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Welcome to der Riesenbaum, the official newsletter of the Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region, encompassing Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma Counties. This publication is intended to inform Club members about Club activities and other related matters of interest. The opinions expressed in der Riesenbaum are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region, its officers, or its members.
Written contributions and photos are welcome and should be emailed to the editor. The submission deadline for publication in der Riesenbaum is the 15th day of the month preceding the month of publication. Material received after the deadline will be considered for publication the following month. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all material submitted for publication.
All written content and images in this publication are protected by copyright. Permission is granted to reprint any original content herein provided credit is given to the author, to der Riesenbaum, and to the Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region.
Click here to visit us on the web or here to visit our Facebook page.
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President's Message
|  by Greg Maissen, Redwood Region President
Here we are at the end of the year, and what a year it has been. I've been reflecting on some of the events that made 2011 so memorable.
If we were not busy filling up on one of our "infamous" Breakfast Runs, we were out having a fantastic time on one of our many driving tours. The Hole in the Wall Gang Tour, for example, found us traveling some of the most picturesque roads in Lake County on our way to a final destination of great food and just plain fun. This is just one of many interesting tours we did in 2011.
If touring in your Porsche was not in your plans, we had events like Porsches on the Plaza, in the town square in the City of Sonoma: a day of lounging about, exchanging stories of days past, and enjoying a wonderful showing of some great examples of our favorite cars.
Rennsport Reunion IV found many of us at Laguna Seca Raceway, experiencing enough historic Porsches and drivers to keep our Porsche needs satisfied over the winter!
Our Annual Members' Meeting had an excellent turnout and provided the Region with some great input from our members, not to mention traveling some beautiful roads and enjoying a great lunch in a historic setting.
Deven Wailes and the Hi Tec Automotive crew put on a very informative tech session at their shop in San Rafael. The suspension segment presented by Chuck Moreland of Elephant Racing surely pushed many of us over the edge to do that upgrade for upcoming autocrosses and track days.
And finally, we just had our Annual Holiday Party at Seghesio Winery in Healdsburg. Everyone had a fantastic time, with exquisite dinning, live music, dancing, and more door prizes than ever before. You may be interested to know that the extra door prizes that we did not have time to give away at the party might find their way to some other events next year. Here is a hint: wear your name badge at every event and you may win something!
Given that these were just a handful of the many events we did this year, you may be asking yourself how we top that? Simple. Since a lot of this year's events were suggested by members, I am confident that we will have excellent input once again for 2012.
And how can members submit their ideas, you might ask?
We will be having our annual Calendar Planning Meeting on January 17, 2012. This annual gathering is when we plan all of the events for the year, so please be sure to attend or be certain to give your ideas to anyone on the Board of Directors. We also keep dates open throughout the year, so if you come up with something later on, please let us know.
On the subject of the New Year, I would like to welcome the 2012 Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region Executive Council:
President Vern Rogers
Vice President Chris Harrell
Secretary Mike Hinton
Treasurer Jerry Gladstone
I am very pleased and excited to see the Club continue to evolve into a vibrant and enthusiastic Region. With our incoming President, Vice President, and Secretary, and our longstanding Treasurer, we could not be starting off the New Year any better.
Happy New Year and I will see you at the next event.
Greg
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Upcoming Events
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January 2012
Click here to view the full 2012 Redwood Region calendar online. The 2012 calendar will be finalized at the January Calendar Planning Meeting.
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From the Editor
|  by Chris Harrell, der Riesenbaum Editor
It's hard to believe that 2011 is about to come to an end. In a year in which Redwood Region hosted over 30 events, there was plenty of action to keep even us hardcore Porsche enthusiasts busy. For me, 2011 was a year of firsts: my first autocross, my first PCA Escape, and my first Rennsport Reunion.
While I enjoyed all of these events (as well as many others) very much, I would have to say that Rennsport Reunion IV stands out for me as the highlight of the year. Beyond just gawking at the unabridged physical manifestation of Porsche's entire racing lineage, RRIV brought me a profound sense of "Porsche community" with everyone else in attendance. From packed parking corrals to legions of Porsche loyalists wandering the paddock in search of the perfect photograph, RRIV pulled everything together in a way that made a massive event feel very intimate and personal. It exceeded my expectations in every way.
In the November issue of der Riesenbaum, I shared a quick story about my own RRIV experience and invited others to share their stories as well. As you will see in this issue, your fellow members did not disappoint, as we have featured several member stories related to RRIV. Thanks to everyone who shared their story!
Before I sign off for 2011, I want to thank everyone who contributed to der Riesenbaum this year, including the Newsletter Committee of Barbara McCrory, Mike Hinton, Scott Downie, and Vern Rogers. I am very proud of what we have accomplished together, and I am looking forward to an even better 2012.
Happy Holidays, everyone.
CH
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Election Results: Redwood Region Officers for 2012
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Congratulations to our 2012 Redwood Region Officers!
Election ballots were cast by postal mail. As of the December 8, 2011 voting deadline, the official tally was 60 member votes and 37 Family/Affiliate votes for a total of 97 votes. All 97 votes were cast for the submitted slate; there were no write-ins.
The Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region Executive Council members for 2012 are:
President: Vern Rogers
Vice President: Chris Harrell
Treasurer: Jerry Gladstone
Secretary: Mike Hinton
Immediate Past President: Greg Maissen
Thanks to all of you who voted!
David Bunch, Secretary
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2011 Holiday Party
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On Saturday, December 10, seventy Redwood Region members attended the Holiday Party at Seghesio Family Vineyards in Healdsburg. President Greg Maissen greeted the guests in Seghesio's tasting room, where the friendly staff served 4 wines for tasting.
Dinner was served efficiently and all guests were eating at the same time. The Redwood Room was delightful, with lots of space between the tables, and the food was delicious; a guest said that a steak knife was unnecessary because you could cut the Filet Mignon with a fork. Seghesio furnished all the wines, including two that were served with dinner. Dessert was accompanied by a slide show of pictures from 2011 events, tastefully assembled by Bob Schoenherr.
