Karen Soo – NSC Trip Director

What an exciting weekend. The 49ers were the favorite to win the 47^th annual Super bowl in New Orleans. There was so much buzz after the famous stadium  “BLACKOUT “at the Mercedes Benz Superdome. Was it Beyoncé’s strut that pulled the plug or was it Alex Smith with devil horns that turned the power off? Every 49ers fan in the bay area was jumping out of their seats when they scored their two touchdowns in the 3^rd quarter.

Sorry for the reminder, but the 49ers did not win the Super bowl. They just ran out of time.  Jim Haubaugh will continue lead the the 49ers to more victories. Colin Kaepernick will continue to shine next year. The 49ers are a strong team and they will come back next year.

Are the Nisei Ski Club weekend trips coming back next year?? Well that’s another story.  We got the greatest snow conditions, we scheduled three weekend trips for the 2013 season and we had the dates and destinations picked out. One problem, we are not getting our 30 sign ups to fill the bus.

We had to cancelled Trip 1, (Feb 8-10) three weeks prior to the departure date because we had only 13 sign ups. It looks like trip 2 is not going to meet the quota either unless we get 15 more people to sign up by this coming weekend.

Trip 3 for Mach 22-24 weekend – same story here – A low turnout with only 12 people.

I even asked the members who signed up for trip 1 to see if they would be interested in going on a day trip.  Only 5 people said they are willing to try out a local Bay Area Bus Trips.

Could this be an end of an era?  I know the 49ers are coming back next year but will the Nisei Ski Club?? The NSC officers will continue to support the weeklong trips for 2014 until that loses interest too.

We will continue work on non-ski events during the off season.  Just a reminder that this is a volunteer job for each and all of the officers and board members.

If anyone wants to go skiing in the coming weekends, please send me an email.

Happy New Year to you and your family..

Karen Soo aka NSC Trip director

tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org

Happy 4710 to all!!

The new year has brought us plenty of snow in the Sierras and Colorado.  I, for one, am waiting with baited breath for Steamboat pictures and reportages.

Unfortunately, despite the abundance of snow in the Sierras, trip # 1 was cancelled for lack of interest.  I’ve signed up for trips 2 & 3.    I hope to see you then!

In this month’s newsletter, Sydney Mar pays homage to Hi Fujii & his skis.  See his article here >> Sydney’s Skis <<.

President Armand Gutierrez’s Message

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Yes, the Year of the Snake.  I’m not particularly fond of snakes and we’ll get along well as long as they’re behind glass (like at a zoo). As the Chinese New Year begins and brings us a prosperous and good snow season, now is the time to take advantage of the good snow conditions up at Tahoe.

The ski season is in full swing and if you haven’t been to the slopes yet then what are you waiting for?
– For the rest of Armand’s mesage, click here >> Armand’s February Message <<.

Membership Activity

Our current membership stands at 52 members, which is the lowest membership that I have seen since I became a member back in 2002. This low membership has a direct bearing on the ability for the club to sponsor the weekend ski trips. Each weekend ski trip requires at least 30 signups, which was not a problem when the membership was 120+ people. But now, we’re nowhere close to that figure. Next year we may see a different NSC, one that will only be able to provide a ski week trip, and even this year’s ski week to Steamboat only had 28 people. Our summer activities probably won’t be affected because they usually don’t require any upfront money deposits and minimum signups.

Where is your Editor?

As for me, here are pics from my current wanderings

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Yes, the Year of the Snake.  I’m not particularly fond of snakes and we’ll get along well as long as they’re behind glass (like at a zoo). As the Chinese New Year begins and brings us a prosperous and good snow season, now is the time to take advantage of the good snow conditions up at Tahoe.

The ski season is in full swing and if you haven’t been to the slopes yet then what are you waiting for? There is plenty of snow up at Tahoe and January provided sunny skies and great weather for skiing. By now the Steamboat entourage has returned and I’m sure we’ll have photos and stories in the next newsletter.  I did check out Steamboat’s webcams a few times and it looked like they were blessed with some fresh snow and, hopefully, the famous champagne powder that Steamboat is known for.

Back in October Hi Fujii attended the NSC picnic and requested that his skis be donated to the club since he was “retiring” from skiing. The NSC Board decided that his skis would be donated to somebody that really needed a pair of good skis and that would put them to good use. Well, Sidney Mar became the recipient of those skis and now he’s looking forward to trying them out. You can read his story in the newsletter.

Unfortunately for Sidney, Trip #1 to Alpine and Squaw was cancelled due to insufficient sign-ups. Although those members have been rescheduled to Trips #2 and #3, there still is no guarantee that those trips will go. Last year all weekend trips were cancelled due to low signups, which was due to the fact that snow conditions were not very good. But this season there is plenty of snow and good weather conditions. The Board is very concerned that if all our weekend ski trips are cancelled this year, then next year might be no different and the club will only offer the ski week trip. Since the snow conditions are good then the main reason for cancelling our weekend ski trips can be tied to our membership. Clearly a membership of 52 cannot sustain weekend bus trips that require at least 30 signups. Once again I’m urging you to signup for one of the two remaining trips and help Sidney get on the slopes with his new boots and skis.

If you have any concerns on where the club is headed in the future then please drop me a line (president@niseiskiclub.org) and voice your concerns and questions.

~Armand Gutierrez~

2013 is starting out to be a good ski season. As mentioned last month, I made a trip to Tahoe just before the holidays and skied Heavenly and Northstar. Although not all lifts were in operation, the snow conditions made up for that. At Heavenly, there was enough snow to run through the trees and take in some powder runs. At Northstar, the Washoe run on Lookout Mountain had just opened and half the run had 8”-10” of fresh, untracked powder. Well, almost untracked, as I was the third person to go down. It was so sweet that a second run was mandatory!

