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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...

AMVIV Information Packet - Print to take with you!

AMVIV (A MINI Vacation in Vegas)  is coming up next week.  

SCMC has posted their information packet.  If you want to have the routes and other information in a hard-copy, you must print it to take with you.  They will only have limited copies of run maps available at AMVIV.  

Get your today at:
http://www.amviv.com/amviv-info
 
Also, I'd like for those attending to try using GroupME as a way to keep in touch with each other before, during and after the event. It can be found on Google Play and the APP Store.

As I learned during MTTS 2016, it was hard to keep everyone abreast of changes, meeting places, etc. Plus I got FB messages, emails and text messages from people. We had a good group text going, but it didn't include those who joined later in the trek across the US. So, those people missed out on some of our conversations. 

I'd really like to see how well GroupMe might work.

You don't need a smartphone to use GroupMe either - you can be added to the group to receive & send messages. (Handles another issue we had during MTTS2016 as one of our coast-to-coasters didn't have a smartphone).

I created the group:
"NorCalMinis-AMVIV"


Only if you are going, use the following link to join.
https://app.groupme.com/join_group/31042041/6YZ3lj

I'm going to lurk to see how it's used. You can add photos, videos, docuements, and share your location if you want to do so. 

Again, if you are going, please give it a try. Join now, I added Bayley Mah's file to it for the meeting place in Salines and route to casino. Bayley also added the AMVIV information booklet to the group.

For those of you who are going - Have fun and Motor On!
Christine Toibin
President NorCal MINIs

Evolution of Iconic Cars: MINI Cooper

Sean Fitzsimons, from Surrey, England, shared with us a new series released by Go Compare called 'The Evolution of Iconic Cars' - it's a collection of illustrations which depict how five of the most iconic cars in long-term production have evolved since their first models.

It includes the evolution of the Mini Cooper! So he thought we'd like to see it.

Over there in Britain, Auto Week have just named the Mini 'the best British-built car of all-time' too - so it's certainly a cause for commemoration!





Sturgeon's Mill - Club Picnic Recap


We had a great turnout for our Sturgeon's Mill and Club Picnic run.  A few of the members of SCMM (SoCal MINI Maniacs), in San Francisco area for their own run, joined us at Starbucks for a little socialization before we took off for the mill. It was great to meet Dan Skorcz, President of SCMM, always wonderful to see Nancy Homer, and all the other SCMMs.  I wished we had more time to just hang out and get to know each other better, but the Mill was waiting for us.

We had 20 cars and 36 -1/2 people who went with us on this run to Sturgeon's Mill. Sturgeon's Mill is a 105 year old steam powered sawmill. It's a working museum that is only open 4 weekends a year to the general public. If you weren't able to join us on this run, the mill's other demonstration days are:
  • June 17-18th
  • September 16-17th
  • October 14-15th
It's free, however they do take donations.  We collected $5 from everyone who came on the run and NorCal MINI's donated $150 to support the mill.  Great JOB!


From the mill we went to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park for our club picnic.  We had a beautiful spot within the park to grill out and gather together. 


Carol Chin, active in our local American Heart Associations efforts,  shared with us some important information on the signs of a stroke.  F.A.S.T 
  • Face Drooping Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. 
  •  Arm Weakness Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? 
  • Speech Difficulty Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like "the sky is blue." Is the sentence repeated correctly?

  • Time to call 9-1-1 If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.
Another member shared her experience with a heart attack, which brought home how different symptoms are for women vs. men.

Learn more about the warning sign for heart attacks, strokes and cardiac arrest.  Thanks Carol for sharing.





Up next - Hwy 49 Sutter Creek,  all the details are found here.

Christine Toibin
President, NorCal MINIs



Hwy 49/ Sutter Creek Run Details

DATE CHANGED TO: JUNE 10, 2017

During our run to Avenue of the Giants, Ken Altman told me about the fun he had at the Scottish Games in Amador County. Lucky for us it’s happening on June 10th. This works great for our Highway 49 - Sutter Creek run.  


VIP Tickets must be purchased by June 5, 2017.   
See below for information on tickets to the Highland games.  

MEETING/DEPARTURE TIME:
9:30 AM/10:00 AM

Starbucks
4426 Waterloo Rd,
Stockton, CA 95215

ROUTE:
https://goo.gl/maps/Zn4u1Pj1pax

The Mother Lode Highland Games are at the Amador County Fairgrounds.  We will have a special parking area within the fairgrounds for all of the MINIs.  The organizers thought it would be neat for all of their attendees to be able to view our cars.  So, shine them up!


Ken suggest we purchase the VIP ticket as it gives you access to an air-conditioned building.

VIP ticket is $50

Please purchase your own ticket for Saturday here:
http://www.themotherlodegames.com/tickets.php

VIP Ticket Includes:
1 General Admission
1 Souvenir Program
1 Adult Beverage served in the VIP Lounge
1 Reserved Grandstand Ticket
1 VIP Lounge **
1 VIP Parking Pass

**Snacks, light lunch, non-alcoholic beverages served in a cooled building & Hourly raffles & Scottish Gifts


Amador County Fair
18621 Sherwood St
Plymouth, CA 95669

Pets are not permitted on the fairgrounds


If you’re not up for the Highland Games there are many other options in the area to entertain yourself. One is a tour of the Black Chasm Caverns. Have lunch in Sutter Creek, then take Shake Ridge Road to Rams Horn Grade (super twisty) into Volcano.

From Sutter Creek:
https://goo.gl/maps/aGoXVkqD6Bm