Agro, sounds like something to get you to make a rare visit to Northern Calif

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Eureka...0.546736&hl=en

 

I like Meeneeboy's idea. that would be fun, visiting different states.

Agro, Hwy 36 heads west from I-5 in Red Bluff, about 3 1/2 hours north of San Francisco.

 

No hard feelings at all on my side. Just wanted to point out the fact that some people will miscontrue what was said. While, some, if not many, will read it as you meant it. I don't feel slighted at all.

I hope I didn't come off too harsh or anything like that. If so, I do profusely apologize.

 

We have no control over how people read/misread our posts. Hopefully, folks will ask enough questions about various meets to be kept informed through our vigilant monitoring of the pertinent threads, thereby clarifying issues for others.

Thanks for the apology, Dom. I feel so much better now!


Clover

 

The California road that most reminds me of the Dragon in N.C. is the 22 mile section of Highway 1 from above Rockport to Leggett at 101 where they couldn't build Highway 1 along the coast and had to go inland.

I went up there on my vacation last year ( I am from SoCal) and this is an amazing road. It had just been paved and on a Wednesday I saw about 5 cars total - and a black bear.

I ran the section in the late afternoon, found the nearest place to stop for the night on 101, got up at 6 A.M. , ran it again, went 25 miles south and had breakfast in Ft. Bragg and ran it again going back north. To concentrate the last time, I started counting turns - got up to 357 turns in 22 miles. But different than the N.C. Dragon, there is a very fast section in the middle where you could severely violate the speed limit.

Highway 36 between Fortuna (south of Eureka) and Red Bluff is another outstanding road - about 132 miles. The roller coaster hills about 30 miles west of Red Bluff are fantastic! Crest a blind rise at 55 MPH with a 25 MPH off camber turn at the bottom of the dip. Fun.

 

I love that area, CFMINI! I love to visit a friend who lives in Ferndale, a lovely old Victorian dairy town just south of Eureka. We've taken some great drives to Mendocino and other coastal areas. (I don't remember the names/numbers of the roads, but I'm sure some of them have been mentioned in this thread, already.)

And, there are nice camping areas available in the redwoods up there, too!


Clover

 

Almost all the buildings in Ferndale are built in a Victorian style architecture - very unique. From there you can go out Centerville Road or Mattole Road through a place called Malfunction Junction !!

Mattole Road is in crappy shape but by the time you get out to the ocean you see what they call it the Lost Coast. It is the California of 75 years ago - very pristine. You can actually hike along the coast for at least 25 miles - all the way to Shelter Cove.


This picture is courtesy of pashnit.com


Follow Mattole Road inland and it ends at the Avenue of the Giants. That road is like driving through a cathedral of 300 foot tall redwoods - amazing.

 

Thank you, MeeNeeBoy, for including the rest of us outside of the CA!

I know CA probably has the most MINI owners in the west coast, but please don't forget the little clubs north of CA border. Instead of "Dragon California," we should have a real Dragon WEST. There are a lot of excellent roads in the southern OR and northern CA. How about it?

 

I love that idea, calling it Dragon WEST! I'm all up for driving just about anywhere for some MINI fun!

Been on the road since April 7 and am resting comfortably in the Florida Panhandle, recovering from the Dragon and YuccaPatrol's wedding festivities!

Clover

 

So much selection to choice from. I think we all should find a location and vote for it. What do you all think?

 

Looks like this could shape up to be something really cool , I would be interested in joining the WCC, I think thats it a great idea to have a "satelite" club, covering the entire west, or larger. I live in a rural area, with only two other minis in the area, neither of which seem to care to form a club.


DVLMINI, I tried to join the yahoo group, but they seem to be having problems , or perhaps its just my computer, I'll try again later.

Anyway, keep us posted

Nik

 

Maybe the Dragon West Meet could be in a different location each time? Just a thought.... I think it would be fun to have it in different areas along the West Coast!

Clover

 

Sound good to me but I just hope someone get it done and let us know that time and date of the event so we all can plan our vacation around. I do need a vacation

 

I'm sure that as it shapes up, it will be discussed very intensely here on NAM, AC. Anyone out there have suggestions for a Dragon West Timetable?

Clover

 

Just to get thing started

 

I would like to suggest around September/October as a timeframe. Far enough away from the other big SW event, and early enough that the weather should still be ok.

 

Also, post-Labor Day, the crowds should die down a bit, making it more fun to motor wherever. Fall would be a great time for Dragon West...nice first-draft logo, AC!

Clover

 

I've been looking at 36 and it seems to be a driving paradise. Pashnit is an amazing site. I'm going up to Sacramento on Friday and if the schedule allows I'll take a couple of days to go scout 36 and the Avenue of the Giants. Can you see it? "MINIS on the GIANTS"??!!

Now I wish I had that Tow-Link so I could take the Triumph up too.

As far as including the clubs north of CA, please see post #1. The red line IS hwy 36.

 

Easy there, AC. That's not our art and this is not the Dragon. The Dragon deserves all the notoriety it has earned and wouldn't think of calling this Dragon anything. That said...that looks really cool:smile:

 

As far as dates go, I'd really like to schedule this before September so that some of our younger motorers can attend before they head back to college. Also it would be better to be there before rain becomes more of a factor.

Red Bluff looks good and I'm checking out accomodations in the area.

A lot of this is too soon to determine until I speak with the regional clubs to see what they have going on already.

It's very possible that it's too late in the year to start something and I also would not want to conflict with Fall on the Dragon or MINI United which I hope to attend.

I'll look at the Yahoo group and see what 's up with that. We can vote when WCC has some members. There are no dues yet and there won't be any until WCC has something to offer a dues paying member.

PDX is at the top of my list of clubs to contact...thanks for the warm invite.



All excellent ideas, I'm happy to see there's interest.

Updates to follow. Maybe we can get a cool jacket out of this after all.

 

Why dont we just call it the MINI St. George Run?

But I agree..... no call it dragon anything, coz that is just straight rip off.

 

On the contrary, I think of it as more of an homage to MOTD... What about calling it the Salmon Run? LMAO!


Clover

 

Drats! Reading down the posts, I was starting to get excited about the chance to earn myself one of those really cool Whalen shift ***** with the dragon on it! I guess you're right, though--imitation is rarely a form of flattery .

I love the idea, and the northern CA routes you've been discussing sound wonderful. I especially like that they're not heavily travelled. Count me in!

 

I agree with many of you that Hwy 36 could be great route to do a MINI run.

 

dcsmd007:

OOpssie! I didn't mean to leave out anyone else I guess I was so excited with the idea so I just went ahead with a few areas/states as examples

You're right, California has "a lot of excellent roads" ... and I really love find out more