With all the snowfall up at Tahoe, now is the time to signup for one, two, or three of the trips that have been planned. Karen Soo (trip director) has been working hard on making these trips affordable and fun. The first trip in February is to Squaw and Alpine, and both resorts have plenty of snow. We need your signups to make these trips possible or else they could be cancelled. Last year’s cancellations was understandable due to less-than-desirable snow conditions. But this year is looking real good. So remember why you joined Nisei Ski Club. You joined because the club offered ski trips at great prices, plus you don’t have to drive. So once again, I urge the membership to sign up for a trip (or two), invite a friend (or two), and let’s make this ski season a memorable one.

 Golden Gate Park Dec. 2 by Hoyt Nelson

The rain forecast probably lowered the attendance, but the weather turned out great for 7 of us, led by Karen Soo,  in a tour of the new California Academy  of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.  We got all shook up in an earthquake simulator, craned our necks in the planetarium, climbed up through the giant rain forest enclosure, marveled over the countless fish in the huge aquarium complex downstairs and gazed at the many displays of animals, birds, rocks, etc.  Except for the lack of parking, I believe everyone agreed it was a day well-spent.

Thanks Karen for your continuing support and service to our club.

~byline: Janet “hard butt” Gee ~

Back due to popular demand, Hoyt led six lucky members, to a repeat of his North Berkeley Hike on November 11th.  We really got our adrenaline going at the concrete slide at Cordonices Park.  Rod took the lead with a safe, conservative run using his feet as brakes, followed by Maggie.  Both Hoyt and myself were more aggressive and paid for it by landing squarely on our tailbones, while Karen had her Performance-Enhanced Cardboard mat with wax paper, which launched her three feet beyond, for the gold medal in slide jumping according to judges, Linda and Melissa, who wisely kept their feet on the ground.  Karen, Hoyt and I are still sore — owww!

We enjoyed great views of the bay, cool architecture of the homes, and of course, lots of stairs — some with colorful mosaic walls created by the neighbors.  We stopped for a snack at Cragmont Park where we tried to ID all the islands we could see in the bay, saw some rock climbers and found a few late blackberries on Keeler Path.  We even learned about Mayan history and culture from a painted mural on the way back to our start.

And what is a Nisei event without enjoying great food, so down the hill we drove to Karen’s fav, Vik’s Chaat House.  She and Hoyt ordered us a wide variety of Indian snacks, most of which lit my wimpy tastebuds on fire — lamb naan, poori, chicken biryani, veggie dosa — all really tasty!

Thanks again to Hoyt, our intrepid leader, whose hikes always take us somewhere interesting and scenic, whether wilderness or cityscapes — be sure to join us next time!

Did you VOTE???  If you didn’t, you have no right to complain!!!

This month, we have a lot of things for y’all.  Coming up is another of Hoyt’s popular hikes – on Nov 11, he will be leading the ever popular North Berkeley hike – see below for details.
STEAMBOAT – still 4 spots left, but time’s running out. 
Las Palmas Picnic – David Tsuhako’s picnic write up graces this month’s newsletter along with Bill Lee’s photo chronicle of the day.
Karen’s Trip Director article unveils the 2012-2013 weekend trips..
And, of course, we have Armand’s Presidential (get it?  Presidential, Nov elections…) which follows immediately.

Nisei Ski Club
November, 2012
President’s Message

November is here and ski season is getting closer. Are you getting ready for the ski season? The recent storms bode well for what might be a good ski season. Squaw Valley had a special one-day opening and many ski resorts are planning on early opening dates: Heavenly and Northstar – Nov. 16, Kirkwood and Squaw Valley – Nov 21, and Alpine Meadows – Dec 7.

Karen Soo is finalizing the weekend ski trips and she’ll be posting the schedule in an upcoming newsletter. However, our NSC trips are based on a minimum number of members signing up for the trips. Many of us were disappointed in
last year’s ski season, which affected the number of bus trips we could offer. This year the season appears to be starting off with early snowfalls and early resort openings.  When the ski trip schedule is posted be sure to sign up so the trips can be scheduled accordingly.

Last month, there was first mention about a “ski mentoring” program and for any interested members to send me a note. So far there haven’t been any responses, and implementation of a “ski mentoring” program can only happen when there is sufficient interest. If you’re interested then send me a note (president@niseiskiclub.org) and indicate your ski level and area of interest.

The NSC picnic held last month was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone that attended. Good weather, plenty of food, and meeting former members contributed to a great event. One pleasant surprise was to see Hi Fujii attend for a brief visit. Sad to say, his visit had a main purpose – and that was to donate his Atomic skis to the club since he is now “retiring” from skiing due to health issues. As a lifetime NSC member, we may miss him on the ski slopes but hopefully Hi will participate in another picnic or NSC event.

Membership Activity – Our current membership stands at 49 members.

FWSA Innsbruck/Garmisch Ski Week

Innsbruck is the Tyrolean capital and hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976. There are over 320 miles of trails easily accessible in 25 surrounding village resorts; and nine major ski areas that provide varied terrain for all levels of skiers.

If you’re interested in joining me on this ski week vacation, or just have questions about skiing in Europe, then drop me a line (membership@niseiskiclub.org).

Steamboat Springs Update
by Morgan Hua

I have only 4 seats left (out of 30) for the Steamboat Trip.  If you’re interested, please sign up ASAP.
Once I get the Fleece Souvenir embroidered, I will arrange for a get together to distribute the fleece and information packets.
That’ll probably be in Dec.  Stay tuned.

Karen Soo – Returning Trip Director

The first storm of the season fell last week. Squaw Valley had 3 feet of snow and they were open for one day. Lift Tickets costs $20.00 to ski one run.  Just imagine seeing the fall foliage with a blanket of snow on top.  It also rained on Halloween.  A positive sign that we’re going to have a good season in 2013.

