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!!