain the LPR Facebook
page
Jim Kershaw Memorial Award for
One-Day Tour of the Year:
A Day at Martin Ranch ~ Kris and Tony
Vanacore
This ever-popular tour took honors
again this year! The tour began with a fabulous drive
through the beautiful back roads of Santa Clara County
towards Morgan Hill. The Vanacores arranged for a stop
at funky Satori Winery for appetizers and tastings
before we headed to lunch at the Trail Dust for some of
the best BBQ around!
 Jim Kershaw Memorial Award for
Multi-Day Tour of the Year:
Bass Lake III ~ The Orlandos and The
Ryders
The Bass Lake tour is always a club
favorite. Stops for this year's tour included lunch at
the historic Jeffrey Hotel in Oakhurst and a tour of
Grace Note Chimes in Mariposa. Our destination was The
Pines Resort on Bass Lake where we enjoyed a sunset
cruise on the lake followed by a fabulous dinner at
Ducey's overlooking the water.
Event of the Year (GTG) Trains, (No
Planes) and Automobiles Steam Train Dinner Party at
Roaring Camp ~ Anne Roth
Anne put her event-planning expertise
to work to make this a new, standout event for LPR. The
evening kicked-off with a Porsche Parade into the park
with special Concours-style parking. After enjoying a
BBQ dinner while being serenaded by live country music,
we boarded a steam-powered train for a ride though the
moonlit Santa Cruz Mountains. Upon on our return, the
group enjoyed apple pie and roasted marshmallows, and
then had the opportunity to work it off with a little
line dancing.
Special Event of the Year: Autocross
Series ~ Anne Roth and Larry Sharp
What can you say about LPR's AX season?
430 drivers, 87 runs, 4700 laps/runs, 4.30 miles of
course designs, 2512.60 miles driven, 172 DNFs and 788
cones hit to begin with! AX enthusiasts come from PCA
regions throughout the area to enjoy Anne and Larry's
superbly organized races, which maximize driver track
time.
Ken Iles Driving Award ~ Anne
Roth
This award is given to the LPR member
who best exemplifies the competitive spirit demonstrated
by Ken Iles when he was an active autocrosser and honors
involvement and commitment to our club. Anne gave her
all to LPR this year. She co-chairs our successful
autocross series, hosted an award-winning event at
Roaring Camp Railroad, spearheaded "Cones for Charity",
ran our Autocross Ground School, participated in the
Marketing Committee, wrote a monthly column for the
Prieta Post and assisted the club in using
Motorsportsreg.com for social events.
Kathy Reed Memorial Enthusiast Woman
of the Year Award~ Pam Ryder
Pam took on the task of re-designing
and launching LPR's website which earned a National
Award from Porsche Parade this year. She is the
co-editor of the Prieta Post and helped launch LPR on
social media including Facebook and YouTube.
Enthusiast Man of the Year Award ~
Doug
Ryder
You may not recall seeing Doug on the
ballot but our membership gave him a huge nod of
appreciation with their votes as a winning write-in
candidate. AX Chair Anne Roth calls Doug a true
"Porschephile" who has enthusiastically embraced any and
all tasks that LPR put before him. In 2012 Doug has:
towed the trailer to AX; spent many an hour refinishing
the fenders and wheels of the timing trailer; has
developed wonderful relationships with our advertising
partners; hosted a tour; attended 99.9% of all LPR
events and provided strong and fair leadership in his
role as President.
President Awards ~ Emilie Highley
& Kris Vanacore and Laurie Delimon & Pam
Ryder
This year, the President's Awards went
to two hard-working teams. Doug honored Emilie and Kris
for being a fantastic VP team and guiding him along the
way. Laurie and Pam, our Prieta Post Co-Editors, were
also honored for "bringing their work home" by
contributing their professional marketing skills to
LPR.
Autocross Awards
Anne and Larry, our AX Co-Chairs
presented the 2012 AX Awards to this fantastic group of
drivers. To see the full list of AX Award Winners
click on the link below:
2012 Autocross Award Winners
As the evening ended it was time to
thank the 2012 Board of Directors for their hard work
and accomplishments this year and welcome the 2013
Board.