The cost of the NSC weekend trip is still being finalized. Based on the survey given at our NSC picnic, we are going to the following resorts –…. Click for >> Rest of Karen’s Article<<

 Las Palmas Picnic – T’was a Beautiful Day to Picnic

~ byline : David Tsuhako ~

On a beautiful and sunny Saturday in October, close to forty NSC skiers, boarders and friends congregated atLas PalmasParkfor some grub and gab. As usual, Karen (aka Taste Soo Good Catering) cooked up a feast of BBQ pulled pork sliders and coleslaw. And as people started arriving to the party, a variety of scrumptious dishes added to the spread.  We all had our fill sampling succulent fall-off the bone ribs, king egg rolls, Vietnamese spring rolls, roasted chicken, somen salad, various pasta salads, quinoa salads, mac salads, California rolls, maki sushi, tamale pies, bruschetta, cheese cakes, lemon bars, and 7 layer finger …  >> Click here for the rest of David’s report <<

North Berkeley Hike – Sat, Nov. 11

~led by Hoyt Nelson ~

Come join us trouping through the hills of N. Berkeley in the gardens of some of the most picturesque old  “designer” homes in the Bay Area. I have mapped out a route based on several hikes from my favorite hike book in this area: “Hidden Walks in the Bay Area” by Stephan Altschuler.  There is an adult concrete slide near the start so you may want to bring a sturdy cardboard “sled” of at least 3′ x 3′.  For more speed, firmly attach a sheet of wax paper to the bottom (not plastic cling wrap).

The slide is very close to the start so you can take it back to your car if you want before the rest of the hike. The pictures in this flyer are from the preview I did in March.

It should take about 3.5-4 hours and starts at the Berkeley Rose Garden (intersection of Euclid & Eunice – click => for a MAP <=) at 10 AM.  More details will be sent after you sign up.  Bring layered clothing, camera, strong hiking shoes, water and snacks/lunch.  Bathroom facilities are at the start and at our lunch stop at Cragmont Rock Park.  There are several restaurants I can suggest for lunch after the hike and/or you can bring something for our Cragmont Park stop.  Rain may cancel the trip.  I will keep signups informed.  For more info contact Hoyt Nelson at: berkeley@niseiskiclub.org.

Oct 20 Castle Rock Hike by Hoyt Nelson

Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day in the Santa Cruz mountains. The air was cool and clear with just a few wisps of fog draped over the distant hills which added still more interest to the already beautiful scenery that stretched nearly to the Santa Cruz bay. Ten of us (amazingly) got off to an on-time start, but the hike took almost 4 hours due to stops for the obligatory group photos and a longer-than- usual social break for lunch at the campgrounds just north of the upper end of our 5 mile squashed loop route. There were more rock scrambling spots along the trail than I remembered from my last
time here five years ago, but then, I’ve aged since then. There were, however a few new trail improvements in the form of fixed cables in a couple of short stretches, which a few of us really appreciated. We overtook a half dozen campers with large packs trying to negotiate one of 

these sections and Joel volunteered to hoist one pretty heavy pack up and across for one

 of them. I guess I wasn’t the only tired hiker since nobody wanted to take the extra ¼ mile trail up Castle Rock itself or the optional ¼ mile trail up from Saratoga to Hakone Gardens. That worked for me as well.

Karen Soo – Returning Trip Director

The first storm of the season fell last week. Squaw Valley had 3 feet of snow and they were open for one day. Lift Tickets costs $20.00 to ski one run.  Just imagine seeing the fall foliage with a blanket of snow on top.  It also rained on Halloween.  A positive sign that we’re going to have a good season in 2013.

The cost of the NSC weekend trip is still being finalized. Based on the survey given at our NSC picnic, we are going to the following resorts –

Trip 1 – February 8 – 10, 2013 (Squaw / Alpine)
Trip 2 – March 1 – 3, 2013 (Alpine / Northstar)
Trip 3 – March 22- 24 / Mt Rose / Sugarbowl (Subject to Change)

To gear up for the coming season. There is a couple of Ski related events happening in the bay area.

Nov 3-4 / 5^th Annual SnowBomb San Francisco Ski & Board Festival in San Francisco

Nov 17-18 / 4^th Annual SnowBomb Silicon Valley Ski & Board Festival in San Jose

Please send me an email if you would like to volunteer for 2 hours at these events to promote our club. In return, you will get free entrance to the event and free lift tickets.

I’m also planning a NSC outing to the California Academy of Sciences on Sunday, December 4^th. If you are interested in attending, let me know and  I will try to get group rate.

Have a great Thanksgiving holiday.

Karen

~ byline : David Tsuhako ~

On a beautiful and sunny Saturday in October, close to forty NSC skiers, boarders and friends congregated atLas PalmasParkfor some grub and gab. As usual, Karen (aka Taste Soo Good Catering) cooked up a feast of BBQ pulled pork sliders and coleslaw. And as people started arriving to the party, a variety of scrumptious dishes added to the spread.  We all had our fill sampling succulent fall-off the bone ribs, king egg rolls, Vietnamese spring rolls, roasted chicken, somen salad, various pasta salads, quinoa salads, mac salads, California rolls, maki sushi, tamale pies, bruschetta, cheese cakes, lemon bars, and 7 layer finger jello, to name a few.

As we munched on the food, we caught up with fellow skiers and boarders to mentally gear up for the up coming season, and of course “prayed” for better snow this year than last.  For some of us, we had not seen each other since the ski season ended, so we enjoyed listening to peoples non-skiing adventures over the summer. Some debated over the latest political and economical state of the economy, while others learned about new movies or TV series they should watch. Those that came to the picnic early, caught a glimpse of one of our founding members, Hy Fuji, who dropped off his atomic skiis to donate to the club.

