Coast-to-Coast "Paix et Soleil" - Autumn 2008

[Carlos.]

2 from Heathrow, please

[pooper]

Update on Magical Mystery Mini Tour and MTTS 2008 -

MTTS 2008- It is not "official" BUT I understand that MINI USA will hold MTTS 2208 as four regional events throughout the US. No locations or dates have been announced but should be shortly.

Magical Mystery Mini Tour - PLEASE if you are interested in joining us for this event, please visit the event website and sign up under events mailing list. This way we can get a bettrcount of how many are coming.

We have spoken with Zipcar and City-RentAcar and rental MINI Coopers will be available. But again we need to know how many.

Visit our website for more details and to get on our mailing list.

magicalmysteryminitour.com

Update:

This event will be a gathering of MINI/Mini Cooper enthusiasts from the west coast and some from overseas, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and the UK, and others. We expect to have nearly 500 Minis. This will be a three-day event, starting on Friday and ending on Sunday evening.

Our event will be headquartered on the Great Lawn on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay. There will be Port-O-Lets/washing stations, tenting, dumpsters, fencing, tables, food vendors, and Mini vendors. We will have parking along the Great Lawn. Each participant will have a wrist band and their Mini will have a windshield sticker. This will provide identification and access to the Great Lawn and other events during the weekend. There will be security & parking attendants.

The Great Lawn on Treasure Island offers one the most spectacular views of San Francisco, especially in the evening with the San Francisco skyline on the background. The centerpiece of the event will be a Saturday Night sunset BBQ dinner on Treasure Island, followed by a live concert playing into the evening.

There will be daily Mini runs into outlying areas, including the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands, Mount Tamalpias, Stinson Beach, the Napa & Sonoma wine country, the Santa Cruz Mountains, and a Sunday morning sunrise bonfire and breakfast followed by a drive through the streets of San Francisco.

Non-Driving activities will include shopping and sightseeing to such favorites as the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, Alcatraz, a Dinner Bay Cruise, a ride across San Francisco bay on the Golden Gate Ferry, cable cars rides, visits to Fisherman’s' Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, watching Sea Lions, Pier 39, Russian Hill, a visit to the Cliff House, Beach Blanket Babylon Show, the De Young Museum, the Exploratorium, The Metreon Theater at Moscone Center, Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Park, China Town, Japan Center, Muir Woods, and the Haight-Ashbury district, shopping on Union Square.

Schedule:

Friday:

Friday morning we will begin gathering at the Great Lawn on Treasure Island. This will the time for people to register, check into hotels, and get acquainted with the events, programs, maps, and give time for some tourist sightseeing and shopping in San Francisco.

Friday evening we will have a DJ for 4 hours 6-10PM to provide music and entertainment.

There will also be a Giants baseball game that evening (7:15PM) for those that wish to visit AT&T Park (Pac Bell Park), one of the “gems” of Major League Baseball.

Saturday:

Saturday morning we will have a Mini run across the Golden Gate Bridge, then up to the Marin Headlands, Point Bonita Lighthouse and the retired Nike Missile Site, up Mount Tamalpias and Stinson Beach.

Also for those that wish we will have Mini Cooper Day at Infineon Raceway (Sears Point). For the entry fee of $20 we will be able to enjoy the “Pinks ALL-Out” drag races which will be telecast on SPEED TV. Infineon will provide a MINI only corral and perhaps (time permitting) some parade laps around the picturesque 12-turn 2.2 mile racetrack.

The racetrack is located right at the gate to the Napa/Sonoma wine country. For those that wish to visit the lush Northern California wine country and stop by and sample some of the finest wines in the world, we will provide maps with locations and routes.

Saturday Evening will start at 5:00PM with a catered sunset BBQ dinner, followed by a live concert at 7:00PM featuring “Waterloo” – Northern California’s Premier Abba Tribute Band. Music will play until 10:00PM. Dinner will be prepaid and dinner tickets will be provided in the registration packets. These tickets will be required to get your dinner. Again there will be security, parking attendants, and a paramedic and fire marshal on duty.

The 10:00PM end to activities will allow those who wish to experience the San Francisco nightlife to return to the City by the Bay. We will of course be providing a list of hot spots & nightclubs for your entertainment. BUT beware…..

Sunday morning will arrive early. We have a sunrise beach bonfire and breakfast planned to get you started before the “Steve McQueen Memorial Run” begins through the streets of San Francisco. This run will include visits to Lombard Street, Coit Tower, Ocean Beach, the Broadway Tunnel, Twin Peaks, amongst many other San Francisco Landmarks.


On Sunday afternoon we will hold our Santa Cruz Mountain Run. This will wind us through the twisty “roller coaster” roads in the South Bay. There will be a Giants/Pirates Game at AT&T Park for those who wish to go.


