New England Off Topic and Banter as Most Brilliantly Proposed by Cape Cod MINI

[NoNo]

Hehehe, I'm just picking on you Gavin. I saw your name down there and wanted to squeeze in the trifecta before you started rambling again.

[thomthumb]

Quote: Originally Posted by MGB Boy

Who knows, that might happen anyhow...



-Ricardo

That's what I was thinking. That might be the last place that Vinny drives her, but at least she has the Orioles to keep her grounded!

[jwardell]

Hi folks. Long, super-busy weekend for me. So give me a chance to catch up with posts.

Yesterday I had to drive to North Andover, and what a surprise did I have driving that Mohawk Trail portion of Rt. 2. I think I have found the best road in all of Mass. I'm sure someone must live around there, we REALLY have to form an even to drive those roads. Perhaps include Mt. Greylock, as I see that isn't far from there. Now I know why westerners going to MOT are encouraged to take Rt. 2 instead of 90. I've always turned off to 91 to points north, never knew that treat waiting a few miles past. I didn't even have cars in front of me, both directions! However it was a balance between having fun and ticking off my 3 passengers...

[yellowmininy]

I drove that section on my way to Come to MAMA, which is why I missed the run. It was pouring rain for most of it, and the road was washed out in spots, but it was a beautiful drive. So it's definitely going to be looked at as an option, unless we have a time constraint- i.e., don't want to miss the BBQ!

[jwardell]

Hope you had a happy birthday, Annette! I'm very, very, very sorry the O's did not win for your birthday. You weren't the only one grumbling.

Beth, I hope the problem is simpler than a full replacement. I forget if the mini's cvt is a belt or a chain, but perhaps that just snapped and can be replaced? Shrug, I dunno, I don't trust anything more complex than a manual.

[Theo]

Quote: Originally Posted by holdenontoit

anybody old enough to remember this guy (http://commandercody.com/) and his band? He's coming to Newburyport on Memorial day weekend,I for one will definately be there. Jock

Oh yeah, I remember them. Back then, wasn't the band known as "Commander Cody and the Lost Space Airmen" or something similar?

Geez! I can (vaguely) remember that but I have no idea where my car keys are right now...

Theo

[Theo]

Quote: Originally Posted by jwardell

{snip}... and what a surprise did I have driving that Mohawk Trail portion of Rt. 2. I think I have found the best road in all of Mass. I'm sure someone must live around there...{snip}

Hello? I'm here!

Carol and I drive that route frequently in the MINI. You're right, Josh, it is really nice though you have to run it on the off-season to avoid lines of traffic. Last year, Carol and I drove it in May and then slowly drove around the roads in the State Park at Mt. Greylock. It was absolutely beautiful.

I think I sense a MAMA outing in the works....

Theo

[bethandlouis]

Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen. Definately not old enough to remember them, but I had a hamster that I named Commander Cody.

[jwardell]

Quote: Originally Posted by Theo

Hello? I'm here!

Carol and I drive that route frequently in the MINI. You're right, Josh, it is really nice though you have to run it on the off-season to avoid lines of traffic. Last year, Carol and I drove it in May and then slowly drove around the roads in the State Park at Mt. Greylock. It was absolutely beautiful.

I think I sense a MAMA outing in the works....

Theo

Well then, please...I'll even work with you to organize it. Save it for perhaps later in the year if it is busy during the summer, and of course not now since MOT is soon. There seemed like so many great places to stop off and picnic too.
Judging by how much we see you, I'm surprised you drive so far each time for other events, especially for lesser roads. It's our turn to go that way, and you could easily involve the upstate newyorkers as well.

[Theo]

Quote: Originally Posted by jwardell

Well then, please...I'll even work with you to organize it. Save it for perhaps later in the year if it is busy during the summer, and of course not now since MOT is soon. There seemed like so many great places to stop off and picnic too...{snip}

It's a deal, Josh; we'll do it! Perhaps this could become an outing between the start of school (large reduction in traffic) and before leaf peepers in October (great increase in traffic). Carol and I can spend the summer scouting it out.

If I remember correctly, there was a university (Amherst, I think) professor in the western ma area who created a compelling "driving" history of the Mohawk Trail. The real hook was that it was meant to be used en route when motoring on Rt. 2. It identified stopping points by mileage and presented its historical tidbits at each stop. This I remember from the mid-seventies, so I'm not sure how easy it would be to locate this again. More scouting to do.

Theo

P.S. I'm wondering if Mr. Secco has ever heard of this document?

[Pamlico]

We've driven that portion of Rt. 2 a couple of times, including the retrun from last year's MOT. We've been lucky enough not to have run into much traffic. In the western portions we've been essentially the only car on the road. Great drive.

Check out the North Adams hairpin tun using Google Earth. Coordinates are 42 42.0032'N, 73 04.0668'W

[rfinprc]

Just getting caught up after a weekend away...

Annette -- Happy Birthday
Beth and Louis -- ouch! Sorry about your tranny
Steve -- I'm guessing a Sunbeam Alpine, and you can pretend it's a Tiger
John -- oh, never mind...

MINIs on Top is a decent sized crowd, but the 30,000 participants at my Sunday event topped it pretty well. Boy, NYC drivers did not like the traffic jams from this event -- The Five Boro Bike tour (http://www.bikenewyork.org/BNY-TOUR.htm). Got to bike on the FDR Drive, Queensboro Bridge, BQE, and Verrazano. Way cool. Then, stumbled onto Pete B. (NHRef) at Rein's Deli late Sunday night.

[jwardell]

Theo-sounds interesting. There were certainly a lot of little monuments etc that looked interesting.

Oh yes...and driving west on 2, well before that but I think still after gardner, there was a usual yellow road sign, with a duck crossing image if you seen that before...but instead of duck crossing it read "Famous Ducks"

Anyone have an idea what that's about? I would have stopped to take a photo for Max but again I had hungry passengers.

[Actual Size]

Laurie and I have wanted to put together MAMA's Mohawk Trail Run for quite awhile. Maybe ending up (or starting) at MassMOCA in North Adams. If you've never been there, it's worth the trip.

Another one on our list is a ride around Quabbin Reservoir.

[NoNo]

Some pictures from yesterday:

Little did he know that at that exact moment his car was sending harrassing messages to me:


They cheered Millar when he got up to bat, they cheered him when he sat back down:


They don't come much cuter than that:


What a day for a ballgame!


The Codmeister's new car?


Or perhaps this?




A number of MINIs spotted as well, though no convertables. A few more random pictures here: Annette's Old.