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Before you read further here are informative links, in an easy to find place:

The Website: Arctic Mini (http://www.arcticmini.com/)

Driving Conditions: Winter Highway Driving Conditions Report - Newfoundland and Labrador (http://www.roads.gov.nl.ca/conditions.asp)\

Marine Forecast: Cabot Strait (http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/marine/marine_e.html?wef)

Weather: Newfoundland and Labrador - Weather Conditions and Forecast by locations (http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/forecast/canada/index_e.html?id=NF)

Ferry: Welcome to Marine Atlantic (http://www.marine-atlantic.ca/)

Buoy data - click on "44255" : NDBC - Nova Scotia Recent Marine Data (http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/maps/NovaScotia.shtml)

Webcams: Newfoundland Live: Webcams//Product of Newfoundland (http://www.rjproduct.ca/2006/04/newfoundland-live-webcams.php)

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Like the title says.
Ideas from the senior executive trip planner (Minoroadskill) as discussed on a ferry plowing through the Ice on the St. Lawrence Seaway.

http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/2327/The_Planner.jpg (http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/2327/The_Planner.jpg)

1) Doing Newfoundland again and actually reaching St. Johns. Perhaps visiting France. This was proposed as a summer trip, to increase the likelihood of success.

2) Driving to Cochrane Ontario, where we would put the cars on a train north to Moose Factory.
From there we can drive on the frozen James Bay north to visit some communities that can be reached by driving only in the winter.

3)The Ninja proposed driving around the great lakes and promptly passed out.
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/2327/Third.jpg (http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/2327/Third.jpg)

Did I leave out anything? As an OGMC member I have the feeling I did.

What do you think? Discussion please.
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/2327/group3.jpg (http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/2327/group3.jpg)

I still think the Great Lakes drive would be fun, even if it's not as extreme as our past endevors. However, I've got a grudge with Newfoundland. I say we take St. John's by storm!

I'm on for any of those trips, but "Revenge Against the Smallwood" would be sweet.

Summer? You know what they say about revenge being a dish best served cold.

Checking the long range weather forecasts for New foundland I see the Canadian Farmers Almanac predicts snowier and colder than normal for mid-February.

Maybe we need to extend the winter trip by a couple of days. That way we could take whatever the Cabot Strait dishes out and still make our goal. The Moose factory trip requires extra time anyway to deal with the train also.

Oh, if we return to the Viking Trail, it will be in the winter! Bring on the Wreckhouse!

I looked into the Ferry from NF to St Pierre. Last Feb it ran 3 round trips per month! It doesn't take cars. There must be a freight boat for them. If we want to go there we'd have to fly from St John's. The interesting news is that they have a new airport on the edge of town. The old one was located downtown. Check out the google sat. view! They've put some buildings on the old runway.

http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=st.+pierre,+france&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=28.692947,58.535156&ie=UTF8&ll=46.770806,-56.168997&spn=0.012081,0.028582&t=k&z=16&om=1

My first choice for a winter run is St. John's - got to try Irish dancing!

The trip to France would be great in Summer.

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (http://www.st-pierre-et-miquelon.com/english/index.php)

Although I was hoping we could take a ferry (!) and drive in France. :(

I missed last year,I'm in for this year.I vote for Newfoundland.Debbie and I took the MINI there a couple of years ago for 2 weeks and loved it.

Our club is organizing a rally and I need some feedback please.

What could you engrave on a plaque for the car that comes in last??
Any suggestions are welcome.

My first choice for a winter run is St. John's - got to try Irish dancing!

The trip to France would be great in Summer.

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (http://www.st-pierre-et-miquelon.com/english/index.php)

Although I was hoping we could take a ferry (!) and drive in France. :(

X2 - also missed Goose Bay but planning on next year. May have to do a solo cause my passenger from "the ferry from HELL" told me he would never ride with me again. Something about white out and 70MPH.:biggrin:

Our club is organizing a rally and I need some feedback please.

What could you engrave on a plaque for the car that comes in last??
Any suggestions are welcome.
"SORRY"

X2 - also missed Goose Bay but planning on next year. May have to do a solo cause my passenger from "the ferry from HELL" told me he would never ride with me again. Something about white out and 70MPH.:biggrin:

I'll ask Nick along, but I doubt he'll want to go. I think I might invest in some dramamine this time around.

So far this is a unanimous group, but we have not heard from all the regulars. While I'm thinking of it I'll go back to the first post and update with the link to NL road conditions. At this time of year you can see construction/destruction delay areas.

Never been on one of these, but it sounds like fun. I could go as a navigator for someone.

Good to see everyone back.

OldPaint's recollection is the same as mine. One other trip on the vote list in the past was a Gaspe peninsula loop (a shorter trip).

I can confirm that France and Labrador side trips are infeasible in the winter, without flying. You really need almost a week for St. John's return, and 2 weeks to see Newfoundland with the various side trips, which only makes sense in the summer. AFAIK, the only way to get a car to St. Pierre is using a freighter out of Montreal - a 3 day trip by itself. So, we could ship a MINI to St. Pierre to use while we're there...

In terms of choosing a trip, it once again comes down to how many days people are willing to invest. Perhaps we should be voting on trip length first, as that really clarifies things, if people want or can spend less or more time than in previous years.

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Finally, I have some wonderful news. In May, Ann's mat leave ended and I became a stay-at-home Dad with Quinn. I still do my old job, but outside 9-5, when Ann is at work. There's only one problem: this makes it difficult to go on these trips without dragging a toddler along, which really isn't in the cards.

Fortunately, I came up with an ingenious solution... Ann is pregnant again, and Trusler #2 is due in January. For a while, we thought it was February, and that would be disastrous. But January it is, so come February, Ann will be back on mat leave, and I will be free to fly the coupe, er, coop.

Ross

Never been on one of these, but it sounds like fun. I could go as a navigator for someone.
There are usually a few empty passenger seats, shouldn't be a problem.

Congrats Ross! :D I miss the Quinnster, all happy and adorable. Can't wait to see the second edition! But that's just cruel, leaving Ann with the two of them mere weeks after giving birth.

Congrats Ross! :D I miss the Quinnster, all happy and adorable. Can't wait to see the second edition! But that's just cruel, leaving Ann with the two of them mere weeks after giving birth.

I promised Ann I would feel sufficiently guilty for going on the trip.

Wipe that grin off your face while you type that.

Congrats, Ross! That's exciting news (about the baby, that is, although it is good to know you scheduled 'things' so you'd be able to ride with us in February).

Did you ever get a copy of MCsquared with the Tour du Nord articles?

This is the WESTERN-MOST point of EUROPE - Bjartangar, West Fjords of Iceland:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1155/1390467498_5f6c063edb.jpg (http://flickr.com/photos/uptick/1390467498/in/set-72157602038799055/)

When do we go see the EASTERN-MOST point of North America - St. Johns, Newfoundland?
:D

Good to see everyone checking in.

I've added a link to the data buoy in the Cabot Strait to the first post. Your next of kin can check it out!

I think my dad still has it bookmarked from last time.

Congrats, Ross! That's exciting news (about the baby, that is, although it is good to know you scheduled 'things' so you'd be able to ride with us in February).

Did you ever get a copy of MCsquared with the Tour du Nord articles?

No, but I'd love to see a copy.

I'm good with just about anywhere but it's gotta be 6 days or less for me.
Lets put up a vote on the length of trip and our trip master Ross can devise some trips to take based on time available (give or take a day or two)
Ross has a slew of great trips already planned out on the Arcticmini website (a few of which have already been done) ;)

Yes, it needs to be a shorter trip for me as well. I have far too many places to go next year and far too few days to do it in.

If you get a ride with Roman you get to knock a day off the trip by driving all night the first day.
(Does that make sense?)

As an OG, I need my sleep so I'd vote for a 6 or 7 day trip.

Looking forward to thanksgiving, and the traditional mounting of the snow tires.

Happy Thanksgiving, Squid.

Having rolled myself home after consuming too much turkey, I've resolved to update the arcticmini site so we can all see previous route suggestions.

I'll also add the 'Great Lakes Circle Tour', that was brought up during our meeting on the ferry in February.

Any other suggestions? It sounds like we need some more options that are 6 days or less.

I'm seeking some advice for an upcoming trip to the US.

Ann, the Quinnster and I are flying to Atlanta later in the month, where we will start our 17 day vacation in the SouthEast. After hitting Atlanta's tourist sites, we are planning to motor to Nashville, which is the northern end of the Natchez Trace. We'll follow the Trace, and from the other end (Natchez, MS), go to New Orleans. At some point we'll visit the Outback region (SE LA). The return trip will likely take us through Mobile and Birmingham.

1) Does anyone here have some tips for things to see and do in GA/TN/AL/MS/LA?

2) I think I'll finally get a car GPS, if only to help with locating restaurants and hotels. A touchscreen model would be nice, and one with a database that covers US + Canada. Any suggestions? I can get a TomTom ONE on sale for $200, it would seem to do the trick.

3) Finally, I've decided to get a PAYGO phone after we land in the US (my CDN VirginMobile phone doesn't roam in the US). What is the cheapest network/retailer/plan for what is really a disposable phone? i.e. I don't care about any phone features or per-minute costs, only low up front costs.

Hmmm, It looks like VirginMobileUSA offers a few phones for free with a $20 card (about 110 minutes). Hard to beat that.

Thanks,

Ross

When you get to Alabama, lock the doors and keep driving :o

I've resolved to update the arcticmini site so we can all see previous route suggestions.

I'll also add the 'Great Lakes Circle Tour', that was brought up during our meeting on the ferry in February.

Any other suggestions? It sounds like we need some more options that are 6 days or less.


Kapuskasing, ONT
Chibougamau, QUE

Perhaps those most pressed for time could fly in and co-drive.