After lunch, Armand, standing on a picnic bench, called to order the NSC board meeting, introducing the current board members at the picnic: Armand (President), Frank (Treasurer), Karen (Trip Director), Morgan (Ex-Officio), Brian (Board member), Hoyt (Board member), and Curtis (Board member).  Like all good meetings, it was short and to the point. Week long trip to Steamboat still had openings if people are interested, Hy’s skiis are for sale, Castle Rock hike was coming up as was anAcademyofSciencefield trip, and the weekend bus trips to Tahoe are in the planning phase.  Then we played the exciting game of Left, Right, Center, where the last person standing with a dollar bill gets to take home the “center” pot of money.  After 30 minutes of excitement, screams, and laughs among 18 participants, it was a battle between Morgan and I. Morgan rolls a push.  I roll a push, Yes! Morgan rolls another push.  Me too! Morgan rolls a Center.  I win!!!  With all that fun, we had to document it with photos (thanks to Bill for all the candid photos!) and a group picture—with the NSC sign of course!

Thanks to the board for putting this together. It was great seeing everyone and catching up with everyone. Hope to see you soon on future NSC events and lets all pray for good snow!

Thanks to Bill Lee, we have a photo chronicle of the day : >> Bill’s PicNic Pics <<

October’s upon us.  Halloween will be here soon.  I, for one, have been baying at the moon for the last several days and I’ve noticed that my exfoliation cream has lost its efficacy and  en plus, I’ve been going through a new razor every day as my facial hair is inexplicably becoming coarser.  Owooooooo.

In this month’s issue, Steamboat Update, Club Picnic, October hike, president Armand’s message and membership report.

_________________________________________________

Nisei Ski Club
October, 2012
President’s Message
Armand Gutierrez

Get Ready! Ski season is just around the corner. And one of my proposals for this year is to initiate a “ski mentoring” program. The purpose of this proposal is to have some of our seasoned members provide on-the-slope advice to help you become a better skier. Need help in moguls? How about tackling a black diamond run for the first time? Or maybe you want to step up from the green runs to the blue runs. Whatever it may be, I’m sure there is an NSC member who can help you. However, before we can implement this program it’s necessary to determine how many people will actually sign up. If you’re interested then send me a note (president@niseiskiclub.org) and indicate your ski level and the area of interest.

The NSC picnic is on Saturday, October 13^th, and the Evite invitations have been distributed to current and former members of NSC. As mentioned in the Evite and flyer, the best part of this picnic, aside from reconnecting with current & former members, is that there is no cost to you, as NSC will be providing the main entrees and soft drinks/water. However, feel free to bring a side dish or dessert to share. We will also have a short membership meeting to bring everyone up-to-date on club activities. Let’s hope Mother Nature cooperates and provide us with sunny skies and pleasant temps. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the 13^th.

1.      Membership Activity
Our current membership stands at 46 members. Normally we would have a few more signups due to the ski week trip to Steamboat but that seems to have abated. There are still rooms available for this great trip and hopefully more people will signup at the October picnic.

2.      FWSA Innsbruck/Garmisch Ski Week
Innsbruck is the Tyrolean capital and hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976. There are over 320 miles of trails easily accessible in 25 surrounding village resorts; and nine major ski areas that provide varied terrain for all levels of skiers.

If you’re interested in joining me on this ski week vacation, or just have questions about skiing in Europe, then drop me a line (membership@niseiskiclub.org).

~Morgan Hua ~
The 2012-2013 snow season is predicted to be El Nino which is supposed to bring more snow.
Steamboat just got it’s first snowfall on Sept 26, 2012.  Their opening day is Nov 21.  We will be arriving on Jan 26, 2013.
Karen is also ordering the trip souvenirs from Marmot and various colors and styles are already starting to run out.

Second payment is due Oct 27, 2012 and I will probably release all the unused condos and plane seats before then.

If you want to go on this trip, you should sign up ASAP.

For details click this link : « Steamboat »

Picnic – Saturday October 13

Save the date and time! Come out and catch up with current and past NSC members.
The NSC board members would like to invite you to a picnic.

Who: NSC members and their invited Guests.
When:  Saturday, October 13, 2012 12:00PM – 5:00PM
Where: Las Palmas Park 850 Russet Drive, Sunnyvale.
Here’s the link to the picnic details: >> PICNIC Info <<

Hoyt’s Castle Rock hike -Saturday,  October 20

Don’t forget Hoyt Nelson’s Castle Rock hike! Click here for the details: «HIKE!»

NOTE : This is simply information for our membership, not an endorsement of the California Ski Company by Nisei Ski Club.

California Ski Company is the East Bay’s only specialty ski shop. We have been selling ski equipment—and ski equipment only—here in Berkeley for the past 22 years. We are dedicated to assisting your purchasing decisions with the most highly trained, knowledgeable staff in the Bay; our mission is to ensure your skiing satisfaction!

Now is the time to get lots of great deals on all your ski needs at the upcoming California Ski Company Fall Parking Lot Sale! California Ski Company is a seasonal business and does not have a big spring closeout sale like other “ski” shops that convert their ski business to a separate retail focus in the summer.

Instead of selling off their ski gear early to buy whatever they sell in the summer, California Ski Company keeps a full selection of gear in stock until the resorts close.  They then simply lock their doors for the summer hold on to their extensive inventory.

In the Fall, when it is time for them to re-open, California Ski Company kicks off the new ski season with  their giant Fall Parking Lot sale!

The sale takes place over three weekends and is designed to clear out all of last year’s inventory with huge price reductions along with some great deals on this year’s gear.  After last year’s slow Winter, there is a lot left over and many great deals ready to be had!

Skis up to 60% off!

All Clothing 30-60% off!

Helmets and other accessories to 60% off!

This year we will be stocking backcountry gear!

Don’t forget to ask for “facebook” pricing on tune ups and get a full ski tune (regularly $50.00) for just $35.00, this offer is good thru 10/31.

