Headed Down the Mountains Back Home....

As we headed home..some of the gang went to the winery, some went to the Woolwine Festival..and we had a bit of fun on the twisties...although there was some slow traffic in front at times the roads are great...here is a link to a short video of one of the runs...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PXjRWgI96s

The Pic-a-Nic!!!

We made it to the picnic!! Here we are at Rocky Knob right off the Blue Ridge Parkway which you can see in the background up the hill just beyond the fence.....I never saw Yogi or Boo-Boo. But we had some great food! We also had lots of fun talk and music supplied by our fellow THMC members Jennifer and Van.
http://www.virginia.org/site/description.asp?AttrID=29395

The Line-up at Mayby Mill...

We made it to Maybry Mill and we had so many cars we parked in the overflow lot. We are not far from the site of the pic-a-nic...

The Staging Area...

A group of MINIs waiting for the run to Mayby Mill...by now we are getting hungry for that Pic-a-nic basket!!

A Car Guy's Kind of Bird House...

I really liked these bird houses. They make a cool picture too.

The Lovers Leap Birdhouse Store...

Always a cool stop, the Lover's Leap Bird House store.
http://www.featheredphoto.com/
There were so many cars in our caravan we had to visit in stages with a big part of our group hanging out in the parking lot back at Lovers Leap.

The Pit Stop Scene...

A quick pit stop near Stuart, Virginia where we all over-ran the rest rooms and filled our boots with fresh apples and mountain produce...

Those Cotton Fields of Home...

You never know what you might see on a day of cruising....I put on some CCR and hit the gas pedal....
When I was a little bitty baby
My mama would rock me in the cradle
In them old cotton fields back home

http://yu.ac.kr/~bwlee/lyrics/cottnfld.htm

An Invasion of MINIs

The MINI invasion hits the Quick Stop parking lot. We needed to get the gang together as we moved through the traffic lights and multiple stops. The lady in the store said "The MINIs are here!"

You Ready for a Pic a nic Boo Boo?

The Beginnning of the Yogi & Boo Boo's Great Adventure....

We joined up at the Lowes parking lot in Winston-Salem from many miles around to create an adventure called Yogi & Boo Boo's Great Adventure...yes it was the day of the Pic-a- nic in the mountains and fun with some cool people driving MINIs.

Grand AM MINI !!!

There were two MINIs on the track yesterday. Here is a picture of one of them. This was a long race that ended well into the night but it was a fun one!! I have attached a link to a very non-professional video I made with my digital camera yesterday. This video will give you a feel for how the cars sounded as they go by. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7195356497834331408

My Loaner 2007 MINI...

Here is my 2007 MINI loaner car number 42 from flow MINI. I have been driving this one for a few days as my MINI is in the shop getting the OEM custom Digital Power Sound Module installed. http://www.motoringfile.com/index.php?s=dpsm
I can't wait for my 660 watts of power although I doubt my system will see the 128 db rating. I will tell you more about it in a future post. There is a 30 hour break-in required!
Meanwhile I am driving this R56 MINI with paddle shifters. As you can see I have given this one a bath before coming to VIR to view the Grand Am race as I always want my ride to look good. As they say, "It is better to look Good, than to feel Good." Actually I prefer both....

Grand Am Racing at VIR Yesterday!

The Number 69 Mazda RX8. http://www.speedsourceinc.com/
Our friend Jose Armengol from Miami was in town and we made the annual visit to VIR to see him race.
http://www.mondialforwarding.com/index.cfm?template=news
I think this year is the first year in several years that the race was held in the dry. Man we need the rain but it was a very nice day.
Not a bad picture huh? I took this one with my Sony digital from the edge of the s turns. I have many close ups of this car but I really liked this one. Here is a report from the race last night:
Mazda struggled through an uncharacteristically difficult day and an 18th place finish by the No. 69 Mondial Forwarding/SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 was the manufacturer's best showing of the race, but even that came with a silver lining. The result, which came only after a mid-race front suspension repair, was good enough for lead driver Jose Armengol to take third place in the ST drivers championship with 262 points. Armengol was capably supported Saturday by co-drivers and former Grand-Am KONI Challenge ST Champions David Haskell and Sylvain Tremblay.

My MINI in front of Graylyn...