David Bunch announced the winners of the election for 2012 Officers, then outgoing President Greg Maissen pulled numbers out of a hat to rattle-off door prizes acquired by recently-appointed Advertising Director Simone Kopitzki.
Anita Benzing was responsible for choosing the band, Schindig, from Willits. The music was great for listening as well as dancing; many guests were still dancing until the very end. Schindig also provided background music during the wine tasting. Everyone had a great time, including the staff at Seghesio. Many guests took advantage of the deal at the Dry Creek Inn for an overnight stay. It was up to Porsche Club standards and included breakfast.
The venue for our 2012 Holiday Party will be a topic of discussion at our upcoming Calendar Planning Meeting.
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Announcements |
2012 Calendar Planning Meeting
The Redwood Region's annual Calendar Planning Meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, January 17, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. If you have an idea for an interesting event or would like to be involved in scheduling Club activities for 2012, you are welcome to attend this meeting. We hope to see you there!
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Member Survey |
As we mentioned in the November issue, the Redwood Region Board of Directors is always looking for member input. We have created a preliminary survey to learn more about member interests and events in which members would like to participate in 2012. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey, which we have carried over from November, at the link below. Thank you for sharing your feedback and ideas. We hope to see you at our Annual Calendar Planning Meeting on January 17!
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Porsche Club of America 912 and 912E Register |
The overall goal of the PCA 912/912E Register is to involve as many 912 and 912E enthusiasts as possible in the many activities offered in PCA regions and zones.
For news from PCA regions, factory news, videos, and various information and articles that you can receive via
Internet and smartphone app, we now have a 912 & 912E Register page on Facebook. To access it, first log into your Facebook account, then visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/912-912ERegister-Porsche-Club-of-America/259276414106874
We also have a 912 & 912E Register page within the PCA website. Please visit http://912register.pca.org.
Previous owners are very welcome too; many current owners are interested to learn the early history of their
car from the original owner.
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December Feature: Rennsport Reunion IV Member Stories |
Redwood Region Member Mike Burns:
I was lucky enough a few years ago to attend the Rennsport Reunion in Daytona and felt nothing could top that experience. How wrong I was! The past few years, there was talk of trying to get the event to Laguna Seca, and just as some had given up it was announced that it was indeed headed our way. All I needed was the date and I was headed to the track.
Panorama let us know that PCA would be participating and assisting...all in our backyard! I knew I would be in for 4 days, so why not volunteer and give something back to the club? I also took a chance and submitted an application to enter my car in the 911 Display. The committee selected my car, so I was off and running on Thursday in full sun for the drive to Laguna.
I arrived around noon to full sun and 85-degree weather! I met Tom Provasi, who was chair of the 911 display and an all around good guy who let me know how I could help. Next, it was off to find Redwood Region Secretary David Bunch and Zone 7 Rep Sharon Neidel, who were setting up the Hospitality & Membership Center; as always, giving 110%. I walked over to the paddock for a sneak preview and to take a few photos, and I realized at that moment that we were in for something very special: Porsche, racing and Laguna Seca. I headed back to the 911 Display area to place the car and then call it a day.
Since I was a volunteer, I used the west gate and got an early start on Friday morning. As the sun was coming up, I helped place the cars in the display area and chatted with Redwood Region photo expert and Webmaster Barbara McCrory. The Display had approximately 40 cars, so Barbara was staying busy doing her best work. We were located on the grass between turns 3 and 4, next to the lake and within sight of what was to be one of the Porsche parking corrals. By 10:00 a.m. that corral was full, and the upper lot above 4 and 5 was filled by 11. I was told there were more than 1300 member cars that day.
 | Mike Burns and his gorgeous 1979 930 in the 911 Display at RRIV (photo by Barbara McCrory) |
On-track started at 8:00 a.m. and went non-stop until 5:00 p.m. One great thing about Laguna is the many viewing locations to watch the on-track activity from straight-away speed to the fun at turn 10. Want to buy a book, model car, hat, shirt, or a brat and a beer? All there (and more). Plus, Redwood Region was well-represented. It was another stunning day.
Driving over the hill Saturday morning was a challenge; it was very wet, with fog at ground level. Everyone in the Display area was looking for more dry towels, and David was asking for fresh batteries for the radios to get the corrals set up. All of this and it was still dark! Because of the wet, the on-track was delayed. It started to get light around 8:00 a.m., and as I looked across the lawn section toward the Beer Garden, I saw the smiling faces of Holger and Martina Seibert and Thorsten and Simone Kopitzki headed my way. What a treat. They do know how to make the best of it! To finish the picture, Redwood Region Past President Kurt Fischer stopped by to say hello. More reason to believe we have the best Club.
Later, Scott Peterson and his son stopped to check out the display, as did as did Rob King. As I walked across the bridge from the paddock, I looked around and have never seen so many Porsches. One of every style and color. Even standing in the autograph line turned out to be fun. The display section that Porsche put on was over the top; the 2012 911 (991) is really sweet!
Sunday morning the sun returned, and after wiping off the car I headed to the garage for more photos. I enjoyed chatting with Kevin and the TRG crew. Back up the hill for some breakfast and then watching some racing. Even with all the young hot shoes on the track, Mr. Redman showed the way in his 917. He did the same last year at the Historics. A true gentleman.
All will agree, Rennsport Reunion will come back to Laguna due to the effort of Zone 7 and people like Sharon and David. We are blessed. Leaving the track and heading back to Napa, I reflected on the past 4 days and the afterglow. How very fortunate we are.
Redwood Region Member Larry St. John:
Three Porsche owners and one "wannabe" settled back into an oversized Audi SUV in the near light of early morning for the trip from the North Bay to Laguna Seca Raceway and "sacred ground", Porsche's Rennsport Reunion IV. Prior to the gallon or so of coffee making contact with our eyes, we missed the connection of 880 and 101. Therefore, we enjoyed the scenic drive by way of Santa Cruz, making almost as good a time as fighting wrong-way commuter traffic on 101.
The first thing I noticed as we wound our way over the hill surrounding the track was the noise level. It was practice time for everything with a Porsche logo and no muffler! We settled in at turn 11 to watch the understeer, the oversteer, the drift, the broadside, the grass mower, even a few fender benders, all in the name of good clean fun(?).
People swoon over the exhaust note of a Ferrari engine over 5000 RPM, but - - -! A Porsche 12-cylinder motor minus muffler, smog control, electrical speed governor, and any environment friendly parts, trapped in a sleek blue and orange shell with tires wider than tall, winding through the gears at over 7000 RPM, is the most beautiful, thrilling, shattering assault on your eardrums you ever experienced.
At the gates to the paddock area, we were greeted by the newest vision of Stuttgart's upgrading, the 2012 911 Carrera (Type 991). So familiar, and yet so different. I believe all 35,000 attendees were standing, drooling over this long-awaited addition to the 911 history. If only they had handed me the key....
 | The next 911 (photo by Chris Harrell) |
Have you ever heard of a Porsche sausage? That's a German sausage that's off the plate before the fork even falls.
After sampling our way through the food booths, we went our separate ways, dictated by personal interest and history with the logo. I elected the tented hallways of history covering the paddock area. I saw everything from Concours-ready to all-out modified racing, from 356, to 997, to Spyder, to Cayman, to 914, to Boxters. I even discovered a twin to my first Porsche, a 1963 SC Roadster which I drove off the end of the factory production line in Germany. A fascinating sight was a 917 stripped of its skin so you could see the complete skeleton and working parts. In talking with one of the gentlemen there, I learned that a week before, this car was on display at the Porsche Museum in Germany. Art and history always ready to move.
We spent the best part of the reunion on our feet looking at our favorite subject, so we were very glad to crawl back to the SUV and take a slow ride home. Rennsport Reunion has continued to haunt my dreams, and given me many memories to analyze and enjoy in the coming years.
Thank you, Porsche!
Redwood Region Members Simone and Thorsten Kopitzki:
This is just a little story to go with the fantastic track stories you have probably heard from the Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV at Laguna Seca.
The Friday before the actual events, we had a nice day with Martina & Holger Seibert in Monterey. We visited Fishermen's Wharf and some other tourist attractions during the day before we returned to our hotel. We had decided to have dinner at our hotel, the Plaza Hotel Monterey, because the restaurant there was rated as the #1 restaurant for seafood in Monterey. We headed back from Fishermen's Wharf at about 7:30 p.m., and it was already dark. As we drove along, we were wondering if Monterey doesn't have street lights. However, once we reached our hotel, we found out that at whole area around Cannery Row had a power outage - including our hotel.
Since there was no power, it quickly became clear to us that we couldn't have dinner at the hotel. Fortunately, we enjoyed sitting in the dark lobby, with just a fireplace, sipping some wine with all the Porsche people and drivers since our hotel was basically the main hotel for Porsche North America. At around 8:20 p.m. I called PG&E to get an estimate of when the power would be back on. Their estimate was around 10:00 p.m. and as we all know, that would mean at least 11:30 p.m., so we decided to have our dinner somewhere else. The receptionist made it pretty clear that we would have to drive because all blocks around didn't have power. However, our car, the Boxster, was already parked (valet only) and we didn't want to get the car again since we had just dropped it off. So Holger had the funny idea that we could all go in his 993 S, since his car was parked outside. Cool! Four adults in a 993! Even though the drive wasn't that long, we had a very fun time in that car. With all the vents open and the a/c on full power, the windows were fogging up. People at the traffic lights were stunned, waving at us. Last but not least, when we parked the car, people couldn't believe it as they watched us all get out of this one car (we don't want to know what people really thought about the foggy windows). Despite the circumstances, we really had a great time, and this shows once again that a Porsche is suitable for everyday use. It also shows that you can have a lot of fun with other Club members even at a large event like Rennsport!
Redwood Region Member Paul Chrisman:
I attended Saturday and Sunday thanks to Dave Bunch going way out of his way to let me know the corrals and parade laps had reopened; we were able to get our 914 and 968 Cabriolet in thanks to Dave (996 targa was AWOL with a leaky RMS - ouch!).
On Saturday my two sons and I met Wolfgang Porsche and Norbert Singer in the pit garage. We had a conversation with both of them, who turned out to be delightful people. They even indulged us with photos and autographs. Dr. Porsche signed my original 968 brochure on the hood of one of the 911 racer display cars, which brought the docents running. They came up short when they realized who they were about to accost; seems he owns the car.
On Sunday we were back, this time with my wife Barbara for the parade laps. We had an amazing time and got one further treat when we watched the Speed Channel special on Rennsport. In the segment showing the parade laps, Barbara and I are shown leading the pack down the corkscrew in our 968 Cab!
Caption for the entire event: pinch me - this can't be happening!
 | Paul and Barbara Chrisman lead the pack in their 968 Cab (photo by Paul Chrisman, borrowed from Speed Channel) |
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My Journey from Water to Air or How I Became Old School
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by David Derr, former Redwood Region Member
With apologies to Charles Darwin, this is a story of my evolution in Porsche ownership. As most of us know, Darwin gave us the theory of evolution, which has the first, simple organisms living in the ocean and gradually making their way onto land. The development of these relatively simple life forms in water that eventually became much more complex on land is one of the stories of evolution.
Porsche's evolution is opposite that natural progression, with the first cars being cooled by the air, followed by those using water. The transition from air to water has allowed higher horsepower, lower emissions, and cars of a sophistication that could only be dreamed of in the air-cooled era. Porsche has set their own evolutionary path.
My evolution in Porsche ownership is just opposite of the Porsche factory. I have gone from water to air, just as Darwin suggested is the path to higher intelligence. Many have labeled this progression "digital to analog", but I prefer my evolution theory.
My first Porsche was 944 Turbo, which I would say is one of the best cars ever built. I should never have sold it, which I did to buy a 1997 Boxster, the first to be delivered in the Washington, DC metro area to a private owner. The very first was apparently delivered to a tuner. The Boxster was a great-looking car, but the first edition was woefully underpowered, certainly compared to my Turbo. I sold that car within two years and purchased a '99 C2 that I owned for just over 10 years. Great car.