The Fall Parking Lot sale dates are: August 25^th & 26^th, September  1^st, 2^nd, & 3^rd , and the final weekend is September 8^th and 9^th.  Hours are 10am to 6pm each day.  Please visit their website to find even more details at www.Californiaskicompany.com.

Byline : Celeste Rogers

The hikes organized by Hoyt were often embedded with hidden gems. I discovered San Francisco through the Stairs Hikes such as hidden gardens among the stairs and awesome views of the Bay and unknown lakes (to me) in Golden Gate Park.

This Lands End hike is no different. I discovered that there is a wonderful trail after the Cliff House, a blow hole inside the tunnel, the maze, the USS San Francisco Memorial, the Palace of the Legion of Honor (The Thinker is here), the Holocaust Memorial, the stairways, the incredible mansions on Seacliff Avenue, blackberry blooms, the perfect blooms of yellow, purple, white and red and, of course, the Golden Gate Bridge set against the perfect blue sky on a cool breezy day. I could not ask for more from this hike with great wonderful people sharing stories, their activities and their food and making friends and meeting members whom we have not met in months.

At the end of the hike, Hoyt took us to a restaurant, Mandalay, that is zagat rated. Hoyt recommended the Tea Leaf Salad and ginger tea. The Tea salad is not what a salad is in our definition. It consisted of fermented tea paste, and all things fried, such as split peas, sliced garlic, broad beans, sesame, ground nuts, chili, shrimp paste and some lemon. One bite into the mixture which was mixed on the table as part of the dining experience, and you are hooked and filled. The ginger drink is actually mint with lemon juice and so cool, refreshing and delicious after a long hike of 6 miles and 4 hours later. Also, the coconut rice is a must if you happen to be there.

Food, hike, great weather, wonderful friends and beautiful scenery make for a perfect day!! Life is Good!!

Days later, I was still raving about this wonderful hike that make my Saturday last forever!!! A great BIG thank you to Hoyt and Nancy Nelson.

Cheers, Celeste

By : Celeste Rogers (ed. H.Nelson)

The Falls Creek got its name because of its musical & soft caressing water sound among tall straight redwoods. It was a shaded hike to soothe your soul and to be at peace within your heart.
We got off to a late start waiting for late comers. A larger group by Meetup was organized by Steven at the same time and same place that I normally participated every weekend took off for a 10 mile hike.

Hoyt was very kind to warn vehicles coming into the parking area to slow down as there was a huge “pothole” that scraped vehicle bottoms even for the SUVs.  Hoyt probably saved a few “broken” hearts that day.

As usual with Hoyt’s hikes, we learned a bit of history along the hike such as about the Lime Kilns, Powder Magazine and the Barrel Mill Area where we rested on fallen logs along the creek and have our packed lunch before looping back. The Barrel Mill manufactured parts for barrels that were used for shipping lime. The nearby redwood trees were cut into blocks to be sliced and assembled into barrels.

We took off to an organic winery where the fields have to be left fallowed for 5 years before being certified as organic. The patio of the wine tasting area was a great place to rest and chat before heading home after a lovely, relaxing and cool hike with such soothing water music that I took several recordings of the sound of flowing water.

Tom Ryugo a.k.a. “Gilligan”

Poppa and his Fish

It’s been a while since I’ve gotten excited about salmon fishing.  The salmon season was closed in 2008-2009, opened back up in 2010 with miserable results, and was pretty mediocre in 2011.  But 2012 opened with great anticipation because biologists, fisherman, and whale watchers alike all reported seeing conditions conducive for a banner salmon year.  The biologists counted lots of fish and the other observers reported the ocean being full of krill, anchovies, and other salmon food.  For salmon anglers, the year didn’t disappoint.  Starting in late May/early June, boats reported catching between 1-1.5 salmon per rod.  In early July, the scores increased to a fish per rod to limits (2).

With all that news, I put together a group to go salmon trolling aboard the New Seeker of Emeryville.  There were 8 of us: myself; Nelson Owyang; Karen Soo; Greg Wong; and Celeste Rogers (all NSC members) plus three other friends: Chris Mackey; Irena  and Mike Pattullo.  We arrived very early – 4:30 – because the boat was sold out (hot salmon fishing news travels fast).  Given that the previous day, all boats caught limits of salmon, we looked forward to a great day.  Chris even convinced his sister-in-law to babysit his two boys with the promise of a salmon dinner.  Alas, that’s why they call it fishing not catching.

The ocean was a tad rocky on the trip out so some of our group were looking a bit uneasy.  Plus, it was a long boat ride.  Not surprisingly, when Captain Harry stopped the boat after about two hours, somewhere between Stinson Beach and Point Reyes, some of our group headed for the rails and tossed their cookies.  The weather was overcast and breezy but the ocean had just the right color salmon like – brownish green water full of plankton.  On the very first drop, I had a bite and then a fish.   When the fish came into view though, it looked small, a measurement fish (minimum size for salmon is 20″).  I was thinking how disappointing after all the reports of fish averaging 12-15 lb.  Irena was feeling too uneasy to fish her line so I checked her bait and put it back down – but when the bait was barely 20 feet away, a big salmon came up and grabbed it.  I called for Irena to reel it in but she said she was in no condition – so I reeled it up.  A real beauty ~ 18 lb.  Not long after that, I had a bite on my own line – and another tough salmon fight.  After ten odd minutes, this salmon was in the net, also ~18 lb.

