MTTS 2006 St. Louis from the Arch
MTTS 2006 St. Louis from the Arch

I happen to be going through some of my MINI memorabilia, you know stuff from various adventures over the years and thought that maybe, just maybe I should get my thoughts on the web since (remember kids) the Internet never forgets.  With MINI Takes the States happening this year, and people panicked over this and that maybe this could help, Because each MINI Takes The States (MTTS) has been different.  Before I try out Cecil’s Wayback Machine let me just define MINI Takes The States for you- MTTS is a biannual event put on by MINIUSA.  It’s kinda like the big event your car company puts on for you every two years… What do you mean?  Wait, wait, wait, your car company doesn’t do that?  Oh, I’m sorry.   It started in 2006.  I bought my MINI in 2005- timing is everything.

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MTTS 2006- Indianapolis Motor Speedway

MTTS 2006-  This was a coast to coast rally starting in California and ending in Connecticut.  A lot of miles in between with something going on is each city that they stopped in.  For this one, I could only do one leg.  I had to work.  So after “Back to School Night” we hopped into Penfold (our DS/W R53) and deadheaded it to St. Louis.  Once we arrived we crashed until the wee hours of the morning. Think kid on Christmas Day waiting to storm the tree. When we checked out the front desk told us to just pay the hourly fee for parking, what they were going to charge us for the night was a lot more- tells you what time we got in.  SO we heading to the St. Louis Arch for a group photo.  I had no idea what to expect, but being a teacher, tardiness is not acceptable.  We were not the first ones there, but after parking we did have enough time to go up the arch and snap a few photos.  The plane flew by, we all waved and then we got into our MINIs and headed to Indianapolis.  It wasn’t a nice long line (that’s what I had envisioned) we were in little clumps.  I was radioless, or clueless as to what channel to be on.  I just had fun, passing this MINI and that.  I don’t think we’re in any footage because we passed the film crew early on.  The arrival at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway fine, I pulled in to help my local club, MINICCI, with their portion of the event.  We were taking donations for “Racing fir Kids.”   As part of the group helping out we were the last ones on the track for our “parade lap.”  Look We were just trying to catch up with everyone else- we weren’t speeding officer.  After the lap most people gathered in the parking lot across from the Motor Speedway to talk.  MINIUSA had requested that this be an evening off so people could catch up on sleep.  A lot of people weren’t expecting that, I guess. That day was cool for a lot of reasons, driving at the Brickyard was only one part.  You see there was an accident that day outside the track.  A MINI convertible had been hit, everyone was fine, but their door was toast. So what did we all do?  We gathered around and signed the door.  That couple and “Gromit” their MINI are still friends.  The next day while everyone was driving off to their next destination I was back in my classroom taking attendance.

SWAG:  Lots of stuff for sale (shirts, CD of music, black t-shirt, grill badge) but what showed that you were part of the group was a red rubber wrist band.

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Blues Traveler at Road America- MTTS 2008

MTTS 2008- In 2008 MINIUSA decided to try something different.  All those days on the road were nice, but maybe what they do in Europe might work out better.  In Europe they had MINI United.  It was a massive party held at a racecourse. The entire weekend everyone in one place, with bands, and all sorts of merriments.  So they picked: Miami, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles.   They had a rally from Miami to Boston along the east coast, I think, I wasn’t there.  I was able to go to the Chicago event, This was when became one of THOSE OWNERS, the kind that think they know better, I’ve learned since then.  The event was great, had a chance to try out various MINIs on an autocross.  We did a lap at Road America (did I mention Illinois had annexed part of Wisconsin for the weekend?  (see, one of THOSE OWNERS)  At both events we tended to hang around people we knew.  We’d done a number of event so we were alone, but I’m sure a number of my close friends were probably there, and at Indy in 2006, I just didn’t know them yet, that was about to change.  I used “visiting my parents” as an excuse to go to MTTS in Los Angeles.  It was held at the Rose Bowl and was very similar to Chicago except L.A. was a parking lot, and Road America, was grass.  I tried to take my dad on a ride on the autocross, but asked not to be too rough since the transmissions were almost shot – They used the same cars at all of the events so to “that guy” who boasted about learning how to drive stick in a JCW on the autocross in Chicago- yes, I’m talking to you. Enough.