2012
Board of Directors:
President, Doug Ryder
Vice Presidents, Emilie Highley
& Kris Vanacore,
Treasurer, George
Jansen
Secretary, Leslie Orlando
Activities Director, John Reed
Membership Director, Tom
Provasi
Member-at-Large, Jackie
Mitchell
 2013
Board of Directors:
President,
Vince Vincent
Vice
President, Jackie Mitchell
Treasurer,
Johnny Musser
Secretary,
Kristina Vincent
Activities,
Directors John Reed
Membership
Director, Les Schreiber
Member-at-Large,
Larry Sharp
To
see the event photo album,
click
on the Flickr icon below:
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Year-End Thanks &
Kudos
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As
the year comes to a close, we would like to thank all
the great LPR members who have contributed articles,
columns and photos to the Prieta Post. From the articles
highlighting tours and social gatherings to the monthly
columns submitted by our various committee chairs, the
Prieta Post showcases the vast array of activities our
club offers.
A special
thanks is extended to John Reed who
attends every event his schedule will allow to take
photos, which he generously shares on our Flickr
feed.
Readers
this year enjoyed a very special new monthly column,
Porsche Personen, which was the brainchild of
Don Orlando. Lucky for us, Don was
willing to jump in and take on the job! Thanks so much
Don!
Last,
but certainly not least, a heartfelt thank you to our
marketing partners. Your support of the Prieta Post, and
your generosity in hosting Tech Sessions, donating
raffle prizes, and saying, "Yes!" to just about any
request is what makes you and your businesses so
special.
Thanks
to: Borelli Motor Sports, Porsche of Fremont,
Bodystyle by Cecil Beach, Bascom Trim & Upholstery,
Don's Autowerks, Dings and Dents, AJ Auto Detailing,
Mobile Works West, Custom Alignment, Parts Heaven,
Graff-Haus and Dell Auto
Group. |
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Porsche
Personen
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This year, Don Orlando has chosen some
great members to profile in his column Porsche Personen.
But we thought at the end of this year, it would be
appropriate for our readers to get to know Don, and his
wife Leslie: tour leaders extraordinaire, passionate
drivers, and some of the nicest people you will ever
know!
Porsche Personen Presents
Leslie and Don Orlando
Porsche
Ownership History
Leslie
and I picked up our first Porsche from Carlsen Porsche
on a beautiful and sunny afternoon. We bought the'77 ice
metallic green 911S w/tan interior and sport seats on
site. We were headed home on Hwy 85 south when I looked
over to Leslie and said "Seems a shame to park it so
soon..." She smiled and enthusiastically agreed, so we
were off to dinner at the Crow's Nest in Santa Cruz.
This was our first of many great drives in our very
first 911 and the beginning of a great love for
Porsches.
Since
then, we've owned a Slate Blue '83 928S (a great touring
car and our only non-911) and three Carrera Cabriolets:
a Venetian Blue '87, a stunning midnight metallic blue
'92 I first saw on the showroom floor at Anderson Behel
Porsche and our current and favorite car, a nicely
equipped black '97 (993) w/sport seats, rear-seat
delete, carbon fiber goodies, M030 (ROW) sport
suspension, special Boxster Red leather interior,
etc.
Our first
event was the club's 25th Anniversary celebration at
Silver Creek C.C. and then a single autocross in our new
'92 cabriolet -- we had a blast and even won my class.
But we weren't active until our two daughters grew up -
as usual, family life was our primary focus.
Now, Lauren and Lindsay like to join us for the
occasional tour, so it won't be too long before they are
active members themselves. No big surprise, they've both
laid claim to our 993, so we'll
see.
Our first
tour, led by John Reed (in '03?) to the James Lick
Observatory and then down the backside into Livermore,
made us realized all the great Porsche fun we were
missing. Nice people, driving cool cars (with a bit of
spirit) on great roads - does it get any better? Since
then we've been on countless tours (even led a few),
attended a slew of great events and GTG's and made
countless great friends. It was while we were on a tour
to Jamestown that I found myself getting more involved
with the club - John Reed shanghaied me! We had walked
to a cool, old, country saloon where I bought him his
very first, and second, Long Island Iced Tea. He took
advantage of my condition and volunteered me to be the
Tour Director. And, admittedly, I'm glad he did.