Meanwhile, however, the rest of our group weren’t faring so well.  Greg had turned several shades of green, Karen was looking queasy, the salmon seemed to be playing with Celeste (one took her bait and sinker when she closed her eyes for a few minutes), and the fish avoided everyone else’s line like the plague.  Despite seasickness, everyone in our group gamely toughed it out and kept on fishing.  Other passengers weren’t faring well fishing wise either – there were 4-5 other fish in the box but that was it.  Captain Harry finally decided to head north to Point Reyes where the rest of the fleet said fishing was better.  I reeled in my own line and then reeled in Irena’s line.  Just 15 feet from the boat, another big salmon hit the bait.  Alas, this one shook its head mightily and threw the hook.  Oh well – how disappointing.  An hour boat ride later, we were near Point Reyes with lots of company from other charter boats, skiffs, and commercial fishing boats.  There was a lot more action here but unfortunately, it came from small fish.  The ratio of undersized salmon to legal (barely) salmon must have been 5-1.  Most weren’t strong enough to release the trolling sinkers (which was good since people got their sinkers back).  Irena, Nelson, and Greg each pulled in a small but legal salmon.  Finally, Captain Harry said enough was enough – we should have stayed put at the first spot – and we were heading back to our morning spot.

Back at the previous spot, the passengers got a huge thrill from a pod of enormous blue whales feeding on the abundant krill.  The biggest looked to be 70-80 feet long.  Some surfaced barely 200 yards from the boat, shooting spouts from their blowholes and waving their big flukes in the air as they plowed through the water.  We joked about the extra charges for whale watching.  Everyone with a camera pulled it out and tried to time the whales so as to catch tails in the air.  Then it was back to salmon fishing.  The action wasn’t fast but it turned out well for our group.  Greg, having shaken off seasickness, hooked a big and hard-fighting salmon.  After a tiring fight, a 15 lb salmon went in the box.  Then it was Karen’s turn – but when the deckhands initially took her rod to work out a tangle, she was reluctant to take it back.  All that dithering gave the salmon a chance to shake the hook – and after Karen finally took back the rod, that’s just what it did.  Finally, at 3 o’clock, Captain Harry gave the order to wind up and head home.  Just enough time for one last thrill.  As Nelson reeled in his line, a big salmon clobbered his bait barely 10 feet from the boat.  A short but fierce struggle later (only ten feet to reel in), another 15 lb salmon was in the box.

Overall, it was a feast or famine day for passengers.  In our
 group, four people caught two legal salmon and four people caught none.  That seemed to go for the rest of the passengers – ~20 salmon for 24 people.  My big fish and Irena’s big fish tied for biggest fish on the boat so we split the jackpot.  I gave my share to the deckhands, Tom and Rob.  I also gave my smaller salmon and the carcass of the big salmon to Chris – couldn’t have him disappointing the family.  Also took home a bag of fresh salmon roe (tasty but very rich).  A fine day of salmon fishing for me when all was said and done.

~Tom~

Celeste Rogers

For those who have never gone fishing in their life, here’s the drill. I woke up at 3:30am to get ready to carpool with Greg Wong to Emeryville for a day of salmon fishing.  The trip cost $100.00 for a spot aboard the New Seeker that can hold 25-30 people along the perimeter of the boat.  It was early in the morning and the line to pay was out the door at the Emeryville Sport fishing office. I had to rent my fishing rod which costs $10.00 a day and a fishing license that contributed $14.30 to the California State Park.  I also participated in the “BIGGEST CATCH” $5.00 jackpot. A nice monetary reward for one lucky angler, who can bring home the biggest fish.

At 6 am we were on our way.  Out on the bay, with views of San Francisco and passing the Golden Gate Bridge. The ride through the Pacific Ocean was choppy and skies were overcast with no sun in sight.  The boat ride lasted 2 hours before the engine was turn off in the middle of nowhere.  With the boat rocking left and right and the smell of diesel fuel in the air, it was a perfect formula to make us throw up!!  Greg Wong celebrated his inaugural fishing experience with a huge “over the railing” throw up extravaganza. With his condition, he was able to catch a very large salmon and another one within legal limit (>20 inches long).

Captain Harry took us from one location to another in hopes of finding the perfect spot for salmon. We were only allowed 2 salmons per day. After the first fish bit my bait, I was not that interested anymore because I had to learn how to reel in the line quickly.  Then I had to learn to cast the line out around 32 feet from where I was standing. I had to make sure that the 2.5 lb. sinker is not released accidentally and not get tangled with the neighbor’s lines and bring up before the boat sped up. There was so much to do. At the bow, the line depth has to be staggered so that the lines do not get tangled too often with your neighbors.  Those at the stern of the boat had their lines down at 50 feet, an ideal place to stand to catch the fish. I was cold and miserable and no fish was biting my line.  The worst feeling was trying to hold down the nausea which was about to bubble over. I was wondering how long I can endure this torture while we were still so far from land.  Finally, I gave in and tossed my cookies. I was ready to fish again!!  Not only did I not catch any fish, just a few nibbles, but I lost 3 sinkers!!!  The sinker ($5 each) is released when the fish bites the bait!!!  Imagine all the lost sinkers at the bottom of the ocean. When a fish is “hooked”, the deckhand nets the fish and clubs it to death until it sees stars. The fish is then gutted and tagged so the rightful owner can claim his/her fish at the end of day. The bait itself is a tedious process. Pushing a long curved hook (J) from tail of anchovies on the hook’s head, not the sharp end and leaving the hook exposed.  The head of the bait has a nail thru’ the hook’s hole and rubber band tied to it!  That way the bait is secured and looks real!  The highlight for me was seeing some blue whales in the distance.  One came really close by and I took a 10 seconds video of it!  Imagine the huge ocean and a view of its back and tail.  I saw the blow hole on the head as it released the stream of water!  Awesome huge creatures!!!

With every NSC event organized by Karen Soo, you can be sure that this is a well-organized trip. Even though this is not an official NSC event, the well thought plan and information provided has the NSC stamp of approval. Tom and Karen thought of everything that a newbie fishing person like me needs to know. I learned very quickly what to do and how to do it.  Tom was very thoughtful and gave me sinkers and set up my fishing pole.  He was the first person to catch fish which resulted in winning the jackpot of $90.00.  / Not the Deadliest but the Biggest Catch.

