Silver Knolls - Lemmon Valley - Good Neighbors

["Race" Driver]

Re: Silver Knolls - Lemmon Valley - Good Neighbors

SILVER LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION
Board Meeting Minutes – March 19, 2008
Air Race Meeting Report
Casey Meaden:
Representatives from Silver Knolls, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Air Race Authority,
and the Washoe County Health Department met on March 10 at the Health Department.
All the problems and issues that arose during last year’s air races, and suggestions for solving them, were discussed.
Some of suggested solutions were:
* Advertise beforehand that there is no parking on the streets in the surrounding areas.
* Contract with a towing service, and have a tow truck parked in a conspicuous location.
* Need more cones and “No Parking” signs. SLPOA may be asked to help cover costs for these.
* The health department will send letters to owners of vacant property.
* Fence Line Club
* Invitations for residents to send to their guests
* Stickers provided for residents to put on their windshields
* Articles in the newspaper

Stay tuned
Hard to say what they mean by"Fence Line Club"

Where is legal on street parking out there...is the cul-de-sac fair game to park at???

[BuckyD]

Re: Silver Knolls - Lemmon Valley - Good Neighbors

Interesting reading about people's experiences, involvement & thoughts on this subject, and learning more about the evolution of the fan experience out along the race course perimeter over the years.

Even with something as 'seasonal' as it is- 'development' & changes are inevitable w/growth in numbers (some good-some not-so-good).

I think I started enjoying & 'working' the W. Chute fenceline perimeter regularly as both a fan & photographer about Reno '83. Back then, most of us referred to that location off Red Rock Road simply as- "The Road", before folks started calling it "The Fence", "The Fenceline" or even - "The Valley of Speed" (at least amongst our crowd). And, the layout of the old Unlimited race course, before they moved old Outer 6 Pylon off the hill and relocated Outer 4, really provided better photo ops for those who enjoyed watching the races from that side of the field.

It was always fun to work your way down course more towards the Silver Knolls housing stretch all the way to the spot off the end of the runway, to enjoy different shooting vantages and meet new people.

Watching how the fan population kept progressively growing out there from the earlier times (when it was one of the 'best kept secrets' of the air race experience), it was obvious that big changes were coming, especially seeing all the 'fence jumpers' running out during the Unlimited Gold final some years. Things got kinda crazy sometimes, w/all the partying, dirt bikes, ATVs, etc. to the point where we could see potential for some location shooting for future new Mad Max movie someday <g>!

Still, I can say I had a some truly great times, saw some awesome air racing, got a few neat shots from a different perspective, and made alot of cool friendships during that era. I even have a couple "ROAD WARRIORS" embroidered ball caps given to me, that were made up for one of the hardcore fan groups out there.

Going through the photo archives, I came across a couple VOS road shots that I thought might be fun to share here in this thread. These are up course from the Silver Knolls development area, but still show how serious air race fans can be about creature comforts & community spirit (these guys even had a great shooting platform for video & photos of the racing going by!). Horseshoe games were really popular & sometimes 'high stakes' (Yeah, I lost a couple bucks heavin' a shoe or two). Golf addicts loved the driving range opportunities, as you can see! The encampment photo date was Mon. 9/13/99 & the tee pics were taken 9/15/99. Ahh- those were the days!!! DBD

[BUD_XXX]

Re: Silver Knolls - Lemmon Valley - Good Neighbors

Well I guess I was part of the “problem”. My friend Bill and I started going out there in 1980, after several years of “camping” in the back of the truck, while parking in the gutter in the ditch of the dirt road extension of Longhorn drive, which ended at the gate on the road at the end of the runway. Back then there were a handful of RVs that predated us… Soon we found the “BLM” land at the VOS, and after two years of starting the weekend at the dirt road and then driving out for the silver and gold in the VOS, in about ’81 we just headed straight out to the VOS at the BLM fence line and spent the whole weekend out there.

We were one of the very first people to “camp” out there all weekend, some of you may remember the progressively beat up white Chevy truck that was a landmark for some… Well you know, it was a good thing…, so good, the next year we had to invite another fellow, and then another, and another, and by the mid ‘90’s we had over 40 people camping or visiting us out there. My father was a retired aviator, and he would join us, bringing several other aviators out there, and soon we had people from all over the United States, meeting us out there, where we would talk aviation, show pictures, play cards, maybe even drink a little, but most importantly, we were out there to witness the Reno Air Races. Some of us “lived, and breathed” the races. Some of us couldn’t wait till next year, to see our friends, and see the races.