A closing shot for the day. My car with Grayln in the distance. Off to the right you can see a few of the Ferraris present. There were some Bentleys in the white tent and some really nice British cars off to the left. I was surprised just how many Alfa Romeos were there. Many nice cars....This was a fun day. Quite hot for late September. Thankfully Amy Helton and company from Hanover Park Winery was there and let us cool off at their tent with a nice glass of North Carolina Chardonnay. Ah life is good.
http://www.hanoverparkwines.com/

Lambo Pipes!!

There are exhaust systems and then there are LARGE exhaust systems. The back of this Lamborghni has a serious set of pipes. Of course I have another picture of the price list for this car...can you say $282,000 including a $3000.00 gas guzzler tax? But it gets 17 MPG on the highway! There were many cars on the lawn at this event but this tent was particularly cool. There were several yellow Lamborghinis, all new, and man they were nice. I heard Steve's Sport Auto is moving from Summerfield, NC to Greensboro. I actually like the rural location he is in right now but I hear the new Lamborghini dealership is going to be a two story building on Wendover Avenue. Cool.
http://www.sportauto.cc/

Our line-up on the lawn.....

There were a few cars over my shoulder as I took this shot but I liked this one the best of all the ones I took. We had quite a line of cars and I believe we had the highest turn-out of any of the marques on the lawn last Sunday. You can almost see Twister way down at the end of this line...oh yeah... if you click on the picture you can zoom in on my new club badge on my grill...

MINIs on the way to the Concours....

A long line of MINIs on the way to the Concours de Graylyn.
http://www.concoursdegraylyn.com/
I took this shot out of my sunroof while motoring doen the road. At this point we had two lanes full of MINIs going through town. We started in Winston-Salem and went out west to Yadkinville. We twisted our way back through the scenic views of East Bend and even a Vineyard. Soon we were back in Winston-Salem at Graylyn.

My Brake Light will now Pulse!

The view just before the replacement of my third brake light led array. The board is installed....man those wires are tiny!! Thanks to Go MINI Go...awesome customer service and super fast shipping. High marks from me. http://www.gominigo.com/

Ah the Music....

Just a quick shot of my Milltek exhaust tips before I fire up for another MINI adventure....
http://www.millteksport.com/

My Milltek Serial Number....

A UK exhaust for my UK made car. I should mention that I really like this exhaust. It is very close to stock for the MINI S but it talks when you put your foot down. I can feel the power difference as the dyno says a nine HP gain comes after you add this piece. I believe it.
Thanks to my neighbor Jim Smith at The Exhaust Center in Eden for the install. His work is top shelf.

Milltek Installation!

Busy Weekend. Here is my new Milltek exhaust at 8 AM last Saturday on the rack about an hour after pulling into the shop.
I want to mention that I bought the exhaust at Outmotoring from Aaron Cornaby. http://www.outmotoring.com/pages.php?pageid=4
I met him in person at MOTD this year. His price was the best on the web for this exhaust. His customer service was exactly what I expect. Prompt e-mail, prompt shipping, an e-mailed tracking number, and an arrival spot on. Thanks Aaron!! 10 out of 10 from me.

MINI Karaoke....

A recent picture of the MINI line outside Van and Jennifer's house. Inside the house was rocking with karaoke from all the drivers and riders...just another example of how MINI owners and the members of the Tar Heel MINI Club know how to have fun.
http://www.tarheelminis.org/

Marketing using a MINI.....

A friend sent this picture to me. The marketing guys at FHM magazine had fun with this paint scheme. I can't imagine driving this girl around in traffic....

New Mod Report!

OK so I have a new mod under the hood!! And it does rock! If you click on the image and drill down to the real deal you will see my JCW cold air intake (CAI) which I purchased from a really cool place http://www.minspeed.net/

You should call Pete for your MINI part needs. He is down in Florida, a really nice guy who wants to live in North Carolina, and best of all he has great prices, fast shipping, and he packs his orders like a pro. Anyone who knows me will say I am picky as #### about my toys...Pete will not disappoint. Give him a try.

As far as the modification! I travelled to Flow MINI to get this item installed. Why? To get the factory warranty! And they do great work. The guy who did it was Ryan Draughn and he does fine work.

Now my car is pretty much stealth sounding until 4,000 RPMs, then the flap opens and the supercharger screams. Love the power baybee. 'Nuff said.

One of My Favorite Houses...

