“…THE LAKE BURST UPON US—A NOBLE SHEET OF BLUE WATER LIFTED SIX THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FEET ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE SEA AND WALLED IN BY A RIM OF SNOW-CLAD MOUNTAIN PEAKS THAT TOWERED ALOFT FULL THREE THOUSAND FEET HIGHER STILL!”
“AS IT LAY THERE WITH THE SHADOWS OF THE MOUNTAINS BRILLIANTLY PHOTOGRAPHED UPON ITS STILL SURFACE, I THOUGHT IT MUST SURELY BE THE FAIREST PICTURE THE WHOLE EARTH AFFORDS.”
- MARK TWAIN
Gentlemen of the Yukon Jack -
As always, I hope you and yours continue to be healthy and safe!
Before we get too far, a friend of the Yuke would like to welcome you to the 44th annual. Before you read any further, please click on the attached file below to watch the video...
Gentlemen, in one week, we shall once again gather on the bucolic shores of Glenbrook Cove at beautiful Lake Tahoe, to enjoy, "...the fairest picture the whole earth affords!".
Once again, "thank you" isn't nearly enough to the Adams and Cook families to express the gratitude and appreciation we feel each year for the privilege of being able to enjoy their beautiful home for the Yuke weekend. Nevertheless, many "thank you's" to both families from all of us!
I'm looking forward to seeing and reconnecting with everyone, whether it be over a drink on the deck, next to the fire after a wonderful Chef Tom dinner or sinking a 10-foot putt for par! With any luck, it will be all three!
...and if you're unable to join us this year, know that you will be missed and that we will raise a glass to all our absent friends, secure in the knowledge that you will be among us again next year!
THE BASICS
- We will observe the traditional time for the opening of the house - 3p on Thursday, Sept. 23.
- The gate code was changed a couple of years ago - it is now #1209.
- After opening the house on Thursday, should fortune favor the foolish with the cooperating weather, a trip across the lake to Gar Woodsor points unknown may be in the cards. If so, the boat would leave around 4p.
- Please bring your own towels, pillows and sleeping bags!
ARRIVALS
Thursday Night (12) - Adams, Banducci, Fearless, Hagg, Hartwell, Chef Tom, Penny, Roeth, Erik, Kirk, Kurt, Yarris
Friday Night (4) - Metheny, Kane, Roach, R. Wiley
If your arrival is changing, let us know so we can adjust the shopping!
GOLF
The Course
This year we'll be welcoming a brand new course into the Yukon Jack rota - Toiyabi Golf Club in the beautiful Washoe Valley just north of Carson City. 35 minutes from Glenbrook, Toiyabe (nee Lightning W GC, nee Thunder Valley GC) has been called the Reno area's best public course.
Sporting five par-3's (which means 5 Closest to the Pin contests) and five par-5's, this Robert Muir Graves track has all we need to enjoy a wonderful day of golf - a challenging 18-hole layout that combines the best of alpine and links golf, full warm-up and practice facilities, and an extensive bar for post-round festivities.
It is a long course, so we'll be playing from the white tees - see the scorecard below. At 6,165 yards, it's slightly shorter than Old Greenwood from our usual Two Tree Tee Box (6,457). Rumor has it that the wind can come in to play in the afternoon.
Not a lot of online information about the course, but here is a video that showcases a few of the holes when it was Thunder Canyon. Forgive the Community College level of production - jump ahead to the 3:00 mark to skip the witty banter from Larry, Moe and Curly.
Green fees are $65 and are payable upon arrival at the course. Our tee times are at 10:39a, 10:48a, and 10:57p on Saturday. Should give us plenty of time to get back to the house and have a cocktail or three on the deck before the Cal/UW game at 6:30p (Pac-12 networks).
Other games of interest that afternoon/evening include UCLA at Stanford (3p), Oklahoma at West Virginia (4:30p), Arizona at Oregon (7:30p). Here's a link to the rest of the week 4 schedule, in case any of you want to get your gamble on!
We'll have Pennant chase baseball, NFL and the Ryder Cup to keep us entertained through the weekend as well!
As tradition holds, we'll be selecting "random" foursomes and establishing handicaps during cocktail hour Friday evening.
WEATHER
We're on track to enjoy the traditional Indian Summer weather that has become a hallmark for the Yuke. Highs look to be in the mid-70's, while the lows will reach the mid-30's. Knock on wood, there's no rain, and mild winds in the current forecast
Due to the Caldor Fire, it is anticipated that Highway 50 will be closed for the foreseeable future. Appears that 80 will be the best bet coming and going from the lake next weekend.
Additionally, due to the fire, there have been some questions regarding air quality at the lake. As the containment of the Caldor fire increases, the air quality continues to show improvement each day.
Here's a link to Purple Air to give you a real-time look at where the air quality stands!
PODCAST PLUG - By the time we'll be making our way up to the lake next week, 2 new episodes of Populist Season 2 will be available.
The topics - Top 10 Rolling Stones Songs (Ep 2.1 - available now) and Top 10 Baseball Players of all time (Ep. 2 - available 9/22) - are sure to start more than a little conversation amongst the Gentlemen of the Yukon Jack.
There will be no COVID-related conditions in place at the house over the weekend, so it's business as usual for the Yuke. Choices such as masks, distancing, etc., are up to each individual, not mandated to the group. But if you want to sport the fashionable and practical YUKON JACK mask from last year's Banducci Fall collection, go for it!
OK, I've rambled on for far too long - it's not like this is the first time we have all done this!
If you have any questions, please give me a call on my cell (818-822-2795)
Really looking forward to seeing each of you and enjoying our annual time together. What a gift we are able to enjoy!
Safe travels from wherever you may be coming from, my friends - I'll see you on the deck.