Back then, the Fence line from the end of the housing development to Lemmon Rd, it was thought that it was all BLM land, and as the event and the fence line crowd got bigger and bigger, some could see the handwriting on the wall, and in about the mid ‘90’s, we started to think it would be a crap shoot, as far as “if” the VOS would be available to us again that year…

Over the years, yeah we brought out dirt bikes, heck, we would explore miles of desert radiating out in all directions from there, and yeah we brought out ATVs in the late 90’s, and we brought our children, and wives, and parents, and friends. And while we are guilty of maybe jumping the fence a time or two, once we realized the problem it had created we stopped, but others did not, and eventually the “new” fence was built.

Now that the fence line is closed, myself and a couple other desert refugees have been camping in the Optimist’s RV lot, and I have to say it is a wonderful thing, being able to walk into the pits, and then back to the RV lot. But you know for me and many others, those wonderful years camping out in the desert to see the races, was the Center of the Universe, and I don’t regret a single second of the time we spent out there….

As far as the “Crazies”, I don’t think it’s crazy at all to bring your friends and family out to the fence line and camp out, ride legal machines, play loud music, throw horseshoes, BBQ, play cards, drink and smoke a little, and maybe even yell at each other a little bit. We weren’t the ones with the fireworks, but we were very near those guys, and while some of raised an eyebrow over that activity, it was alright with me, to a point.

So While I may be part of the problem, the real problem is that the fence line in the VOS was just too good a thing. It could not last at the rate of growth I witnessed over the past 28 years out there. So if you want to label the fans at the VOS as crazies, freeloaders or whatever, I am OK with that, and all I can say is maybe your too old and uptight to understand…that some peoples “center of the universe” is different from other peoples…

Now that the VOS fence line is gone, a lot of fans will need to change their thinking about what the RENO Air Races is to them. For me, I knew for the last dozen years, that it would end, and when it did, the bottom line is that I am a race fan and I will go and stay at the RV lot or the Hotels in town or whatever I have to do, with or without friends, and do what ever I have to do to make sure that I witness the races until they stop running them. Because for me, it’s always been about the planes and pilots.

[Leo]

Re: Silver Knolls - Lemmon Valley - Good Neighbors

I have some great memories from out there. I never camped, just drove out to view certain races. I found the creature comforts of the campgrounds (such as they were) and easy access to the pits more to my needs.
I don't begrudge ANYBODY their good time and personal pleasure, as I don't expect mine to be curtailed.
That said, there is a certain self-policing that goes along with using either public land or land owned by someone other than ones self. Once my good time causes damage or undue annoyance to those around me I have overstepped my rights and trampled theirs. I've seen the condition things have been left out there by some at the end of the week.
The sad part of the whole deal is how a few, thru their lack of responsibility and respect for the property and rights of others, have caused the situation to become what it is now.

[BUD_XXX]

Re: Silver Knolls - Lemmon Valley - Good Neighbors

About my previous comments, I would add:

...it's always been about the planes, and the pilots, and the CREWS.

[SCEPTER]

Re: Silver Knolls - Lemmon Valley - Good Neighbors

...it's always been about the planes, and the pilots, and the CREWS.

Well said. I'm going to miss this...http://youtube.com/watch?v=zKmGe6Fzbus

[ONURMRK]

Re: Silver Knolls - Lemmon Valley - Good Neighbors

SILVER LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION
Board Meeting Minutes – March 19, 2008
Air Race Meeting Report

Stay tuned
Hard to say what they mean by"Fence Line Club"

I'm new here, found it by accident as I was searching for information on the Washoe County Sheriff's Department closing down Red Rock at Moya Blvd. the entire week of the air races and anyone WITHOUT a "permit" on their car will be turned around, this includes homeowners that live in Red Rock/Silver Knolls.

The SLPOA (Silver Lake Properties Owners Association) has not publically announced any of this to the homeowners. At the last meeting, there was a list of items to be discussed. The June meeting was cancelled and now, the "permit" issuance has been approved.

This is the latest and greatest from the SLPOA:
The Air Race folks will be printing (and paying for) the stickers.
The decision was jointly the SLPOA and the Sheriff's Dept. The community will be informed in August, as I previously stated. Likely, we will mail a letter to all residents, or send the newsletter to all residents.
There will also be public service announcements from the Sheriff's
Dept. closer to the Air Race dates. Likewise, it will be announced on
the Air Races website.

[JET1]

i'm sure some will say ...

