ltougas

We're going to have a fun contest in Napa at the end of June. Please make plans to attend. It would be great to get some visitors from outside of the District to attend. If you're looking for an excuse to take a vacation in Napa or Sonoma here it is. We also have San Francisco an hour away and Lake Tahoe is 3 hours away. The weather will be great with daylight until 8:30 so come join us for all of the fun.

Lawrence Tougas

Napa Valley
Pattern Classic
June 29 & 30 2013
Napa, CA

Come enjoy summer time in the Wine Country at the Napa Valley Pattern Classic. We'll BBQ on Saturday night. This is the weekend before Fourth of July, it’s a great time of the year in Napa and Sonoma bring your spouse/significant other and make it a mini-vacation. For your spouse/significant other we will offer a no host tour of some local wineries as well as a lunch and shopping stop in Sonoma on Saturday (space limited call for a spot).

CD – Lawrence Tougas
Classes – Sportsman, Intermediate, Advanced, Masters, FAI (P13 & F13)
Registration - $35, (Sportsman will be $25) registration at the field, starting at 7:00AM. This is an AMA sanctioned contest so proof of AMA membership must be provided when registering.
Start time - Wheels up at 9:00 AM.
Practice – Friday all day, Saturday morning Dawn until start, same Sunday.
6 rounds – If we get started early Saturday, as planned, we may get 4 rounds in Saturday
Judging – We will be using contestant judging.
Rule exceptions – The Sportsman class will be open to any AMA legal plane.
Lunch – Hot dogs, chips and soda will be available for purchase.
Dinner – On Saturday night there will be a Chicken and Rib BBQ for Pilots and guests. Bring something to share.
Overnight camping - No hook ups, lots of dry grass, so use care with barbeques etc, no open fires!!
40X400 ft Petro Mat runway – Covered pit area with electrical outlets, limited shade, bring any shade you have.
Info – Lawrence Tougas [email protected] or 707-480-2053
Field Address - [link=https://maps.google.com/maps?q=28020+Skaggs+Island+Rd.+Sonoma,+CA+95476&hl=en&sll=38.205679,-122.374434&sspn=0.012241,0.027874&t=h&hnear=28020+Skaggs+Island+Rd,+Sonoma,+California+9 5476&z=16]28020 Skaggs Island Rd. Sonoma, CA 95476[/link].

Lodging;
There are a lot of great hotels in the Napa and Sonoma area. They can be expensive but worth it if you bring your better half and make it a vacation. The following hotels are 25 minutes from the field and more in the budget range;

[link=http://www.travelodge.com/hotels/california/fairfield/travelodge-fairfield-napa-valley/hotel-overview]Travelodge Fairfield/Napa Valley 4625 Central Way Fairfield, CA 94534, Ph. # 707-864-6760[/link]
[link=http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-fairfield-california-CA897]Comfort Inn Cordelia 4441 Central Pl Fairfield, CA 94534, Ph # 707-864-1446[/link]
[link=http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/priceAvail.do?iata=00170260&sob=PBMS3&propertyCode=05431&cm_mmc=google-_-Branded%20Hotel%20Name%20BW_DOM-_-California-_-Best%20Western%20Cordelia%20Inniq_id=31058609]Best Western Cordelia Inn 4373 Central Pl Fairfield, CA 94585, Ph. # 707-864-2029[/link]

Directions
The best way to find the field is to click this [link=https://maps.google.com/maps?q=28020+Skaggs+Island+Rd.+Sonoma,+CA+95476&hl=en&sll=38.205679,-122.374434&sspn=0.012241,0.027874&t=h&hnear=28020+Skaggs+Island+Rd,+Sonoma,+California+9 5476&z=16]link[/link].

The field is off of CA. State Route 12/121 which is the highway connecting Napa and Sonoma.

From Sonoma; Take CA-12 east/121 north, turn right on Ramal Rd., continue 3.6 miles, turn right on Skaggs Island Rd. continue 1.4 miles the field will be on the right.
From Napa; Take CA-12 west/121 south, make a slight left on to Duhig Rd., continue 3.7 miles Duhig turns into Ramal Rd., turn left on Skaggs Island Rd. continue 1.4 miles the field will be on the right.

