NorCal MINIs will be driving to the wine country and the Central Coast beaches over the course of a 3-day weekend with 4 sprint runs! Over the course of three days, the club will drive the scenic bends and curves along the Southern Coast Ranges to Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, and Pismo Beach. Epic roads, epic views, and epic fun are sure to be had by all drivers and passengers.
Paso Robles City Park
Your Host(s) for the Event
Tim & Kim Nye
Register via MotorSport Registry
Click here for link to MSR registration page
Run Overview
Please note that this is not a normal one-day club run.
We'll start our day on Friday, April 28, by meeting up at the Peetz Coffee in Morgan Hill (755 Cochrane Road Suite 100, Morgan Hill, CA 95037). After everyone has a chance to arrive and use the restroom, we'll hold our first drivers' briefing of the weekend, and convoy down US 101 southbound.
Lodging and Logistics Information:
Make hotel reservations as early as possible, and please make reservations
that you can cancel, if necessary.
Although Paso Robles is the primary destination, there are also hotels around Atascadero, Templeton, and Morro Bay. Some hotels club members have stayed at before include:
Adelaide (in town, close to freeway, 3 stars and $$)
Allegretto (4 stars, but $$$)
La Bellasera (4 stars, $$$ , nice bar)
Courtyard by Marriott Paso Robles (typical Marriott, $$)
SpringHill Suites Paso Robles/Atascadero (Marriott, $$)
Hampton Inn & Suites Paso Robles (Hilton, $$)
La Quinta Inn & Suites Paso Robles (dog-friendly, $)
Hotel Cheval Paso Robles downtown (dog-friendly, only 16 room boutique 5 star, great outdoor bar, $$$$$)
Several AirBnBs in Paso Robles (some dog-friendly, $$ to $$$$)
Friday Sprint Run 1 Details (Morgan Hill to Paso Robles):
Day 1, Sprint Run 1 - Route
Meet-up Location
Peetz Coffee in Morgan Hill
755 Cochrane Road
Suite 100,
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Meet-up Time / Departure Time
9 am / 9:30 am
Sprint Run 1 Details
Departing the Peet's Coffee parking lot Friday morning, we'll head south on US 101 to Salinas, taking Exit 330 for Laurel Drive. Passing through west Salinas on N. Davis Road to Reservation Road will bring us onto River Road. River Road follows the hills along a gently winding route with views of the fields and vineyards outside of Salinas. Our first pit stop will be at an Exxon Station after about an hour of driving along River Road.
We will then continue to motor through the pristine Salinas valley agriculture land following the Southern Coast Ranges. Depending on our morning driver's briefing discussion, we may also stop at the historic Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad. From River Road, we will turn right onto Arroyo Seco Road to drive across the historic one-lane Arroyo Seco Green Bridge if the county has kept it open following recent storm damage. We will continue through the rolling vineyards and into our lunch stop at King City with several options for franchise fast-food and gas stations.
After our pit stop, we will drive about 10 miles south on US 101 before taking Exit 271 for Lockwood/Paris Valley Road just past the town of San Lucas. This low-traffic, winding road passes through the hills to Jolon Road and our next rest stop at the Pleyto Store in Bradley. Here we will debrief before heading to Paso Robles and checking into our hotels. We will gather in the evening (time to be determined) at Firestone Walker Tap Room and Restaurant in Paso Robles for dinner to close out our first day.
Firestone Walker Taproom in Paso Robles
Saturday AM Sprint Run 2 Details (Paso Robles to Oceano Dunes):
Day 2, Sprint Run 2 - Route
Meet-up Location
Starbucks
2429 Golden Hill Rd
Paso Robles, CA 93446
Meet-up Time / Departure Time
9:00 am / 9:30 am
Sprint Run 2 Details
Leaving Starbucks, we will turn left onto CA 46 E for 15 miles, turning right onto CA 41 S toward Shandon Road. Over the hills and through the vineyards we go, stopping midway at a small boutique country bakery in Santa Margarita. There is also a planned stop in San Luis Obispo to refresh supplies and shine up our rides for showing off to our Southern California California MINI Club friends in Pismo Beach around noon. We'll meet up at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area with Fin's Seafood Bar and Grill nearby.
Oceano Dunes SVRA
Saturday PM Sprint Run 3 Details (Oceano Dunes to Frank's in San Luis Obispo):
Day 2, Sprint Run 3 - Route
Meet-up Location
Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
Meet-up Time / Departure Time
1 pm-ish
Sprint Run 3 Details
From Oceano Dunes, we will drive south on CA 1 and cut east near Orcutt to enjoy the backcountry highways and roads curving back north to San Luis Obispo and Frank’s Famous Hot Dogs for a quick bite before evening events.
Frank's Famous Hot Dogs in SLO
Saturday PM Optional Event (Sensorio in Paso Robles):
Group Event (optional): Terrace Experience at Sensorio Light Show 5:30 – 9:30 PM. There is an additional cost for this event of around $100 (estimate) per person to join the club at the light show terrace for a drink and a choice of charcuterie or crudité platter. If you want to see the light show without joining the club for the Terrace food and drink option, you can purchase a general admission ticket for $43 online. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, as they do sell out.
Sensorio Light Show in Paso Robles
Sunday AM Sprint Run 4 Brunch Details (Paso Robles to Morro Bay):
Day 2, Sprint Run 3 - Route
Meet-up Location
Starbucks
2429 Golden Hill Rd
Paso Robles, CA 93446
Meet-up Time / Departure Time
9:00 am / 9:30 am
Sprint Run 3 Details
From Starbucks, we will turn right onto CA 46 West across US 101 and continue onto 24th Street and Nacimiento Lake Drive. We'll turn left onto Adelaida Road where epic twists and turns flow for miles until reaching the roundabout and right onto CA 46 W. Shortly after we will stop for scenic views and pictures along the ridge before proceeding to the coast. At CA 1, we turn north toward Cambria. In this sleepy romantic seaside town, we will do a slow cruise showing off our MINI pride pausing at Leffingwell Landing State Park for their restrooms and fresh salty air blowing off the Pacific Ocean. We will do a second slow cruise back through the main Cambria thoroughfare on CA 1 S, picking up speed as we leave town on the Pacific Coast Highway to Morro Bay. We'll end at Morro Bay's T-Pier for brunch, sea otter viewing, or even fishing off the pier if you like.
Morro Bay Options (on your own):
Tognazzini's Dockside Restaurant
Harbor Hut Steak and Seafood Grill
The Great American Fish Company
Morro Bay T-Pier Fishing
Morro Bay
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.
We will call out cyclists and oncoming traffic on the radios.
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!
Headlight Switch: Full Manual On