[ches]

In all, another smashing event organized nicely by "John Ceviche." I was lame and didn't take many photos, but what I have I've shared below.

On the way to the Pala Indian Casino (maybe an hour north of where I live) I saw 20 or 30 AC Cobras headed up I-15. I wonder if any of 'em were original. There were a few other cool cars including a 1950s Rolls Royce and an EB/W just like mine. Everybody was getting off at Center City Parkway, so there must have been some sort of car thing in Escondido.

We met at the Pala Indian Casino parking lot. Here are some photos.





Tales to follow.

[ches]

I think I counted 42 MINIs in the parking lot, and I'm pretty sure this was the last time we were all in once place at the same time. Got a late start, caravan-style, and going was a bit slow to make much of the twisties.

A few folks broke out and took a side trip up to the observatory, and that was the first of the serious driving. But the most serious stretch for me was S-7 between Palomar Mountain and Lake Henshaw. What a fantastic road! Lots and lots of twisties, mostly second-gear and third-gear stuff, not at all much beyond the top of third gear. Got a few really great drifts in and scared myself a couple times. Eventually I turned DSC back on. I really have no idea where the limits of this car is. I keep expecting something really ugly to happen and it doesn't. I did experience a lot of brake fade, pedal just felt kind of spongy and disembodied. I suspect a real driver could wring way more out of this car than I did. Even still, it was an incredibly rewarding drive.

I very quickly lost my Motorola, and eventually found it wedged under the passenger seat. Stopped in Santa Ysabel, and in fact I didn't realize that we were in Santa Ysabel - I bought a pie from the Julian Pie Company, and then later in Julian I found out that Dudley's Bakery had been right behind the Pie Company. D'oh! Well, it's been a long time since I've been out that way and it's changed a lot. Drove back to Santa Ysabel to Dudley's to pick up some bread. Drove back to Julian and apparently everyone had moved on. So long guys, hope the rest of your trip was fine!

I opted to head back to Pala by way of that wonderful streth of S-7 again between Lake Henshaw and Palomar. Hooked up with Matthew in the DS/W MCS and we made good work of that fine road. I should have taken some photos but I was too busy driving!

Lastly, I stopped at the Pauma Casino, because I heard they had a weird version of card-based craps. Being a craps player I had to check it out. I watched the game, and it is strange. After a few minutes I dropped $40 on the table and played a few rolls.... er, hands... whatever. In about ten minutes I was up $50 and decided that was good enough for me so I cashed out my chips and headed home.

I tanked up when I got back to OB: my gas milage for this jaunt had dropped to 21 mpg. I've hit an all time low! I actually expected it to be a lot worse because for significant chunks of this drive I was either all the way into the gas or all the way into the brakes. But there were some freeway miles in there too.

Cheers gang, and see you all soon!

[erazo]

Good seeing you again, Ches, and three cheers to JohhnyCeviche for putting it together again. The weather, as usual, was awesome, and the S-7 is, well, a road made for the MINI. It was MINI nirvana -- no traffic (except for a few two-wheelers), smooth asphalt, and plenty of hairpins and S-curves.

I only tooks a few lame photos.

Now we have to look for a route for the next drive -- maybe the 94 in South County?

[GadgetGav]

Wow..! I though the MINI meet I went to had a good turn out with 12 cars...! Mind you, that was in MA in Dec - you guys have got the weather for it..!
Looking good in that parking lot - did you get a lot of stares or are MINIs common enough that no-one asks about them any more..?

[ches]

Quote:

Originally posted by GadgetGav
Wow..! I though the MINI meet I went to had a good turn out with 12 cars...! Mind you, that was in MA in Dec - you guys have got the weather for it..!
Looking good in that parking lot - did you get a lot of stares or are MINIs common enough that no-one asks about them any more..?

Personally I think more than one MINI in one place at one time is cause for celebration!

Yeah, lots of stares, lots of looks, lots of thumbs up, and of course everyone's favorite: "kinda car is that?" The place where we went is hilly and has lots and lots of windy roads. Many city folks there with their sports cars. Saw many Miatas, there must have been a club up there yesterday also. Lots of street bikes too.

MINIs are still pretty rare around here. I'll go weeks without seeing another one, though I saw two this morning. Go figure!

[Vanwall]

it was a fantastic event! Plenty of MINIs, and lottsa twisties! John, Clover DB, Tracy, thanks! I even won a MINI snow globe in the post-rally raffle. There were a lot of great roads, and Sean had his maiden run in his new 'S', and all he could say to Chris, (mom ridin' shotgun!) was' "I love this car!!" Hey, same thoght here.

Only close call for me was rounding a right-hand hairpin by m'self, and a full grown mule deer doe jumped into the road up ahead from the left, and stopped, startled! I hit the binders, honked the horn once, and she looked at me but didn't move! I was still comin' on, but as I was slowing, couldn't tell if she was gonna jump one way or t'other, so I honked long and loud again! She jumped back to the left, and spronked back into the trees, and I skidded a little to the right, and blasted on. It musta been my headlights!! Fun Run!

BCNU,
Rob in Dago

[rroorryy]

I was the car in front of ches when his brakes were fading. Mine did too. One close call for me between Palomar and Henshaw. I need to go somewhere I can get this car to drift and not worry about going over the side, or into the side, of a mountain.

It was an excellent drive. One I'm sure I'll take again when I have nothing else to do.

[ches]

Oh, so that was you? I didn't catch your name but I must say that you drive well. At times I had trouble keeping up -- and you had three people in yours!

I definitely need to sign up for one of those clinics they have up at Buttonwillow.

[rroorryy]

Thanks for the compliment. They were a little white knuckled a few times. Next time it's just my daughter and myself. Gonna get rid of that dead weight I had in the front passenger seat!

[MINIclo]

[quote]Originally posted by Vanwall
[b]it was a fantastic event! Plenty of MINIs, and lottsa twisties! John, Clover DB, Tracy, thanks! <<

Thanks for the kind words, Rob! It was quite a day! Perfect weather, nice smooth roads, and 42 MINIs powering through many twisties!

I am pleased to announce that the SCMM website is launched! Please visit it and join the club!

http://www.scmm.org

Cheers!
Clover