Is that clutch I smell? The autocross MTTS Los Angeles 2008
Is that clutch I smell? The autocross MTTS Los Angeles 2008

SWAG: Beisdes the black t-shirt, and grill badge, the coolest thing for sale were limited edition Ridemakerz R/C MINIs.  These had the graphic and were numbered.  I picked mine up in Los Angeles and was amazed that I could get #37 (out of 50).  37 being a mystical number in the MINI community.  Each location had their own color of rubber wristbands.

MTTS 2010-  This was also different, it seemed that MINIUSA was trying out different formats to see which worked best.  So in 2010 they had a central location (Denver, CO) like MINI United, but had four different routes to get there.  The eastern side of the Mississippi met in Indianapolis (Crossroads of America”) and then headed to Denver.  Each route had something special- the Brickyard for the East, and the Bonneville Salt Flats for the West.   By this time (sixth year of MINI Ownership) we started to put together a group.  We also learned that most people were sick and tired of eating barbecue.  This group followed us for pizza at our local haunt.  We called ahead an reserved the back room, and had a great time catching up.   Most of these folks I hadn’t seen since MINI United in 2009, so it was great to get the band back together.  The next morning we were late… ugh.  We caught up to everyone and the group had

Yes, there are a lot of MINIs at MTTS. MTTS 2010
Yes, there are a lot of MINIs at MTTS. MTTS 2010

gotten a little bigger (this will be a reoccurring theme), we had FRS radios so we could communicate, and every day was an adventure, and we learned that there are going to be bumps in the road.  Some of those are from the host dealership thinking that only 5 people were doing MTTS, other cause your hood scoop to fly off.  We all made it to Denver in one piece with tales to tell about squirt guns in Dodge City.  Dodge City was a stop that some people skipped, for me it was one of the most memorable in any MTTS.

SWAG: Black t-shirt and Grill badges for sale.  This was the first MTTS to hand out buttons at each stop and some special buttons for the charities involved and the VIPs who were there.  The coolest thing though were the bags that your stuff was given to you in.  They were made from old MINI billboards.

This was the MTTS that I drew a daily comic for, it was fun, and I don’t recommend it if you want to really enjoy yourself.  I would drive all day, go to the event (always looking for something to comment on), get back to my hotel room and draw, scan, color, and post, before going to bed.  It was an honor to be a part of MTTS 2010, but I wasn’t too beaten up about not doing it again.

Yes, those are temporary plates MTTS 2012
Yes, those are temporary plates MTTS 2012

MTTS 2012- So, if you noticed, I have yet to do an entire MTTS (2008 doesn’t really count) that changed in 2012.  The MINIUSA Gods were smiling at me and picked a time that was actually during my Summer Break.  I was ready to go Coast to Coast in my 2005 R53.  This would be Penfold’s last big trip, I was thinking about the new GP.  Neither of these happened.  A few days before I was planning on leaving (my wife would jump in when we were close to Indy) Something drastic happened to Penfold.  Basically a bunch of different things went “Sproing!” and I had to decide what to do.  So, the Friday before MTTS I picked up my 2012 Roadster and did the entire MTTS on temporary plates.  Thanks to Social Media, our group had been planning and scheming since before the announcement had been made.  We gathered in New Jersey and were set to go.  Did we all stay at the same hotel? No.  Did we all end up driving every minute together? No.  Sometimes someone would get lost, or in our case (Sue ended up doing the entire thing after all) we took a quick detour home to drop off some stuff, and pick up other things.  We still made to to Autobahn with time to spare. “Going All the Way” was fantastic.  We had gotten to know many of the crew for MTTS over the years, and they have become good friends  (that we see every two years).  Because of The comic in 2010 our group had taken on the label, MINIons.  You see one of the characters in the comic was Cecil, a monkey bent on world domination, who has a infinite number of minions (who are not yellow, and do not wear goggles).  I created a badge for our small group.  I then tried to get more halfway through the trip (epic fail – thank you USPS), since the group continued to grow.  In some cases it was just talking at the event, sometimes it was bumping into someone on the road.

