MidCal MINI’s Monthly Meeting – YOSEMITE FALLS CAFE:

It’s June, Father’s Day and the beginning of Summer.  Come celebrate with the MidCal MINI folks at our monthy meeting at Yosemite Falls Cafe.

When: Friday, June 15th at 6:30 pm

Where: Yosemite Falls Cafe at Granite Park, 4020 North Cedar Avenue, Fresno, CA

Directions: 168 East to the Shields Ave exit. Make a left turn onto Shields Ave. heading West. Then take the first right at Cedar Avenue, heading north. Travel 0.7 miles and enter Granite Park from the main driveway on Cedar. Make a left turn on the round paved area. Yosemite Falls Cafe is on your right.

Parking: Just after passing Yosemite Falls Cafe on your right, head further north to the pack of the parking lot. We line up the MINIs in the back as the parking lot gets very busy as the night goes on.

RSVP: Don’t forget to let us know you are coming, we need an accurate head count to ensure you have a place to sit with the group.  Remember to bring your chairs for the after dinner parking lot meeting.  Folding chairs are encouraged!

Go to the Club Calendar tab and select May 18th. Once the date opens, complete the RSVP form. Be sure to account for each individual that will be in attendance. Reservations are by person, not by car or by couple. (You must be a registered member of this website to RSVP). See you at the meeting.

MidCal MINI’s Monthly Meeting – Returning to YOSEMITE FALLS CAFE:

May brings flowers and the Monthly MidCal MINIs meeting.

When: Friday, May 18th at 6:30 pm

Where: Yosemite Falls Cafe at Granite Park, 4020 North Cedar Avenue, Fresno, CA

Directions: 168 East to the Shields Ave exit.  Make a left turn onto Shields Ave. heading West.  Then take the first right at Cedar Avenue, heading north.  Travel 0.7 miles and enter Granite Park from the main driveway on Cedar.  Make a left turn on the round paved area.  Yosemite Falls Cafe is on your right.

Parking: Just after passing Yosemite Falls Cafe on your right, head further north to the pack of the parking lot.  We line up the MINIs in the back as the parking lot gets very busy as the night goes on.

RSVP: Go to the Club Calendar tab and select May 18th. Once the date opens, complete the RSVP form. Be sure to account for each individual that will be in attendance. Reservations are by person, not by car or by couple. (You must be a registered member of this website to RSVP). See you at the meeting.

MidCal MINI’s Monthly Meeting:

When: Friday, April 20th at 6:30 pm

Where: Yosemite Falls Cafe – 4020 North Cedar Avenue, Fresno, CA

Directions: 168 East to the Shields Ave exit. Make a left on Shields Ave. Then take the first right on to Cedar. Travel 0.7 miles and and enter Granite Park. Make a left from the main driveway, Yosemite Falls Cafe will be on your right.

Parking: After turning into the main driveway turn left to the parking lot area (Victory Grill will be on your left and Yosemite Falls on your right. We will park along the very back row (toward Ashlan – north) as this location gets very busy as the night goes on.

RSVP: Go to the Club Calendar tab and select April 20th. Once the date opens, complete the RSVP. Be sure to account for each individual that will be in attendance. Reservations are by person, not by car or by couple. (You must be a registered member of this website to RSVP). See you at the meeting.

All MidCal MINIs Meetings Occur on the Third Friday of the Month Unless Otherwise Noted

What:  MidCal MINIs’ March 16, 2012 Meeting:

When: Friday, March 16 at 6:30pm

Where: Yosemite Falls Cafe at Granite Park – 4020 North Cedar Avenue, Fresno, CA

Join us for an evening of great conversation, fun stories and a common love of all things MINI. Following dinner, an informal Club meeting is held in the parking lot to update the group on upcoming events and to exchange ideas for future Club events and runs. It’s also a great time to ogle the latest Mods to our MINIs!

Directions: Take 168 East to the Shields Ave exit. Make a left on Shields Ave and then take the first right onto Cedar Ave. Travel 0.7 miles and Yosemite Falls Cafe will be on your right.

Parking: After turning into the main driveway, turn left into the parking lot area (Me-N-Eds/Victory Grille will be on your left and Yosemite Falls Cafe will be on your right. Park along the back row (furthest north of the restaurant) as this area gets very busy as the night goes on.

Click on the following link for an interactive connection to the Yosemite Falls Cafe menu. http://www.yosemitefallscafe.net/menu.html

To RSVP please navigate to the Club Calendar tab at the top of the this webpage and click on March 16.  The calendar will open up and enable you to complete the RSVP section.  Be sure to indicate the total number of individuals that will be attending.  Each attendee should be accounted for individually.  For example, a couple in attendance represents a count of two (2).

Topics for discuss will be formalizing and calendaring upcoming events for 2012, and any other topics of interest to the Club.

All MidCal MINIs Meetings Occur on the Third Friday of the Month Unless Otherwise Noted

What: MidCal MINIs’ February 2012 Meeting:

When: Friday, February 17 at 6:30pm

Where: Yosemite Falls Cafe at Granite Park – 4020 North Cedar Avenue, Fresno, CA

Join us for an evening of great conversation, fun stories and a common love of all things MINI. Following dinner, an informal Club meeting is held in the parking lot to update the group on upcoming events and to exchange ideas for future Club events and runs. It’s also a great time to ogle the latest Mods to our MINIs!