Norman Nelson Redwood Empire Mini Enthusiasts
P.O. Box 944
Healdsburg, CA 95448
norm@redwoodempiremini.com
tel: 707-542-9996
fax: 707-542-6666
mobile: 707-483-9948

[pappillon]

Thanks for the update, Pooper PM's on the way about events Goonery and I are thinking of signing up for Guys, please contact Pooper directly to make your arrangments (we're arriving in San Fran around lunchtime on Friday and heading out of San Fran early Monday morning)

Flights and car hire are sorted now For anyone travelling out of the UK, BA and Virgin have excellent deals (less than £500 return) (we're flying out on the Friday morning, 5th September, and returning on a late flight on Monday, 22nd). FastCarHire have a good choice of vehicles at very good prices (Do you need car hire? Compare car rental companies to suit your budget. Australia, South Africa, UK, USA.) We paid £300 for the car (8th September to 21st September) plus a $500 fee payble on collection for having a different drop-off city (that's pretty standards but cheaper than some other car hire companies).

These are the hotels we'll be booking (hopefully early in the New Year) for San Fran and New York (3 nights in San Fran and 1 in New York): Fisherman's Wharf Hotel: The Argonaut Boutique Hotel in San Francisco, CA and The Hotel Chelsea, New York City (aka The Chelsea Hotel) No plans on booking anything else before the trip Well, maybe one or two others

[Goonery]

Flight number: BA0285
From: Heathrow (London) Terminal 5
To: San Francisco International
Arrive: 5 Sep 2008 13:40

[AprilWhine]

See you in SF!

[mind.reader]

this may be a stupid question, but what is the starting point for the roadtrip? san francisco, or NY?
the rally says SF. but the sketchy road plans had NY being the start point and SF being the destination. i am highly considering this if its NY to SF.

[pooper]

For anyone that is looking to rent (hire) a Mini Cooper in San Francisco there are two companies that offer Minis.

Zipcar: contact:shannon wu acting regional marketing manager
t: 415.495.7478 ext. 108 | f: 415.495.1161
e: swu@zipcar.com

zipcar | wheels when you want them
offices in:
boston · chicago · london · new york · san francisco · toronto · vancouver · washington, dc

City RentACar website: San Francisco Car Rental | Mini Cooper | VW Beetle | PT Cruiser

Both offer Minis in San Francisco. Tell them you are coming to the Magical Mystery Mini Tour and I hope they can offer you a good price. We are working on a package deal but have not reached a final agreement.

[Goonery]

Quote: Originally Posted by mind.reader (original)

this may be a stupid question, but what is the starting point for the roadtrip? san francisco, or NY?
the rally says SF. but the sketchy road plans had NY being the start point and SF being the destination. i am highly considering this if its NY to SF.

Long story, ....

originally the UK contingent had planned to start in NY and drive to SF via a loopy route, and hoped the MTTS thing would be part of it, but the dalliance of MINI USA in making up their minds and the SF Based Magical Mystery Tour made the East to West trip impossible to organise. So we opted to party in SF at the start, and then head over to NY. It's still a long and winding road and the route has still to finalised, but we've booked car hire and flights now , so West to East it is.

I guess you could make arrangements with others across the States to head for SF and the MMT and then motor back with us though.

[AprilWhine]

Since you're going to have to drive both ways anyway, why not come along?

[mind.reader]

Quote: Originally Posted by Goonery (original)

Long story, ....

originally the UK contingent had planned to start in NY and drive to SF via a loopy route, and hoped the MTTS thing would be part of it, but the dalliance of MINI USA in making up their minds and the SF Based Magical Mystery Tour made the East to West trip impossible to organise. So we opted to party in SF at the start, and then head over to NY. It's still a long and winding road and the route has still to finalised, but we've booked car hire and flights now , so West to East it is.

I guess you could make arrangements with others across the States to head for SF and the MMT and then motor back with us though.

thanks so much for clarifying i just found out about this yesterday and am considering going to SF
to see my friend, and then motoring back to memphis! i will check back here often to see the latest details.

thanks goonery!

[thebigyin]

Quote: Originally Posted by AprilWhine (original)

Since you're going to have to drive both ways anyway, why not come along?

I also just discovvered the event and when I saw that the music on Saturday is provided by an ABBA tribute band, I just had to attend. My daughter, who drives the LY MINI Cooper, and myself, BEP MCSC, are ABBA fans. So now I have to set up the planning for 2,750 miles from Fairport, NY to SF - a 425 mile run down the Pacific Coast Highway from SF to LA - then a 2650 mile run back to Fairport and try and do it between Friday August 29th and Sunday September 14th.!!!

[yellowmininy]

You can do it, John! I think the return trip to NY should come to Niagara Falls., if not Fairport!

[AprilWhine]

LY MINIs have heart, you can do it!

[thebigyin]

Quote: Originally Posted by yellowmininy (original)

You can do it, John! I think the return trip to NY should come to Niagara Falls., if not Fairport!

Kathleen, I don't suppose there are any other WNY Club members who would be going?
I can easily come up to Niagara Falls on the way back off of the Thruway :-)

[thebigyin]

Quote: Originally Posted by AprilWhine (original)

LY MINIs have heart, you can do it!

My only concern is that it is a 2003 and September 2008 is when the final payment on its LOAN is due and you know that the minute it is finally paid for soemthing terrible is going to happen to it :-(