RARA is being heavy handed and trying to wring the money out of everyone. I for one say well done. We invade the area for a week or so with our passion and make noise etc. The folks around there for the most part are pretty civil about the whole thing. There are a couple of complainers but not that many all things considered.
I see no reason on earth that they should have to put up with an invasion of lookie loos who are basically too cheap to buy a ticket. The county sherriffs have my support 100% (easy for me to say as ill be on the ramp all week!) I appreciate the neighbors tolerance and agree that their property is private and should be respected as such.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: i'm sure some will say ...

RARA is being heavy handed and trying to wring the money out of everyone.

Curious how you get that out of the post you're replying to?

This was all discussed earlier in the thread, this was NOT RARA's request, it was by request TO RARA from the neighboring community....

[hm66sk]

Re: Silver Knolls - Lemmon Valley - Good Neighbors

Just give it a few more years when the course is surrounded by houses and the event moves to a new location in the middle of no where. We'll start all over again. It was great while it lasted but, the closure won't keep me from supporting the sport.

[dvddude]

Re: i'm sure some will say ...

I see no reason on earth that they should have to put up with an invasion of lookie loos who are basically too cheap to buy a ticket. The county sherriffs have my support 100% (easy for me to say as ill be on the ramp all week!) I appreciate the neighbors tolerance and agree that their property is private and should be respected as such.

I've gone out there nearly every year since '92. I ALWAYS bought a ticket. I would typically watch the early races from the pits or stands, then in the afternoon go out to the edge of the course. The ONLY reason I did this was to get better pictures/video. With the course now being a nearly continuous full left hand turn, it is virtually impossible to get anything other than a belly shot of the racers from the stands. Unless you have a 2000mm image stabilized lens, and tripod-mounted camera, you're gonna get crap for pictures. At least out by the course, you could get some decent up close pictures of the racers from inside their turn radius. Since I'm not a professional photographer, there is no way I would ever get access to go out to the pylons to watch and photograph the race. That's always been one of my dreams - to see it from one of the pylons. It's too bad that RARA doesn't have some kind of incentive/VIP program where you could pay extra money to go to the pylons. I would seriously consider paying $ 500 to $ 1000, for the opportunity to go to the pylons to watch and photograph the races. It would be neat if they could somehow put grandstands in the middle of the racecourse, so we could look at something other than the belly of all the racers that pass by. I know that this would be impossible from many standpoints, not the least of which are practicality and safety.

Just my 2 cents.

[Leo]

Re: Silver Knolls - Lemmon Valley - Good Neighbors

Lincoln Air races back in 76 we stood in the center. The racers were a fair distance away and it was kind of a pain slowly stepping in a circle...
Was an interesting perspective tho.

[David E. Wells]

Re: i'm sure some will say ...

I That's always been one of my dreams - to see it from one of the pylons. It's too bad that RARA doesn't have some kind ...
It would be neat if they could somehow put grandstands in the middle of the racecourse, so we could look at something other than the belly of all the racers that pass by. I know that this would be impossible from many standpoints, not the least of which are practicality and safety.

Just my 2 cents.

Join the Checkered Flag Cub...For the last two years they're taking Lottery winning members (about 12) to an Unlimited Pylon twice a day, except the Sun Gold Race. I got to go to Pylon 4 on Sat '06. It was worth the price of admission. Even if you don't win, if you're standing there when they go you can get in if there are no-shows.

I think that's a Great idea...put a few rows of grandstands, IN THE INFIELD, on either side of Home Pylon, with Vendors behind, maybe a dedicated camping area...bus them in & out 3 times a day. Or, you could build aTunnell!?...D.

[JET1]

Re: i'm sure some will say ...

Curious how you get that out of the post you're replying to?

This was all discussed earlier in the thread, this was NOT RARA's request, it was by request TO RARA from the neighboring community....

my post says "Re: i'm sure some will say ..." nothing else. being on the other side of the fence I have heard a lot of one sided views of what goes on...thats all. RARA is just the easiest target to blame---instead of blaming the guy who kicked you off his land for digging a slit trench!

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: i'm sure some will say ...

my post says "Re: i'm sure some will say ..." nothing else. being on the other side of the fence I have heard a lot of one sided views of what goes on...thats all. RARA is just the easiest target to blame---instead of blaming the guy who kicked you off his land for digging a slit trench!

Aaaah....!! The dreaded "tongue in cheek" miss via LOOKING at what someone says, versus, HEARING what they say...

We're on the same page!!