SWAG: Black shirt, grill badge for sale, buttons at every stop. If you went “All the way” you received a shirt at the beginning (I’m going all the way) and another at the end (I went all the way).

MTTS 2014- After 2012 “Going all the way” had become a badge of honor.  Yes, everyone had a great time no matter how much or how little of MTTS they could participate in, but the orange lanyards. they stood out.  Someone was asked why they didn’t put the buttons on their lanyard- the reply was something like “I have an orange lanyard, people know already where I’ve been.”  This time I went “All the way- to Lubbock”  So I missed a lot of really cool events.  2014 also demonstrated how flexible we all need to be.  There was an app, but it was having troubles, so they went back to printing out route sheets.  The group kept getting bigger so some venues had to be changed to accommodate.  St. Louis and Chicago are the two I recall (and I wasn’t even there).  We discovered (although we already knew) how wonderful the MINIUSA & TPG folks are.  My thermostat went out in Nevada, I figured I would call the nearest dealership and get it taken care of.  Nope.  When the crew heard, they called Salt Lake City, and got everything arranged.  We were a little late  getting into Wendover, but It was taken care of.  My MINI was still under warranty, so my cost was nothing but my time.  There are other stories, cracked windshields and calls ahead to the next dealership, everything was handled.  So I left at Lubbock.  Lubbock was a down day.  Some people had arranged a few events for that night, but nothing official.  A bunch of us went to the Drive-In.  After that I wished everyone safe

MINI Takes The States 2012- the somewhat damp salt flats.
MTTS 2014- The somewhat damp salt flats.

travels and let them drive off to the next stop.  I hung around to say my goodbyes to everyone else.  I was amazed at how quickly everything was packed up and they were off.  So if you’re thinking you can drop by a little late- no one will be there.

After years of going back and forth on graphics I finally stopped off on the way to California and got stripes put on Alfie.  I still get the “cool car” reaction not only because it is a cool car, but I think the strips do add something.  This was the first year we made special badges for the group we drive with (it keeps getting bigger & I don’t know everyone) Each one was drawn by me, so no two are alike.  This led me to drawing a monkey a day for an entire year.  The bus was MINIon 1701… I’m not sure they knew that or not.

SWAG: Grill badges, black t-shirts.  I was depressed enough about having to head home, that I’ve kinda blotted out the rest.  I tried to keep my mind on school, and my students, but it was pretty hard (thank you social media).

MTTS 2016-  Aren’t the newbies cute?  All those things we worried about when it was our first MTTS are now their worries.  Things we tried and failed at are now new wonderful ideas!  So here’s my suggestion for those who this is their first time- in the words of Douglas Adams- “Don’t Panic.”  If you are figuring out what to pack- bring only half of it. If you need something, this is America, they have stores here.  If you want to make shirts- go ahead, but MINIUSA has the official one, the that’s the one that matters the most on the collectors market, same for grill badges.  Hotels? For some of the smaller towns (St. Ignace for example) you might want to book, but the larger cities wait until the dust settles.  If you wanted to stay in a host hotel, you’re probably too late anyway.  If you have to get up early to make it to breakfast… oh well, you have to get up early to make it to breakfast. Make this adventure a learning experience, plan to attend everything, so you can better decide the next time (if there is a next time) what you really want to do.  For your first time- experience everything “official” that you can. Trust the MINIUSA and TPG people, they don’t want this to be horrible.  If you are on social media- don’t be negative, sorry, but you don’t know everything… even the people who think they know everything, don’t (including me).  Can you do this alone? You aren’t alone. Can you bring your pets? Sure! but don’t expect everything to be open to them.  Can you bring your kids?  Sure, it’s a great way for them to see the country, but understand that some places may not be right for them (not saying any aren’t, but be prepared).

