Tag: MTTS 2014

So as we pulled into Wendover, Nevada/Wendover, Utah my check engine light comes on and I start to worry.  This isn’t the first time it happened on this trip.  The first time was in San Francisco and the folks at MINI Roadside Assistance, cleared the code and told me it wasn’t anything, if it happened again to let them know.  They did actually check back with me the entire first day to make sure everything was OK, which was really nice. I started getting a little grumpy since I had just had the car in for a once over before leaving, until I realized that service call was over 3,000 miles ago.  Fortunately for me there were a number of highly experienced and technical people on the road with me and when I pulled into the hotel, Way (from Way Motor Works) was waiting with his computer to diagnose the problem (thank you MINIons for giving him the heads up)… but thought Lucas’ only infested classic Minis.

So Day 2 started like any day on MTTS with breakfast and Don & Todd giving us the highlights for the day. We were crossing Nevada on US 50 – the Loneliest Road in the America.  It was a great drive through scenic country and a couple hundred MINI Coopers.   I understand that a number of drivers had chats with the local law enforcement- something dealing with number sense (educationally speaking) and not really understanding how to translate the number on the speed limit sign to an actual speed.  I know I had trouble sometime confusing my speed with waht I thought was the outside temperature (it’s hot in the desert).  The trip was Reno to Wendover, UT for our stopover which included a party in a plane hanger.
MINIfigs Take the States at the Nevada "Shoe Tree"
MINIfigs Take the States at the Nevada “Shoe Tree”
A photo opp in Wendover, Utah.
A photo opp in Wendover, Utah.
sfparty
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.