California Alpha of Sigma Phi Epsilon Reunion
Reunion Notice Number 4 dated 2 September 2009
This is the fourth notice concerning the California Alpha reunion for the years from 1958 to 1971. Rooms at the Best Western Tahoe Truckee Hotel at 11331 Brockway Road are still available at a reduced reunion room rate of $99 plus tax including a full buffet breakfast. To make reservations call 530-587-4525 and ask for the Sigma Phi Epsilon rate.
There are a few of you who have not told Mike Green what you are having for dinner on the ninth. The dinner will be a three-course meal (salad, a main course, and desert). The price for dinner includes wine or beer, and coffee or tea. We have three choices for a main course. They are as follows: 1) Chicken Cacciatore with Rice Pilaf and House Vegetables, 2) Caribbean Jerk Grilled Swordfish with Rice, Pineapple Salsa and House Vegetables, and 3) Boneless Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cabernet demi-gloss, Potatoes and Vegetables. Please send your meal choice and number of meals to Mike Green at magreen@lbl.gov on September 3rd at the latest. The restaurant must have a count on September 4th. The price of the dinner will be $42 (including wine and beer). Please send Mike Green a check at:
Michael A. Green
5 Colton Place
Oakland CA 94611
Mike Green will also take a check or cash at the dinner. He won’t be home to deposit any checks until late next week.
The dress for the dinner and all other reunion events is Truckee Casual. (Yes, you must wear clothes; you can wear anything you like.) In Truckee, neckties are reserved only for hangings. There will be a tie sheriff to cut off ties, unless you are waiting to be hanged.
Those who are golfing must tell us by September 3rd as well. In parallel with the golf tournament is a planed hike along old railroad right away between Donner Summit and Donner Lake. We will meet for the hike at the parking lot for the park at the west end of Donner Lake at 9:30 AM on the 10th. Some cars will ferry people to the top of old Donner Pass. The hike will follow the original road of the transcontinental railroad bed. Because most of this road is underground or within snow sheds, there are puddles of water you may step into. It is also pitch black in many parts of the route, with occasional openings to step out and take in the gorgeous view. The trail down from the old railroad grade to Donner Lake drops about 800 feet in a mile and it is very dusty. It actually looks and feels like an old logging road. You and your shoes/boots will get dusty. The total length of the trip is about 6 miles. It is necessary to bring appropriate shoes and a good flashlight. Going on this trip without a light would be dangerous.
There will be a bar-b-cue at Northstar Recreation Center during the afternoon of September 10th. The bar-b-cue will start at about 3:30 PM; it will end at dark. The menu for the bar-b-cue will be as follows: The appetizer will be a shrimp cocktail. There will be a green salad with the main course. The main course is grilled vegetables, grilled boneless chicken breast, grilled salmon, and grilled beef tri-tip. Desert will be cream puffs and éclairs. The cost of the bar-b-cue including beer, wine, and soft drinks is $25. The Northstar recreation center is open to those attending the bar-b-cue starting at 1 PM. Bring your bathing suit and towel. There is a swimming pool and spa tubs. There is plenty of parking near the Northstar Recreation Center. After the bar-b-cue we will meet in the California Room at the hotel.
There will be a farewell breakfast at the Best Western on September 11th. The cost for those not staying at the hotel is $14.33 including tax and tip. Pay at the breakfast.
The cocktail party on September 8th will start when you are ready to drink. The location of the cocktail party is at Frank Curcio’s house at 14104 Donner Pass Road in Donner Lake. The get to the cocktail party, exit interstate 80 at exit 184. If you are going eastbound on I-80 turn right when you exit. If you are going westbound go over the freeway and follow the signs to Donner Pass Road. Go 1.8 miles on Donner Pass road. Turn right off onto a road that goes by three houses. Look for some Sig Ep symbols that will mark the turnoff. The turn off to Frank’s is 0.3 miles past the Donner Pines market on the right and maybe 200 yards past the Lock Laven Lodge on the left. Frank’s house is the second house on this road, which is parallel to Donner Pass Road. Come anytime. There will be light food after 4 PM
To get to the Best Western Truckee Tahoe Inn, exit from Interstate 80 at exit 188B onto highway 267. Follow the signs toward Northstar and Kings Beach. Go about a mile and a half to the first signal and turn right onto Brockway Road. The Best Western is on the right side of the road just before you get to the round about.
To get to the Fifty-Fifty Brewery, walk about 120 yards from the Best Western to the Rock complex. The Fifty-Fifty is in the second building. If you are driving turn right at the round about next to the Best Western and find the parking lot for the Rock.
To get to the Northstar Golf Course for the golf tournament on September 10th, follow highway 267 for five miles toward Kings Beach. The signal for Northstar Road is the second signal from Brockway Road. Go up Northstar Road through the round about toward the village. Turn right at Basque. There is a sign for the golf course and the Martis Grill.
To get to the meeting place for the hike on September 10th, exit interstate 80 at exit 184. If you are going eastbound on I-80 turn right when you exit. If you are going westbound go over the freeway and follow the signs to Donner Pass Road. Follow Donner Pass Road to the west end of Donner Lake. The park is on the left. We will meet in the parking lot.
