Kinda lonely in Iowa, but in a good way

How many of us are there?

I have tried to find out from D.O.T., but without success. Anyone have a clue on how to find out -- overall numbers, per county?

Do you have any favorite twisty roads in-state?

 

I'm from Cedar Falls, Iowa. Seen a few around town (CR/W, BRG/B, LB/B, another LiB/W) but haven't been anywhere to meet other MINI owners.

We've done some driving around the state, but haven't driven especially fun roads yet.

 

google minicoopersiowa - it is a yahoo group, 79 members. We have several activities each year - the biggest being a fall cruise. Join up

 

I'm from Des Moines. If you hadn't heard, there's a loosely knit Yahoo group that allows coordination of a few events each year. The major one is a fall colors drive around the middle of October; in 2004 it was in central Iowa, 2005 went to the east coast (Dubuque and north along the river), and last year went through the loess hills to Sioux City. Here's a link to the site:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/minicooperiowa/

I don't remember how I got into the group - that was 2004 and too long ago. You can contact Daryl at darylha@hotmail.com (he lives in Cedar Rapids) or Greg at gbeachy@aol.com (he lives in Des Moines) for help joining the site. There are about 80 members right now.

You might also consider joining the 'SotaMINIs site for news of things happening on our northern border. They have a lot of events, and I've been to five or six in the last couple of years. One of the biggest is the annual New London to New Brighton (NL2NB), which runs each year in conjunction with the annual London to Brighton (L2B) event in England. Also, they are going to be part of the host group for the next East Meets West event in 2009. Here's a link to their web page.

http://www.sotaminis.com/

 

Iowa's state tree is a telephone pole.

 

My mini is new to Ft. Madison .
Have seen two other minis in town.
Iowa's state tree is the oak, back in your hole gopher Go HAWKEYES !

 

i guess i'm technically an 'iowan' mini driver... since i still pay taxes to that state each month. living in hawaii right now and moving to vegas in august. was hoping to bring my mini back to iowa with me in august when i visit but i dont see it being very feasable :( just gonna have it shipped straight to vegas. would have definitely loved to meet up for a cruise if i did though

any folks in the cedar rapids area?

 

Thanks for the info about the Iowa Yahoo group. Hope to meet up with fellow MINI owners!

 

I am going to drive from Texas to see my sister in Cedar Falls sometime after HAIL season (mid july?) Hope to see some of you. Plan to visit hilly eastern Iowa to see the historic river towns & check out the new art museum in Davenport (very edgy modernist building!)
Nice to know you finally got a dealer.

 

You'll be only a few minutes away from us, in Clinton. Bring a fishin' pole.(probably just a pocket fisherman ,if you know what I mean ) I have a stocked pond and cold beer, for all the Iowa Mini owners

 

I have lived in northern VA for 12 years -- retired Navy -- but my wife and I have finally had our fill of the traffic, crowds, and cost of living. We're both native Iowans and are excited that we are permanently relocating to Decorah in August...only six weeks away! Our daughter ended up selecting Luther College as her top choice (over Elon U. in NC) and we fell in love with the town during her orientation visits.

I hope to get the chance to hook up with some of the local IA and southern MN MINIs. I'll be on the lookout for you!

 

Hi Oldsbear! I live in Missouri...right below your state. I used to drive to Ft. Dodge to visit my uncle Leo who taught music at the HS. My husband and I are thinking about taking another drive up that way.

 

Good to hear from all of you -- native, ex-pat, interested....

We live in the southeast corner of the state, 12 miles north of Mt. Pleasant. I see an occasional Cooper on US 218/27, and a few Minis in Iowa City/Coralville/North Liberty, so I knew we were not alone.

The Yahoo group doesn't appear to be too active, but we're registered. Still looking for those twisty roads!

 

MINIs in the Mountains, August 9-12 2007 at Copper Mountain, CO.

See our posts on the NAM home page. We invite you all out here to discover beautiful Rocky Mountain Motoring, and our special treat: Mt. Evans, 14,264 ft high, paved road, at midnight, nekkid.

One of a kind experience.

See you in Colorado.

JPS

 

Oldsbear -

I have a bunch of relatives living in the Washington/Brighton/Wayland area as well as a brother in West Burlington. Starting this fall, my PW/B should be passing through your area on a regular basis on selected weekends...I'll keep my eye out for you.

I'll also stay on the lookout for twisities in the SE part of the state...I've already located some good candidates up in the NE!

 

Really? Where's it located? (Doesn't show on the MINI.USA site)

 

I wish we could make that trip. Unfortunately, I will be at work, with no escape possible! Wishing it was sooner!

 

Sounds good! We have connections in all of those towns, too. If you're on Highway 78, we are right on your route

 

I dont know if anyone still watches this but I just got my first Mini and live in the Iowa City area (Go Hawks)

If anyone would like to meet up let me know, not a lot of twisties around here but I bet we could find something.

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=109715

 

Meeting up this weekend in Colorado at MITM2.

Hundreds of us. Many from Iowa, Ks, MO and NE.

Come on out.

Jonathan

 

Just completed our move this past weekend from northern VA (DC burbs) to Decorah! Too much unpacking to do right now, but am hoping to hook up with some other eastern IA MINIs sometime soon!

Rats! My wife actually collects vintage pearl buttons...this weekend's planned festivities would have been perfect! Maybe next time...

After being an IA ex-pat for 27 years, it sure feels good to be home again.

 

Many in Iowa. Except for Inioway. He's the product of a derranged imagination.

 

Last night in downtown Iowa city there were 4 in the parking garage mine and 3 others, so I think there a growing not shrinking trend

 

I saw a red/black similar to mine on Mormon Trek last week. I think if someone opened a Mini dealership in Iowa City it would do well. The demographics are great, and it's centrally located to a number of cities.