On the way back down to Carolina from DC I stopped by a favorite place. http://www.monticello.org/

Thomas Jefferson's house. My saying is "That man was an alien..." He was so cool and so far ahead of his time. I love his house and the story of his lifestyle..I never tire of hanging out at this place. I am ready for the dome tour next time. Maybe one day I can be a volunteer tour guide...

It won't be long until I have another report on this stop for you. Several of us MINI owners are plotting a nice future trip in the area....

I have tons of pictures of the gardens and the area. The wine with his name is great and I now have several bottles in my cellar....yes, life is good....

Hey I Spotted Your 2007 MINI in DC....

As I am spending my last day in DC I see this new MINI parked on the mall. OK so I can't help myself...I took the picture.

And no the catering company truck parked in the background cannot have free ads on my blog...Heheh.....

My Travels to DC

Just got back from a several day trip to Washington, DC. Great town! After several times of being there I actually had time to explore on this trip!

9999 and Counting....

Hmm...time for the 10 K service and a tire rotation. This car is getting better by the day....9999 trouble-free miles and free dealer service is due. Ahhh...Steve over at Flow just took care of the oil change, cabin filter change, and windshield wiper blade changes. My second oil change at this point, my MINI is purring again and still smells like new.

MINIs Motoring Against Cancer!!!

OK here is a group of people from all over the Carolinas region coming together to have fun and start raising money for a great cause. This was an idea started from Mr Magoo in the picture here (in the hat third from the right of the red car) . All of the People in this picture helped raise over $600 on this day alone. We even got donations from visitors on Mt. Mitchell....The banner you see in the picture was created in Hickory, North Carolina. The banner will now find its way across the USA and the world to raise money for Cancer research and prevention. From MINI club to MINI club. Coast to coast....Very cool indeed. It is a good day when you can have this much fun and throw some dollars at a good cause. Great job all.....I am proud to have friends like these people.

MINIs at the Summit!!

How about this shot? Taken from atop an old container most of the MINIs on the trip are here...You can see the clouds in the distance as the Spruce trees touch them. This is one nice location. My car is way in the back but that is no big deal. It is very cool just to be a part of this journey.

A Nice Picture...

I like Natural Landmarks.....

Acid Rain..Power Plants, Soapbox Moment...

This is a sad picture. 6600 feet...At the higher elevations the trees are dead. The earthworms are gone. I am hopeful that we are starting to make a move towards solar energy and alternative fuels. We are too smart to let this happen. Maybe in 1-200 hundred years people will see a clear sky and no more pollution from fossil fuels and coal-burning power plants. We have a long way to go but little time to make a difference. I hope for the best. Time will tell....let's make a change!!! Acid rain and global warning is a real phenomenon. BMW is working in the right direction and I will keep supporting them!

The Entrance...Mt. Mitchell....

Here we are at the entrance as we climb the mountain to the peak. I can feel my ears going crazy. 6600 feet? Wow we are at the highest point east of the Mississippi. http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/visit/momi/home.html
http://www.northcarolinaoutdoors.com/places/mountains/blacks.html

Tunnels? Yep We have Plenty...

There were plenty of tunnels along the way and it was cool that we were burning lights, front and aft....and blowing horns as we past thru them...as only a MINI caravan can do.

Spiral Curves??

Man there are some long and winding roads here....check that sign out!!
A sports car drivers dream...How about those rodedendron bushes on the side of the road? ...huge!!! Awesome stuff. Nice scenery for sure.

Entry to the Viaduct....

Here is a shot of the entry to the Linn Cove Viaduct... nice road....North Carolina has some very cool places...

Linn Cove Viaduct in the Distance. ..

Wow....a nice engineering marvel in the distance...we all pulled over for a distant shot of the Linn Cove Viaduct...very cool...yes, I know this picture is a very distant view...enlarge it!!
http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/linncove.htm
This shot was from Julie's camera through the sunroof of my MINI.

A parking lot full of MINIs in Boone, North Carolina!

After we collected all the cars along NC highway 421 at the various interstate junctions we made our way to Boone, North Carolina for lunch. This was the coolest place. Blues and BBQ....MY kind of place...there were posters everywhere of Blue Legends from all over the building and they had crawfish on the menu...can you say YES? I had my share......cool music too...Stevie Ray to Elmore James....ahh....
A funny story as we are eating. A fellow comes in as he is driving a 2007 MINI though town. His girlfriend says, "Hey we just passed a MINI dealership!!" Nah we just had the whole lot full of MINIs!! Cool eh?
It was nice hang with MINI owners from Charlotte to Roanoke, Virginia. A real eye-catcher...all those MINIs coming through town.

Line 'em Up!!!

Here is a small line getting ready for the Mt. Mitchell run on Saturday morning, June 23. I have been so busy I haven't had time to post these shots up. Trust me we had a BLAST!! A very nice trip with a huge turnout of MINIs from all over North and South Carolina as well as Virginia. Here are a few of the early birds waiting west of Winston-Salem. We picked up others from Charlotte, etc. as we rolled west. Great fun!!

A Parting Shot of the USGP Podium...

Well I need to move on to the next adventure so I will end this segment with a parting show of the podium. I took this shot from my race day seats. Is that a cool podium or what? Remind me to show you my pictures of me and the grid girls in front of the podium some time. Hmm...

This is the inagural year of a new F1 superstar, Lewis Hamilton of the UK. I don't believe I have ever seen so many Union Jacks flying at a grand prix! Everyone loves a winner. Sorry I am not a Mclaren fan, but Lewis, now he can drive. He is a real sensation on the track. It is good to see some new F1 legends in the making.

The Yard of Brick.

OK so I didn't leave my cigar on the yard of bricks. I just put it there for a moment while I took this picture. This is a very cool feature of the track and I never get tired of taking pictures of the bricks. The funny thing is you see quite a few people doing really stange things to these bricks! Hmm...not me....I'll never tell. http://www.usgpindy.com/news/story.php?story_id=4162

Formula One Live on Speed!!

Here is a shot inside IMS during the F1 team interviews which was being broadcast live on Speed. http://www.speedtv.com/
David Hobbs and Peter Windsor are interviewing Nick Heidfeld and Timo Glock of the BMW Sauber F1 team. http://www.bmw-sauber-f1.com/html/en/index.html
Robert Kubica was in his medical check at the time from that really bad crash the week before in Canada. Ultimately Sebastian Vettel drove the car for Robert and placed in the points. He set several records for a teenage rookie at this USGP that are likely to stand for some time. Great job Sebastian!

The BMW Sauber F1 Garage...

Now this is a garage! Check out those overhead lights and the video screens in the back. This looks more like an aircraft hangar than an automotive garage. Plenty of spares are present in all directions. And the interesting part of this is the fact that it has to be flown here in a plane for the two North American races. Can you say $$$ ?

Me & Mari George!

I really like this picture! Thanks to my lovely wife for taking it! As you are walking around IMS you never know who you will run into. Here I am with Mari Hulman George, the current Chairman of the Board of IMS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mari_Hulman_George

This is the lady that you see on ABC every Memorial Day say "Start those engines!" She also is also present during the trophy presentation for the USGP.

She was very nice to take a picture with me. Cool lady. Now if I could just borrow that F1 Pit Pass credential she has on her lanyard....

United States Grand Prix 2007!!

June 14, 2007, the pagoda tower in Indy. My 9th USGP including one in Phoenix many years ago. OK so I left the MINI at home and flew up here. Actually wish I had brought my car given all the happenings at the track. I took this picture during the pit walk. More on that in a minute.

http://www.usgpindy.com/modules/images/trackmap/usgp05-map-lrg.jpg

MINIs take over the Track.

Off in the distance you can see the car in front of me. (Remember you can click the picture to enlarge it) This space allowed some nice lap times on this track. In the mirror you can see three cars chasing me. Much fun. If you have never turned a lap at VIR in your MINI you need to set a date soon.

Lining up for the Patriots Course!

Here is a whole line of MINIs lining up for some laps on the Patriots Course which is on the inside of the maintrack at VIR. I shot this picture over the roof of my car. This event was made possible by the fine people at MY dealer, Flow MINI. http://www.flowmini.com/ In fact my car is on the web site right now parked between the two hot orange beauties at VIR! I just saw that...very cool stuff. We had a blast on this course and the only thing that made me slow down was the fact I was heating my run flat tires up and I began to worry about the amount of money each lap was costing in terms of rubber expense! What a blast!

A Vintage MINI in the garage area...

Here is a MINI getting ready to hit the track in the VIR Gold Cup races. We toured the infield section right after lunch. The grand marshall of the races was Carol Shelby. http://www.carrollshelby.com/
He made a lap in a very nice Cobra with his black hat on...a nice touch to the 50th anniversary of this track.