The races in December were cancelled due to snow conditions. They are tentatively rescheduled for the weekend of March 22-23.   This is great news; it means you haven’t missed any races yet!  The first two races of the season are therefore January 12-13.  

Racing is a great way to have fun with the added bonus of burning off the Holiday calories!  Race against people that ski the same level as you (there are 10 classes), make new friends and really improve your skiing.  Races are $20 each; first time racers are free! 

If you think you will race more that 3 times, it pays to get a season race pass, but YOU NEED TO HURRY! Race passes cover 9 races. Your race pass is subsidized by $25 by the FaGowees; no other clubs do this.  Your cost will be $95
(9 races + refundable gatekeepers’ fee) Also; you get substantial discounts on lift tickets at these resorts on race day.  If you pre-pay for the races, you can register on-line, which means no more dragging yourself out of bed at 5:30 to get yourself to registration by 8:30 am! 

Please send your $95 check, made out to the FaGowee Ski Club to FaGowee Ski Club, 4002 Hillcrest Lane, Sacramento CA 95821.  You MUST enclose the waiver form for Sierra League. To save time at future races and enable you to pre-register for races download the resort individual waiver forms which you can download from the Sierra League’s home page:  http://www.sierraleague.com/home 

Where to Register for Racing
Race registration is between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. at the following locations:

 Northstar: Next to Children Center across from skating rink.

 Homewood: Bar at the South Lodge (formerly Tahoe Ski Bowl).

 Diamond Peak: Bar upstairs over cafeteria in the main lodge.

 Alpine Meadows: Main cafeteria next to the stairs which go down to the special tickets office (near fireplace).

 Heavenly Valley: Cal Bar in the main California Lower Lodge, upstairs by the cafeteria. FWRA: from 7 to 9 AM.

 To save time at future races and enable you to pre-register for races download the resort individual waiver forms at the FaGowee Race Team Page.

The new race schedule is up
Race Schedule

Keep up with the Sierra League at their website
http://www.sierraleague.com/home.jsp

Lift Ticket Rates

$15 Fri with College ID
IRIDE: 3^rd day free

$15 Tue &Thur
$15 Mon & Wed College ID

$5 off on-line tickets
$35 Sun-Fri College ID
$45 holiday

$47 Mon - Thurs College ID
Coupon on website

READY TO RIP THE ROAD???

FaGowee Car Rally 2008

Do we know the exact date yet? No! But we will soon and we’ll let you know when we know so you can mark your calendars for probably either Sept. 27-28 or Oct. 4 & 5.  Be sure and tell your friends and any lost FaGowees so they can join in on the trek. The number of participants will be slightly limited so those that will want to be on the road with us should sign up as soon as the tickets become available, probably by early June.  The 2008 Road Rally is one you won’t want to miss!

Dick Persons and Kati White have agreed to chair the 2008 FaGowee Car Rally. We will be joined by a

Committee of David & Danielle, Sandy & Fred, Andrea and Norm to plan and pull this off.   We would like to have input from members and helpful suggestions as to where you would like to go. Do you know of any unique, boutique, lovely and not to expensive places the tribe could overnight in say…Napa, Concord, Sonora, Truckee, Santa Rosa, Forest Hill, even Yuba City could be fun! (Yeah…right!) If you haven’t been there

before, maybe it’s someplace you’d like to finally stay for a night. The more unique the place, the better.  There could be a prize for you if we end up in the location you’ve suggested.  We do want to stay within a

60 – 80 mile radius or two hour drive home to Sacramento. Want to feel like you’ve actually been away for a weekend? We’ll have that in mind with your suggestions and our planning.

Sorry, but Vegas is a little too far out of the way and the Bay Area is too congested! And, No, we will not be camping. You’ll get to sleep in a real bed with a bathroom very close by! Any other questions?

We want the 2008 Car Rally to be one you’ll never forget so help us out! 

 Contact:
Dick Persons OR
Kati White
with your ideas and suggestions. 

Let’s give all FaGowees something to look forward to in the Fall of 2008! 

Fun Fun Fun!!!
January Ski Day

Enjoy an exuberant day skiing with Ellen Page at Sierra at Tahoe on Saturday, January 26. You can either me up with Ellen directly on the right side of the cafeteria at 10:00 am or carpool. If you plan to go directly to Sierra, email Ellen or call 530-295-7403.

If You plan to carpool, email Andrea or call 487-9052. We will meet for carpooling at Nimbus Winery (Hazel & 50) at the back of the lost (closest to Hwy 50) promptly at 8:00 am. Get there at 7:45 am. Don't be Late!!!

It is essential that you notify either Ellen or Andrea at least 2 days in advance (earlier is always better!!!)

After skiing we will get together for food and libations in Pollock Pines at a place Ellen has picked!

FEBRUARY SKI DAY 

Start preparing to have an exhilarating ski day at Squaw Valley on Saturday, February 9 with Lee Johnson and Mark Hadley. We’ll all meet at Dave’s Deli at Squaw at 9 a.m.  Those that want to carpool should contact Lee early in the week.  Lee’s phone number is 967-5903. It is being suggested that carpoolers meet near Brookfield’s on Taylor Road in Roseville at 7:00, leaving promptly at 7:15. Directions: I80 to Eureka Road Exit, straight to Taylor Road, past In &Out Burgers, Shell station; turn Left into the Park and Ride. If you are going to end up late at Squaw, call Mark on his cell at 530-906-2334. We’ll lunch

together and after skiing meet at the Chamoix, upstairs near Squaw Valley Sports and the tram building, for beer and hors d’oervres. If you need a discount ticket, contact Rob Rice, well in advance, at 996-9842. Mark and Lee have passes at Squaw and know all the fun places.

