MINIsOnTop “Feeder” Events, June 26, 2009
For those of you headed to MINIsOnTop on Friday, June 26, the organizers offer two different MINI/Mini Caravans to Area 51 (15 miles north of Concord, NH on I-93), our traditional meeting point for the final driving leg up to the Attitash Grand Summit Hotel. The Boston Caravan will be leaving from the Boston area (Woburn, MA), and the Yankee Candle Caravan will be leaving from Yankee Candle in South Deerfield, MA. They will both converge at Area 51 for a 2:00 pm departure in a “Grand Caravan” to Attitash.
Yankee Candle Caravan
For those folks coming from western MA, western CT and all points south and west, Yankee Candle in South Deerfield, MA will be hosting our morning gathering.
MINIs/Minis will begin to arrive at 9:00 am. There will be an hour and a half to socialize before the 10:30 am Drivers’ Meeting. Yankee Candle opens at 10:00am so shopping time will be tight before the 10:30 Drivers' Meeting. The Caravan will depart Yankee Candle a few minutes before 11:00 am for its trek to Area 51. The trip to Area 51 will take about 2 hours, so the YC Caravan should arrive to join the other caravans at Area 51 by about 1:00 pm. The Caravan will not stop enroute.
We have created an online MapQuest route for folks to follow:
“YC to Area 51”. A route map will not be provided, so you should follow the MapQuest links and print out the maps/driving instructions. Also note that mobile phone service may be spotty on this route so do not depend upon a mobile cellular device for accessing the route information. If you have a Garmin GPS, you can download this route from MapQuest directly to your GPS.
Boston Caravan
For those folks coming from eastern MA, eastern CT, and RI, the parking lot at 115 Commerce Way in Woburn, MA will be the gathering point.
MINIs/Minis will begin to arrive at 11:30 am for a 12:00 am departure for Area 51. Travel time to Area 51 should be a little over an hour, so the Boston Caravan should arrive to join the other caravans by about 1:00 pm. The Caravan will not stop enroute.
We have created an online MapQuest route for folks to follow:
“Boston to Area 51”. A route map will not be provided, so you should follow the MapQuest links and print out the maps/driving instructions. Also note that mobile phone service may be spotty on this route so do not depend upon a mobile cellular device for accessing the route information. If you have a Garmin GPS, you can download this route from MapQuest directly to your GPS.
Area 51
Area 51 is a Rest Area on I-93 North just past mile marker 50, about 15 miles north of Concord, MA. It is where the Yankee Candle and the Boston Caravans converge for the Grand Caravan to Attitash. The rest area has two parking areas, one next to I-93 and one to its right. The Caravans meet in the rightmost parking area just beyond the Rest Area’s building. There are rest rooms in the building and a bank of vending machines next to it. Plenty of picnic-ready grassy areas exist as well.
Both Caravans should arrive in the 1:00 pm to 1:15 pm timeframe. We will have a very brief Drivers’ Meeting at 1:45 pm then off to Attitash for an arrival at about 4:30 pm. Of course, there all always folks from VT and NH who drive directly to Area 51 and meet-up with the converging Caravans.
We have created two online MapQuest routes for folks to follow:
“Area 51 to Attitash Direct” and
“Area 51 to Attitash via Lakes Region”. The Direct route is generally chosen by most folks and usually creates the largest Caravan. It arrives at Attitash sooner than the Lakes Region route. The Lakes Region route uses back roads to get from Area 51 to Rt. 16. Then it follows Rt. 16 north to Conway where it joins Rt. 112 and Bear Notch Road to Attitash. While this longer route features scenic and twisty roads, it also goes through some traffic “pinch-points” and, thus, may take 3+ hours to get to Attitash. Folks who have never driven the Kancamagus Scenic Byway are encouraged to wait until the Saturday Drives to "spank the Kanc" and, thus, should take the Direct route to Attitash.
You should decide on the route you wish to take well before the day of the caravan. Route maps will not be provided, so you should follow the MapQuest links and print out the maps/driving instructions. Also note that mobile phone service is spotty in this region so do not depend upon a mobile cellular device for accessing the route information. If you have a Garmin GPS, you can download these routes from MapQuest directly to your GPS.
Preparation for All Caravans
- make sure your MINI/Mini is given a “tech inspection” to insure a safe and legal vehicle
- start your Yankee Candle or Boston Caravan with
a full tank of gas as none of the Caravans will stop for gas
-
pack a picnic lunch for Area 51 as the Caravans from Area 51 to Attitash will not be stopping for food or fuel
-
print out all maps you will need for your routes; maps will not be provided by the organizers
- if available, bring FRS/GMRS walkie-talkie radios for in car communications and entertainment during the Caravans
Sign-up
While you do not need to officially register for any of these Caravans, the organizers would appreciate knowing who will be joining each of the Caravans. Please post your intentions to this thread and we will track each Caravan’s members.
Yankee Candle
- Theo (and Carol)
- hwy61 (Jeff & Patty)
- miniblucabrio (Kennen & Jessica)
- DaveTinNY (Dave)
- yellowmininy (Cathleen) <looks iffy>
- ??? (Evan & Mary Kobolakis)
- jeffc (Jeff Condon)
- MissMoxie (Heather & Todd)
- Chris & Kari Von Gravy
- RFL06473
- GAMontgomery (Gary and Monika)
- therover413 (Brian & Maggie)
- blu_jcw
- pbraun (Peter & Merry)
- minirunner (Melanie & Tom) (joining in Keene)
- Scooter08 (Jenifer)
- 1Der (Sandy & Joe)
- INIMINI2007 (lorin & Jocelyn)
- zonedguy (James & Ashling)
- Bob & Dona Bluteau
- FranticFreddy (Freddy & Leanne)
- headtwit (Fran & Andy)
- Hotel 2-5
- ScottAB 36
- HotRodPontiac (Carl)
- Michael Drozd (Mike & Inge)
- ZOOOOP
- axelcrash (Allison & Tom) <may need to meet at A51>
- minircdale3 (Dona & Bob)
- Ken_Averill
- minibro77
- Guliver (Ric & Lois) <running start at Mr. Mike's en route>
Boston
- senorsock3 (Kevin)
- Cape Cod MINIs (Pierrette & Crew!)
- Grammacoop3
- HeidiLang (Heidi)
No Caravan; meeting group at Area 51
- scho06 (Nancy & Dave)
- Springer48
- MOTR-ON (Brian & Melanie)
- BMFMBF (Brad & Marlene)
- aellis2 (Adam)
- willpower4life (Will & Mitch)
- gegalle (Gillian & Bill)
- mini01770 (Dave, Wendy, Caroline, and Whitney)
- MINIRANDOLPH (Eliot & Donna)
How can you be in two places at once, when you're not anywhere at all ? 
