Ok I’m another obsessed one! For those who would like to try to catch ISOLDE at the Panama Canal this is the address http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html

It should arrive and be seen first at Gatun Locks, then at Centennial Bridge and finally at Miraflores Lock

 

Oh My... I love you guys!

As I drive around in my crappy rental car (Kia Rio), all I can do is think about how it'll be worth it later on when I get my Clubbie... and then i log on to NAM and get all this cool info.

I'm lovin' the custom tracking map! Lovin' the Panama Canal link...

Oh no... i just realized I sound like a mcdonalds commercial. Oh well.

 

Hi everyone!!

I'm on the boat too!! My little baby is coming to meet me in San Francisco -- I've even got a parking spot waiting for him/her. I've been silently tracking and getting NO work done. Now that I'm on the boat, all bets are off! Hopefully our kids are getting along and making friends along the way. Is anyone else planning on going to the new owner reception in SF later this week?

I'm getting a Dark Silver Cooper S with a black roof/mirrors/bonnet stripes. I'm trying to get a personalized tag, but I hear I have to have the car before the insurance company will vouch for me. Has anyone else run into this? I'd love to have the tag ordered so I can get it as soon as possible.

Yay!

Not able to contain my enthusiasm!!!
Poopmonkey

 

My Clubman is on the Isolde too.

 

I got some good screenshots through the canal. My ship was in port at Manzanillo for about 13 hours. I got to practice going through the canal as there was only three days between my ship and the one ahead of it. Just remember, there is about 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min delay in aislive. After it passes through the Gatun Locks it stages in Gatun Lake for the remainder of the transition of the canal. My canal screenshots are in my gallery.

 

Thanks for the info - valuable stuff!

Do you know why it stops in Manzanillo - is it for fuel or are they actually off loading some cars?

How long between Manzanillo and the entrance to the canal?

 

I am not sure if the stop at Manzanillo is for refueling or offloading. I know of at least one ship that stopped at Galveston and proceeded direct through the canal without stopping at Manzanillo. The Tasco was in port at Manzanillo for 36 hours and took 26 hours to traverse the canal. The Madame Butterfly was in port for 13 hours and took 23 hours to traverse the canal. These two ships docked at Port Hueneme 3 days apart and between the two they had 700 MINIs and about the same number of BMWs aboard.

 

Update on the Panama Canal!

Ok it is hard to be all day on the computer waiting to catch the ISOLDE without knowing at wat time it will arrive to the Panama Canal but!

this is te AISLive link to the Central America area
http://aisfree.aislive.com/Influx.as...ean%20Overview

there is about an hour delay so taking a look here you will know if you can catch ISOLDE in the canal o you aleady missed it.

Also this is the link for the California Coast!
http://aisfree.aislive.com/Influx.as...h%20West%20USA

Good Luck!

 

I hope you're not sitting there wearing down your F5 key just yet. The ISOLDE isn't scheduled to even reach Manzanillo until the 2nd.

 

Thank you thank you thank you for creating this!!! So far everyone looks at me like I'm nuts for being so excited about tracking a car... as if I were just tracking *a car*. Once they see Scott and Michelle's site they get a little more excited with me... but then slowly back away.

I went to the SF new owner's event tonight (our SF BMW/Mini dealer has these from time to time) and there were a ton of MINI owners. More females than I expected, considering that all of the cute marketing materials talk to me like I'm a slim-jim eating, slurpee slurpin' guy (no offense to the jerky fans among you).

A few folks at the event had already received their babies, while a few others hadn't, like me. I was surprised that no one else had geeked out as much about tracking. I told several of the new owners about this site, but was met again with cautious curiosity. I'm sure they'll make their way here once they get their babies... Fun note: as a welcome gift, they gave us motor oil... Funny!!

My mom refers to the event as my MINI's baby shower.

Anyway, I just wanted to thank you guys for being as excited as I am... and making me feel normal!! :-D

**We're past the big trenchy-looking thing in the Atlantic! Woo-hoo!**

-Poopmonkey

 

I'm watching everybody's progress as if I have a MINI on board with ya'll! Mine is supposed to be on a ship, but I suspect that I'm still waiting to board since WW has no info re: my VIN #. Maybe tomorrow it will show up...

Seriously, though, I won't sleep until I know the answer: "PoopMonkey" -- what is that about?? I know there must be a story there and, goodness knows, we can all use the distraction right about now....

 

I was being made fun of today by my students (11th graders) for my crappy rental car. (they don't even have cars, so WHATEVER!) I was telling them it's only temporary, and started to describe the process, and had to resist showing them the "where's the MINI?" link...
Like you, poopmonkey, I am beginning to suspect that this obsession of mine might be a little unusual... but then I can come home and log on to NAM and know I am not alone.

 

I had to go check just to see how long it would take. This morning it was still showing waiting transport but tonight it shows Enrouote. Not bad only 5 days after the ship sailed.

The only high point is the graphic for enroute which shows a Peterbilt . Since I work for the parent company of Peterbilt thats cool.

 

Hi shipmates.. just checking in. Only 5 more days till we get to the Canal! Does anyone have an AIS shot to share of the crossing? Not that the "where's the MINI?" site isn't completely satisfying, I'm just wondering if we've been comparing notes. I didn't get the subscription becuase I'm sure someone here has it!

 

Is this what you need? http://aisfree.aislive.com/Influx.as...ean%20Overview

 

nope. we're still a little far out for the free stuff to work. Thanks though.

 

Not sure how you feel about using something like this, but I saw someone else mention it before, so I'll toss it back out there... bugmenot.com lets you get a login and password that should get you in. I'd hold off on trying it too often until we get closer though. Those logins/passwords are known to be disabled once they figure out that they're not tied to an account. Right now you see the Caribbean, but no Isolde.

And I'm sorry to say MiniRee, I've used "Poopmonkey" for so long that I don't even know that the story is all that interesting anymore! I can try and make something up... maybe as I'm driving along the Pacific Coast in my soon-to-be-named baby.

By the way, I'm considering the name "Penfold" -- if the name appropriately matches my MINI. I'm a longtime Dangermouse fan, so we'll see.

 

Hey I wanted to share! today I found the attached letter in the mail, together with it a template to paint with spry paint the sign "MINI PARKING ONLY" I love that kind of MINI details!

 

I want one! My neighbors would make so much fun of me... They're the only people outside of NAM that I've let in on my tracking obsession...

 

I love it! I want one of those signs too!!

I imagine/hope we all get these goodies. :-)
In the spirit of sharing (and distracting ourselves from how far away 2/10 is), I'll take a few photos of what they recently sent my way and post them as soon as I can.

 

I got one last week.
It was the best thing I've gotten in the mail. I couldn't bear to use it so it goes in with all the MINI memorabilia I've collected for 7 years. Love their ads, and we were lucky to get some playing cards last fall. They have the best marketing.

 

I've not received anything, but maybe it's because other than when I took my test drives and they copied my DL, they don't have my info. I sent my build in via email and then the MA called me and I placed the order over the phone. I guess I'll have to tell him my address won't I?!

 

hmmm my MA only copied my DL too and it has my old adress, i assume they got my actual address from the OL.

 

Well i couldn't resist, i had to use it! now my garage entrance looks like this

 

You guys are killing em - I haven't received anything from MINI......

I wish I could go to sleep and wake up on the 15th or so - how am I going to make it through the next 2 and half weeks?