Cheers, Celeste

HAPPY INDPENDENCE DAY!!!

Happy Birthday AMERICA!!!

Nisei Ski Club wishes one and all a safe & happy 4th!

Did you know July 4 is not really America’s Independence Day?  The Second Continental Congress voted to approve a “resolution of independence” on July 2, 1776 which declared the United States independent from Great Britain.  It was on July 4, 1776 that Congress debated and revised the wording and gave it approval on July 4.  In fact, John Adams, who was to become our second president, wrote the following to his wife, Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

John Adams ~July 3, 1776

BILLY BALL!!!  BASEBALL GAME  – BAC and NSC Baseball game Friday, September 14, Oakland A’s Vs the Orioles.  Mark your calendars now – more details to come.

 Even though it’s summer, it’s just the right time to plan for next year’s NSC week long trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado for only $1200!!!

Hey NSC members and friends.

Below is a call for help from Ron Murata for the Mountain View Obon Festival on July 21 & 22, 2012.  Click on the links within Ron’s message to sign up or to get more info:

It’s a week and a half until our annual obon and bazaar.  We still  need volunteer help in all areas.

Here is a new link for help in the Dining Hall,   MVBT 2012 Obon Dining Hall Signup and http://www.mysignup.com/mvbtudon

Here are the previously announced links for help in:

• booth construction and setup  http://www.mysignup.com/1_booth_construction_and_setup_on_tue_wed_thur_fri_jul_17_18_19_20 
• manju making   http://www.mysignup.com/2_manju_making_on_wed_jul_18
• vegetable and beef preparation  http://www.mysignup.com/3_vegetable_and_beef_preparation_on_thur_fri_jul_19_20
• tempura booth   http://www.mysignup.com/5_tempura_booth_on_sat_sun_jul_21_22
•  beer booth http://www.mysignup.com/8_beer_booth_on_sat_jul_21
• **New Link ** post-bazaar take-down and cleanup   http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=9_post-bazaar_deconstruction_and_cleanup_on_july_23rd_24th_25th

I just have a few comments about next year’s week long trip to Steamboat Springs.  I picked this destination due to its popularity and price.   At the Farewell Dinner of our Sun Valley trip last year, people wanted to go to either Snowmass or Steamboat.  Several other people mentioned Lake Louise/Banff.  Well, I priced all three trips and both Snowmass and Lake Louise came in near $1800.  Steamboat Springs came in at a much lower and reasonable price.

Steamboat was also ranked as the #8 ski resort in Ski Magazine 2011.

I know that people like to be within walking distance of the lifts, so I had several choices for lodging.  One place was 300 yards to the lifts, but it would have cost $300 more.  An alternative was about $150 more and only 200 yards from the lift, but online reviews of the place had me worried, there were numerous complaints about the beds and interiors.  So, I picked The Ranch instead.  Though it is only a 10 minute shuttle ride to the lifts, The Ranch is too far from the bus lines and in-town shuttles, so The Ranch has a private shuttle service.  In the morning and late afternoon, the shuttle loops from the ski resort to The Ranch.  Otherwise, it’s on call for grocery runs, shops, and restaurants in town.  Just keep The Ranch’s phone number programmed in your cell phone.  The Ranch is a nicer property and you get a private shuttle.

From the survey, the most popular souvenir is fleece.  This time, Karen said she’ll try to customize the orders for everyone.   I’ll get your general size and Karen said she’ll contact you for your color choice and double check the size as different styles may vary in cut.

I will not be adding additional lodging for this trip, so once it is sold out, I’ll have to put you on the waiting list.  The trip price is $1200 which includes airfare from SFO to HDN (a 35 to 40 minute shuttle ride from the airport to our lodging).  The ground only price is $800.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me, Morgan Hua, at steamboat@niseiskiclub.org

Sign Up Form Here

~ byline, Armand Gutierrez~

President Armand at Chamonix, La France

Fourscore and seven years ago…Wait a minute, that’s already been taken. Let’s try this: Seven years ago I was nominated for the position of NSC President. Considering there were no other nominees it was pretty much a done deal. Fast forward to 2012. Once again I will be serving as your President for the 2012-2013 season. The difference this time is that this was more of a voluntary nomination. At last month’s NSC Board meeting our focus was on identifying who will be running the club. We discussed various options and everyone was amenable to maintaining his/her current position. However, Morgan decided that it was time for a change and that’s when I threw my hat into the ring, along with continuing my Membership Chairman position. I would like to thank the current board members for remaining “on board”, as this will make it easier to undertake the challenges NSC faces.

I’m sure everyone will agree that this past season was not the best ski season. Snow conditions were the worst I’ve ever seen in the 30+ years of skiing. It was a dismal sight seeing the Little Dipper mogul run at Heavenly covered with rocks and fallen trees, and this was in January! Many thought that the season was a bust, but fortunately the weather pattern changed and we did get decent, albeit not great, snow conditions for the rest of the season. However, due to the poor snow conditions it did force us to cancel several weekend ski trips.

Another casualty for last season was not participating at our traditional Chinese Chicken Salad event at Nikkei Matsuri, a first, after our many years of attendance. There were many factors that contributed to this but it was primarily the lack of volunteers to work the event. And this event does require a lot of work by volunteers.

Da Prez at Le Tour, Chamonix

At our first board meeting in June I’m going to present some ideas that I’ve had on the drawing board for the past year; all are designed in the best interest of NSC. Some will flounder, and some may flourish. NSC is a great ski club, and what makes it a great ski club are the club members. I’ve read the trip reports from skiers who went on our ski trips and a common thread was that NSC had the friendliest, most accommodating, and helpful members.

I’m looking forward to serving as President of this outstanding club for this year. But I’m only one person. There are a lot of dedicated people in this club and I think that is the club’s biggest asset. If you have any questions, concerns, or issues that need my attention, then I urge you to drop me a line and let me know. I know it’s only June, but I am already looking forward to the upcoming ski season!