This is just like a family vacation except you aren’t in charge of the itinerary, sit back and enjoy the ride.  Know that breakfast will be provided, if you don’t like what’s for breakfast pick something up on the road.  Evening events usually involve food- but it might not be vegan, gluten free, soy free, or whatever your dietary restrictions are- plan for it.  Those free nights?  Relax, it’s a time to explore or just sit in your hotel room and sleep.  While you get used to having every minute planned, you are an adult (I’m assuming) so act like one (says the guy who carries around a stuffed monkey) a little spontaneity never hurt anyone.  If you have any complaints about what is happening, where we are going, or when information is being made public, remember this: MINI doesn’t have to do this… So don’t ruin it for everyone with whining.

Hope to see you on the road- You should be able to spot me I’ll be the one driving the MINI.

 

 

Cecil awaits the the start of MTTS 2014
Cecil sits on Alfie awaiting the the start of MTTS 2014
Bright an early in San Francisco more MINI Coopers than I could count showed up for the first leg of MINI Takes The States.  It all started with a photo, breakfast, and Tony Hawk jumping over some MINIs as we headed out.  I was wonderful, but we ran into one small problem… We got lost.  Not really lost because we knew where we were going (Sacramento and then Reno) but we lost the group.  One of those things you learn on a trip like this- don’t always follow the MINI in front of you.  How could this happen?!? Being somewhat techie I’m always for trying something new, this time MINIUSA tried an app to help push out directions and updates instead of printing out route sheets as they had done in the past… I learned a long time ago that the minute you put your faith in technology, it will fail.  A large group followed a some people doing some wine tasting in Napa. Another group tried to follow the original route, and we just ended up driving straight to Sacramento to the dealership for lunch. After lunch we headed out with the MINIons (Cecil’s group of followers) on our way to Reno… and some bowling.
Cecil at the California State Capital building in Sacramento
Cecil at the California State Capital building in Sacramento
One of my other prjects "MINIfigs Take The States" the Lego Mini Cooper and over 30 minifigs.
One of my other projects “MINIfigs Take The States” the Lego Mini Cooper and over 30 minifigs.  Here they are in Sacramento.
Cecil enjoying his lunch in Sacramento... He had asked for a gluten free, vegan, roast beef sandwich... I don't know whether I filled out his dietary restrictions correctly when we registered.
Cecil enjoying his lunch in Sacramento… He had asked for a gluten free, vegan, roast beef sandwich… I don’t know whether I filled out his dietary restrictions correctly when we registered.
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Cecil looking dapper at the Launch Party for MTTS 2014
One of the things that is kind of funny when you travel around with a monkey is how everyone wants to know about the monkey, and you fade into the background.  As an introvert, this doesn’t bother me.  During the party more people asked me where Cecil was, than how I was doing.  IN fact there was a group of people who just kind of screamed ‘There’s the Monkey!” and asked for a photo op.  Due to social media and newcomers to MTTS concerned about what they should wear (and thousands of other things), Cecil did decide to wear his tuxedo, to really mess with their minds.  Most people were in a MINI related t-shirt.  The lanyards were color coded to create a pecking order Orange for those going “all the way,” blue and green  designated staff and press, and then black for those who could travel a portion of the route. Now for those who have been following along before you get confused I feel (because I’ve had to do this numerous times in person) I should explain and I’m sure I will explain again, and again… There is only one Cecil, he has an army of cloned minions, but there is only one Cecil.  Minions wear fezzes (because Cecil thinks he looks like he’s escaped from an organ grinder when he wears one, but the minions look fine), they also go by a numeric designation not a name.  The minions are kept in Cecil’s lair in secret so we have no idea how many there are.
The first step for MINI Takes The States was a simple get together at San Francisco MINI just Sue, the monkey, me, and around 600 of our closest friends.  So how does this work?  We paid $45 each to register for the entire event, It didn’t matter if we went to one stop or all the way $45.  When we arrived we were given a badge that would be scanned at each stop, a lanyard, a button, and a drink ticket.  There were photo opportunities, and chances to buy things like the coveted MTTS 2014 grill badge.  There were waiters roaming around with food and basically it was a ginormous cocktail party.  Once we got in we ran into our old friends (and a few new ones) and chatted about the upcoming adventure.
Wow! After visiting my parents I headed north to San Francisco and the start of MINI Takes The States 2014.  While I spent a few years in Bay Area while growing up, I don’t remember much of that time except for Japanese lunches visiting my dad at work and trips with my grandparents to FAO Schwarz (I ended up getting Dinky Space:1999 and UFO toys).  I’ve returned to the area time and again, enjoying the city and I’m happy to have any excuse to visit (like my wonderful sister in-law & her cat, Brad).  While I hit some of the highlights from our visit I left out a lot. I drove up from Los Angeles and picked put Sue at the airport.  So we headed north to Santa Rosa and the Schulz Museum which was as emotional an experience as the Calvin & Hobbes retrospective in Columbus, Ohio I saw months ago.  Talk about pulling geek heartstrings… we had lunch had “the Mothership” with Sue’s sister, and stopped by the Presidio to see Yoda at Lucasfilm, running into a MINI owner who was touring around.  We visited a close MINI friend and MINIon and ended the visit with a walk around the Mission… All in all a wonderful geek filled trip- with MTTS still in the future, but throughout the whole experience I felt like I was being watched.
So I arrive in Los Angeles and spend a few days with my parents… After the comic about my high school reunion, no I did not see any of my friends from high school. When I was last at my parents house they had one dog, a miniature Shih Tzu.  This time they have a new dog, who is in desperate need of some obedience training according to Cecil.  Within 30 seconds of my arrival the dog had decided that Cecil (my stuffed monkey) was a new toy.  I was instructed that I needed to put anything I didn’t want to the dog to get on a higher shelf, not on a chair or table.  Perhaps the canine inmates were running the asylum. I had a nice visit with my parents, my mother had been in the hospital for some heart issues that actually turned worse once I left (she’s much better now). I was really glad to spend some time with them, since I don’t get much of a chance due to our geographic distance.  As for their dog… I’ve realized after all this time I’m a cat person.
SoIMG_3201 on my way out to MINI Takes The States 2014 I had to stop off for one thing… The Lego Mini Cooper.  The kit was released July 18th to LEGO VIPs and that happened to be the day I was heading out.  I waited for our local Lego Store to open and was the first person to purchase one.  I built it on the road (not while I was driving). I even had a friend (motorinbadges.com) who does vinyl graphics create something for the trip  I thought since it was MINI Takes the States “Minifigs Take the States” would be amusing so I filled the Mini with as many Minifigs as I could (31 without much effort) and went back on the road…  I discovered that while LEGO stays together there are some ways you can pick something up and it will break.  Over the trip I learned how to expertly pick up the Mini Cooper without much damage.  Fortunately one of the first stops on MTTS 2014 provided us with a box lunch, a box that fit the Mini almost perfectly, so it wasn’t rolling around on the back ledge.  Here is the complete album on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/penfold/sets/72157646133272314/  While I didn’t “go all the way” or “Coast to Coast” or “Chowder to Chowdah” I did end up getting some nice shots of the Classic Mini while on the road.