WARNING; you cannot get to the field from highway 37 some older GPS units may take you via 37. You will reach a dead end and then need to take a 30 minute detour to get to the field.

KLXMASTER14

Lawrence,
Jennifer and I will be there. Well, I will be there, you know where Jennifer will be!

If there is a break in the action at lunch time, I would be happy to put up a Classic Pattern demonstration flight.

Looking forward to a great weekend!
-Robert

n233w

Larry -I commend you on doing this contest especially after the demise of our field for the venerable "Pattern by the Bay" contest and for keeping the Bay Area on the pattern map! I'm bummed that I will be out of town that weekend for our yearly family visit to Oregon. I'm sure it will be a great contest. It's a great field, no issues with the sun!

Bill Polits

Surefire

My Feedback: (1)

Larry - You know our usual Bay Area gang will be there! Looking forward to it.

Thanks,

pvogel

Hey Larry, you know I'll be there! Working on figuring out if I can make a vacation out of it with the wife so that I can also go to Victorville the weekend before :-)

Can you suggest some fun stuff to do in Napa or Sonoma area if you are NOT into wines? My wife is pretty much buzzed after 1/2 a glass, and silly drunk after 1 glass, so the fun doesn't last long something to do with being petite and diabetic and not drinking often :-) I figure if we went a couple days early and I spent time with her those days, I could get away with some practice rounds on friday and competition Sat + Sun :-)

Peter+

ltougas

Robert,
Great to hear that you and Jennifer will make it. You're welcome to bring your trailer and camp at the field. I'm sure we'll have some time during the weekend to get a Classic Pattern demo in.

See you then,
LT

ltougas

Peter,
There is a lot to do in Napa and Sonoma. Downtown Sonoma has an old fashioned square with a lot of independent shops, galleries and restaurants. Here's a [link=http://www.sonomacounty.com/things-to-do]link[/link] for things to do in Sonoma.

In Napa they have the [link=http://www.oxbowpublicmarket.com/]Oxbow[/link] Market that has a great farmers market on Saturdays and many specialty food stores. Here's a [link=http://napavalley.com/?gclid=CMn6pMi817YCFegWMgodunMA7w]link[/link] to travel planning in Napa. There are some nice Spas in both towns that she could visit too. You could definitely bribe..errr...talk her into coming.

LT

Jeff Worsham

My Feedback: (28)

Lawrence- your contest is part of our family vacation this year! Will be there Friday and looking forward to it - flying Sportsman.

woodie

The Sacramento 'gang' will be there

Woodie

ltougas

Jon,
Looking forward to seeing everyone, and getting Napa back on the Pattern calendar.

LT

ltougas

Jeff,
It's great to hear you're coming. Talk up the contest in NM and see if you can convince some other people to make it part of a vacation too.

LT

ltougas

Don,
I'm looking forward to having you and the whole Sacramento crew attend.
LT

jgg215

If New Mexico is going to start exporting pattern flyers to nocal, it would be only fair if we got some reciprocal participation here in Albuquerque.

ltougas

John,
That only seems fair. My hope is that by posting my event early some of the flyers outside of the area we typically draw from will attend. There is so much to do in the immediate and surrounding area in the Summer that a family vacation could be planned around the event.

To help people discover what is available here are some tourism planning resources [link=http://napavalley.com/?gclid=CM6tlIHg97YCFelAMgodb3QA8A]NapaValley.com[/link], [link=http://napavalley.com/?gclid=CM6tlIHg97YCFelAMgodb3QA8A]VisitNapaValley[/link], [link=http://www.napatouristinfo.com/]Napa Tourist Informatin Center[/link], [link=http://www.sonomacounty.com/]Visit Sonoma County[/link], [link=http://www.sonomavalley.com/]Sonima Valley Visitors Bureau[/link], [link=http://sonoma.com/]Sonoma.com[/link].

Outside of the immediate area we have [link=http://www.sanfrancisco.travel/about/visitor-information-center.html]San Francisco[/link] an hour away, [link=http://www.visitinglaketahoe.com/]Lake Tahoe[/link] or [link=http://www.visitrenotahoe.com/]Reno[/link] which are 3.5 hours away, and [link=http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm]Yosemite[/link] which is 4 hours away. It would be very easy for someone to make a 2 week vacation out of the things to see and do in the area.