~by Greg Wong~

I never thought that I would be skiing so much this late in the season.  The beginning of this year started out with so little snow.  I guess that is why so few people signed up.  They missed out on a good trip for a good price and with fresh powder. The snow started falling the weekend before, and continued for a week and a half.  We had 5 days of skiing and only 4 nights away.  Karen found us some great discount tickets of $35 for Sugar Bowl and $38 for Kirkwood.  I have not seen those prices in a long time.  Thanks Karen.    I signed up for this trip in December expecting a full bus. Only 20 sighed up, but there was only 14 on the bus.  14!!. The other 6 met us at Mammoth. We each had 3 rows upon which to spread out.  This is the way to travel.

The first day we were skiing at Kirkwood.  It was a quiet bus ride going to Tahoe. The 4 am pick up was a bit early but that is what you’ve got to do for a full day of skiing. The bus dropped us off in front of the lifts by 9am even with a pit stop to pick-up some snow chains.  The weather was overcast and the snow clouds were coming in. There were no lift lines on a Friday so we got in a lot of runs.  The conditions were packed powder, typical for Tahoe spring skiing.  It has been a while since I have been to Kirkwood.  Vail Resorts is buying them this year adding it to Northstar and Heavenly for their Tahoe holdings  Ticket prices will probably be going up next season but a season pass will let you ski all 3 mountains.   With a season pass I might ski Kirkwood a few times next year.  The snow began to fall just as we left the resort.  It was a cold northern winter front coming in.  We got out of Dodge without using chains.

The drive to Mammoth was scenic.  We did drive by a few spots a couple times going in circles.  David mentioned “Didn’t we just see that sign? ”  Dinner was served on the bus. All the dinners were cooked by the talented chef, Karen, on this trip..  She whipped up her culinary skills and served us Beef Goulash, Curry Coconut chicken, Chicken salad, and Tacos with special sauce as her entrees.  We did not have to eat out. Teriyaki burgers by Ikeda was the coming home meal .  The bus had to stop a few times along the road due to overheating.  We had a stop at a gas station to buy some antifreeze for the bus. It gave me and David a chance to buy a mega lottery ticket.  The jackpot was over $300 million. Maybe this might be my lucky week.  Even with all the delays, the bus made it to Mammoth in good time.  We checked into the condos next to the Eagle express lift and got a good night’s rest.

The first day at Mammoth was windy. The northern storm was just reaching  LA.  Frank, one of the locals with us was our tour guide.  He took us up to Cornice Bowl and we almost got blown away by the wind.  The wind was strong but had kept most of the snow in pretty good condition.  By the end of the day we had skied half the mountain. The second day, it was nice and sunny, although the snow got slushy by the end of the day.  Even with all the skiing we did, my roommate, Sidney, and I still went downstairs that evening to the rec-room to play Nitendo Wii ski.  Still couldn’t get enough skiing in.   The morning of the 3rd day at Mammoth I woke up to the howling of the wind and snow hitting the window.  Snow was falling fast.  I did not think we would get in a day of skiing.  By opening time, the wind had let up but the snow was still falling.  I could hear the sounds of the cannons going off.  3 to 5 inches had fallen overnight.  The upper lifts were closed.  Visibility was spotty but the snow was good.  We skied all morning.  After lunch, the lifts opened up and the sun came out. The snow condition was perfect.

The trip to Reno went a lot faster.  I think it took only 3½ hrs. to get there.  We made our deposits and went to bed.  Sugar bowl was very quiet on Tuesday. The snow began to fall again and we had the whole mountain to ourselves.  It was strange that after 4 days of skiing 10 of us decided to take a ski lesson that morning.  The last 4 days had so many different types of conditions we all wanted to know what we were doing wrong.  Sugar Bowl had free lessons on weekdays to get people to the resort.  Surprising they were very instructional.  The snow began to fall harder in the afternoon and the visibility became harder.  Everyone decide they had enough skiing for the trip and turned in early.

We got on the bus and left before the road chain requirements.  With this much snow, we were lucky  that we did not need the chains on the road the entire trip  By Sacramento the rain was coming down hard.  There were many accidents on the road but we made it home safely. The trip in all was great.  The only bad comment I could make was Karen’s movie selection of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”.

Now, for the important info.  Who won the left-right-center game?  I guess it has become a competitive event on our ski trips.  I didn’t think I could win this game or did I want to win?  The winner gets all the money, $60  in this case, but he has to write a new article.  Did I have a chance with the experienced Grady, the bus driver.  He has played every game that the club has played thus far.  Or Amy T, the enthusiastic player who holds her own tournaments and wins them.  We each started with 3 single dollars. We take turns throwing 3 dice and move each dollar to the direction of each cube face: giving the dollar to the Left person, or the person to the Right, the Center pot, or Keep it.  The noise level gets louder and louder as the game progresses. Sometimes the game gets so competitive that one time security got called for noise in Reno.  The first round I picked up the dice and threw. A left, a right, a pass came up  I was down to 1 dollar already.  Two more throws I was out.  I guess that was it but Rick to the left and Frank to Right were holding many dollars.  I still had a chance. After a few more rounds Grady and Amy were hanging in there with 1 dollar.  Being out does not mean that is it over. Luck has a way to bring you back in.  Each of us Amy, Grady and myself were each without any money but got back in.  As the rounds went by, I got back in with a dollar to stay in the game. When it came down to the final 4, It was Grady, Amy , myself and another whom I can’t remember.  Then it was down to 2.  Grady and me.  I threw first.  a Pass,   then Grady  a Pass.  I threw again.  Another pass.  Grady threw a Center Pot.  The game was over.  I had won left right center.  In the end lady luck was on my side.  I also won 2 dollars on the mega lotto ticket.

G-Man, the Money Man