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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...

Coalinga/Highway 198 Run Recap October 13, 2018




On a gorgeous fall morning, Simon led a caravan of Minis from a San Jose Starbucks to a Salinas Starbucks where Vickie and Mick would meet up and lead the group on our October run to Harris Ranch. With a total of 19 Mini Coopers ready and raring to go, we headed toward the lush Salinas Valley famously known as the “Salad Bowl of the World” and watched the agriculture industry hard at work. As we traveled down River Road we passed fields of lettuce, strawberries, cauliflower and prickly pears, among others. We then passed through the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation with rows of vineyards starting to change to their autumn colors. We passed by the Soledad Mission and then headed to the other side of the valley to continue south on Metz Road. The Gabilan side provided another vantage point to see where our vegetables come from.

After a quick stop in King City we regrouped to head south on Highway 101 before taking Highway 198 to Coalinga and Harris Ranch. With the exception of one impatient, dangerous idiot that passed our group crossing the double yellow lines, it was a fantastic drive. We arrived at Harris Ranch and were able to park together and display our new club flag, signifying that NorCal Minis had arrived. A delicious lunch was held in the Ranch Kitchen Restaurant and then we met up back at the cars for some prize drawings, with lucky winners taking home bottles of chardonnay from the wine area we had just traveled through. 

Most of us took the short drive over to the Harris Farms Horse Division and were given an informative tour of the property and breeding barn by their employee, Lucinda. The Thoroughbreds were beautiful and stately and watching the young horses run was pure magic. After the tour, some members headed home but a few took advantage of the discounted room rate and the resort feel of the Harris Ranch Inn, relaxing by and in the pool before dinner. 

Being a large group we were again seated in the Ranch Kitchen for dinner where we could order copious amounts of steak and drink wine from Mick and Vickie’s cellar, but that was probably a good thing because our group can get a little boisterous while having fun. A few diehards ended the evening at the hot tub for a nightcap, closing the chapter on another successful NorCal Mini run.

Vickie Casacca & Mick Brown

Check out the link below to all the great photos from the day.

Highway 1/Bodega Bay Details November 10, 2018

Hi Everyone,

The Highway 1/ Bodega Bay run is approaching and remember we moved the date from November 3rd to November 10th.

Your hosts for the event are Anne Veen-Sitter and Dave Sitter

Meeting Time/ Departure Time
9:00am/9:30am

Location
Philz Coffee - 100 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera, CA

Details
From there will we head south down Highway101 and hop onto Highway 1. We will drive through the hills on Highway 1 until we get to the coast. We will follow the coast north on Highway 1 until we get to Bodega Bay for lunch.

Lunch
The Tides Wharf & Restaurant - Snack Bar
835 Bay Highway
Bodega Bay, CA 94923

Note
We are not eating at the sit down restaurant but you can order your lunch at the snack bar walk up window. Which is located around the corner from the gift shop. Opposite end of the dine in restaurant. Plenty of seating indoors and out.

Route - Philz Coffee to The Tides Restaurant – Bodega Bay

Turn LEFT onto Tamalpias Drive out of the parking lot at Philz Coffee

Merge onto 101 South immediately

Take Exit 445B towards Highway 1

Go straight onto Almonte Blvd. which turns into Miller Ave.

Turn LEFT onto Montfort Ave. from the 4 way stop on Miller Ave.

Turn RIGHT onto Molino Ave.

Turn LEFT onto Edgewood Ave.

Turn LEFT onto Sequoia Valley Road

Sequoia Valley Road then turn RIGHT to Panoramic Highway – follow Panoramic Highway to Highway 1

Turn RIGHT onto Highway 1

NOTE:  Some of these streets are in a residential neighborhood.  There are cars, bikes and people on the roads parked and moving.  

NOTE:  GPS is off and on in those hills.  Radios should work – please stay CLOSE and keep in radio contact for updates on turns or roads should there be a road issue determined by the lead car.

