Western Wood Summer 2006 8x11.pub - ACBS-tahoe.org

Page 8 Western Wood
By Greg Joseph
We had a great Woodie Whoopie scheduled for Friday, July 7 th , and a Board meeting for Sunday morning the 9 th , but with the cancellation
of the Keys Show, nothing for Saturday the 8 th . As the chair of the ill fated show, I felt I should try to find an alternative.
I had heard TYC and Riva Club people talking about organized trips around the lake (both clubs have done it) and thought it would
be a good way to get ACBS people together and do some boating. I had talked it up at functions and meetings and was getting a
favorable response, so I decided to give it a go. It turned out to be short on logistics, because there wasn’t a big response to the
blurb in the Western Wood. I was prepared to have food and drinks provided (with the expert help of Ellen Swensen) but it turned
out to be a BYO everything event, which went just fine.
Micki and I started out at 9:15 from the east harbor of the Keys in our CC 20’ Custom, Genevieve, and quickly met up with Steve
and Cheryl Caplan in their 28’ CC cruiser, Viking. Riding with them was Steve’s mother, Rae, who was celebrating her 88 th birthday.
Cheryl told us to soft peddle it about the you-know-what day thing because Rae was not particularly in a celebratory mood
about it. We all obliged, but now that it’s over……Happy Birthday Rae!
As we all know by now (or should), there is no guarantee on the weather at Tahoe and planning things out on the lake is a crap
shoot. Well, the dice were good to us because it was a gorgeous day. Cruising from the Keys to our first rendezvous point at Rubicon
Bay was very pleasant. We were to meet the Pumphreys and the Ludwigs, but got a cell call from Kirk as we were passing
Emerald Bay reluctantly bowing out due to pressing needs as chairman of the Concours d’Elegance (c’mon Kirk, come up with
something original next time).
No sign of the Ludwigs either, so we buzzed Meeks Bay and continued on to our advertised starting point at Obexer’s. We arrived
right at the specified time, 10:00, with a big 26’ Riva Triton, Eleven-Eleven, right on our tail. We had evidently just missed Barry
and Jenny at Meeks, who had Skip and Lin Stahmer with them. Waiting at Obexer’s were Lee and Sandy Chase with Dave Lyon in
the Chases’ beautiful 28’ Sea Lyon. Also staged were Bill and Mary Jo Hutchins in their unique 25’ CC double cockpit, Blind
Faith.
Well, we were off! We cruised the west shore, on past Tahoe City Marina and picked up Bob and Ellen Swensen in their 20’ CC
Sportsman, Tucker (it was named after a cat – don’t you know). Riding with the Swensens were Steve and Pamela Burton, who are
selling their 20’ CC Riviera, Bleach Blonde.
Next stop was Sierra Boat, where we picked up Herb Hall (solo) in his 19’ Riva Junior, Selvaggio. Apparently Barbara had picked
up a particularly nasty flu bug and was home wearing a porcelain necklace. Sorry to hear that, Barb. Nothing personal, but better
you than me - hope you are better now. Also arriving at Sierra Boat was Roy Dryer in his 18’ Riva Junior, Friva, with Jared (party
animal) Hein along for the ride. Evidently, Roy was preparing to leave Obexer’s when we were there, but we took off without him.
Sorry Roy, we didn’t do it on purpose.
Off we were again and about Incline, we picked up Dave Lobb in his big Lyman with Greg Rudloff as co-pilot. There was also a
CC Capri traveling along with us that we are calling the mystery boat because when we stopped for lunch, they kept on going. We
all bobbed in the deep water off of the Thunderbird Lodge and ate lunch and visited. What a setting and with all the woodies gathered
we attracted photographers and sightseers. And did I mention it was a gorgeous day?
When we were getting ready to continue on, Steve Caplan invited all boats to their home in the Keys for cocktails and hors
d’ouerves, so we kind of short cut the southeast corner of the lake and
headed for the west entrance to the Keys. My experience is that that
corner of the lake has the least predictable boat drivers anyway. We
arrived at the Caplans’ docks at about 2:00. Steve and Cheryl hosted a
great impromptu party and then the balance of the boats headed for
ports north departed.
It was a fun trip and I think everybody had a good time. This is one
that I hope will become an annual event. I’m thinking it would be
good for the week after Labor Day and if enough boats commit in
advance, we could organize a provided lunch, anchorage, poker hands,
who knows?