2. Friday Feb 15th SGI Reality Center event coordinated by Bob Doten. Bob Doten overviewed the event. There is room for 28 people. Sign up sheet was passed around. It was suggested to donate $5.00 per person for event. SGI could donate the money to their favorite charity. More details in the February Newsletter.

3. Ray Ibia spoke about the Gigunda Tank Tour on Saturday March 16th. Tour the Historic Military Vehicle Museum in Portola Valley. For those who want to attend, we will gather at the Alpine Inn. Map and directions in the February newsletter. Lunch Optional, rain or shine event.

4. Treasurer Will Valle, said that GTOAA Chapter of the GTO Association of America membership is at 23%. We currently have 43 members that belong to GTOAA. We have 166 paid members through the end of the year. We need 25% of club to be members. John Mekisich talked about the advantages.

5. There was a date change for the July Wine Cruise and BBQ at the Andersons in Sonoma. After the meeting, a new date was determined. That date is Sunday, July 21st.

7. Wangers II event was discussed. The date has changed to May 18th. The Wangers group committed to the May 18th date. Bob Doten found a park in Walnut Creek (Civic park) to hold the event. There is parking for 50 cars. A hall for the presentation is available. The dinner for Saturday night was discussed. A Mexican food restaurant was suggested. The dinner would cost approximately $15.00 per person. Discussion on lunch was also conducted. Jim Wangers and crew will bring his 1966 GTO.

We still need to find out how many people will travel to the Friday night get together for Jim Wangers. Bob Doten will look into the hotels in the area.

8. Don’t forget to pay dues for 2002.

9. Next meeting to be held on Wednesday March 6th at Harry’s Hofbrau in San Leandro.

After discussions with the fine folks at the Hornet, we discovered that next year would be an excellent year for a visit due to a number of special events that they have planned. So, rather than visit the Hornet three years in a row, Club member Ray Ibia has discovered a place you have to see to believe!

N See over 140 Historic Military Vehicles

Jacques Littlefield, the President and Founder of the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation, has personally invited our club to visit one of the largest and most significant collections of historical military vehicles in the world!

We’re talking all kinds of tanks, armored cars, rocket launchers, amphibious vehicles, reconnaissance vehicles, experimental vehicles, and much more. Over 140 technically accurate and beautifully restored military vehicles in all, not counting the 50 or so other vehicles still in various stages of restoration - - and you thought your project took up garage space!

Mr. Littlefield established the Foundation in 1998. When asked why military vehicles, he responded, "I think they are more interesting than just cars or trucks. They have a number of different subsystems like hydraulics, radios, turrets, guns and optics. I like their complexity and the fact that they are BIG."

P Right in Our Own Backyard

Incredible as it may seem, this huge collection is located just a short drive away, on Mr. Littlefield’s 470-acre Pony Tracks Ranch in the town of Portola Valley, just off Alpine Road and Interstate 280, near the Stanford University.

U No Cost!

That’s right, this event is absolutely FREE to all GGG Club Members, family and friends!

Golden Gate Goats Gigunda Tank Tour

^ 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Lunch (Optional)

Enjoy lunch with your fellow club members in the casual atmosphere of the Alpine Inn Restaurant. Have a full meal or grab snack and a drink, either way Molly and Sam will have their place ready for us. Please keep in mind food and drinks are NOT ALLOWED at the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation. To get to the Alpine Inn, simply take the Alpine Road exit off Interstate 280 and go west toward Portola Valley for about 2 miles to Arastradero Road. The Alpine Inn is at 3915 Alpine Road, turn left at the corner of Arastradero to enter the parking lot. Lunch is an option on the agenda and is not hosted by the Club.

K 12:30 PM - 12:45 PM

The Golden Gate Goats will gather outside the Alpine Inn and at 12:45 PM sharp, we will caravan from the Alpine Inn to view the collection. Do not be late! We will exit the restaurant and then go left on Alpine about 1/2 mile to Los Trancos Road and turn left. We follow Los Trancos for about 2 miles and turn left again on Ramona. About 1/2 mile up Ramona we come to Vista Verde where we make yet another left. After about 1/4 mile we come to Old Spanish Trail Road where (you got it) we turn left. At the end of the road, the security gates will open for us and as we go in to the Pony Tracks Ranch, we keep to our right.

F 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM

We will be allowed to park free of charge in a secure, paved area in front of where our tour will take place. Then we will be given an in depth and behind the scene tour of the entire facility, escorted by the Foundation’s staff members. The vast majority of the display is indoors, but it is a warehouse, so dress warm if it’s a chilly day.

+ What You Need to Do

Show up with your family, friends, cameras and plenty of film. Be on time and have fun. That’s it. No cost, no RSVP, just show up. Remember this is a "Rain or Shine" event, so drive whatever vehicle suits you and the weather conditions. Our thanks (or should we say "Tanks") to Ray Ibia for coordinating and hosting this one of a kind event!

For more information about the collection, visit:

9 to 10:00 am - Meet at Mark & Deidre Stipanov’s for coffee and pastries

6023 Lone Pine Rd, Sebastopol 707-829-1448

Email - Dragon64gto@aol.com

10:15 - Leave the Stipanov’s cruising towards Bodega Bay, drive along the coast towards Goat Rock and Jenner. If time allows, and you want, get a photo of your car at the Goat Rock sign. Then on to Korbel, passing through Monte Rio and Guerneville.

12:30 - Stage in front of Korbel and Take a tour of the champagne cellars and their micro-brewery. Then taste a little champagne, some of which can only be bought at Korbel.

2:30 - Leave Korbel and cruise to Sebastopol to GTO’s Seafood Restaurant.

3:00 - Lunch - enjoying Louisiana style seafood and the best Gumbo ever.

After lunch you are free to go get your motel room or cruise over to Santa Rosa for the show and shine or ?....

Directions to Mark and Deidre’s house:

· 101 north to Hwy 116 exit (about 45 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge)

· Take the Sebastopol-Cotati-116 Exit. Turn left and go under the freeway. (if you need gas get it here or at Bill’s Deli)

· Approx 4-5 miles you will see Bill’s Deli and Gas on your right. Continue on for about 300 yards.

· On the left is Lone Pine Rd between Lander’s Automotive and “Call of the Wild.” Go up Lone Pine Rd about 1 mile. 6023 is on the left.

SGI TOUR REVIEW

One 3 oz package of cream cheese - softened
8 Tbl. (1 stick) butter - softened
1 cup sifted all purpose flour

1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar - packed
1 Tbl. butter
1 tea. vanilla extract
1/8 tea. salt
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together the cream cheese and butter in small bowl or food processor, add flour and blend thoroughly. Chill if hard to handle.

Divide dough into 24 balls, wrap in plastic wrap and chill again, briefly. Place each ball in mini muffin tin or tiny tart pan. Press with finger against side and bottom or use tart tamper tool.

For golden tassies pecan filling, beat together egg, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and salt until all the lumps are gone. Place half the pecans in dough lined pans and top with egg mixture. Dot with remaining pecans.

Bake 25 minutes or until filling is set, cool 5 minutes and remove from pan. Tassies will keep several days closely wrapped or 3 months frozen.

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