as usual, I'm doing some MOTD updates first thing in the morning and I was thinking to myself, WHY.............why is the Dragon so special to us, why do we keep coming back. So I thought I start a thread where folks could share some of their favorite Dragon stories and why they keep coming back.

After three MOTDs I now have many fond memories, but the two that got me hook were in 2006. It was our first Dragon.

I. Bluewater Mountain Lodge: Here we got to stay in a awesome 9 room B&B. Every room was booked by a fellow MINI enthusaist. I knew when we first started to unpack and saw Jen's (from DCMM) Mr. Clean Car wash system by the back door, that I was unmong friends. Each morning we got to share breakfast with the same group and each night we came back, sample our adult beverages, shot some pool in front of the fireplace and share our Dragon Stories. Here we started a friendship with Ed and Christian from Cooper Flags that we still keep up today.

II. We got to attend the Chili Cook off at Tapoco Lodge that was hosted by Atlanta MINIs. It had previously rain most of that day, so the air was damp and mist surrounded the lodge and parking area. John and Johnna from Motoring Chix had done their usual outstanding job of decorating with balloons, the centerpiece being a huge balloon archway complete with Dragon ballons. It's hard to explain, but between the mist, the mountains in the backround, all the MINIs parked everywhere, the balloons and the all the people, it somehow had a surreal feeling to it all. At that point my wife and I looked at each other and we knew we would be back again.

How bout you guys,,,,,,,,what are your favorite Dragon Memories?

 

My fondest memory is simply the extremely cool feeling I got the first time I drove up the Dragon and pulled into the Fontana Lodge area and saw hundreds of MINIs all gathered in one place. It was like a MINI city !

That, and of course, seeing lots of friends from here on NAM that I would have never had the opportunity to meet in person.

Second MOTD coming up. Can't wait !

 

I only made it to one MoTD (and the inaugural MSSD ) but the first thing that hit me was (as CR&PW&JB mentioned) the feeling that MINI's were everywhere and that the folks driving anything else were the odd ones

I also love/miss that feeling of excitement/exhaustion I'd get after a run that really let get into that concentration zone where it was just me, my MINI and the road. The only other place I've found a similar feeling is the Nurburgring

 

Great idea for a thread. As a MOTD rookie I'll pay lots of attention to this thread.

 

This year will be my third MOTD. I think that the variety of activites offered makes the event so special. You get the opportunity to meet so many people at so many events. (which are all run by great volunteers, by the way). Also, even the day drives offer variety and the group dynamic is always great. I like that I can ask questions and other MINI owners are very willing to teach me and let me learn from them. It's also nice to see every car on the road be a MINI!

That's why I keep coming back to MOTD!

 

This will be my 8th MOTD. Best memory? My first. The MINI Mountain Hop as it was called waaaay beck then..

 

This will be our 5th Dragon. That first year in 2005, I had just picked up my car on Feb 17 (tomorrow will be 4 years, and 68K miles). I had been on NAM for about 2 weeks prior and started to see information about The Dragon.

Pamalalala and I talked about it and decided what the hell, we're going, even though we couldn't find anyone else from PittStop MINI interested that first year.

We drove out of our way to meet the Detroit gang and caravaned down with them. We had a blast on the trip, and when we got to Fontana as the Welcome dinner was starting, and saw all the MINIs everywhere, we knew we were hooked.

We come back every year to see old friends and make new ones! The friendships we have developed over the years make it all the more special. Driving Dragon is cool, but it has become a secondary reason for us.

 

This will be my third. My first year, 2007, was probably the largest year so far, and the sheer number of MINIs was just stunning. It was like living in a cool mountain town where 95% of the residents drove MINIs...

My favorite memory was my first Midnight on the Dragon that year... we had a huge turnout and filled the lot at Tabcat Bridge. Still almost all were 1st gen cars, so the "bat signal" was pretty fantastic. That night was the first of MANY late night Dragon and Hellbender runs to come for me... and was one of the coolest things I've ever done in quite a few years...

 

I have to agree that driving the Dragon is secondary to all the other stuff that goes on.
Some of my favorite events/functions are the welcome dinner, drive-in movie, brewswap,
dragon parade, ice cream run, midnight on the dragon and just sitting back and watching
everyone arrive from all over the US and Canada.
There are so many great driving roads in the area that somehow it doesn't seem
fair that the Dragon gets all the attention.
I love the Hellbender (28), the Dragon (129), Route 19 along the Nantahala River, the
Foothills Parkway (TN) and most of the routes that lead me to Fontana Village from my home in South Carolina.
Some stuff we are not able to live down as long as the witnesses are still around...
There is something magical about driving through the mountain roads early in the morning.
When we attended our first MOTD we were not able to bring our MINI since it was still
in transit from the factory, so we went in a rented PT Cruiser that we called the PT Cooper.

I don't remember how I first heard of the MOTD event but I can tell you that
the sight of all those MINI's everywhere was enough to convince me to come back again and again.
Every year our circle of friends that we meet at MOTD grows larger and larger.
I volunteer as much as possible because it really helps me to meet many of the other MINI enthusiasts that I might not otherwise.

Here's wishing everyone a great time with great friends and great cars.
Hope to meet you soon at MOTD.

 

getting picked on by ^^^^ guy. Nicole is my wife not my daughter... LOL

 

Hellbender and the BrewSwap in that order

 

I guess I'm not as sociable as some of you. . . This will be my second MOTD, and maybe it's because I'm from central Indiana where building a curve in a road is apparently considered a capital offense, but I literally could not stop myself from breaking into a huge grin by the time I hit the 3rd or 4th turn on the Dragon. The sheer joy and fun of driving the MINI the way it was designed to be driven is my best memory.