To get to the bar-b-cue on September 10th, follow highway 267 for five miles (from the Best Western) toward Kings Beach. The signal for Northstar Road is the second signal from Brockway Road. Go up Northstar Road toward Northstar Village. There is a stop sign at Big Springs Road. Continue on Northstar road and make a left turn into a parking lot (the first left). The Northstar Recreation Center is at the end of the parking lot. When you get to the Recreation Center, go to the desk and say you are with the Sigma Phi Epsilon bar-b-cue. Bring your bathing suit and a towel. Club towel rental is $1. There is a locker room in the clubhouse next to the pool. The main pool and hot tubs will be open.
Truckee is a historic railroad town founded in 1868, when the trans-continental railroad came through this area. Downtown Truckee has some excellent restaurants (Dragon Fly, Pianeta, Pacific Crest and Moody’s) right on the main street of town. The Drunken Monkey near the hotel is also recommended. The town has quaint shops, art galleries, bars and wine tasting. The brothers who were skiers remember the “Truckee Hilton” where one got a room for five guys for $5. It is still there but now the rooms are over $100. There are outlet stores on Donner Pass road between exit 185 and 184 off of interstate 80. Shoppers will find Truckee interesting.
Lake Tahoe is twelve miles away on highway 89 south (exit 185) and highway 267 (exit 188B). The lake is beautiful at this time a year. It takes about two and a half hours to drive around the lake. Stop at Emerald Bay west shore of the lake. Tahoe City is also worth a stop. Squaw Valley is off of highway 89 between Truckee and Tahoe City. One can lunch at River Ranch on highway 89 at the entrance to Alpine Meadows. There is gaming at State line (on the south shore) and Crystal Bay and Incline Village (on the north shore). The drive from Incline Village on the north shore of the lake to Reno over the Mount Rose highway is spectacular.
One can also drive to Carson City (the Nevada state capital) and Virginia City (an old mining town where Mark Twain edited the Territorial Enterprise). Virginia City is a bit of the genuine old west, unlike Ponderosa Ranch on the east side of the lake. For those who have never been to Virginia City, it is worth the drive. There were a lot of necktie parties in the town.
If one goes north on highway 89 from exit 188 B and 267 going north toward Loyalton and drives to Grey Eagle (about 45 miles), there is a wonderful Frank Lloyd Wright golf club house. This is the only Frank Lloyd Wright building in this part of California. The building is worth seeing and the food at the club is very good. Ask for directions to the clubhouse, when you get to Grey Eagle. Talk to any of us who have a house or condo in the Lake Tahoe and Truckee area. We all have favorite places to go in the area. There is plenty to do and see around Truckee.
The following brothers have are coming to the dinner (placed their dinner order) on the ninth: Tom Barth, Mike Cook, Frank Curcio, Phil Daro, Bob Dunn, Andy Eschen, Ted Esquivel, Dan Ford, Stu Gould, Mike Green, Tom Hobday, Frank Isola, Jim Jackl, Bob Jolly, Jim Jurkovich, Roger Kauffman, Bob Lavezzi, Tom Loughran, Fred Merriam, Steve Millich, Jim Peirce, Tom Pimentel, Howard Schirmer, Jeff Smith, Ralph Udick, Mike Wacker, and Ken Young.
The Following brothers say they are coming to the dinner, but have not yet placed their order: Ron Fenolio, Dick Johnson, Jim Litsinger, and Dave Melander. Clay Wilson has not said whether he is coming to the dinner. The brothers on this list should give me their dinner orders ASAP.
The following brothers have said they are coming to the bar-b-cue on the tenth: Tom Barth, Bob Christiansen, Mike Cook, Frank Curcio, Bob Dunn, Andy Eschen, Ron Fenolio, Dan Ford, Mike Green, Tom Hobday, Frank Isola, Bob Jolly, Jim Jurkovich, Roger Kauffman, Bob Lavezzie, Dave Melander, Fred Merriam, Steve Millich, Jim Peirce, Tom Pimentel, Howard Schirmer, Jeff Smith, Bill Storey, Ralph Udick, Mike Wacker, and Ken Young.
The only brother who has not committed to the bar-b-cue is Clay Wilson. Clay, we need to know if you are coming. Any of you has our permission to bug Clay. We need his banjo to go along with Bob Dunn’s guitar. Unlike the brothers of today, we can still sing.
The following brothers have sent their regrets and greetings: John Baarts, Jerry Dowell, Terry Duryea, Walt Elkington, Stan Farar, Dave Hammer, Jim Ingram, Tony Jarret, Bill Maddigan, Don Williams, and Alan Zacharin. Frank Curcio and Mike Green talked to a number of other brothers who are not on any of the above lists. Some said they might come, but there has been nothing else from these brothers. We hope that they will come to future events.
At least fifteen of brothers are bringing their wives. As usual at our reunions, the ladies are welcome. Do you all remember the Sweetheart Song?
There are a number of brothers who have passed into Chapter Eternal. We have a partial list. Please let Frank Curcio at FACeast@erols.com or Mike Green at magreen@lbl.gov know about brothers you know of who are no longer with us. I am sure that we have only a partial list. These brothers will be remembered at the dinner.
Go to http://www.jimpeirce.com/sig%20ep/sig%20ep%20front%20page.htm for a web-site, i