My evolutionary story starts with a serendipitous event...actually two events. I had volunteered to help the Monterey Bay Region of PCA park cars at the 2009 Historic Races in Laguna Seca, with Porsche the featured marque. My task was to direct parking for the 911 corral, where we were expecting upwards of 1500 911's on Saturday. Somewhat early that morning, a '72 911 RS clone pulled in: black with red livery, red-centered Fuchs, sitting just right. I was really taken with the idea of that car: its simplicity and sense of purpose. I will admit to having been bitten by this particular bug a bit earlier. At a previous Laguna Seca event, there was a real RS, or so the license plate said, white with blue livery, looking oh, so pristine. The black RS clone really got my attention that day.
 | This black RS clone inspired another 911 hot rod (photo by David Derr) |
The group of us tasked with the 911 corral had things well under control, instructing folks where to park so we could maximize the space and make sure everyone had room, when the R Gruppe guys showed en masse. They did not take direction well, deciding to ignore the whole organization thing and park where they pleased. What can you do? I went over to talk to those guys and found a bunch of hot rod apostates from the traditional Porsche community. They were great fun and truly dedicated to their idea of what a Porsche should be.
Those two events started a relatively long process of introspection on what I really wanted from my Porsche. As I said, my cars always carried water and, with the exception of the first edition Boxster, really spoke to me. They were comfortable, fast, and mostly without trouble. Before I moved to San Francisco from the Washington, DC Metro Area, where I was active with the Potomac Region, I got involved with the Club DE program, eventually acting as Chief Steward for Potomac DE events at Summit Point and VIR. I was really a stand-in for Fred Smartt, but that is another story.
During my Chief Steward days, I got to see lots of cars from start/finish and got to ride in many. I won't go into the details of the why of that. Suffice to say that some red and black group drivers disagreed with my assessment of the driving that took place and wanted me to see for myself, close up and personal, what they were dealing with on the track. I had rides in lots of cars, but the standout was a black early 911, stripped down to no weight, with a driver that knew what he had. What fun.
As I talked with the R Gruppe guys at Laguna and looked at that black RS clone, I made my decision to move from my water-filled ride to an air cooled, old school car. Like a lot of us, I started with many Internet searches: eBay, Pelican Parts, Excellence, 911 World, etc. In my work, I travel a bit internationally so picking up the European and Asian 911 magazines got to be an obsession. Clearly a part of this was needing to find just the right person to buy my '99. It had only 63,000 miles, no marks, and was well-cared for. It also had 4 rear main seals, with the last one fixing that particular problem.
One weekend I just decided to start my journey even though I had not found the car I wanted to buy. I detailed the '99, took it down to an area in Mill Valley, CA where I was living, and took the photos that I would use to sell it. While that did not work, I found Cars Dawydiak (www.carsauto.com) in San Francisco, who ended up selling it for me and getting the cash I needed. That meant in July of 2010 I was without a Porsche for the first time since 1988. Withdrawal....
Now my search started in earnest. I found lots of potentials, from total basket cases to rolling chassis, to fully-sorted cars. Once you start a journey like this, all sorts of new connections happen..or some of you might say I set foot on the long, slippery slope. I found a pristine '70 that started life as a 911E and had been converted to full-on RS specs with a 2.7 with all of the trimmings. The owner had sourced all sorts of RS parts and the car was spotless, top and bottom. But at $80K, it seemed over the top. I found another early car on eBay that had been converted to RSR spces and from the photos had a complete rotisserie restoration, but that one got away. At over $60K, that seemed a bit out of the budget as well. I went to Southern California on a business trip and visited Euromasters, who take galvanized bodies and convert them to early bumpered cars, in effect creating a new car from an old one. This is a great idea for around $35K, but for some reason, they seemed to lack the soul I was seeking.
Then I saw a Pelican Parts ad for a car that started life as a '69 912 and had been converted to RS style with the flares, front, and rear valances, and an '86 3.2L. The car was nearby where I was living in Northern California at a shop in Petaluma, Jay Jarvis Autosports (www.jarvisautosports.com). Jay and his son John had built this car for a client who owned Alfas. He wanted a car to drive in the California Mille, but ended up deciding his passion really lay with Alfa Romeo. When I saw the car, it was dirty, having just returned from that event, and the interior was full of dog fur. Not the greatest first impression. But once I drove it, I knew that it was the car for me. It had soul.
An extensive pre-purchase inspection was done by Deven at Hi Tec in San Rafael, CA. We poked and prodded, trying to find the rust and other maladies that might affect a car of this age. With the exception of some rust showing on the "C" pillars, it checked out as a great car. The motor had been sourced from LA Dismantlers and was from an '86 Carrera with around 40,0000 miles, and before Jay put it in the car, he had verified its quality. Deven concurred. We did detect some other issues, but all were solvable. I made my deal with the owner using basically the cash I received for my '99. By the way, if you are in the area, a stop by Deven's shop would be worthwhile. He's a great guy with great cars. He was working on four-cam motors and a 906 when I was there. Meeting him was one of those unexpected Porsche connections that resulted from my quest.
Once I bought the car, Jay and his son agreed to do some work on it for me. We pulled the transmission, rebuilding where necessary, although for the most part it was fine. We put on a rear sway bar and built cool GT3-style exhaust outlets, plus turbo tie rods and Smart Racing mounts. We added a Porsche Motorsports clutch and installed a limited slip. The car came with blue-centered 15" Fuchs. I decided to change them to 16" with an RSR finish. I sourced them in Florida: 7's for front 8's for the rear. The tire supplier from Sears Point Raceway provided the Toyo rubber. Now I have my hot rod Porsche. It is, of course, a matter of taste, but I think my white clone is just cool. I would highly recommend Jay and his son; they are dedicated to their craft, and I found out Jay is one of the key guys at The Racers Group. All of these connections from one simple search.
 | 1969 912 turned 911 RS clone (photo by David Derr) |
So here is where the story takes a full turn. My second outing in the "new" car was to Rennsport Reunion IV, held at Laguna Seca in October (its first being the Historics Week in Carmel). I did not get my corral parking pass early enough, finding myself in the green lot. On Friday, as I parked my car, I saw the black RS clone that started my journey. The owner was there, so I introduced myself and told him of his inspiration for my new car. After a bit of conversation, we discovered that my car was once owned by his brother-in-law! Go figure: two degrees of separation or less. It was clearly meant to be.