Leslie
has put in some time too. In addition to helping out
with our tours, she is currently on the board as the
club's Secretary.
Finally,
and at the risk of getting ribbed by you macho dudes,
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention our aptly named cats.
I was driving my 911 when I picked up our first kitten
(A cool looking Abyssinian [Abby] and a surprise for
Leslie.) in Inverness, on the coast north of San
Francisco. The little guy truly seemed to enjoy the
windy roads as he insisted on riding on my shoulders. So
much so, he picked up the name Porsche, and so it began.
He was followed by Speedster, another cool Abby that,
unfortunately, wasn't quick enough to avoid a passing
car. Our current residents are Carrera, the most
affectionate Maine Coon you'll ever meet, and Turbo.
He's fast and he's cool - and he thinks so too. A
special mention to our first Maine Coon, Boots, who was
the best cat on the planet, she lived with us for 19
years.
Favorite
Driving Roads
- Carmel south on Hwy 1; mid-week after Labor Day,
sunny day w/top down - sweet!
- Hwy 25 south from Hollister -- any day. Kids, this
an "E" ticket ride!
- Joining friends for a spirited drive to
breakfast/lunch at Alice's. From Saratoga, up Big
Basin Way to Skyline then back down Woodside. The ride
home might include an optional excursion up/down
Alpine Rd
- All of the great roads we experience on LPR tours
while listening to the sweet roar of Porsches.
A
Driving Story
Back in
'96 we were fortunate enough to have a private tour of
the factory in Stuttgart. Paul Lang of Anderson Behel
arranged it, with the gracious assistance of his son
Olaf who worked as a marketing manager at the
factory.
Olaf
began our tour with a visit to the Porsche Museum (the
old, small one, not the large, modern one). We saw some
of the racing world's true legends and I have to say it
felt pretty cool to stand amongst the cars that had
dominated so many racing venues of the past 30+ years.
Think LeMans, Targa Florio, Mille Miglia, Daytona,
etc.
We
visited the customer delivery building which was bathed
in natural light from its glass ceiling. On the floor
was a wide assortment of 993's (Oh Yea!), from mild to
wild, including some pretty outrageous stuff being
shipped to the sheiks in the Middle East. Can you
imagine your door lock plungers and air vent blades
wrapped in leather!?
The tour
included the Exclusive Shop where money can buy you just
about anything, the original engine test shop where all
factory race engines were tested, the production floor,
and the parking lot where the finished cars were being
prepared for shipment.
Towards
the end of our tour, we were walking through the private
garage when Olaf pointed out Dr. Porsche's personal 959.
He offered to uncover it so Leslie could snap a quick
picture of me with the car. Yes, that is me standing
next to "The Man's" personal (pearlescent white) 959!
Can you imagine what that car is worth?! 
The
Nurburgring - The Green Hell! 13 miles and 120+ turns of
the most demanding purpose-built racetrack in the world.
You've heard of it and I'm telling you, you should drive
it. Unlike so many of you lucky turds, I had never been
on a race track. The lack of a roll-bar prevents me from
enjoying a serious DE day at Laguna Seca or just about
anywhere else. However, at the Ring, you drive what you
bring. And we brought a rental VW Golf, complete with a
bunch of luggage and a less-than-enthusiastic co-pilot!
Did I mention that I have a cool wife? She's a
saint.
Fortunately,
it was a rainy day so things can still get pretty
exciting in a VW Golf...It was a rainy day. We
paid our 16 Deutsch marks (around $20 bucks at the time)
and got in line. To my surprise, we had a couple family
sedans and a bus full of tourists in line ahead of us.
There was a short delay between starting times -
probably 15 seconds or so. When we got the green start
light we were off like a rifle shot, okay, maybe not a
shot. But once we got going, I was determined we'd have
our hair on fire - rain and all.
