WHAT'S COMING UP?

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...

Annual Meeting & Mt. Hamilton Run - Sunday September 18, 2022

 



Annual Meeting and Run for Absent Friends & Family To Mt. Hamilton

Your Hosts For This Event: 

Simon and Nikki Tildesley

Join the club for its annual Absent Friends run followed by the clubs annual meeting and lunch. On this run we remember our past members and friends who are no longer with us by keeping the spirit of driving our fun cars on some great roads. 

We will meet in Alum Rock and head up the twisties to the Lick Observatory at Mt Hamilton. If the parking lot at the observatory is open we will stop for a few photos. 

After that we will head down the mountain again and continue on the twisties towards the Junction in the Livermore valley. This is a point we will regroup if needed. Once grouped back together we will continue down Mines Rd towards Livermore.

Our final destination being the Highland Oaks Cabana Club in Pleasanton where club members will have prepared a lunch for everyone to enjoy whilst we host the annual meeting.



NOTE: as these roads are enjoyable for those who really like to 'drive' their MINI's - we will likely split the group in two. One group for a more spirited drive - the other for those who like to take the pace more leisurely.

We will also be raising much needed funds for two of our selected charities:

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley

https://donate.accfb.org/vfd/NorCalMinis?tab=Dashboard

Please feel free to click on the link and donate online. We will also have envelopes available on the day to give cash if you prefer.

This is a run for NorCal MINIS PAID members only. 

Lunch and Annual Meeting at the Highland Oaks Cabana Club in Pleasanton.
4530 Sandalwood Dr, Pleasanton, CA 94588

Lunch will consist of Pasta, Salad and Garlic bread. Water and soft drinks as well.
There will be a $5.00 per person cover charge payable via MSR.

Please indicate if you are gluten intolerant so we can cater with gluten free pasta. 

NOTE: Dogs are NOT allowed at the luncheon.

Meet Up Time/ Departure Time
9:45am/10:15am

Meet Up Location

Lucky parking lot
3457 McKee Rd,
San Jose, CA 95127

Route:

Register Via MotorSport Reg:

AND DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR OUR OCTOBER (21st - 23rd) EVENT: A weekend at the Dunsmuir Railroad Park and Resort! We had an amazing weekend last year. So don't be left out. Details in the link below!!


and to sign up:


Check out 2022 Run Calendar for complete list of events for this year.

Current EVENT PROTOCOLS:
The following guidelines are our best attempt to secure your safety given what is known at this time. They are by no means comprehensive, and we cannot predict every circumstance. Therefore, we are counting on you to exercise your best judgment throughout the event. Please have an awareness and understanding of the following COVID-19 safety protocols:
• NorCal MINIS asks that anyone who is at higher risk for severe illness, feeling unwell, or who has been in contact with anyone that is sick in the last two weeks to STAY HOME
• In line with State guidelines – people who are fully vaccinated may attend without a face mask. If you are not fully vaccinated – we kindly request that you maintain a face covering.
• NorCal MINIs will encourage everyone to maintain personal hygiene in regards to washing hands
• Club loaner radios will be available at the run. These will be sanitized prior to be handed and out will be sanitized again upon return.
• Any PPE you wish to use must be supplied by yourself. This includes any face coverings or hand sanitizing products
• Participants will be required to Sign Waivers Electronically
• Please be courteous with people who wish to maintain PPE and social distancing. It is their choice to do this and we cannot question their vaccine status
Anyone who continually or willfully violates these guidelines will be asked to leave by a club officer or director.
POST-EVENT PROTOCOLS:
• Any participant that falls ill within 2 weeks after the event MUST contact NorCal MINIs and share a description of their symptoms, related test results and movements during the event
• NorCal MINIs will make every effort to alert affected participants privately of the situation
Ultimately, it is your responsibility to assess the risk to you and make a responsible decision on whether or not to participate. You assume all risks and agree the Club holds no liability if you or anyone in your party should develop any Covid-19 symptoms afterwards by attending a NorCal MINIs event. Participants are required to follow these guidelines; any participant may be asked to leave the event for non-compliance.

Join Today! Create your MotorSportReg Account to become a PAID Club Member, use the link below:
NorCal MINIs Membership

Instructions for joining MotorSportReg and joining NorCal MINIs can be found in the following document:  Instructions




North Monterey County Run and Annual Picnic - Sunday August 28th, 2022


 

Your Hosts For This Event:

Mick Brown and Vickie Casascca

The first part of the run will have some twisties but nothing too crazy.  We will take a short, approximately 30 minutes, break at the Succulent Gardens 2133 Elkhorn Road Castroville to give everyone a chance to check it out. We will park on Amaral Road.

They have over 400 varieties of succulents.  



We will then finish the run to Royal Oaks Park and the Live Oak BBQ area for our annual picnic. Dogs are allowed and they have volleyball nets so bring a ball if you want to start up a game.

Royal Oaks Park Address:

Royal Oaks Park 537 Maher Road Royal Oaks, CA 95076 also known as Prunedale, CA

 Members must RSVP by August 24, so we can get a firm headcount.  The Club will provide sandwiches (vegan choices as well), chips, soft drinks and water. You are welcome to bring other food such as side dishes and salads or desserts for potluck sharing.

PS. There will be some surprises!

Meet Up Time/Departure Time

9:30am/10:00am

Meet Up Location

San Juan School Parking lot 
100 Nyland Drive
San Juan Bautista, CA 95045 

East Bay Meet Up Time/Departure Time
7:00am/7:15am

East Bay Meet Up Location
Ashley Home Store
2201 John Glenn Drive
Concord, CA

San Jose Meet Up Time/Departure Time
8:30am/8:45am

San Jose Meet Up Location
Peet's Coffee
755 Cochrane Road
Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Route: 

Register Via MotorSport Reg:


Check out 2022 Run Calendar for complete list of events for this year.

Current EVENT PROTOCOLS:
The following guidelines are our best attempt to secure your safety given what is known at this time. They are by no means comprehensive, and we cannot predict every circumstance. Therefore, we are counting on you to exercise your best judgment throughout the event. Please have an awareness and understanding of the following COVID-19 safety protocols:
• NorCal MINIS asks that anyone who is at higher risk for severe illness, feeling unwell, or who has been in contact with anyone that is sick in the last two weeks to STAY HOME
• In line with State guidelines – people who are fully vaccinated may attend without a face mask. If you are not fully vaccinated – we kindly request that you maintain a face covering.
• NorCal MINIs will encourage everyone to maintain personal hygiene in regards to washing hands
• Club loaner radios will be available at the run. These will be sanitized prior to be handed and out will be sanitized again upon return.
• Any PPE you wish to use must be supplied by yourself. This includes any face coverings or hand sanitizing products
• Participants will be required to Sign Waivers Electronically
• Please be courteous with people who wish to maintain PPE and social distancing. It is their choice to do this and we cannot question their vaccine status
Anyone who continually or willfully violates these guidelines will be asked to leave by a club officer or director.
POST-EVENT PROTOCOLS:
• Any participant that falls ill within 2 weeks after the event MUST contact NorCal MINIs and share a description of their symptoms, related test results and movements during the event
• NorCal MINIs will make every effort to alert affected participants privately of the situation
Ultimately, it is your responsibility to assess the risk to you and make a responsible decision on whether or not to participate. You assume all risks and agree the Club holds no liability if you or anyone in your party should develop any Covid-19 symptoms afterwards by attending a NorCal MINIs event. Participants are required to follow these guidelines; any participant may be asked to leave the event for non-compliance.

Join Today! Create your MotorSportReg Account to become a PAID Club Member, use the link below:
NorCal MINIs Membership

Instructions for joining MotorSportReg and joining NorCal MINIs can be found in the following document:  Instructions


Recap - Solvang Run Weekend July 23 & 24, 2022




Your Host:
Eddie Vergara

Hallo! For our 2nd overnight run of the 2022 calendar, we all became a little bit more Danish as we headed down to the picturesque town of Solvang. A total of 10 cars joined us on a day that started with a little sprinkle but quickly became a perfect day for driving. I was the impromptu host for the run, standing in for Dave and Anne Sitter who couldn’t join us this day.



After pretending to be Simon for a little bit –welcoming drivers, cracking tongue-in-cheek jokes and such—we began our drive to our first stop in King City. Drivers enjoyed the open central California scenes and twisty bends from Hwy 25. We enjoyed what we could since, after this segment, it would follow a calm, paced drive on US101 towards San Luis Obispo.



After a quick bio brake and opportunity to re-hydrate, we hit the road again towards our next stop, good ol’ SLO. This is typically a gentle drive down US101 -- nothing but trucks and watching out for speed traps. However, drivers found themselves in a sudden precarious situation, with fortunately no negative consequences. A truck had decided, with no warning, to get in front of the group and quickly make a U-turn at a left-turn lane off of US101. Fortunately, the quick acting of our attentive drivers -- and the quick stopping performance of our awesome cars -- prevented what could have been a series of fender benders and the pouts and curses that they would ensue.




Shortly after that bit of excitement off of 101, we arrived at Santa Rosa Park in SLO. The drivers and rides required much needed fuel, so folks headed over to lunch at different places around our stopping point. Following our lunch break, some of us hung out by the park to witness some great sword fights from folks participating in a Renaissance Faire at the Park! After a quick review of our last leg of the drive, we motored on!




We zijn gearriveerd! By the late afternoon, we neared what was unmistakably the town of Solvang, with all of its unique architecture. We reached our stopping point for pictures and discuss what everyone’s plans were for the next day. Most of us agreed to have dinner together (imagine that! ) at Red Viking, where we delighted on some delicious Danish food.



After a well-deserved rest, we met at our previous day’s stop in order to meet up with our sister MINI club, the California MINI Club, driving north from the SoCal area. 60+ MINIs of all generations and colors joined our small NorCal group in our mission to overtake Solvang! Mission accomplished!



Following some introductions and mingling, we invited folks to join us on a small drive around Solvang that Gordon had planned for us this morning. This run hadn’t been pre-ran, so we warned all drivers that this would be a run for the adventurous-type only. Unfortunately, our drive ended relatively quick after we learned a major section of the planned drive was indeed closed. No matter … MINIs stick together. We pulled a U-turn, headed back to our starting point and gathered up for a picture showing that we can all coexist in good fun!



It was altogether a fantastic weekend, full of driving, fun, and friends, both old and new. I think we all agree it doesn’t get any better than this for a MINI Cooper driving enthusiast! Many thanks to Anne and Dave Sitter for planning this run!

Until next time, tot ziens!

Eddie Vergara










Recap - Nevada City Overnight Run - June 11th and 12th 2022

 




Your Hosts: Simon and Nikki Tildesley

A small but perfectly formed group of us met in Fairfield on a beautiful warm sunny morning
The mix of cars was good - from earlier gen 1's all the way to the latest gen 3's.

As I was hosting this run on behalf of Paige Lane, it was going to be interesting, as I hadn't had any opportunity to do a pre-run. With that in mind, we set off on our journey with directions in hand and in my phone on roads I had never driven before. Due the smaller sized group on this occasion, it was easier to keep us all together.

The first section of four sections of the run took us via the back roads from Solano college to Woodland
On arrival in Woodland, we were met by two more members who live further north to bring the total number of cars to 12. 

We stayed in Woodland to enjoy some lunch before setting off on leg number two driving from Woodland to Lincoln.

After another short break - we started leg number 3 leading us to a parking lot of a Dollar General store (I didn't plan the route - lol) We actually used this short break to give us chance to take a group photo with all the cars. 

Our last and final leg took us on more back roads to Nevada City. Upon arrival - the group split up to do their own things. Some people staying overnight - others like me heading home again.

Overall the run was fun and I only got the group lost once. For those of you that know me - this is a normal event!

My thanks to Paige for the very precise directions ensuring the group had some fun driving.

Simon

For a few more pictures click the link below: