Pre-Stage Cars & Coffee w/ 2002s featured

Pre-Stage October is less than 2 weeks away.

Saturday, October 19th, for those with a penchant for detail. 

You know how to Pre-Stage, right? Just roll into Lagoon Park at Marin County Civic Center anytime you feel like it [between 8 and 10am], grab some caffeine and a bite from the Red Whale truck, meet friends old and/or new, and then get to the real reason for the season: hitting the backroads for a bit of a jaunt in your autocar. 

Call for BMW 1600/2002’s.

This month, Pre-Stage is putting the spotlight on BMW’s venerable 02 series. We’re inviting all BMW 1600 & 2002 owners to display their vehicles in our sponsor area, just forward of the Red Whale Coffee truck - roundies, square tails, Tourings; all welcome. Feel free to spread the word.

Arrive between 7 and 8am to be included in this display of 02 Series cars.

The Details.

Pre-Stage is a monthly gathering for driving enthusiasts, with hyper-local coffee (roasted within 2 miles), pastries, and breakfast burritos served via the Red Whale Coffee truck, set by the lagoon of the stunning Frank Lloyd Wright-penned masterpiece, The Marin County Civic Center. 

Directions to Pre-Stage.

The Decal.

These little 2” die-cut vinyl beauties’ll be for sale at the Red Whale Coffee truck - grab a few when you’re picking up your coffee.

The Roads.

Got some amigos you like to hit the b-roads with? Meet up with them at Pre-Stage, grab a coffee, check out the cars, and head out on a drive. Or maybe you’re the dawn patrol type? Stop by Pre-Stage after your early morning drive to wrap things up with a breakfast burrito.

Regardless, here’s a suggested route for you from the dudes at BCR - ~100 miles of pure driving bliss. 

One last thing:
this week in BCR.

BCR 10.12.2024’s route ain’t messing around. We get right into the action from an epic (no hyperbole) start point in Cloverdale, and don’t let up (ok, there’s a stopover in Occidental) for a full 90 miles of serpentine asphalt, eventually coming to a halt in Healdsburg for an optional winery lunch, featuring La Fiesta taco truck.

There’s still time to sign up with your vintage (pre-2000) vehicle. 

More Pre-Stage info.

Pre-Stage takes place on the 3rd Saturday of every month, rain or shine, from 8-10am on Armory Drive at Civic Center Drive in San Rafael, CA. It’s free, with no registration required.

Coffee & pastries are sold by Red Whale Coffee; whenever possible, vegan and gluten-free options will be available. Please treat Marin Center with the utmost respect; place rubbish in supplied bins, drive like a grownup throughout the property, and, please, do not punish others with your taste in music.

What kind of vehicles are welcome? We’re going for an eclectic mix of old and/or interesting vehicles, from the two wheeled to trucks: classic Porsches, Jaguars, Alfas, Datsuns, Fords, etc., modern cars that are rare or in a unique spec, grey market imports, or backyard-modded enthusiast projects, all welcome.

Are spectators without eligible cars welcome? Absolutely. We ask that cars of the non-Pre-Stage variety (daily drivers, grocery-getters, etc) park outside of the Pre-Stage lot, either along Peter Behr Drive, or in one of the nearby lots.

Pre-Stage has got a strict no-suitcasing policy; only Pre-Stage’s official sponsors are permitted to show off their wares, and only Red Whale Coffee can sell stuff at Pre-Stage. Leave the flyers, FOR SALE signs, stickers, and other branded trinkets at home, and let’s have a super-chill morning together.

If you’re planning on bringing a dog, he/she must always be leashed and never left unattended. Do not bring your dog if they have bitten or acted aggressively towards a person or another dog.

When posting photos & videos to social media, tag @prestagegathering and #prestagegathering - we’ll try to share as many posts as possible.

If you’re planning on hitting the backroads after Pre-Stage, some guidelines from the dudes at BCR: 

• Fuel up prior to heading out.

• Cell reception unavailable for long stretches of the North Bay’s backroads.

• Be courteous to all business owners, employees, homeowners, ranchers, cyclists, pedestrians, wildlife, and livestock you encounter.

• Mind the posted speed limits and drive according to your abilities, the conditions, and your car’s capabilities.

• NEVER PASS ANOTHER CAR ON A DOUBLE YELLOW LINE. 

• Pull over for quicker vehicles. Wait for slower cars to pull over before you pass them.

• Be cautious of cyclists and pedestrians. Pass with a minimum of 3' between you and a cyclist. On some roads, that may mean entering the oncoming lane (note, in CA: the 3’ rule doesn’t forgive crossing a double-yellow).

Most importantly, have fun. See you real soon.

- Pre-Stage HQ