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Avenue of the Giants Weekend Run - Sat. March 23, 2024

Saturday will be a very full day of cruising from Novato up through the Avenue of the Giants and ending at Eel River Brewing in Fortuna. Sun...

Holiday Party 2017 - Recap



 #HolidayParty #NorCalMINIs - What a way to wrap up the year!

Thank you to all of you who made it out to the PJs & pancake breakfast at East Bay MINI.  The morning started early with the preparation of pancake batter.  Thank you to 2018 officers & directors who helped set up for the event.  A huge thank you to East Bay MINI for hosting us at the dealership.  







We had 45 people to attend the breakfast.  As a group we gathered a lot of toys for the kids.

272 lbs of food was delivered to Redwood Empire Food Bank on Friday, December 15, 2017.

Donated $195 to Sonoma Humane Society.






















This completes my year as your President. I had a great time planning each of the the events and had fun motoring with everyone who came out this year.  It's been a blast! 

Christine Toibin - signing off as your 2017 NorCal MINIs President

Pinnacles National Park Run Recap


MINIs Everywhere say it all about our drive to Pinnacles National Park.  We had a great turnout this past Saturday as we motored some back roads parallel to CA-101.  We had a total of 32 cars and I lost track of the number of people at 43, so there might have been more people than 43. We were joined by Silicon Valley Minis and a MOASF Mini.  It was great to have new members join us too on this run. Pinnacles National Park was a little disappointing as we were turned away at the entrance due to the park being full.   Boo! :-(

While we had a great, fun run, it was also a charity fundraiser.  We gathered $335.  We donated 1/2 to each of the following charities:
Great job everyone!


Thanks Johnnie C. for the collage picture that captures all the MINIs. As I said before MINIs everywhere.

Just because the park turned us away didn't mean our fun stopped.  We ended up gathering together at San Benito County Fair Grounds for lunch.  Other than a few RV's parked there, we had the place to ourselves.









Thank you to everyone who came out for my last run as your 2017 NorCal MINIs President.  I've had a great year planning the majority of the runs this year and creating a-MINI-zing Race for your enjoyment. (See the Madonna Inn - San Luis Obispo Run Details for a recap of the winners).

Our last official NorCal MINIs event for 2017 will be our Holiday Party gathering at East Bay MINI on December 11, 2017.  Please join me, as we focus on others, while we reminisce on this year's runs, say adios to our current officers & directors and welcome in the new 2018 officers & directors. Details are posted on website and email invites have been sent.  Be sure to RSVP.


California Auto Museum Run - with Silicon Valley Minis and MOASF Run Details

California Auto Museum Run - with Silicon Valley Minis and MOASF Run Details



1 WEEK TO GO!!! Some reminders for the drive next Saturday:
* Bring $7 per person in cash to pay for your entrance to the museum
* Make sure your radios are charged - this is going to be a BIG group!!
* BE ON TIME!!! We meet at 7.45am and will leave PROMPT at 8.00am as we have to get the museum for 10am
* Please update your attendance status. We need concrete numbers to ensure we have the correct allocation of docents. If you have responded in more than one of the clubs - please ensure you are only listed in ONE club.


IMPORTANT UPDATE: We will now meet at 7.45am for an 8am SHARP departure. We need to get to the museum early to guarantee photo opportunities with all the Mini/MINI's


EXCITING OPPORTUNITY!!!!!
As we will have members from 3 clubs present on Saturday, I want to try and get a Mini generations photograph. if possible - it would be good to get the following cars lined up:
Classic Mk 1
Classic M2/3
Classic Clubman
Classic Rover Mini
R50 - Cooper
R52 - Convertible
R53 - Cooper S (Alex T)
R55 - Clubman
R56 - Cooper
R56 - Cooper S (Michael)
R56 - JCW (James)
R57 - Convertible
R58 - Coupe
R59 - Roadster (Simon)
R60 - Countryman
R61 - Paceman
F54 - Clubman
F55 - 5 door
F56 - 3 door
F57 - Convertible
F60 - Countryman
Please respond if you are willing to support this with your car. Cars will need to be clean (which I know we all do anyway  )
Thanks


DATE:  
Saturday January 13, 2018


MEETING/DEPARTURE TIME: 
7:45am/8:00am

Starbucks
1502 N Vasco Rd
Livermore, CA 94551


ROUTE: 1 hour, 57 minutes



https://goo.gl/maps/f7HLT8orQqG2


Hello NorCal friends!

