Pumpkin Run - Saturday October 28, 2023

Over the mountain, through the woods, and up the coast we go to Bob's Vegetable Stand & Pumpkin Farm. Come along with the club to get some pumpkins then an optional lunch at Cameron's Pub.

Bob's Vegetable Stand & Pumpkin Farm

Your Host(s) for the Event:

Tasha Hudick

Route:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/q9yQuGkxTaStvaoEA

Register via MotorSport Registry:

https://www.motorsportreg.com/events/pumpkin-run-norcal-minis-867022

Check out our 2023 Run Calendar for a complete list of events for the remainder of this year.

Run Details:

Join your fellow Mini enthusiasts for a spirited drive through the mountains and woods from San Mateo to the coast. If you joined us last year, the route takes a bit of a detour, bypassing washed-out roads, but it will still be high on the fun factor. We'll drive up through San Mateo Creek and under the Doran Memorial Bridge, cruise world-famous driving roads, towering redwoods, and breathtaking coastal cliffs ending with a visit to a sprawling pumpkin and vegetable stand south of Half Moon Bay. There are lots of places to get into high gear and a splash of the twisties on our way down to the coast.

Along Crystal Springs
(pic by Tasha Hudick)

We will meet in the Jacks Restaurant parking lot in San Mateo, there is a Starbucks across the way! Following a popular bike route, we'll make our way up a scenic backway to Highway 92. Sweeping ocean and bay views will be our guide as we shift to high gear and enjoy Skyline Boulevard to meet Highway 84. The route will take us down Highway 84, taking a turn onto twistie Pescadero Creek Road where towering redwoods and Memorial Park will envelop us in a lush temperate rainforest. Redwoods give way to rolling farmlands once we reach Pescadero.

View to Pacific from Skyline

A speedy jaunt along Highway 1 and the beautiful coastal cliffs, a view that never gets old, will bring us to Bob's Pumpkin Farm and Vegetable Stand, for that last minute pumpkin. Don't need any more pumpkins, Bob's has a cute little farm and fresh coastal veggies to fill your boot with! An optional lunch at Cameron’s Pub and Restaurant will be a great gathering spot after our run and pumpkin collecting.

Pumpkins at Bob's

Meet-up Time/Departure Time:

9:00 am / 9:30 am

Meet-up Location:

Jack's Restaurant 1750 S El Camino Real San Mateo, CA 94402

There is a Starbucks at 17th Ave. on the other side of El Camino Real. Please be sure to gas up and use the restroom before our driver's briefing in front of Jack's!

Additional Run Details:

Please bring your radio, fully charged, turned on, and tuned to Channel 7, Subchannel 21 CTCSS before you arrive at the start. If you don’t have a radio, ask for a loaner at the driver’s meeting. For radio recommendations, please see https://www.facebook.com/legacy/notes/728353274556164/.

Be sure to turn the “VOX” voice-activated setting OFF, or we will hear the wind from your AC, your conversations, and any noise in your car broadcasting to everyone.

Make a pit stop before the drivers' briefing. We will be driving for a while through twisty hills before our rest stop up in the mountains, so plan ahead.

Hilly California backroads can be rough, especially after winter storms spawn new and bigger potholes. We will call out cyclists and oncoming traffic on the radios. Most of the route is fairly smooth with a few backroad sections that may be a bit bumpier than others.

There are stretches where local wildlife may be seen on each side of the road. At some point, these animals may decide to cross the road, so please watch out for deer, wild turkeys, etc. trying to get from one side to the other right in front of your car.

Dunsmuir Railroad Park Weekend - Oct. 13-15, 2023

Come join us for an amazing weekend up in the mountains. We have an awe-inspiring run planned for Saturday that will include beautiful sights and plenty of twisties!

Your Hosts for the Weekend:

Patrick / Michelle Lewis, and Paige Lane

Register at MotorSport Registry:

https://www.motorsportreg.com/events/dunsmuir-railroad-park-weekend-norcal-minis-330176

Run Overview:

Please note that this is not a typical one-day club run. 

This is a 3-day overnight run with social events on the first two evenings. If you still need to book your lodging, there are a limited number of cabins and cabooses available. 

GO TO THE RAILROAD PARK RESORT website to book (and more info below)

https://www.rrpark.com/

Milky Way over the Cabooses

Run Details:

Friday, October 13 Run 1 (Bay Area to Dunsmuir Railroad Park):

Pat will lead the group from the Bay Area up to Dunsmuir. There will be TWO meet-up points.