In no
time we passed the cars ahead of us and blew past the
bus. We attacked The Green Hell with everything our
little Golf and I could muster. With the wipers flying
and Leslie screaming, we were jamming. All was good
until we came smoking over a slight crest only to find
the track doglegged left and worse, was off-camber! As
we came closer and closer to the edge of the track (on
Leslie's side) I'll never forget Leslie saying, not so
calmly, "Oh shit, oh shit!" I knew if we hit the run-off
(wet grass), we were going into the rail so I was
thinking to myself "Oh shit, oh shit!" but hoping I
could keep the car on the track. We did and continued on
our way - pedal to the metal. By the time we finished
that ONE lap, my heart was pounding, the brakes were
smoking and the car was ticking. Leslie was relieved and
politely declined when I suggested another lap. This
place is a beast and a thrill of a lifetime! Go do it
before some knucklehead closes it down.
(Note:
There is something like 10 or 12 deaths a year on the
Ring, so beware.)
Favorite
Club Activities
I think
Leslie would agree, tours are at the top of our list.
Where else do you have an opportunity to enjoy the
pleasure of driving the world's finest sports cars while
visiting new and old destinations in the company of a
great group of people? The rallyes and Funkhanas are a
blast as are the club's great variety of GTG's. And, I
know everyone has a blast AXing, so we're looking
forward to ripping it up on the course next year.
A
Good Ticket Story
Hard to
believe, while in my youth, I had a tendency towards
driving a bit too briskly. Thankfully, driving school
was a viable and inexpensive way to keep tickets off of
your record. I do in fact have a number of advance
degrees in driving school!
However,
my worst ticket was more like a worse weekend. It
involved three different CHP officers and the beginning
of the use of radar. It's a great story though, so make
sure to ask me about it next time we meet.
I have
since slowed a bit and wisely, bought a radar detector.
Incidentally, Leslie was so surprised when the DMV
renewed my license automatically - three times (12+
years) that she commented "It must be a computer
error."
As you
all know, it's extremely difficult to drive a Porsche
slowly.
Any
Last Thoughts
Thanks
for reading our story, I hoped you smiled and/or laughed
at least once. For those of you that know us, thanks for
trudging through yet another of my stories. If you don't
know us, please look us up at an LPR event and join us
for a glass of wine. We'll talk cars, families or just
about anything. At a minimum, check out the club and its
many activities, I guarantee you won't regret it.
We hope
to see soon.
Don
& Leslie
To see more photos of Don &
Leslie,
click on the Flickr icon below.
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What
Kind of Porsche Owner are You?
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We
finish the year with the iconic Porsche owner, the
Purist.
The
Porsche Purist
This
is the guy that would make Dr. Porsche proud. He owns
any model of Porsche. First and foremost, the Purist
knows that Porsches are made to be driven. His car is
clean and well maintained and may have been mildly
modified with upgrades such as tires, wheels, a raspy
exhaust system, etc. He's owned this car for a while and
he drives it regularly. His car will inevitably show the
wear and tear of being a daily driver. It means that
this car will probably never win a Concours. But, over
the years, his car will begin to acquire a well-worn
patina, similar to the kind that you would find on that
jack knife that your grandfather carried around in his
pocket for 40 years. Unless you are also a Purist, he is
having more fun with his Porsche than you are - no
matter what you are doing with yours.
~Author
Unknown |
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Unclassified Ads |
2001 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Seal
Gray Cabriolet
$26,000
LOW
MILEAGE- 69948.  Equipped with a
removable hard top, fully automatic power convertible
soft top. power windows and doors, 60k service recently
performed and included new spark plugs, cabin air
filter, oil change/filter, new drive-belt and fuel
filter.
Call Les Schreiber at 408-316-8654 or email less996@me.com.
Unclassified ads
are available at no charge to PCA members. For inclusion
in the next issue of the Prieta Post, ad copy and photos
must be submitted to mailto:prietapost@gmail.com?subject=Unclassified%20Ad no
later than the 25th of the month. Ads must
be resubmitted each month to be included and will
run on a space available basis for a maximum of 3
months. Non-member fee is $10.00 per month per ad and is
due in advance. Checks should be made out to LPR/PCA and
sent to Loma Prieta Region PCA, PO Box 0705, Santa
Clara, CA
95052. |
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