Our first event of 2018 is set to be a visit with a private guided tour to the California Automobile Museum in Sacramento. There will be about a 1:10 ratio of docents to guests, so we will need a fairly accurate head-count by the first week of December if you plan to attend. This will be my first official group lead, and I am so excited for the opportunity!

The 411: We will meet at the Starbucks on 1502 N Vasco Road in Livermore at 8:00 and depart for Sacramento at 8:30 SHARP. The route will take us about 90 minutes to drive to the museum, and we want to be there for their 10:00 opening. The museum will most probably be blocking off the space in front of the museum for us to line all our Minis up front and center, which will provide a great photo opportunity.

The route departs our meeting point and heads north on Vasco road to Brentwood and Antioch via highway 4, then joins highway 160. We will cross the Antioch Bridge (toll) and motor north along highway 160 through Rio Vista and Clarksburg to the museum, enjoying the view as we course along the Sacramento River. We will plan around 2 hours at the museum, which is indoors so weather will not be an issue. Afterward, those who want can stay for lunch in historic Old Sacramento and depart for home as necessary.

Looking forward to seeing all of you there! Please RSVP by the first week of December so I can relay that information to the museum for their staffing needs. Happy motoring!

NOTE: This will now be a joint event between SVM, NorCal Mini's and MOASF. This will require all drivers - regardless of the club you belong to so sign the NorCal insurance Waiver. Thanks.



Holiday Party 2017 - Details

 

Holiday party time!

Come join us at East Bay MINI for a
Pajama PANCAKE Breakfast gathering.

Pajama Pancake Breakfast, what? 
That's right, come in your PJs.
 

Time: 
8:30 am - 10:30 am

Place:
East Bay MINI
4350 Rosewood Drive
Pleasanton, CA


PAID MEMBERS ONLY



Our December run isn't about the fun we can have with our fellow club members & MINIs, it's about what we can do for others.  Please join me, as we focus on others, while we reminisce on this year's runs, say adios to our current officers & directors and welcome in the new 2018 officers & directors.

Bring a toy, bring some food and make a donation!


Toys for Tots

Please bring a toy(s) to support East Bay MINI's effort for Toys for Tots.

Redwood Empire Food Bank

To help our neighbors in Santa Rosa area we will be accepting food for the Redwood Empire Food Bank, part of Feeding America.  

Their most needed items are:
  • Tuna & Canned Meat
  • Peanut Butter
  • Canned Soups & Chili
  • Rice & Dry Beans
  • Cereal
  • Canned Fruits & Vegetables
  • Granola Bars
Some general guidelines:
  • Please no glass items, which can break.
  • Please no perishable items like dairy, meat, chicken, fish, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • Check that items are still within their “Use before” date.
  • We can only accept unopened items. We can accept opened packages if the internal packaging is still intact.
  • We cannot accept home-made or home-canned items.

 

Help the Animals

Sonoma Humane Society provides a safe haven for homeless animals and most recently was instrumental in caring for and reuniting fire-victim animals with their families.  Your donation will be given to their ‘Where Help Is Needed Most’ fund. This will ensure that Sonoma Humane Society has the resources to support disaster relief efforts, as well as help the animals who need them now and in the future.
  • Bring Cash or gift cards - deposit in jar at the breakfast event.

 Breakfast Menu:
  • Coffee, milk, & orange juice
  • Bagels
  • PANCAKES!

 

 Mark Your Calendars, have some breakfast before you head
out
for a day of shopping & most importantly help others!

 

THANK YOU EAST BAY MINI!