The other attractions of the Brewswap, meeting fellow MINI owners/enthusiasts, and enjoying some of the amazing natural beauty of the area are the icing on the cake. I come to drive. No offense to anyone, but I can socialize lots of places, for me personally, MOTD is one of my very few opportunities to experience what I bought this car to do in the first place.

 

Ok, Since you asked.

My first MOTD was in 2007, I decided to take my then 12 year old daughter along with me. (My wife thought it would be better if someone went along as long as it wasn't her.) From the start of the trip I knew it was going to be a memorable one.

She had me laughing all the way down I81 with her antics, which are usually hidden behind her sweet quite demeanor. Waving to everybody that we passed, And sticking her tongue out at those that did not wave back. Asking questions about the places we passed. And even asking questions about life in general. It's amazing what goes on in a MINI when you sitting next to some one for 12 hour. And she got quite a kick out of the Heilx Cup cars flying passed TWICE!!

While we were there we had a great (and great doesn't begin to describe it) time. We walked among all the MINIs admiring the different "everything" about them. Getting that vendor card stamped. Taking pictures and talking to people, watching people, and just enjoying our time together.

Every night before heading back to the Blue Boar Inn we would go down to the general store and have ice cream (she always knew what I was going to order.) When the morning came around she never gave me a hard time about getting up or about my snoring the night before. And when I was about to give up on doing the MIDNIGHT ride because we had a long drive the next morning she shamed me into going on. "Come on Dad, why did we come then?"

But my one biggest memory that will stay with me forever is the "Drive-In Movie" I had never seen CARS before and sitting there in my MINI with my daughter with me I really enjoyed the moment. And lucky for me every time I watch CARS I am right back there in the North Carolina Mountains sitting in my MINI with my 12 year old daught right next to me.

Well last year I made the trip alone.

This year, my now 14 year old daughter is coming with me, and much to my surprise and delight, she is actually excited about going. (At least that's what I tell my self.)

Can't wait to get there!

 

FranticFreddy, I love your story but I'm
Not sure that I understand your signature
Line. What do mean by older and farter?

 

Well to explain it, you will need a cigar, a glass of bourbon, and 15-20 minutes.

Fill glass about 1/2 full, light cigar.


#1Take a small mouth of bourbon and hold it for a moment, swish around and swallow.

#2 Think about the term, "OLD FART"

#3 Take a draw on the cigar and let it out slow.

Repeat steps 1-3

After about 15-20 minutes it won't matter!!!

 

You're right.

 

This will be my sixth, and my most memorable Dragon was my first, when I arrived in the dead of night, and alone. They guys I was traveling with had taken off in their Esses, leaving me and my MC in their dust. I guess it really didn't matter though, as I managed to get to Deals Gap...unfortunately, first thinking it was Fontana and not realizing I still had to go onto Hellbender.... Fortunately for me, 2 of the guys from our original group musta figured I'd think that, so they waited long enuf for me to say "Hi" and "Whew", and then took off again. I arrived at the Lodge later than I had hoped, and my roomie [whom I had never met] was worried sick. I WAS fortunate to meet Clover, and her calm in the midst of my angst made the world all right again. Thanks again, Clo! After a late meal and checkin, I got up early, went back to Deals Gap for a map and started driving those marvelous roads...I think my favorite place besides the Nantahala Gorge was the Cherohala Skyway, with its climbs, scenic viewing points, and sloping curves. I made my first journey over it from the other [Tellico Plains] side, as I was trying to get to Robbinsville to meet some new friends for some BBQ.

I was sooo impressed and awed with my first time at the Dragon and its surrounding beauty that I have looked forward to coming back ever since.

First impressions DO make ALL the difference!

 

Katie - I couldn't agree more. The first MOTD was just a blast - meeting all the new MINI owners for the first time - since the MINI had been launched just previous to the first MOTD.

No one knew what to expect and that certainly made for some great conversations, runs, story telling, etc.

The Mountain Hop still makes me giggle everytime I think of it - such fun - even in the POURING rain..

Donna

 

First Dragon. This was the Second Annual. Staying at Tapoco. Breakfast the first day. In walks a friend who arrived very late the night before via 129. He comes walking into breakfast all pumped up saying "Man, if the Dragon is anything like that road I drove in on last night, I can't wait. That road was super-intense!"

We then have to break his heart that he was on the Dragon when he drove in......he was very let down he had already done it. But proceeded to go out and drive it about 50 more times that day

 

This will be my 3rd MOTD. First one was in 07 and just me and my brother went up. It was a spur of the moment decision, and we lucked out to get a room. Only stayed 2 days, but had a blast. Last year came in late Friday, and stayed through Monday with the wifee, son, and in-laws. It was nice relaxing on Sunday evening, although almost all the MINIs had left, it was like a ghost town.

The first Ice Cream Run in '07 was fun, although cruddy weather. It rained all the way to Bryson City, but the mist spray from about 40 MINIs was cool to see on the way there.

Midnight on the dragon is by far my favorite part of the weekend. The glowing rotors at the bottom of the hill and smell of burnt rubber, brakes and such on a cool evening is just MAGIC!! All the different lighting configurations too is great to see.

My favorite memory so far was this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eYSx...e=channel_page
best part from about the 1:15-1:34 mark, flat out, walking away from my buddy. (flame away about speed and lanes, but you could easily see around all those bends)

Looking forward to another great weekend in a few months.

 

WOW! You even had trouble keeping it in your own lane on the straights!

What would happen if someone were coming the other way without their lights on?