Directions: Take 168 East to the Shields Ave exit. Make a left on Shields Ave and then take the first right onto Cedar Ave. Travel 0.7 miles and Yosemite Falls Cafe will be on your right.

Parking: After turning into the main driveway, turn left into the parking lot area (Me-N-Eds/Victory Grille will be on your left and Yosemite Falls Cafe will be on your right. Park along the back row (furthest north of the restaurant) as this area gets very busy as the night goes on.

Click on the following link for an interactive connection to the Yosemite Falls Cafe menu. http://www.yosemitefallscafe.net/menu.html

To RSVP please post that you are coming by responding to the thread on the Motoring Alliance Forum.

Topics for discuss will be formalizing and calendaring upcoming events for 2012,  and any other topics of interest to the Club.

All MidCal MINIs Meetings Occur on the Third Friday of the Month Unless Otherwise Noted

What:  MidCal MINIs’ January 2012 Meeting:

When: Friday, January 20 at 6:30pm

Where: Yosemite Falls Cafe at Granite Park – 4020 North Cedar Avenue, Fresno, CA

Join us for an evening of great conversation, fun stories and a common love of all things MINI. Following dinner, an informal Club meeting is held in the parking lot to update the group on upcoming events and to exchange ideas for future Club events and runs. It’s also a great time to ogle the latest Mods to our MINIs!

Directions: Take 168 East to the Shields Ave exit. Make a left on Shields Ave and then take the first right onto Cedar Ave. Travel 0.7 miles and Yosemite Falls Cafe will be on your right.

Parking: After turning into the main driveway, turn left into the parking lot area (Me-N-Eds/Victory Grille will be on your left and Yosemite Falls Cafe will be on your right. Park along the back row (furthest north of the restaurant) as this area gets very busy as the night goes on.

Click on the following link for an interactive connection to the Yosemite Falls Cafe menu. http://www.yosemitefallscafe.net/menu.html

To RSVP please post that you are coming by responding to this thread on the Motoring Alliance Forum.

Topics for discuss will be setting/calendaring upcoming events for 2012, update and discussion of the  Club website; any other topics of interest to the Club.

On Saturday, November 19, 2011, the MidCal MINIs group kicked off the start of the busy holiday season with an informal club meeting consisting of an extreme driving adventure at RaceRoom located at River Park. Eleven drivers “suited up” and took their simulated MINIs for a spin beginning with the course “Road America”.  The actual circuit which is located in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin not only provided its share of curves but some really great straight-aways.  Each race session consisted of a practice lap and then a timed race of approximately 15 minutes.  The MidCal folks raced each other in three separate sessions, each on a different track and in three different types of cars.

RaceRoom Fresno consists of 29 PC-based simulators which allow drivers to race on their choice of international racetracks in their choice of car.  Racing enthusiasts say the course conditions and the correlating reactions from car suspensions are spot on.  The simulators let players pick their own race route, and also provides dozens of options when it comes to the color and model of race car picked.  A small dining area offers drinks, chips and other snacks, when race car drivers need to take a little break from all the fun.

The “RaceRoom” opened August 29, 2011 at River Park and is considered the next best thing to real race car driving.  The simulators are popular throughout Europe and the owner, who is from Germany, says the Fresno location is the first one in the United States.  “It feels like a real race car,” said Klaus Wohlfargh.  “And the real attraction is that we’re connecting up to 24 simulators in a network and offer an opportunity so that people are racing against each other.”

The located in the River Park shopping area is the first North American RaceRoom, as well as the largest in the 13 store international chain. Featuring 29 racing simulators with 5.1 surround sound, Butt Kicker seat mounted bass shakers and wrap around monitors. The racing seats and force feedback steering wheels will make the driver feel as if they are actually racing one of the 50 international racing circuits and one of 72 real world race cars.

RaceRoom is part of the KW automotive family. Founded by Klaus Wohlfarth, KW Suspensions are world renowned for their incredible suspension performance for both the track and street. KW Suspensions are proud partners on cars like the Viper ACR that holds the fastest production car title on the punishing Nurburgring circuit as well as the Mercedes-Benz Black Series vehicles. It is the data acquisition equipment and testing on their own 7 post chassis dyno that has allowed KW to produce the worlds most accurate, exciting and entertaining real world racing simulation.

The MidCal group kicked off the event at 11:00 a.m. with each driver receiving a RaceRoom Cap, lanyard and unlimited refillable beverage.  At the end of the three race event, trophys were presented to the top three drivers, Josh, Tom and DJ.

Those in attendance at this great event (organized by Tina in her usual exceptional manner) all agree that this is certainly a group function worth repeating.  Some of the driving techniques exhibited however were quite unique and should only be done in simulators!  The beauty of simulator driving is that the group all left with their real fenders in tact and their insurance premiums unaffected!  Until the next time MINI racers, keep it safe out there.