I am now back in Virginia and have found the Porsche guys from Richmond's "Cars and Coffee", and I am hoping to reconnect with my friends in the Potomac Region. The car has been a big hit with these guys, and I am really looking forward to getting the car to VIR or Summit Point and re-learning how to drive fast, because it is clear to me that this car requires substantially more attention to drive quickly than my other Porsches. My evolution for the time being is complete. But I did see the 991 at the Rennsport Reunion. Hmmm....
Oh, sorry about that higher intelligence crack earlier in this article. I got a little carried away with my metaphors.
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The Midfield Report: Observations from an Autocross Apprentice
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by Mike Hinton, Redwood Region Member
What a difference a month makes! Last month's report included coverage of two Redwood Region autocross events, and both events were two days in length. This month, well, our Region entered our annual autocross hibernation period, so there are no events to report on. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the event sponsored by the Sacramento Valley Region at Infineon Raceway on November 19, but my sources tell me event was enjoyable, and the weather did not have an impact like it did in 2010.
With no autocross events to report on, I thought I'd cover some of the other Porsche-related events of the past few months. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to drive a friend's Panamera Turbo. Yes, the engine's in the front, yes, the car is huge, and yes, the back end can look awkward if painted in a light color. Oh, and it was a PDK without the steering wheel shift paddles to boot. Nevertheless, once behind the wheel, these "problems" didn't seem important. I quickly figured out a simple system for the shift buttons on the steering wheel that mimics the operation of "proper" paddles. I'm sure you've read unending criticism of Porsche's system in the enthusiast magazines, but I found that it just takes a small adjustment by the driver to make the system work (it's like learning how to shift a 915 gearbox smoothly). Once in motion, the car gathers speed quickly, with ferocious acceleration once on boost. Cornering power is impressive, especially for such a large car. Switching from "Normal" mode to "Sport Plus" completely transforms the car by sharpening throttle and steering response, and speeding up the PDK gear changes when in automatic mode. In "Sport Plus," I'll bet that the Panamera Turbo would make a handy, if large, autocross car. I'd love to see a shootout between a Cayenne and a Panamera next year at an autocross, but the drivers will need to set aside additional funds for their tire budgets!
Less than a week after the Zone 7 Autocross, it was time to head down to Laguna Seca to witness Rennsport Reunion IV, the gathering of Porsche race cars. Rumor has it that there was considerable on-track activity on Friday, but Chris Harrell and I missed all of it. There were so many stunning examples of race cars in the paddock that we spent the entire day walking around and photographing the best examples. In addition to the race cars in the paddock, there were over 800 cars to ogle in the Porsche corral. Again, there were beautiful examples of the entire range of Porsche road car history, from early 356s, through all of the various 911 iterations, up to the latest 997, Cayenne, and Panamera. As an additional treat, the latest (and greatest?) 911 was unveiled on Saturday. The new 911 (or 991 in Company parlance) is a very contemporary design, but it is, at least to my eyes, noticeably larger than the outgoing 997. I suspect that the 991 would positively dwarf the original 911, but it will undoubtedly offer performance figures that many of the Porsche race cars participating in the event couldn't match. Such is the price of progress, I suppose. Thankfully, for old-school people like me, there are still plenty of early 911s out there at semi-reasonable prices.
I did watch a great deal of the racing on Saturday and Sunday, and it was quite entertaining. Since it was a "vintage" event, it was understood that the cars weren't being driven quite to the ragged edge, and that many of the drivers were "gentleman drivers." Nevertheless, it was thrilling to watch the old prototypes, many wearing the iconic Gulf-Porsche livery, powering down the hill through the Corkscrew. The sights, and especially the sounds, were simply awesome. We were able to hear a symphony of flat-6, 8, and 12 engines, each with a distinctive sound. I remember hearing a couple of 906s going by, thinking sure wish my 911 sounded like that!
There have been rumors that the next (as yet unscheduled) Rennsport Reunion will return to Laguna Seca. If that happens, I plan to be first in line for tickets. I would encourage all of you to fight for second place in line behind me!
Happy Holidays to all of you, and I hope to see you at the "One One Fun Run" on New Year's Day, 1/1/12!
Mike
Click here for detailed results from all Redwood Region autocross events.
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Membership Report
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by Bob Schoenherr, Redwood Region Membership Director
Anita and I had a great Porsche tour through Zion National Park, Navajo and Ute reservations of Arizona and Utah, and White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. We had many highlights on the trip, so next time you see us at an event please be sure to ask us. Our 1999 Boxster, Speedie, ran well, averaging over 27 mpg overall. Click here for some pics from the trip.
Voting is over and we still have returned addresses, so please update your information on the PCA website or send it to me and I will be happy to do it for you. It is very important for all of us to keep our information up to date.
As always, please feel free to email me or call me at 707.995.5082.
Happy Holidays! May your Porsche sled and horses propel you on a safe holiday journey!
November 2011 Membership Summary
New Members 3
Transfers In 1
Transfers Out 1
Renewals 15
Non-Renewals 3
Dual Members 15
Primary Members 489
Affiliate Members 354
Total Members 843
November 2011 New Members
Gregory Kryder and Kris Harvey, Napa - 2008 997 Blue
Michael Nikolov and Marcella Robles-Nikolov, Hidden Valley Lake - 2000 Boxster S Silver
Mike Oechsel and Trevor Oechsel, Kentfield - 2009 997 Black
George Somers, Healdsburg - 1964 356C Yellow (transfer from California Central Coast Region)
Welcome to the Redwood Region! We hope to see you at an upcoming event....