MINI Takes The States- A Personal MINI History

MINIUSA sponsors an event every two years for their owners.  Yes, some would say it’s a great marketing ploy, and while that is somewhat true, the effort put into this event makes it much more than that.  I’ve noticed throughout Social Media some concern from new owners and some grumbling from trolls so I thought I’d post my history as an “old timer” and some suggestions for everyone.  I bought my first MINI in 2005, I am not a car person.  I bought it because I liked it, it stood out from the crowd.  I didn’t know I would be joining a cult at that time.  Currently we have three MINIs, a 2012 MCS Roadster (R59), 2011 MCS Hardtop (R56), and a Mark VI Mini (righthand drive), and I’m still not a car person.  We’ve owned a 2005 MCS Hardtop (R53), and a 2008 MCS Hardtop (R56). This rundown may not be entirely accurate, but it’s how I saw things. MINI Takes The States 2006 – Monterey, CA to LimeRock, CT
St. Louis- MTTS 2006
2006 St. Louis- MTTS Dark Silver/White with sunroof, no bonnet stripes
MINI Takes The States was set around the release of the John Cooper Works GP, the limited edition, high performance MINI, and the last R53 before changing to the R56.  Due to timing I was only able to do one leg, and as a member of the MINI Car Club of Indiana volunteered to help at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  I drove from Indianapolis to St. Louis and back, where we did a parade lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In St. Louis, I learned that if you only stay at a hotel for three hours, they only charge you the hourly rate for parking, and that you really shouldn’t consider this a race. On this leg I discovered that even though MINI hadn’t planned anything after the lap around IMS, it was supposed to be a rest.. the motorers didn’t want to rest and kept asking about where dinner was going to be and what the nightly activity was… MINICCI had to tell them “We were told not to plan anything.”  Memorable Moment: seeing all the MINIs parked under the St. Louis Arch… And meeting the McGills after Gromit got hit outside the Motor Speedway.  Everyone was fine, and we all signed the crushed door panel in a parking lot!  A spirit of community was born! MINI Takes The States 2008 – Miami, FL, Boston, MA, “Chicago,”WI,  Los Angeles, CA MINI tried something new in attempts to emulate MINI United in Europe.  Four parties around the country.  We went to two (“Chicago” and Los Angeles).  It was fun, but I think MINI discovered that in the US the drive is just as important as the party.  The interesting part was trying to get out of Chicago to the actual venue at Road America in Wisconsin.  Those of us in the midwest know that there  are only two seasons- Winter and Road Construction.  L.A. was nice being held at the Rose Bowl, but again something was missing, an epic drive.  Memorable Moment: Driving a MINI with my dad around the cones in L.A. and being instructed to be gentle… it seems that all the MINIs in L.A. were the ones that had been at all the other events and they were having issues with the clutches.  Which brings up something overheard at Road America-  Someone there said “It was great I spent the whole day learning how to drive a stick in a JCW MINI!”  and we wonder why the cars were on their last leg in L.A. MINI United 2009 – Silverstone, UK This was an epic trip to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Mini.  I could see why MINIUSA had tried to have an epic party, because this was amazing.  Seeing MINIs from around the world and how people had “You-i-fied” them was great.  MINIUSA set us up with a nice dinner (pub crawl) the night before and all access badges for the event.  During that time we had a chance to Meet Paddy Hopkirk, Rauno Aaltonen, and Mike Cooper (son of John Cooper) MINIUSA had arranged all these things for us and it was an unforgettable time.  While a small group we really got to know each other.  Memorable Moment: Touring MINI Oxford and meeting for the first time some folks I had only chatted online with, that group became the core of Cecil’s MINIons. MINI Takes The States 2010 – Denver, CO Here is where MINI tried to put everything together multiple routes heading to a one day party in Denver.  The best of both worlds.  We started in Indianapolis, where all the eastern routes converged.  By this time we had a group of friends from around the country who we drove with.  This was the MTTS I drew a comic strip for which means I was dead for most of the trip.  We would drive all day, socialize, and then I would draw, color, and scan a comic about the day’s events.  Memorable Moment: Dodge City.  We all kind of laughed at Dodge City, it was the stop a bunch of people skipped, which was their loss.  This was when we really got to get know the people who work tirelessly for MINI owners.  That and this was the first infamous squirt gun ambush of Jim McDowell, then head of MINIUSA.  The best things can happen when you least expect it.  This was when  knew MINI wasn’t just a brand, it was a way of life (as if I hadn’t figured that out already).  I’m sure some other people have fonder memories (like getting married)… oh you crazy kids! MINI Takes The States 2012 – New York, NY to Los Angeles, CA
