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. Sunday has no formal club runs, but we have two optional scenic routes for your consideration.
Your Host(s) for the Event:
Tim Nye
Route:
Route Overview
Part 1 (Morning Route)
Part 2 (Afternoon Route)
Register for the Event on MotorSport Registry:
https://www.motorsportreg.com/events/avenue-of-giants-weekend-run-norcal-minis-744753
Meetup Time / Departure Time:
9:00 AM / 9:30 AM
Meetup Location:
Chevron
22 Rowland Way
Novato, CA 94947
parking lot next to the Cinemax Theater
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| Chevron in Novato Meetup Location |
Run Details:Saturday will be an all-day drive to cruise up to the Avenue of the Giants, then motor through the magnificent giant sequoia redwood trees. This route is truly a unique California experience, and it all began in 1926 with a road trip. At that time, the Newton Drury and Pacific Lumber company invited wealthy philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and his family to a picnic in the park. Following that trip, Rockefeller pledged $1 million to the Save the Redwoods League to acquire prime redwood groves for conservation. In 1960, the Avenue of the Giants parkway was dedicated to the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, preserving these beautiful, ancient trees for future generations of road trippers like us.
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| Humboldt State Redwoods Park |
After a short driver’s meeting at the Chevron in Novato, we will convoy out onto US 101N for about 40 miles, and then take Exit 505 and follow Dry Creek Rd. and Dutcher Creek Rd. to Cloverdale for an optional pit stop. We will then get back on US 101N toward Willits, where lunch awaits at a local eatery of your choice.
As we enter Willits on S. Main Street, there are a few lunch options. The after lunch meeting spot will be at the Grocery Outlet parking lot (1718 S Main St, Willits, CA 95490). A few options in the general vicinity are:
After lunch, we will continue driving north to the famous Chandelier Drive-Thru Redwood Tree ($15 fee per car). Our MINIs will be dwarfed by this massive tree as we drive through the passage cut into the tree.
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| Chandelier Tree |
The second part of the route begins when we leave Leggett on US 101N and take Exit 650 to begin our tour of the Avenue of Giants (aka CA-254). Unfortunately, there are a couple of road closures on the Avenue of the Giants due to storm damage repairs and bridge construction. However, even US 101N has spectacular views through these forests. Our next stop will be in Miranda for fuel and restrooms. We will also make a stop at the Visitor Center for Humboldt Redwoods State Park ( https://humboldtredwoods.org/ ),
There are many places to stop along the drive, get out and walk around. Due to time limitations, we will not be making long stops, but may stop to get out of the cars and take a few photos. Be sure to have your 2-way radios charged and turned on to listen for instructions from the group leader and caboose. If you fall behind, don’t worry and just continue driving north on the Avenue. Be sure to watch out for Bigfoot and areas of interest you might want to explore on the drive home.
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| Bigfoot |
The Avenue ends in Pepperwood, where we will again find US 101N continuing to Fortuna, CA where food, drink, and lodging await. For the more adventurous, Eureka is about 20 more miles up the road. Refer to our run lodging planner page for information on lodging options in the area.
After checking into hotels, run participants are invited to meetup at a local brewpub, Eel River Brewery (1777 Alamar Way, Fortuna, CA 95540), around 6pm for beer, food, and cheer. This will be a non-hosted event with plenty of parking and seating for all who would like to join us. Eel River Brewery is America’s first certified organic brewery serving those who enjoy the road less traveled.
Sunday Day 2 Individual Route Options:
There is no club run on Sunday, March 24. The drive home will be on your own. Some may choose to travel home in small groups, while others may wish to drive the Avenue again and make more stops - there are many hiking trails and places to explore. Others may choose to drive a short distance up the coast to visit Eureka, Arcata, or Trinidad.
A few routes home to consider are:
- CA-36 E from Fortuna to Red Bluff:
For those traveling home to the Sacramento-San Joaquin valley, Highway 36 is a 142-mile long and spirited 2-lane mountain highway. You can access it a few miles south of Fortuna. Just be sure to fuel/charge up before departing, because gas stations are few and far between until you get to Red Bluff. From Red Bluff, merge onto I-5 S and head home.
Optional Route A
- CA-1 S from Leggett to San Francisco:
For those traveling home to the Bay Area, the northern part of California’s iconic coastal highway is majestic. It will go all the way to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, or you can cut across to US 101 S via CA-116 E in Jenner, and local roads near Bodega Bay.
Optional Route B
- US-101 S:
For the quickest route home, the way we came is the way to go. For those returning to the delta valley, consider taking Exit 555B to CA-20 E toward Clear Lake.
Whichever path you choose, drive safely!
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| Trinidad Pier |
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 have a long drive ahead with some rest and gas stops planned in, but please have that gas tank on FULL to start our day.
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.
We ask that you turn on low-beam headlights - not Auto - to make us more visible to other vehicles either ahead or behind us, including your fellow MINI drivers.
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| Headlight Switch: Full Manual On |