December 2011 Membership Anniversaries
Arthur Cordisco and Gloria Nusse, Mill Valley - 23 years
Fred Nelson, Fairfax - 23 years
John McDonnell, Mill Valley - 17 years
Jerry and Marcia Gladstone, Santa Rosa - 15 years
Jim and Colleen Giampaolo, Eureka - 14 years
Antonia and Fairuz Neumann, Mill Valley - 14 years
Roland and Sylvie Tolosa, Novato - 14 years
Alan Straub and Rosemary Machado, Sonoma - 12 years
Edward and Barbara Eschbach, Mill Valley - 11 years and 9 years
Paul and Debra Ivancich, Eureka - 11 years
Jeffrey and Alice Chan, Sebastopol - 9 years
Don and Christine Cameron, Fairfield - 8 years
Tom and Philippa Short, San Rafael - 8 years
Robert and Joan Frank, Novato - 7 years
Julien Pearl, Mill Valley - 7 years
Larry and Marilyn Wagner, Fort Bragg - 7 years
Ralph and Joanne Thomas, Santa Rosa - 6 years
Keith Reinbolt and Steve Reinbolt, Napa - 5 years
Christian Palmaz and Julio Palmaz, Napa - 4 years
Charles and Audrey Pniower, Napa - 4 years and 3 years
Bruce and Wendy Tschida, Napa - 4 years
Ron and Amy Bartlett, Greenbrae - 3 years
Richard and Michelle Ruff, Greenbrae - 3 years
Stephen Zimmerman, Healdsburg - 3 years
EJ and Ilse Achtner, Corte Madera - 2 years
Paul and Lisa Azevedo, Petaluma - 2 years
Charles and Nancy Sawyer, Ukiah - 2 years
Craig and Sandra Steele, Santa Rosa - 2 years
Monte Lieberfarb, Willits - 1 year
David Murata, Kentfield - 1 year
Kevin Norris and Lora Salfi, Novato - 1 year
Thanks and Happy Anniversary to all of you!
Membership information is based on the Porsche Club of America National database. If you feel that any of the information included in this Membership Report is inaccurate, please contact the Editor or Membership Director.
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Membership Questions and Name Badges
| Please contact Bob Schoenherr, Membership Director for general information about club membership, name badges, changes of address and/or contact information, dual-membership inquiries, inter-region transfers, and membership referrals.

Speaking of name badges, member name badges are now available in the new style, with a color logo on a white background. Those of you who attended any recent Redwood Region events may have noticed some of your fellow Club members wearing these.
The new style badges are now being sent to new members and members who request replacements. Badges are free to new members; replacements are only $12. Badges are also available with a magnetic clasp, instead of the standard pin-back clasp, for an additional $2 ($14 total). |
Board Meeting Minutes |
 by David Bunch, Redwood Region Secretary
Redwood Region Board Meeting Minutes - November 29, 2011
In attendance: President Greg Maissen, Vice President Vern Rogers, Treasurer Jerry Gladstone, Secretary & Goodie Store David Bunch, Membership Director Bob Schoenherr, Advertising Director Simone Kopitzki & region members Mike Hinton & Thorsten Kopitzki.
Meeting called to order at 7:00 p.m. by President Greg Maissen at Ghiringhelli Pizzeria Grill & Bar, Novato.
A. President's Report: Report stands as submitted.
Submitted prior to Board Meeting:
1. The final draft of the " Duties of the Advertising Director" have been submitted to the Advertising Director and all Board Members. 2. The "Duties of the President" have been submitted to the Secretary for the Redwood RPM. 3. The Financial review Committee will need the financial records for 2011 to review in December. 4. Bob Hall has given me 5 checks of $200.00 each for a total of $1000.00 from the following advertisers for past payment for 2011; Whitman's Auto body, Pro Shop, Hi Tec Automotive, Sonnen Motorcars, The Racers Group. 5. There has been an Executive Committee Decision for the following for Advertising, a. Credit Whitman's Auto body $100.00 for 2012 due to not receiving Newsletter Advertising for 2011 but did receive advertising on the website. b. Pro Shop will be added to the Newsletter and to the Website for 2012. The $200.00 dollars received will be credited for 2012. c. Hi Tec Automotive will stay active on Website and Newsletter. d. Sonnen Motorcars will stay active on Website and Newsletter. e. The Racers Group will stay active on Website and Newsletter. f. S-Car-Go will be removed from the Website. Is not currently in the Newsletter. g. Simone to contact Betsy Alber at BA Luxury Travel. h. No decision has been made about Adobe Road Winery. 6. I have contacted Millie Gilson from CASA and invited her and a guest to the Holiday Party. She has so far responded that she will send "someone" but has yet to say who that person is. She is happy to receive donations of backpacks for the kids and has also suggested gift certificates for the kids. We need to confirm the backpacks and what amount of money will be giving CASA either as gift certificates or as a total amount. We also need to determine if we will be asking members also contribute gift certificates as well. 7. I have ordered insurance for "Additionally Insured" for Segheiso's for the Holiday Party upon request from Seghesio.
Items discussed at Board Meeting:
1. Greg thanked the board for all of their efforts in 2011.
2. The Financial Review Committee (Mike Hinton & Craig Steele) will receive the Region's QuickBooks files from Jerry after December 16th.
3. CASA donation was reviewed from 2010 and amounts discussed for this year.
A donation of $3,000 was motioned, second and approved unanimously by the board.
B. Vice-President's Report: Report stands as submitted.
Submitted prior to Board Meeting:
1. Tech Session at Hi-Tec was a great success. Attendance larger than anticipated (34 rsvp'd, 50+ showed up).
Great food/drink provided by Deven and staff. Excellent presentation by Chuck Moreland, President of Elephant Racing.
2. Elephant Racing would like to host a Tech Session in 2012.
3. 2012 RRPCA Election Ballots were folded, sealed, addressed and stamped at Chris Harrell's home earlier this month.
4. Clean-up of region mailing list is in order. Bob says 8 hours needed to redesign/change database for better efficiency and correctness.
5. Printed business cards for Simone.
Items discussed at Board Meeting:
1. Region Business Cards. Discussion of which Board Members need cards?
Greg will email board members to get their input.
2. Mike Hinton will get quote from "Vista Print". David Bunch to get a quote from "Minuteman Press".
3. Reviewed list of members with Airport AOA badges and those still needing to get for 2012 Ax season.
C. Treasurer's Report: Report stands as submitted.
Submitted prior to Board Meeting:
1. "Treasurer's Report", Balance Sheet, Period's "Profit & Loss Statement", Y-T-D
"Profit & Loss Statement" & "Redwood Region's financial condition" all dated November 21, 2011.
