It was a beauty of a day for a drive. Traffic on the Malahat was light and spirits were soaring. Thanks to Richard for planning the drive and stops along the way. Sometimes, on short trips like this, you encounter some minor issues. While on an inaugural drive (aka Test Drive) one of the Minis developed a fuel leak. However, without a lot of fanfare, a friend of Minis was able to provide a tool that would ultimately correct the problem of a loose fitting and after refuelling, we were off again. Of course, while waiting for the refuelling to be completed, we looked around and had drinks and ice cream. Then, we finished up the drive around the lake and returned to have a great tasting lunch at the 4-Mile House. One of the cars on the way home had rear suspension issues and had to pull over and get a tow-truck ride home. Everyone was safe and sound and looking forward to the next event.

Many thanks to Tim for organising a fantastic drive through the back-roads of Mill Bay & Duncan area to arrive at our destination the Genoa Bay Cafe. In case you have not been there, it is a great outdoor/indoor eating area on the dock in Genoa Bay. It has reasonable prices with fantastic service and a view to match the service.
The folks from Victoria area met at the Tim Hortons on Mccallum Rd in Langford and proceeded North to the Park & Ride off Hwy 1 at Frayne Rd in Mill Bay. The group then took a 45-minute back-road drive to our destination. Everyone enjoyed themselves and a couple purchased of wonderful cinnamon buns for later in the day. After breakfast we each went our separate ways.

It was a beautiful day for Brits on the Beach in Ladysmith BC with attendees from many places on the Mainland and Island(s). It was a terrific drive that was done in a leisurely manner leaving at 7:45am and arriving at 8:45am-ish. Although not quite as many cars as there have been in previous years, there were several rare and high-quality vehicles in attendance. Both the attendees and the public enjoyed their time looking at the cars and asking many questions about them. One of the photos from the show has Sandra with the draw prize she won. The Classic Mini photo is of a meticulously restored 1968 Austin Mini Cooper S. Also included is a 1933 Riley Lynx and a British/Chinese Roewe750 which is a Re-branded Rover 75. Take a look at us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/772464342915077.

It was not the best weather at Beacon Hill Park in Victoria as it was a little cool and threatening to rain near mid-day. However, a good number of British vehicles made this event a successful one. As you can see by the photos, we had a good turnout of Minis/MINIs representing the Club and friends to celebrate this important day. Below are a few photos for you to enjoy.

The next event is Brits on the Beach being held 14 July 2024 from 10am-3pm at Transfer Beach in Ladysmith BC. If you are interested email victoriaminisclub@gmail.com for more details or checkout the Facebook Page at Victoria Minis Car Club | Facebook.

We exchanged sunshine for a bit of rain during the 17^th Annual Restoration Fair and Swap Meet held on Sunday 2 Jun 2024. It was not too bad of a day with the vendors out in full force. There was a nice collection of Minis/MINIs and many other English marques as well. Everyone enjoyed themselves, and here are a few photos taken by Mike. Next up is the Father’s Day Picnic in the Park on 16 June 2024.

A big welcome was extended to the Vancouver Minis Club and the Vancouver MINI Cooper Club by the Victoria Minis Car Club. After arriving on the BC Ferry, Mike hosted them for coffee at his home and the group then proceeded to the Langford COSTCO/Staples parking area. The group had a short get-together with a few of our club members before continuing on the drive. Several of our visitors had never been on the Pacific Marine Circle Route so enjoyed the scenery. Here are a couple of pictures from the Clubs social rendezvous.

Hi,

It had threatened rain all day, but it only fell in small amounts to spot the car’s wax job, but not enough to warrant a rain jacket. So much for the weather report and now GARAGE DAY!
It was a small gathering that made for great interaction and passing of knowledge between everyone. I would like to thank all that attended to make this a successful event.
Many thanks to Mike for opening his hobby garage to us as well as Richard for providing the technical expertise that was invaluable considering the mixed bag of vehicles. Thanks again to Linda for providing these photos of the day.
We were able to look at several different vehicles on the hoist from Classic Minis and MINIS to a brand new hot-hatch Toyota GT Corolla. All were impressed with the variations in design and engineering throughout the years and manufacturers.

Below are the photos of the day: 

Hi Everyone,

What a great day for celebrations – St Patrick’s Day and a Mini/MINI Club Get-together.
It was great to see everyone, and we had a wide selection of vehicles for the folks to enjoy.
It was nice to see new members Tadhg and Ian arriving in their 2010 MINI Cooper S Mayfair edition. Tim and Marylin had their 2019 MINI Clubman All-4 JCW Edition for oohs and aahs as well.
I would like to thank Jean for opening her home to us and having wonderful appetizers and drinks as well.
Mike our treasured Treasurer discussed several items including East Meets West Mini Meet that is being held in Spearfish, South Dakota 8 – 12 July 2024. Check out the website at:
https://minimeeteast.regfox.com/2024
If you are interested in driving with a group to the East Meets West Mini Meet, please reply to this email.
Richard, our esteemed Events Coordinator updated us on several upcoming activities, so it looks like we are back in full swing and will have a lot happening this year.
Pauline as Sponsorship Chair and being very proactive, checked with MINI Victoria Official Homepage | MINI Victoria and they are willing to provide folks interested in MINIs a Club information sheet. It will be a collaborative effort between our Club and the Dealership.
Check out the photos:

Thanks to everyone that took time out of their schedule to enjoy a great drive, tour and lunch. It was a true South Island drive with a mix of sun, cloud and rain which is typical for this time of year. Richard hosted the drive that started off at the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney BC. After a leisurely drive around the scenic northern parts of the Saanich Peninsula, we reached our destination – the BC Aviation Museum. We had a wonderful tour which was full of interesting historical references about the role of Victoria in aviation. The group ended the occasion with a nice lunch at Mary’s Bleue Moon Cafe across from the BC Aviation Museum. Here are a few photos:

Hi Everyone,
We will be holding the Club’s Annual General Meeting at 6:30pm on Friday, 17 November 2023 at 1550 Pub Style Restaurant located at 1550 Cedar Hill Cross Road. 
If you are interested in attending, please email victoriaminiscarclub@gmail.com . 
You must be a paid-up member to vote.  Membership year begins1 November of the current year and ends 31 Oct of the next year.
Annual membership dues are $30.00 per membership which can include family members as well.  You can join or renew your membership at the meeting.
Looking forward to seeing you there.

Here we are almost at the end of August and smoke has filled the air, so thanks to Richard Ford, we were on the road to Shawnigan Lake and the Kinsol Trestle (2869 Glen Eagles Rd Shawnigan Lake BC V0R 2W0). We gathered together at our usual spot on McCallum road in Langford for the up-island drive. It was very busy when we departed at 11 am, with a couple of cars getting separated from the main group, but after a minor course adjustment, we were able to get onto the Hwy 1 going north. Of course it was busy all the way with the construction zone and one lane merging, but the main body of cars waited for us as we turned left at the Shawnigan Lake – Mill Bay Rd traffic light. Once all together, we drove on through Shawnigan Lake village … not the Lake, to arrive at the Kinsol Trestle Parking Area.
We enjoyed an extended walk (on the map it was just over 2km) to the trestle. After a few pictures and talking to several other visitors that said how much they loved our Minis/MINIs, we departed for the return journey to Victoria.
We headed down the west side of Shawnigan Lake and back to Hwy 1 on the road to Victoria. Of course the travel south was busier with stop-and-go crawling, as the two lanes of traffic merged into one. However, it really did not seem too bad.
Thanks to everyone that attended and enjoyed the drive, camaraderie and the picturesque Kinsol Trestle. Here are a few pictures of our adventure:

Can we pick em or can we pick em! What a glorious evening for a wonderful drive around Sidney and Land’s End. Thanks to Sandra for creating the route and of course, none of this happens without Richard lending his expertise as the Events Coordinator. Along with members from the invited MG Club, we had an opportunity to chat prior to the departure from the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney. From there, we took a route that weaved through Sidney, Land’s End and the Victoria International Airport to finish the drive at the Sidney Dairy Queen where we all enjoyed an ice cream treat. Looking forward to our next event for a drive around Shawnigan Lake.

It was an pleasant day for a morning drive up the Malahat Drive to Transfer Beach in Ladysmith. The roads were clear and the sun was bright. We made it in good time to join many others from various car clubs that attended from near and far. Admission to the show was by donation that was collected by volunteers of the Old English Car Club Central Branch. The considerable funds collected were given to the Ladysmith Food Bank.

Although we did not win any awards or prizes, all had an enjoyable time admiring a collection of incredible English cars and bikes. Of course, in turn the Minis/MINIs were admired by our fellow English car enthusiasts and the general public as well. Some of us brought picnic baskets while others chose to enjoy the great food from the Ladysmith Lions Club Concession Stand. Here a a couple of pics from the drive and event:

This Meet was held in Santa Maria, California. This provided with a leisurely drive from Victoria along the Hwy 101, with overnight stays in Astoria, Oregon, North Bend, Oregon, Arcata, California, Santa Rosa, California then along Hwy 1 and 128 to arrive at the host hotel (The Historic Santa Maria Inn). For 4 days and nights we enjoyed all the events at Mini Meet West 2023 https://www.minimeetwest2023.com/. Our attending members represented our Club very well, taking home several awards received at the Awards Banquet on the final night. Next day, we commenced our return journey along Hwy 395 staying overnight in Lone Pine, California, and Reno, Nevada. We continued our journey via Hwy 31 and Hwy 97 for overnight stays in Bend, Oregon and Leavenworth, Washington. From there on our final day, we took Hwy 2, and the I5 through the Blaine Border crossing. Having got through that, we took Hwy 99 North and Hwy17 via the BC Ferry home to Victoria. The return journey saw temperatures up to 43 degrees Celsius. We enjoyed several scenic stops and wonders of nature throughout the journey of over 4000 kms. Below is a sampling: