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Just curious which rides were the most popular at MITM. With so many to choose from (and so little time), it may have been tough. For some, doing all or part of a ride on the way home was a bonus. Tell us which rides you did and what did you think of them.
Rick
THE WESTERN DRAGON was without a doubt my favorite. I went with some very fun people which made it an even crazier ride!!! There are a few that I didn't go on but living in Colorado I will definately check them out.
P.S. The maps were wonderful & of course the guides/leaders!!
We did the Western Dragon going out (and again going home - wheeeee!). We also did Mt. Evans, though we did it fully clothed and in daylight. There were a few rides that we have done several times before the event and some really good ones that were not part of MITM.
Look forward to next year and being able to spend more time at Copper.
That was the best for me. You can actually listen to my enthusiasm on www.whiteroofradio.com which I called while on top of the mountain. The call is 10:30 of the way through the show. Click here to get to it.
Other than that I kind of hung around the trailer and got to meet quite a few MINI/mini owners. So for me it was not the just the drive it was the destination and the new friends.
My favorite -- Mt. Evans and The Western Dragon on the way down. IMHO, the key to making drives like these fun is picking a time of day with minimal traffic -- semi-dawn patrol or late. I'm not promoting to drive Mt. Evans at 90%, it is a wee bit unforgiving, but it is so frustrating when you get stuck behind cars that aren't going much faster then the roadies and can't even find a parking spot w/o double parking.
Anyone drive up to Independance Pass...?
-B
I did the Western Dragon, by myself (well, my wife was in the car too). About 1/2 way up, I caught up with 4 or 5 other MINIs. I led them down again. It was much fun. If Southern Nevada had roads like that I could justify a brake upgrade.
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2003 LY/B MCS. 15% pulley. K&N HAI. One-ball exhaust. Fireballed ECU. Yellow tinted & stone-guarded factory rally lights. Black scoop, grille & boot handle. Yellow roof stripes & antenna. Rubber chicken antenna topper.
Would I get better milage if I had less fun?
Mt. Evans Friday night and Western Dragon on the way home. Western Dragon was great. We tried to to head down 67 to Woodland Park because that has some nice twisties but that route was closed due to construction until the end of October.
__________________ When confronted by a difficult problem, you can solve it more easily by reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?
Came over Independence Pass on the way there and back. We did half of the valley loop backwards, and the modified steamboat run going over Gore Pass (hwy 134 I believe) which was newly paved, empty, twisty and a wicked ripping good time.
__________________ 2002 Electric Blue/White MCS Webb Motorsports Stage 1 package, 2% oversized crank pulley, WMS Extreme sway bar, TSW dampener, Alta rally light bar, Konig Rewinds
Drove up Mt. Evans Friday morning, Aspen loop over Independence Pass Saturday morning, and midnight run to Leadville Saturday night. It was cool in our mini caravan, except for the occasional SUV cutting in between us. Had a great time.
In the short time I was there on Saturday we tried the Evans run. Sadly visibility above the 9 mile mark became less than desirable (near zero) so we turned around. Maybe next year!
We did the Western Dragon to Copper on Wednesday. On Thursday we did the Continental Divide and part of the Valley Loop to and from Shromp Mini. Friday was Top of the Rockies, Continetal Divide (both ways), and the midnight Mt. Evans. Saturday was the Aspen Loop with a side trek into Maroon Bells. On the way back on Sunday we did Mt. Evans and the Western Dragon. Toss Saturday's modifications and both dinners and we were wore out by the time we got home.
I was about 1 hour late for the modified Steamboat or we would have got that one on Saturday. We will have 3 nice long rides for next years MITM.
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WC50 #414 SAT/ Tint/ Bilstein PSS10 coilovers/ Hotchkis Competition rear sway bar and rear control links/ NM Engineering front strut brace, titanium heat shield, and motor mount/ 3M Clear bra/ WMW SS braided brake lines
The Phoenix group (the Ddesert Rat Pack of the Dynamic Mini Collective) came in on the road from Leadville on Thursday. As a group, we did the Western Dragon interrupted by Mt. Evans then continued on to Evergreen and back to Idaho Springs for lunch at Tommyknockers on Friday. We picked up some like-minded folk in the parking lot and adopted most of them for the rest of the weekend. Jennie and mom in the cool checked Chili Red from IL, Mark and Luke from NC in probably the two prettiest MINIs at the whole event (shhh don't let CoopahS know I said that!), and a couple of other guys. What a fun bunch of people! We had Jennie in a DMC red t shirt by Saturday. I hope they're moving out to AZ soon! We're still working on the NC guys to move out west.
Our new pulley and sway bar were tested on the Loveland Pass run on Saturday and we combined the Independence Pass run with the Aspen Loop on Sunday and found a great deli in Glenwood Springs for lunch. I used to live in CO and couldn't believe I'd never gone up Independence Pass, despite having wanted to for ages. That was some of the most stunning scenery I've ever seen! Aspen was interesting too. $4 a gallon for premium.
We'll hit the other runs next year. So when is next year? I'm ready to sign up!
We did the Western Dragon on the way out Thursday with the stop at Tommyknockers for wings and brew.
Friday did the Steamboat loop with some old 4-corners friends and some new Wyoming & Illinois friends.
Dinner then -->
Midnight on Mt. Evans (was up there for 2 midnights). I left out at 10:00 thinking I was a little behind the group. Realizing about 15 miles down the road I was on Oklahoma time.....Ha!! Go ahead laugh it could happen to anybody. So the wife and I just decided to cruise the speed limit and go on to the top and wait (it's really dark up there on top at midnight by yourself).... Anyway she napped while I ran around outside in the dark "and I'm afraid of the dark"... it was cool seeing the long line of mini's coming in the distance around the Mountain.
Saturday (tired from Mt Evans) with the Leadville Loop backwards. Dinner, Then we went back to Leadville that evening for the Ghost run.
Sunday I-70 loop back home..... pooped out!!
Great fun Great company and One heck of a trip....
That's it
Batman
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Gone - 2004 Chili Red/Chili Red Cooper NO Mods MILES - 2006 Chili Red/Chili Red Cooper "S" M7 Strut Brace"WHR2NXT"
which rides were the most popular at MITM. With so many to choose from (and so little time), it may have been tough. For some, doing all or part of a ride on the way home was a bonus. Tell us which rides you did and what did you think of them.
When confronted by a difficult problem, you can solve it more easily by reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?
Maybe next year!