You’re gonna have a great day!

· Far West Ski Week 2008

        Blackcomb/Whistler, Canada ~ January 19 – 26, 2008
        Lodging & Amenities Package Prices (not including transportation) will be

         approximately: $1020.00 pp double occ. For More Information:

        Call Debbie Stewart at 559-734-9294 or EMAIL 

· Austria Sampler
   Put on by Bergfreunde Ski Group in Portland, OR ~ February 1-11, 2008
   Lodging, Amenities, & Transportation: $1424.00 pp douple occ. For more information:
   Call Robert Burns at 503-524-5261 OR Charles Burns at 360-694-9664 

· FWSA International Trip
   Les Trois Vallées France ~ March 7 - 15, 2008 (Provence & Post Extension to 3/21/07)
   Basic Ski Week Package: $1390.00 pp double occ.
   Post-Extension: $895.00 pp double occ. For more information:
   Call Norm Azevedo at 925-944-9816 or EMAIL

A Toast to Ring in the New Year 

May your battles be few and your pleasures be many;
May your wishes and dreams be fulfilled?
May your confidence stand in the face of loss
and give you the strength to rebuild; 

May peace of heart fill all your days;
May serenity grace your soul;
May tranquil moments bless your life
and keep your spirit whole; 

At the sound of the tolling midnight bell
Year 2008 will begin.
Let’s raise our hopes in a confidant toast
To the promises it ushers in: 

To leave the old with a burst of song;
To recall the rights and forget the wrongs;
To forget the things that bind you fast;
To the vain regrets of the year that’s past; 

To have the strength to let go your hold
of the not worthwhile from the days grown old;
To dare go forth with a purpose true;
To the unknown tasks in the year that’s new; 

To help your brothers along the road;
To help where it’s needed, and to lighten their load.
And to add your gift to the world’s good cheer
is to have, and to give, a Happy New Year. 

2008
May your New Year be filled with peace, hope, joy and new beginnings 

Happy New Year from the Executive Board

Christmas Party Thanks from the FaGowees

The FaGowees are deeply appreciative of the largesse of our generous contributors to the raffle and to the raffle ticket purchases.  We raised nearly $500 for the Sacramento Children’s Receiving Home and Disabled Sports USA.

 Meals were contributed by Mimi’s Café, Old Spaghetti Factory, Sacramento Brewing Company, the Buggy Whip and grand prize donor: Scott’s Seafood ($75 worth.)

 Other businesses that contributed were Raley’s, Sam’s Club/Wal-Mart, Capital Confections, Kirkwood, Alpine Meadows, Cindy Nails, Baskin Robbins, Crestview Center and Planet Beach.

 Members that generously contributed were Myra and Fred: wine and calendars; Katie’s (9 bottles of!!) wine; Dick Person: beautifully framed affirmation; Bob McDonald as well as Chizuko:  wine, cheese, etc. baskets; Don Girard extraordinary ratchet and other goodies; Lee Johnson: cookbook, wine and tin of popcorn; Dick Taylor: wine; Wally: weekend stay at Tahoe City cabin; Tim & Ellen: lots of stuff!  Phyllis: wine, See’s candy and tin of cookies; Joe & wife: BBQ set and Asti Spumonte; Sandy and Ted: wine and hummingbird feeder; Sandy Lange: too many to mention (11, actually!) including many Christmas themed items plus wine, glassware and candy; “Generous Anonymous Donor” and anyone else who we are unable to identify, as well as the club and Race Team whom also contributed.

 We also thank Mark Hadley for his good intentions!  Too bad he forgot to bring that bottle of wine in from his car! 

Also very special thanks go to Kati White who, with Dick Persons’ help, donated bags filled with mugs, hot chocolate and other treats that turned each table to into colorful Christmas displays. 

And almost last, but certainly not least, the FaGowees take their hats off in tribute to Tobie and Lee who spent countless hours assisting in solicitation of business gifts as well as helping at the party and also to Danielle who also contacted merchants with success. 

And lastly, many thanks to the helpers at the party including Lee, Tobie, Myra, Sandy Lange, Steve Sommers and our great MC, Jim Van Riper.

YIKES!! HAVE YOU SEEN THE PRICE OF GAS LATELY??? 

Do you peer at the price of gas and wonder how you can avoid bankruptcy?  Here are some tips from Richard Dangles, as per Internet sources.

1. Fill up your car or truck in the morning when the temperature is still cool.  Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground; and the colder the ground, the denser the gasoline. When it gets warmer gasoline expands, so if you're filling up in the afternoon or in the evening, what should be a gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and temperature of the fuel (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products) are significant. Every truckload that we load is temperature-compensated so that the indicated gallon gage is actually the amount pumped. A one-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for businesses, but service stations don't have temperature compensation at their pumps.

2. If a tanker truck is filling the station's tank at the time you want to buy gas, do not fill up; most likely dirt and sludge in the tank is being stirred up when gas is being delivered, and you might be transferring that dirt from the bottom of their tank into your car's tank.

3. Fill up when your gas tank is half-full (or half-empty), because the more gas you have in your tank the less air there is and gasoline evaporates rapidly, especially when it's warm. (Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof membrane to act as a barrier between the gas and the atmosphere, thereby minimizing evaporation.)

4. If you look at the trigger you'll see that it has three delivery settings:  slow, medium and high. When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to the high setting. You should be pumping at the slow setting, thereby minimizing vapors created while you are pumping. Hoses at the pump are corrugated; the corrugations act as a return path for vapor recovery from gas that already has been metered. If you are pumping at the high setting, the agitated gasoline contains more vapors, which is being sucked back into the underground tank, so you're getting less gas for your money. 

 Hope this will help ease your 'pain at the pump'