The 7th Annual Day Before The Britcars Day
Date and Time
Saturday, Sept. 12, 1998
(traditionally the Saturday after Labor Day)
Palo Alto Elks Club Lodge Parking Lot
El Camino Real near Arastradero
Palo Alto, California
"Socializing time" 9:00 -- 9:30 AM
Departure time 9:30 AM
What Is the Day Before The Britcars Day?
The Day Before the Britcars Day (DBTBD) was originally conceived as the
touring portion of the American MGB Association's convention in 1992. That
was the year that the AMGBA held their national convention in conjunction
with Rick Feibusch's Palo Alto All-British Car Meet. About 25 cars
participated in that event, most of them MGBs but by no means all of them.
The event was so universally enjoyed that local British-car enthusiasts
have kept up an interest in it in every successive year; in some years
we've added a spring tour as well. Because the tour takes place the
Saturday before Rick's marvelous one-day festival for all marques from the
sceptred isle, it's taken on the name of Day Before The Britcars Day, or
DBTBD. (This is not only a palindromic acronym, which is just so cool it
makes my toes curl to think of it, but it comes with a song, as any Frank
Sinatra fan can attest. Ahem.)
This also makes it easy to plan: the Palo Alto British Car Meet takes place
the Sunday after Labor Day, or the second Sunday in September. This means
the DBTBD takes place on the previous Saturday. This year, therefore,
Rick's event is the 13th and mine is the 12th.
Last year (1997), Rick's meet ran their own tour, in conjunction with
British Cars magazine. I haven't yet heard whether they're planning a
repeat, so if you hear anything in that regard, please let me know.
As always, participation in the DBTBD is free, though we stop at a few
places where you can buy things like food, drinks, and the like so bringing
a little cash is a good idea. We'll probably either have a picnic lunch at
the Pigeon Point Lighthouse or at Bonny Doon; fortunately a couple of
organized, wonderful folks from the Jensen Club (you know who you are, and
thanks as always!) have taken it into their heads to call in advance, which
is good when we show up with 15 or 20 thirsty wine-samplers.
In any case we will be stopping to buy picnic supplies, and that's half the
fun -- hot, fresh sourdough bread with artichoke hearts and garlic from
Norm's in Pescadero is not to be missed. This and other questions are
answered in the FAQ.
Tour Route
Tour route will include the now traditional set of stops:
through Portola Valley, up Highway 84 to San Gregorio General Store (84 and
Stage Road) over Stage Road to Pescadero, stop at Norm's for picnic
supplies (Stage Road in Pescadero) down hwy 1 to the Pigeon Point
Lighthouse for picnic lunch overlooking the ocean down hwy 1 to Bonny Doon
Road, Left to Bonny Doon Winery (Bonny Doon Road at Pine Flat) from Bonny
Doon to Empire Grade, down to Hallcrest Vineyard (Empire Grade Road near
Hwy 9) from Hallcrest to Hwy 9, thence to The White Cockade by approx 4 PM
for beers and early dinner (shepherd's pie, fish and chips, etc.)
There is no charge to participate in event, but if you're budgeting on the
day, figure on $10-15 per person at the Cockade (pints are about $3, food
in the $5 - $8 range), plus $5 - $10 for lunch supplies; toys at San
Gregorio and wine at Bonny Doon/Hallcrest are at your discretion. Norm's
Market, by the way, does not take checks, but they do take Visa and
MasterCard (as well as cash).
For more information, Contact:
--Scott Fisher
sfisher@living-history.org
http://www.living-history.org/classics/dbtbd.html
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