 

Meet Up Location: This location is right off of Highway 680 - Bernal Ave exit

Safeway parking lot

6790 Bernal Ave.

Pleasanton, 94566

 

Meet Up Time/Departure Time

10:00am/10:30am

 

Meet Up Location #2

Exit 554 off of Interstate 5, in the Starbucks Parking Lot 

(Street Address: 30016 Rd 8, Dunnigan, CA 95695)

 

Meet Up Time/Departure Time

12:00 Noon/1:00pm (Lunch near this location)

Route:

(Friday Pleasanton to Dunsmuir)

https://goo.gl/maps/vmdLH47nJrFMqp838

Note: to prevent bladders from bursting, we’ll be stopping at the I-5 Rest-stop near Red Bluff for a bio break; the run lead will call it out ahead of time.

 

Friday Evening Details:

NOTE: We are having a POTLUCK at the park. 

Though optional, if you use the link below to share what you intend to bring, we avoid duplications.

Potluck LINK: https://www.punchbowl.com/parties/c3c929f317f6cc959348

LOCATION: 

Between Cabooses 26 and 27. The Lewis and Tildesley cabooses. All attendees have received an email with details. 

DINNER AT 6:30PM

 

or

 

Dinner on your own: 

The restaurant at the park has a great menu; otherwise, there are plenty of choices in Dunsmuir and Shasta nearby.

 

Friday Night AFTER Dinner:

Bring your own drinks, snacks, chairs, blankets, etc., and join us outdoors by the Tildesley and Lewis cabooses #26 & #27.

2022 Potluck
(pic by Simon Tildesley)

Saturday, October 14 Day 2 (Panther Meadows / Town of Mt Shasta / Castle Lake):

Breakfast

You are on your own. There are plenty of places nearby! And the restaurant at the park is NOW OPEN on Saturday and Sunday at 9am. 

 

Run: Panther Meadows / Town of Mt Shasta / Castle Lake

Meet Up Time/Departure Time

10:15am/11:00am

Meet at the near cabooses #26 and #27 in the Railroad Park

 

Route Day 2 RUN #1:

https://goo.gl/maps/wrxQMfy7WLNf7Gmm6

 

Detail of Day 2 RUN #1:

We’ll line up between the Cabooses to take photos of individual driver teams with their cars, then depart as a group towards the town of Mt Shasta (North on I-5). 

Once through the scenic small town of Mt. Shasta, we begin a twisty, scenic drive up to Panther Meadow. Popular with the locals, our pace will be determined by sedans heading to the hiking trails. 

As we near the end of the road, we will call out the restrooms.  Continue up the mountain to rejoin the group at the second from the last parking lot, if you had to stop for the restrooms. Group photo will be taken in the parking lot. We’ll remain here for about 40 minutes. Panther Meadows is the end of the first run. 

 

Lunch

Some may choose to picnic at Panther Meadows, while others will drive back to the town of Mt Shasta. Lots of great places to have lunch. 

 

Lunch break will be one hour, then we're back on the road for Run #2.

 

Route Day 2 RUN #2

https://goo.gl/maps/CWpzqqd47qBMQkCQ8 

Details of RUN #2:
 

We will depart from the O’Reilly Auto Parts Parking lot at 2:15pm (Address: 124 Morgan Way, Mt. Shasta) and drive West of I-5, heading past Lake Siskiyou and up the mountain to Castle Lake. There is a vault toilet at Castle Lakes. Parking will be “competitive”.  For those who are inclined to hike, there are wonderful hiking trails around the lake.  A short, moderately strenuous hike takes one up to Heart Lake.  The parking lot at Castle Lake is the end of Run 2. To return to the Railroad Park, simply return the way you came (back down I-5 South). 

 

2022 Day 2 Run Start
(pic by Simon Tildesley)

Dinner

We will have a group dinner in the Dining Car Restaurant in the park on Saturday night. It's important as part of your RSVP to let us know if you're interested in this option. Some may choose to do dinner on their own or get take-out from the dining car. 

Important Note: We have booked the Railroad Park restaurant for us for dinner at 7pm. Yes or No will be part of the RSVP we will be sending out soon.

 

Saturday Night After Dinner:

Return to cabooses #26 & #27 again. Be sure to bring your own drinks, snacks, chairs, blankets, etc.

DRRP Dining Car

Sunday, October 15 Day 3 (Return Home):

Meet in the courtyard for a people and pets group photo before everyone heads home on their own. Be there at 9am.

Important Run Information:

 

About Dunsmuir Railroad Park

Dunsmuir Railroad Park is a very unique place where you can sleep in a caboose. If you'd like more information on the Dunsmuir, check out their website: https://rrpark.com//

 

Reservation Details:

Your reservation can be made online. If you want to, they also have camping options. Your credit card won't be charged until you arrive. It is pet-friendly.

