Hi Britcom, we look forward to meeting you both, and your MINI S!

 

Hello! Welcome to NAM and welcome to C.O.R.N.
We look forward to meeting you.

 

Bah! Who needs a Countryman!

 

Don't show those photos in the detailing section, I bet those guys would faint.

Now I need to hear the story behind how that happened. I wasn't able to attend the drive.

Hope it was fun.

 

Well, despite the rain, the wind, the cold, and several construciton zones along the route, three MINIs and a cousin BMW meet in South Sioux City for the trip.

First stop, a landfill just north of Jackson NE, where I proceed to drive off into a huge mess of mud. Wet slick Nebraska clay...but some DSC action got us out and turned around. Yes...I was the only one to try a MINI as a mud bogger. Don't do it. Especially not with your wife in the MINI...nuff said. I did not get stuck, no one got out, but there was some swearing and hoping going on during the five minutes it took me to back out.

So we motor on to Ponca State Park, to find the park is closed for the weekend to passenger car traffic due to a huge outdoor sporting exposition in the park. Ok...motoring on.

We did find a nice overlook to stop at before crossing into South Dakota, and some of us climbed a path to check out the view.

At Yankton we grabbed some fuel and we hit a car wash to clean the mud off before we motor over to Gavins Point Dam. The view at the visitor center for the park is a great place to see the dam, and the spill gates. Then we head off to Springfieild SD, to stop at another overlook. Entering Springfield they have the main street tore up for construction, most side streets blocked, and so we headed off for Ash Falls State Park.

Have to say the bones and information at Ash Falls is outstanding and not to be missed. There is always some staff members on duty in the barn where you see the dig and discoveries.

Then off to Verdigre NE and our cabins for the night. The owner was at the lodge and told us how she had used a skid loader to 'fix up the road to the cabins'. I took one look at it, full of ruts, and tree roots, and soft sand....and said to myself 'lets see..." as I started up at normal speed in first gear it bogged out about 40 feet up the steep incline, so I backed up, switched on DSC, punched it and shot up the grade bouncin around and just generally laughin our butts off. We parked so we could take photos of the other two MINIs making the climb.

Well, we had a nice night at the cabins after we headed back to Niobrara for some dinner after settling in at the cabins. The second time up the hill to the cabins was no sweat for anyone.

On our ride home sunday, my wife and I stopped in West Point NE to see a car show. Rainman was ahead of us going home and he called us to share the news, so we stopped and wandered around for an hour before heading home.

So...it was dam fun. All of it...

Photos here: http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...Outlaw%20Tour/

 

Sounds like it was a good time overall. Thanks for sharing the story and photos.

 

Pictures were great. Sounds like a great trip even with the bumps in the road.

 

It was Dam Fun! Thanks for posting those pics WildThang! I will post some as soon as I find the missing camera cable.

We pushed on along the Outlaw route to Valentine, NE and went to see Smith Falls. That's worth seeing if you don't mind a well-maintained 4 mile gravel road.

 

Some great pictures. Now about that access road to the cabins.

I think about 99.5% of the 5280MINI owners would have passed on the road, but maybe not.

Nice trip if not a little wet and muddy.

Thanks for sharing comments and pics.

Don