2. Highlights of reports were-
a. Major income items for the period were:
- $3,750.00 collected as payments from the Holiday party.
- $2,142.00 quarterly rebate from PCA National.
- $375.00 from Goodie Store Sales
b. Major expense items for the period were:
- $507.70 for postage, printing and supplies for the 2012 Election ballots.
- $292.01 for meeting expenses.
- $74.15 for name badges.
c. Net income for the "period" was $4,407.25.
d. Net income for 2011 to date was $10,414.69.
e. Redwood Region's total assets are valued at $33,903.02.
D. Secretary's Report: Report stands as submitted.
Submitted prior to Board Meeting:
1. So far have received 2 requests for ballots to be mailed.
Items discussed at Board Meeting:
1. "October Meeting Minutes" were submitted, motioned to accept, second and approved by the board.
2. Stopped at the Post Office Box and picked up the ballots. The ballots will be opened at the end of the meeting. Will announce election results at the Holiday Party.
3. There were 11 ballots returned due to incorrect member's addresses. These were turned over to Bob to review.
4. Updated board on status of the "Redwood Region Procedure Manual. Will be sending it to the Executive Council first for their review before sending out to entire board.
5. 2012 By-Law Revisions- Jerry will handle the scheduled 2012 By-Law Revisions starting mid-2012.
E. Past President's Report-None
F. der Riesenbaum Editor's report: Report stands as submitted.
Submitted prior to Board Meeting:
1. The November issue of der Riesenbaum was sent on 11/7/11 to 613 email addresses; 293 (47.8%) opened as of 11/25/11.
2. The December issue of dR will be published on approximately 12/15/11, after our Holiday Party.
3. Received 18 responses to November RR Member Survey.
4. Newsletter Committee met on 11/27/11 to discuss 2012 der Riesenbaum.
G. Membership Director's Report: Report stands as submitted.
Submitted prior to Board Meeting:
1. October Membership Report
New Members 1
Transfers In 1
Transfers Out 1
Renewals 30
Non-Renewals 8
Dual Members 15
Primary Members 484
Affiliate Members 351
Total Members 835
2. New Redwood Region members
Don Kruger and Marina Farah, Calistoga - 1987 Carrera Red
Donald Lewis and Pamela Ouaknine, San Rafael - 2002 996 C4S Silver
H. Autocross Director's Report: Report stands as submitted.
Submitted prior to Board Meeting:
1. Submitted 2012 dates to the airport, awaiting their approval. We have 2 conflicts with the Sheriffs Dept.
2. Working with ESCA on Porta-potties for 2012. Looking at maybe replacing one unit with a Wheelchair accessible unit. Also looking at adding a "hand washing station. Awaiting bids from the supplier to see if worth the additional costs. 3. Have advised ESCA that Redwood AX's will be PCA/Porsche only in 2012.
4. Heard from ESCA that we will not doing the AX Shootout in 2012.
5. Having discussions with ESCA regarding locking the Porta-potties.
I. Web mistress's Report: Report stands as submitted.
Submitted prior to Board Meeting:
1. During the month of November 2011, it is estimated that the visitor count will be approximately 2099. There were 766 unique IP's this month so far.
2. Busiest days were November 7 and 23 (waiting for the turkey).
3. Most popular pages this month were Classifieds and the Holiday Party - most popular flyer - Holiday Party.
4. Daily country activity was United States, Russian Federation, China, Japan, Germany, Sweden, and France accounting for 92% of the visitors.
5. Other operating systems used to access the website, i.e. ipads, pods, and androids accounted for 68 visitors this month.
6. Our most popular spiders were Googlebot, Bing Robot, Yahoo! Slurp, MJ12bot, Baidu Spider, and FaceBook Crawler. We received three referrals to our site from the Cascade Region PCA (Oregon).
J. Goodie Store Director's Report: Report stands as submitted.
Submitted prior to Board Meeting:
1. Sales of $20 in October from Tech Session at Hi-Tec.
K. Social Director's Report: Report stands as submitted.
Submitted prior to Board Meeting:
1. Holiday Party:
a. As of WE, 11/23, 61 members have signed up for the Holiday Party.
Our final payment is due on Friday 12/2, and expect to have about 70 people.
b. Added some background music provided by the band, Shindig, for the Wine Tasting (additional $100).
c. The entrée choices are Filet Mignon and Roasted Salmon; emails were sent to the attendees with the details on the party; most have responded with their entrée preferences.
d. The Shindig will play in the Redwood Room after dinner; the entrance area to the Redwood Room plus the small private dining area are available when the band is playing if anyone wants a quieter environment.
The large private dining room is used by the servers for staging and will not be available.
2. Event Policy:
a. Plan to use the new Event Policy on the first few events for 2012.
After the Event Information Form and a couple events behind us, we can adopt the Event Policy.
3. Will work with Chris Harrell on the New Years Day drive & lunch.
L. Concours Director's Report: None
M. Advertising Director's Report: Report stands as submitted.
Submitted prior to Board Meeting:
1. Was able to get some door prizes for the Christmas Party:
a. Snap On Tools- 6 T-Shirts, 5 or 6 Caps.
b. Pure Grain Bakery- 2 Gift Cards at $20 each.
2. Suppose to receive more items from Sonnen Porsche ( Porsche Posters) and Deven (Hi Tech).
Not sure what he wants to provide. We talked about some discount of a service or even a free oil change. Will have to contact him.
3. Spoke to Chuck Moreland (Elephant Racing) about interest in sponsoring the autocross as a secondary sponsor or as a sponsor for the club in general (Newsletter/Website Ad) and or other events at the Hi-Tec Tech session. He also stated that he prefers the paper as an advertising tool than the electronic forms.
4. Snap On Dealer Mike Castro was also eventually interested.
Items discussed at Board Meeting:
1. Discussion on how much authority the director has to deal with the potential sponsors, equating goods and services with dollar amounts, as well as additional benefits that may be offered potential sponsors .