The original MINIons...
The original MINIons… in 2012
After trying different things MINIUSA went back to the epic road trip.  I had planned for this to be the swan song for my 2005 MCS, but it had other plans.  So with about three days ownership under my belt, I drove out my 2012 Roadster… This was the first appearance of the oval MINIon badge as the group we drove with got larger, more friends from all over the place.  I remember wondering why there wasn’t a stop in Indy this time around, but didn’t care once we got to Joliet and Autobahn.  It was amazing, with each day holding new surprises and delights.  Sue and I lived out of the boot of a Roadster the entire trip with one laundry stop and a quick stop at home on the way to Chicago to make sure the house was still there.  We left everything to MINIUSA and I don’t regret it for a minute. Show up for breakfast, start on the road, we missed a few things due to our own detours, but I would do it again in a heartbeat… I am doing it again- sort of. MINI Takes The States 2014 – San Francisco, CA to Boston, MA Due to work (as a school teacher I kinda need to be there at the beginning of the school year or else I’ll pay for it the rest of the year and we start back August 4) I’ll be going as far as Lubbock, TX.  Lubbock TX – this year’s Dodge City- I’m thinking it’s going to be great!  The small group from MINI United has grown to over 50 people.  This will be a chance for us to get together again.  I’ve heard grumbling about everything from venues to parking to people not paying but going along for the ride… whatever. Social Media has brought out the Trolls and Worrywarts.  I remember when I was one of them.  I now put my trust in MINIUSA, and TPG that I will have an awesome experience no matter far I go, and that I will see new and exciting things along the journey. I think with a month to go people are really excited and are overthinking it.  Remember they have stores in every place we stop, if you forget your toothbrush, no problem. need a new pair of pants (don’t ask) you can stop along the route.  Recently MINI’s tagline was “Not Normal.” It isn’t normal for a car company to do this kind of thing… embrace the adventure.  Don’t set your expectations too high, just have fun- I know I will. Hopefully they won’t run out of food in St. Louis like they in in 2010, and you won’t have to listen to a football coach who doesn’t own a MINI (doesn’t even know what kind of car the University bought him) drone on about whatever- at least the steak was good.  Yes, some moments will not be perfect… but I don’t know of any day in my life where everything went perfectly. Suggestions:
  1. Don’t listen to the trolls (or feed them)
  2. Wear sunscreen
  3. Relax
  4. Pack a towel
  5. My comic from 2010 is still pretty accurate when it comes to packing.
If you are going, I look forward to meeting you- I’ll be the one with the monkey.  If you aren’t going… maybe next time or at another event there are some great events around the country – MINIs on the Dragon, Mickey & MINI, MINIs on Top, MINIs in the Mountains, A MINI Vacation in Vegas, just to name a few.  Catch up on what’s going on with MINI through places like White Roof Radio.  Owning a MINI is an adventure… embrace it, live outside your comfort zone for a few days.  Who knows? You might like it.
If you missed the previous auction and would like a bit of history & help out a good cause check out these pieces of original artwork including all the mistakes!  these are the ones I didn’t carry with me on the road so they include the artwork used for the big “Know Before You Go” Which includes the never before seen original text!  Also the one comic that wasn’t published by MINIUSA in which I decide which MINI to take on the road. Finally, the day on the historic oval in Indianapolis.  All proceeds will go to Ryan’s MINI Adventure and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The first portion of the “know before you go” comic – Added after the original strip was done to include the “theme song” The second section of the “know before you go” comic The final section of the “know before you go” comic Originally published August 6 only on “My Geek Odyssey” -Which MINI? Originally published August 10 – the Indianapolis Motor Speedway & first look at the MINI Countryman The first three strips brought in over $200.  I hope you consider adding these to your corner of MINI memorabilia.