 

To Reserve your caboose, cabin, or camping spot:

1. Click on the "Check Availability" button at: https://rrpark.com//
2. Set the dates for arrival Friday, October 13th thru October 15th
3. Click "Search" this will then set the results to show you what's still available

 

If you decide not to come up on Friday, you will most likely miss out on the morning Saturday event.

 

CANCELLATION POLICY

 

MUST cancel 48 HOURS prior to arrival or you credit card will be charged for 1 night.

 

LODGING UNITS

 

· CHECK IN 3PM

 

· CHECK OUT 11AM

 

· Base rates include 2 people, each additional person is $10 plus tax.

 

· NO SMOKING Smoking in lodging units will incur a $250 cleaning fee added to credit card.

 

This is a run for PAID NorCal MINI members only.  

 

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

Check out our 2023 Run Calendar for a complete list of events for the remainder of this year.

Please bring your radio, fully charged, turned on, and tuned to Channel 7, Subchannel 21 CTCSS before you arrive at the start. If you don’t have a radio, ask for a loaner at the driver’s meeting. For radio recommendations, please see https://www.facebook.com/legacy/notes/728353274556164/.

Be sure to turn the “VOX” voice-activated setting OFF, or we will hear the wind from your AC, your conversations, and any noise in your car broadcasting to everyone.

Make a pit stop before the drivers' briefing. We will be driving for a while through twisty hills before our rest stop up in the mountains, so plan ahead.

Mt. Hamilton Run for Absent Friends & Family - Sept. 24, 2023

Our annual run over Mt. Hamilton is dedicated to remembering and honoring absent friends and family. Please join us to remember those who can no longer ride with us.

View from the Lick Observatory Grounds

Your Host(s) for the Event:

Pat & Michelle Lewis

Route:

https://goo.gl/maps/QT3gCxD7Kf978dMt5

Register via MotorSport Registry:

https://www.motorsportreg.com/events/mt-hamilton-absent-friends-run-norcal-minis-426463

Check out our 2023 Run Calendar for a complete list of events for the remainder of this year.

Run Details:

Join the club for its annual Absent Friends run. 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.

Lot in front of Evergreen Donuts
2844 S. White Road, San Jose 95148

Due to storm-damaged road repairs, we will meet along Quimby Road at the parking lot in front of Evergreen Donuts (2844 S. White Road, San Jose, CA 95148). Please note that Google Maps is not playing nice, so the map shows us meeting behind the donut shop. We will head up Quimby Road into the twisties up to the Lick Observatory on top of Mt. Hamilton. If the parking lot at the observatory is open, we will stop for a few photos looking back to the South Bay. 

After our pause to reflect and enjoy the mountaintop scenery, we will head down the back side of the mountain and continue on the twisties towards The Junction in San Antonio Valley. This is a point where we can regroup if needed before we continue along Mines Road towards Livermore.

Looking west to the large telescope observatory
Lick Observatory

We will finish up in the parking lot of Da Boccery restaurant at 101 E. Vineyard Ave in Livermore. There is a Chevron and a Starbucks in this parking lot, and many local restaurants and wineries to enjoy on your own with NorCal MINIs friends.

Looking down Mines Road from The Junction

Last winter's storms were not kind to the mountain roads, so we will drive mindful of the several single-lane traffic controls past shoulder washouts. There is one small section of road across a creek on Mines Road that may still be unpaved. It was completely washed out a couple months ago, and while it has been filled back in, there are a couple MINI-lengths of unpaved fill to navigate.

Meet-up Time/Departure Time:

9:30 am / 10 am

Meet-up Location:

Evergreen Donuts
2844 S. White Road
San Jose, CA 95148

There is a Chevron on Quimby Road on the other side of S. White Road from the donut shop. Please be sure to gas up and use the restroom before our driver's briefing in front of Evergreen Donuts!

Additional Run Details:

Please bring your radio, fully charged, turned on, and tuned to Channel 7, Subchannel 21 CTCSS before you arrive at the start. If you don’t have a radio, ask for a loaner at the driver’s meeting. For radio recommendations, please see https://www.facebook.com/legacy/notes/728353274556164/.

Be sure to turn the “VOX” voice-activated setting OFF, or we will hear the wind from your AC, your conversations, and any noise in your car broadcasting to everyone.

Make a pit stop before the drivers' briefing. We will be driving for a while through twisty hills before our rest stop up in the mountains, so plan ahead.

Hilly California backroads can be rough, especially after winter storms spawn new and bigger potholes. There is one tricky spot at a patched washout on Mines Road, but it is safe to navigate at a slow speed. We will call it out on the radios. Most of the route is fairly smooth with a few backroad sections that are a bit bumpier than others.

There are stretches where local wildlife may be seen on each side of the road. At some point, these animals may decide to cross the road, so please watch out for deer, wild turkeys, etc. trying to get from one side to the other right in front of your car.