The Restaurant is The Tides Wharf and Restaurant (Walk Up Window) in Bodega Bay 

800 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, CA 94923

After The Run
After lunch you are welcome to join in on a drive around Bodega Bay which will take about 50 - 70 minutes with a short park for a photo opportunity. Then join Simon to head north to the Fort Ross Vineyard tasting room. Thanks to Martha Sanford for arranging a 50% discount on tasting - was $25 for NorCal $12.50 and a 20% discount on any purchases. The address is 15725 Meyers Grade Road, Jenner, CA 1 707 847 3460

November Run Date Change

The November Run up Highway 1 to Bodega Bay has been changed from November 3rd to November 10th. It is going to be a great day with the details coming shortly.

EXCITING NEWS!!

We are very pleased to announce to our members and our Facebook friends that NorCal MINI'S is now officially recognized by both CA State and Federal as a "not for profit social club" (501 C).

MOTOR ON!!

Simon - Vice President
Dolores - Treasurer

Coalinga/Highway 198 Run October 13, 2018


Hello Everyone

Here are all the details for this run hosted by Mick and Vickie.

Don't miss this amazing run through Central California.

Meeting Time/Departure Time
(There are TWO meet up points for this run.)

Location #1
7:30 AM/ 8:00 AM
Starbucks
125 Bernal Rd. #20
San Jose, CA

Location #2
8:30 AM/ 9:00 AM
Starbucks
1186 South Main Street
Salinas, CA 93901


Details

After leaving the Salinas Starbucks we will head south through the agricultural areas of the Salinas Valley on some back roads (River Road and Metz Road in Soledad) stopping for a quick potty break at the Starbucks or McDonalds on Broadway Street in King City. We will get on Highway 101 for a short time before taking Highway 198 to Coalinga and Harris Ranch. After lunch and our drawing we will drive out to the Harris Farm Horse Division for a tour of their facility. After about a 30 minute tour members can either head back to Harris Ranch to hang by the pool or head home either on Highway 198 or Interstate 5.

Route

https://goo.gl/maps/cYuFjfufwjE2

Lunch
Approximate arrival 12:15 PM

Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant*
24505 W Dorris Ave, Coalinga, CA 93210

https://www.harrisranch.com/home/


*Members need to pay for their own lunch, but the restaurant will do individual checks. We will have a private room but you will be able to order off of the menu.

This is not an overnight run however some people are staying at Harris Ranch. Details below.

There is a hold on a block of 10 Poolside King rooms for $155 until September 13th If interested please call 559-935-0717 and mention NorCal Minis or Group code 2T88OS.




September Annual Meeting and Santa Cruz Run Recap



September 8, 2018

Run Leaders: Tina and Steve Sandke

Early on the morning of September 8, about 50 NorCal Minis members met at a Starbucks in Saratoga. On tap: a drive through the Santa Cruz Mountains (our run leader Steve called it his “backyard”) and our Annual Meeting over lunch in Santa Cruz. Once everyone had their fill of caffeine, Simon and Steve held the drivers meeting, and shortly thereafter 26 cars set out. It was a sunny day, and we headed out onto Pierce Road. We wound our way past some beautiful homes in the Saratoga foothills, the Mountain Winery concert venue, and snuck onto Highway 9 just west of downtown Saratoga.

We drove through the trees and the twisties on Highway 9, crossing over Skyline Boulevard and down towards Big Basin State Park. Speeds were held in check by slower traffic, at least until the Big Basin junction. At that point we turned left and were able to wind things up just a bit. A hard right in Boulder Creek took us up into the backroads, and after a short but bumpy ride up Jamison Creek Road (dodging a number of single lane spots where half the road had washed out) we turned onto Empire Grade Road, which parallels a ridgeline near the sea. Empire Grade was delightfully empty until we hit Santa Cruz, and we were able to enjoy the roads. Once in Santa Cruz proper, we dodged a bit of traffic as we headed into downtown to park.

Lunch was at Woodstock’s Pizza. The club hosted the appetizers and soft-drinks, and the pizzas and salads were tasty as well. Our intrepid VP Simon gave a passionate recap of the 2018 year for NorCal Minis. He followed up by revealing the tentative runs for 2019 and then the 2019 officers. We finished lunch around 1:30, and folks scattered to explore Santa Cruz or make their way home.

Here is the link to all the photos from the Santa Cruz run!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3MKPqE1VLKkWWkfu7

PS To all members.. Don't forget about the October run Coalinga Highway 198 on October 13th! 

http://www.norcalminis.com/2018/08/coalingahighway-198-run-october-13-2018.html