Hello Bay Area MINI Folk,

With less than three weeks until I'm due to take delivery of my Factory JCW, I'm starting to think about where I'll have him cut his teeth...

I live in West San Jose, so one of the first spots that springs to mind is Bear Creek Road and Hwy 9 through the Santa Cruz mountains.

Highway 29 from Calistoga to Middletown is another favorite, but it's a bit of a hike.

Anyone else got some favorite drives they'd like to contribute? I'll compile a list...

 

Hwy 9 to hwy 35 north, down hwy 84 west to hwy 1. Hwy 1 south to Pescadero Rd east. From Pescadero Rd take Alpine Rd east to hwy 35 south.
Try Mines Rd from Livermore to Mount Hamilton

 

If you feel like heading south, go hit highway 25 south of Hollister. Take it all the way to 198, then head east to Coalinga for lunch. Come back 198 or Coalinga road if you like "goat" trails and take Loanoak or Bitterwater out to King City, up Metz to Greenfield, west to Arroyo Seco and on to Carmel Valley. Take the Grade back over to highway 68 and find your way home from there.

Or take a look at the Motoroads section on Pashnit. Tons of sweet twisties.

 

Thanks for these. We're in Scotts Valley/Santa Cruz and always looking for enjoyable drives!

 

I used to live in SJ but recently moved our east to Tracy and I have to say I have a great commute through the Altamont, corral hollow road and Patterson Pass rd are some great little drives, though a little too far out of the way for quick drives from SJ. I am also waiting on my JCW hopefully early August.

 

Well I may be from Tennessee but I was a Bay area boy not too long ago. Go take that new ride up to the summit of Mt. Diablo in Contra Costa County. You wont regret it. then after you get finished follow Marsh Creek Rd in the shadows of the Mtn. near Clayton until you get to Morgan Territory Rd., turn right. Fantastic road. enjoy!

 

I'd stay out of Greenfield and Carmel Valley at this time. Fires in the Ventana Wilderness and Big Sur are filling the area with smoke. Word is that due to inaccessible terrain and wildfires being a natural part of the area's history, they are not agressively fighting this fire when it is not near homes. It may burn until the winter rains come.

Looking south east down Carmel Valley Road. This isn't fog.

Looking south.

Looking west towards Carmel and Hwy 1.

 

Hwy 1 to Gazo creek Rd. Also Swanton Rd off Hwy 1. Short nice quiet drive. Very scenic

I live on the West side of SC.

 

Also the Mt Hamilton road up to the observatory is a great drive, east of San Jose.

 

did this awsome run with Redwood Empire Mini Enthusiasts in mar, great twisties and the bay views,
boxcars
http://redwoodempiremini.com/PDF/REM...%20Factory.pdf

 

No-one's mentioned my own favorite drive which is Skyline Drive from Hwy 17 or 9 to San Mateo. It runs along the spine of the penensula, so you'll want to check for fire status for this route, too. I was a conductor on the Roaring Camp standard gauge railroad and that was my favorite way to get home to Alameda.

The road to Mt. Hamilton and the Licke Observatory is worth driving, too.

 

If you're in the Fremont area, Sunol & Niles Canyon Road are among my favorites.

 

I rode out on my bike to Arroyo Seco today. The hillside directly across the valley from where Carmel Valley Rd ends onto Arroyo Seco Rd was burning, almost all the way to the river at the bottom.