Hearst Castle Run Recap

Group shot atop Bitterwater Road on our way into King City






Hi Everyone,

We had a great turnout for our weekend run to Hearst Castle on October 7, 2017.  Twenty-four cars and 43 people came along for the fun ride out of Gilroy along CA - Hwy 25 through Hollister, past Pinnacles National Park, along Bitterwater Road before we arrived into King City for a restroom break.  From there we had to go on Hwy 101 for a few miles before taking off on CA Hwy 41 down into Morro Bay for lunch. We had the in-coming VP with us - Simon T., your new social media/communication officer - Bayley M. and the following 2018 in-coming directors on this run: Carolyn & John M., Tina & Steve S., Vickie C. & Mick B., Alison & Gordon L., Anita W. & Christoph, and Brian D. & Crystal T.

I'm sure everyone was wondering where the heck I was taking us as we drove through the middle of Morro Bay, into Morro Bay State Park on a dead-end road.  I love those little surprises you can find traveling down dead-ends.  Most of us had lunch at Bayside Cafe, 10 State Park Road in Morro Bay, Ca, with a few of our group venturing off to a different location for lunch.  The food was wonderful at Bayside Cafe and the view was picturesque.

View at the Bayside Cafe
Once we re-grouped, it was a short drive into Cambria, but first we had another dead-end road to explore the Town of Harmony.  Harmony has 18 residents and home to Harmony Glassworks and Harmony Pottery.

 Christoph, Tina, Vickie, Simon, Nikki & Anita
Members were on their own at this point to continue exploring Harmony, or Cambria, check-in to their hotels or just sit by the ocean and watch the waves until the appointed time of the evening tour at Hearst Castle. Check out the NorCal MINI Facebook group for more photos of the Hearst Castle tour shared by our members.


We couldn't end the weekend without a little more fun. I placed a NorCal button among all of the scarecrows in Cambria. The only rule for the game was the 1st to text/send me a picture of themselves with the button were the WINNERS!   I don't know if everyone knows this, but we have some hardcore 'gamers' as members.  Many of them looking before the morning light of Sunday.  

Congratulations to Phil & Valerie who found the button at 10:49 PM on Saturday night.

Here are the WINNER! getting their bag of goodies.  Yes, they got to keep the bag too!  Of course I placed the pin on MINONS.  Where else would I have put it?  All you had to do was find it FIRST.



Thanks to all of you who made the run!



I had to share this great shot of Matthew's car.  Photo ops abound during this trip!

Great beauty shot from Matthew H.











Annual Meeting: Recap and Results!

We had a wonderful gathering at Miner's Leap Winery with Carsen & Mike Band providing us with live entertainment.  Welcome to our new members who came today!  It's always fun when you get a few MINI's and their owners together. :-)

We raised $455 dollars that we split in half between Best Friends Hurricane Efforts & Feeding America.  Both groups are working towards helping those struggling from Hurricanes Harvery & Irma.



Jenn, Alan, Mick, Vickie & Christine

Gordon, Julien, Nikki, & Simon

Alison & Bayley
Valerie, Phil, Anita, Christoph, & Tim

Vanessa, Dolores, Rick, Carolyn, & John


Steve, Brian, Anita, Lucila, & Kerry

Rick, David, Lin, & Lynn

Kenny, Veronica & Michael




Your New 2018 Officers & Directors

Vice-President: Simon Tildesley

Financial/Treasurer: Dolores Quintero Sanchez

Secretary/Membership: Erika Hattenhauer

Social Media/Communication Officer: Bayley Mah

Directors:

Vickie Casacca & Mick Brown

John & Carolyn Mifsud

Rick Sanchez

Steve & Tina Sandke

Christine & Michael Toibin


Top 10 Runs (with counts, there's a tie for the 10th Run)

1 42
2 42
3 38
4 37
5 35
6 34
7 34
8 34
9 30
10* 29
10* 29
 



Big round of applause for the following people who were a 2017 officer or director(s) who are no longer holding an office in 2018.  NorCal MINI's thank you!

Tara Hunter

Sharon & Richard Stevens

Stephanie & Steve Alaniz

Tom & DeDee Geiger