MINI Takes The States 2016

Posted on by Ian C.

The MINI Takes The States 2016 event is now officially launched, with their website up and describing each days plans; hopefully this time Margaret and I will join them for at least some of the route (and in my new Clubman!)

Our very tentative plans for now are to join the launch day in Atlanta but then skip the North East corner (we’ve been there before!); we have an idea to plan our own “mid section” route, and re-join MTTS perhaps in Minneapolis, or later – but we’ve not gone through all of MINIs information yet, to see what they have planned …

If you’re not already aware, you need to register to attend MINI Takes The States ($75/person for more than one night, non-refundable), and you need to book your own hotels – and of course, bring your own MINI!
There’s also a very active, unofficial, FaceBook page, if you need that sort of thing …

And if you’re not sure what MINI Takes The States is, I’ve got many posts from previous events!

MINI Stays At Home

Posted on by Ian C.

With some sadness, I’ve this morning cancelled my MINI Takes The States hotels since Margaret & I won’t be heading off for fun next week; I won’t be comfortable in a car for many hours / days, so we just can’t do the trip.

Instead, I’ll join James Day in his new “club”:

I hope everyone else has lots of fun, and I hope there’s going to be a 2016 MTTS so I can join in again …

MINI Takes The States 2014

Posted on by Ian C.

MINI USA has done an amazing job of encouraging the MINI community, including thousands of miles of MINI Motoring at the bi-annual MINI Takes The States events.

The original 2006 event is still probably the best, partly because it was rolled up with delivery of GP0203, partly because it was my first ever big American drive (Coast To Coast meant that my MINI had about 5,000 miles when it got home), and partly because I met great MINI friends including George, Robert – and of course the MINI USA folks including Jim and Trudi.
The 2010 event was fabulous too, because Margaret drove it with me – and we did a second Coast To Coast together that year, again in GP0203!
While I was not impressed by 2008 (no driving), and only squeaked in to the very end of 2012 (thanks, George!), I’m happy to be planning to join the 2014 event, with Margaret – and this time in a new MINI, Black Knight.

Margaret again will be traveling with me, and we’ve chosen to do just the second half of the event, joining MINI Takes The States in Memphis (the closest point to our new home in Florida) and then driving all the way to Boston – where we can then visit our old friends for a few days, before heading back south. It’ll be a fun time again I’m sure, and we’ll have more comfort this year too, in the bigger Countryman!