2. An advertising committee to be put together to support the director will meet after the holidays.
N. Safety Director Report: None
O. Charity/CASA Report:
1. CASA's fundraiser is March 24, 2012 at the John Ash Event Center.
P. New Business: None
Meeting was adjourned at 9:21 p.m.
Next meeting scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on January 31, 2012 at Ghiringhelli Pizzeria Grill & Bar, 1535 South Novato Blvd., Novato.
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Redwood Region & Zone 7 Contacts |
2011 Redwood Region Board of Directors
415.897.3983
510.501.9278
707.525.8623
415.717.4117
415.819.2210
707.995.5082
415.898.2890
415.577.0647
415.258.9619
707.478.7962
415.258.0242
415.299.7563
415.717.4117
707.442.6617
707.725.6110
415.475.9591
Zone 7 Representative
650.508.1308
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der Marktplatz |

1983 911SC Targa. Quartz Grey Metallic, burgundy interior. Factory leather Recaro sport seats. 95% Michelin PS, new top, new brakes w/steel lines, Bilsteins, tensioners, test pipe. Porsche COA. 145K miles. $12,900. 707.725.6110; sdownie@dfg.ca.gov.
1983 944 Porsche Track Car. Rebuilt engine w/cross-drilled journals, lightened and balanced crankshaft, re-conditioned rods; Momo hub adapter w/Sparco quick release steering adapter and GT3 steering wheel, fire suppression system, coil-over front suspension, solid engine mount, new clutch w/lightened flywheel, new Schnell short shift kit, new tires and one set of spare wheels and tires, two racing seats w/complete restraint system; has Unichip and recent maintenance at professional Porsche shop w/receipts available. Less than 3 hours on the car since rebuild. Hans device, racing suit, gloves, shoes, helmet also available for sale. Autocross and driver education class use only. READY TO GO! Price reduced to $3,995. MUST SELL! Contact Mitch at 707.696.5790 or mlbranson@prodigy.net.
2000 Porsche 911 Carerra C2 Coupe, Black on Black. 3.4L 6-cylinder with Tiptronic transmission. Optioned with sporty carbon fiber interior, full leather, sliding sunroof, aero kit, spoiler, premium alloy wheels, K&N Cold Air Intake. ABS, AC, Power Windows, Power Door Locks, Cruise Control, Telescoping Steering Wheel, Single CD + 5 Disc Holder, Dual Airbags, 97,000 miles. Sold for over $70,000 new. REDUCED TO $16,500 Contact Mitch @ 707.696.5790 or mlbranson@prodigy.net.
I have a front headlight in excellent condition from a 2006 Carrera S (997). It came off my car when I had my front fender repaired after some guy backed into my car. Surprisingly, the insurance company approved replacement based on a 1/4-inch scratch on the very edge. You have to look hard to find the scratch. This headlight assembly is nearly $1,500 new; I'm willing to sell this one for $700. See photos. Contact Joe at 707.484.7895 or joeburroughs@comcast.net.
Original black leather steering wheel (two horizontal bars) from my early 1989 911 Targa. Was exchanged for Momo wheel shortly after purchase. As new. $200. Contact Martin at martinrosen@comcast.net.
Wanted: two 16x8 Fuchs wheels for a 1988 911 Carerra. Must be straight, ready to run. Please phone Tom on 415.300.7457. Thanks.
Porsche books for sale: Porsche Service information Technical Bulletins Jan 2002 / Dec 2002, Book S, Porsche Special Tools April 2001, $20.00 each or all 3 books for $50.00. The books are used at work so they are not in perfect condition. Original Turbo Emblem Part #955 559 038 01 4W, brand new $20.00. Used Porsche License Plate Frame, $15.00. Call Simone at 415.299.7563 or simopel@comcast.net.
For Sale: "Here your car is waiting for you" 4-panel brochure in German & English, 8 3/8" x 5 7/8" showing two 914s, $10; "Here your car is waiting for you" 4-panel brochure in German & English showing two 914s & three 911s, 8 1/4" x 8 1/4", $12; "The Porsche 914/1975," 4-panel brochure with pics & tech data, 8 1/4" x 11 3/4", $15; "Porsche/Porsche Technical Data. 1975," 4-panel brochure showing the 1975 models, 8 1/4" x 11 3/4", $15; "Colors and Interior Trim '91", 8-panel brochure showing all the colors for the '91 models, 9 7/8" x 11", $20; "Porsche 911" 36 page booklet showing the 1992 models with a 6-panel tech data supplement, 12 1/4" x 8 1/4", $25; "Porsche 968," 32 page booklet with 6-panel brochure showing tech data & specs for the 1992 model year, $25; 1997 Boxster booklet, 14 pp. with specs & paint chips, 6 1/4" x 8 1/4", $25; "The 911," 56-page booklet for the 1997 model year, 6 1/8" x 8 1/4", $25; "The 911 Carrera. The Boxster. 1998," 8-panel foldout brochure featuring a large fold-out poster (29 1/2" x 21 3/4") of the 911 Carrera S, 7 /12" x 11", $25. All in nice condition. Mike Kelly, 415.380.1885.
Classified ads for Porsches and Porsche-related parts or accessories are available at no charge to PCA members and may be submitted to the editor via email by the 15th of each month to be included in the next month's issue of der Riesenbaum. Ads will run for three months, space permitting, unless canceled by the seller. Classified ads are also included in the der Marktplatz section on our Club website. Editor may modify ad copy as needed based on space constraints, and is not responsible for content, errors or omissions. Commercial ads are not accepted. Please contact Advertising Director Simone Kopitzki at 415.299.7563 for commercial advertising information and rates.
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Letters to the editor, feedback, questions, and suggestions about der Riesenbaum and the Redwood Region in general are welcome. We also encourage members to submit photos and/or write-ups about Club events or related activities.
Members are also welcome and encouraged to attend monthly Redwood Region Board Meetings, held on the last Tuesday of each month (except December) at 7:00 p.m., at Ghiringhelli Pizzeria Grill & Bar, 1535 South Novato Blvd., Novato.
Remember, this Club belongs to all of us; your ideas, energy, and participation will help create the best possible experience for all members.
Thank you all for supporting your Club!
Chris Harrell, der Riesenbaum Editor
Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region
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