If it helps anyone with logistics I can arrange for a secure location to park a trailer or leave some gear you won't need while you're touring the area. Please drop me a line at [email protected] and I'll set you up.

LT

ltougas

Dear Friends,
We are 2 weeks away from the Napa contest. Please preregister for the contest at this [link=http://nsrca.us/index.php/events/list-events/eventdetail/11/594/napa-wine-country-pattern]link[/link]. This will help a lot, even if you're not sure you'll be attending it is better to preregister, you're not committed and it costs nothing but it will help me, so please help out and preregister today.

I haven't received any takers for the spouses wine tour on Saturday. That's OK because if my daughter is not driving around Sonoma on Saturday she can help me with the contest. If I don't hear from anyone interested in the tour by next Friday June 21 I'm going to cancel it. If you're interested in it please email me at [email protected].

I'd like to get a head count of those of us that will be staying around the field on Saturday night for the BBQ. I'll cook chicken and everyone else bring something to share. Please send me an email [email protected] to let me know you'll be at the BBQ.

I could use 2 or 3 EZ-Ups to act as shade for the judges and cooking. If you can bring one to the contest please let me know.

Thank you all for your help.

Best wishes,
Lawrence Tougas

KLXMASTER14

Lawrence,
Sorry, We have to cancel out on this one. We are bummed, we were really looking forward to this event. Catch up with you at Hollister.

-Robert & Jennifer

patternflyer1

My Feedback: (11)

If I can find my (or get a new one in time) a canopy for my Nuance, I will be there!!!!!!!!!!

Looking forward to it.. Heck, may just judge if not. Should be a fun contest!

Chris

patternflyer1

My Feedback: (11)

Buying a heli tomorrow locally with a camera. Hope I can find the canopy in the wheat field! Lol

C

pvogel

Check with Dale, he'd probably loan you his...

ltougas

The Napa Valley Pattern Classic will be upon us a week from tomorrow. If you haven't had a chance to preregister please do so at this [link=http://nsrca.us/index.php/events/list-events/eventdetail/11/594/napa-wine-country-pattern]link[/link]. There is no cost to preregister and there's no harm if you register then your plans change. It is a big help to me.

We didn't have any takers for the Spouse's wine tour so I'm going to table it. That will give me more helpers to run the contest itself.

I haven't heard from anyone interested in a BBQ on Saturday night. If anyone is interested in having a get together at the field on Saturday night please let me know ASAP so I know what the headcount will be. I am planning to BBQ chicken and everyone else can bring something to share. Please contact me at [email protected] if you want to have a BBQ.

See you next week,
LT

pvogel

I think my wife is going to be with me, so I'll likely be doing dinner out with her instead of BBQ at the field. The joys of a "destination" contest location :-)

Peter+

Passport1

My Feedback: (8)

Laurence,

The sites down when try to follow your link so I will just list our group here if that's okay.

Gary Banducci Sportsman
Carlos Rodriguez Intermediate
Kirt Campbell Masters
Matt Stringer Masters
Chip Hyde FAI

We will be up there Friday morning and I was wondering if its ok to leave the trailers at the field overnight. Also I have been asked by a few of the guys up in the area if I would do a impromptu trimming/set up seminar to help clear some things up. If its alright with you maybe we can fit it in sometime Friday afternoon.

Since I have been fortunate enough to get a fair amount of flying in this year, thanks to pattern Wednesday's. I have learned how to get much more out the equipment then ever before, primarily the Transmitter, and would like to pass it on. Things like stick position dual rates for the snaps, and servo slow have really made flying even the finals sequence in FAI almost a switchless pattern. I never would of believed it but its true and its not rocket science.

Its up to you, we are all excited and looking forward to next weekend.

Chip

ltougas

Chip,
Glad to hear you're all coming it will be great to see you all again. You're welcome to leave trailers at the field. There is room for camping there if anyone is interested. The field will be available on Friday for practice you're welcome to do any clinic you'd like.

See you soon,
LT


P.S. I sent a note to Derek to check the registration page and will update if I get any more information.

GeoffreyH

Hello Laurence,
I will be their as a Sportsman, Geoffrey Hodies
I there a list of what to bring for the picknick ?

ltougas

Great to hear you'll be there. Just bring a side dish or desert and I'll provide the BBQ chicken.

LT