Hello all!

I'm scheduled to pick up my new Clubman S in Southampton, NY on 8/25 (it was just dropped off the boat in NY about 2 hours ago!!!)

I live in Phoenix, AZ and after a few long talks with the Service Manager here in AZ, have decided to get to know my new MINI, Edgar, by "taking the long way home..."

After doing some planning - several must do/see stops and of course visit the parents and family - I'm wondering if there might be other sights along the way other MINI owners would suggest? Perhaps there's places I'm going thru I should avoid?

I will be taking pictures along the way and maybe some video to document the trip. If the lodging has internet access as they advertise, I hope to upload them to my blog daily!

Here's my tentative route and for all concerned about the break-in period, all miles thru day 4 are back roads (click on "avoid highways" on maps.google) so that normal driving habits are observed as much as possible.

Day 1: Southampton (NY) to Costco (37 miles away to pick up air pump, MF cloths for wiping brake dust , maybe a cooler and plenty of snacks ) then on to North East (MD) to stop for the night

Day 2: take the back roads to Front Royal (VA) - taking Skyline Dr thru the Shenandoah National Park - twisties galore , Lynchburg (VA), Danville (VA), Burlington (NC), Liberty (NC), Asheboro (NC), Mt Pleasant (NC), Midland (NC), Matthews (NC), Fort Mill (SC) Home of Cocomats AND my Parents / Brother!

Day 3: Work on getting my Southern Accent back and stop by Cocomats to pick up my order!

Day 4: on the road again to Kings Mountain National Park (SC/NC), Shelby (NC) where I spent 99% of my childhood, Forest City (NC), Rutherfordton (NC), Asheville (NC), Waynesville (NC), Fontana Village Resort at Fontana Dam (NC) whoo-hoo! TAIL OF THE DRAGON!

Now - for some Interstate / Freeway driving

Day 5: Tallassee (TN), gonna bypass Dollywood this time , Clover Hill (TN), Big Springs (TN), Friendsville (TN), Antioch (TN), US 75, US 40 to Nashville (TN) then Memphis (TN) ending up in North Little Rock (AR)

Day 6: Staying on US 40, passing thru Oklahoma City (OK) to Amarillo (TX). Stopping for a bit to see some friends, then continuing on US 40 to Tucumcari (NM). I guess I'll have to 'splain to Edgar that any weather "twisties" we might see in OK/TX are NOT the kind we want to drive!

Day 7: Continue on US 40 for a bit, then head up to Santa Fe (NM) or maybe just head on thru to Albuquerque (NM) - I'm not sure yet. Then to Grants (NM) where we'll take a hard LEFT to Ramah (NM) across the reservation to Zuni (NM), into Arizona to St Johns (AZ) then stopping at Show Low (AZ)

Day 8: All familiar territory here... take US 60 to Globe (AZ), Miami (AZ), Superior (AZ), Apache Junction (AZ) to HOME in Phoenix (AZ)

What do you all think? Am I missing something along the way? I'm not sure if I'll ever get to take Edgar to MOTD so that's pretty much a must for me.

I've been told that I should consider getting a bra (the one from Moss, not the OEM) to protect the bonnet during the trip as I'm having Clear bra and Tint done when I get back to AZ. I didn't feel comfortable having them done in NY as it's pretty much impossible to get anyone to do warranty work on that when someone else did it. Also, Mini of the Hamptons isn't doing Clear bra right now... What do you all think about the temporary bra to protect the front? Will it cause other problems with the paint underneath?

Also, this is the first car I've purchased that doesn't come with a spare tire. I understand how run-flats work, but I'm still somewhat uncertain about not having a spare. What do you all feel?

One last thought - should I plan on stopping at a MINI dealer along the way for an oil change? The Service Manager here in AZ says, "nope - don't need to. Just check the oil every 750-1000 miles." As reassuring as he was, I still thinking about taking Edgar for a drink of Synthetic while in the Charlotte area.

I am taking this drive alone by choice - just me and Edgar (and ok, my iPOD) Funny thing is, until a few months ago, I would NEVER think of driving cross country as I dislike driving alone. Now that I have this planned, I'm finding it hard to function during the day as I await my flight on 8/24 to Southamptons, NY.

So - what do you all think? Am I crazy or ?

Thanks
William

 

sounds like a great time to me.

 

Go for it!

 

I think your trip sounds FANTASTIC!!! What better way to get to know your MINI. I would definitely stop as planned for that Oil Change, I'm getting Molly's Oil Changed every 6,000mi. (approx.), they say 10,000, but I'm not going to wait that long.

You have a bit of time left before you leave, did you take a look at Google Earth? If you plugged you trip details into there you will be able to find many destinations that you might have overlooked.

Good Luck, I will be looking forward to your Blog.

 

Sounds like a great trip! By all means, go for it!

Tess got some great sounding tips on her trip from Germany to Hawaii. Especially the BBQ related discussion. Yum!

Bra: Could not hurt, though you may never use it again. Especially in Phoenix where sand and grit could so easily get caught under it and damage the paint. That said, buy it. Put it on for the road trip. Sell it when you get to AZ. Why not, eh? I took a rock strike to the front bumper within 10 days of buying my MINI. Murphy's Law and all that.

Run-flats: I have a mobility kit (slime and compressor) for local motoring and have a full size spare for road trips. It all depends on your willingness to tolerate inconvenience. You could also buy a compact spare. Just a thought.

Oil: I had the oil changed at 1200miles (break-in). It doesn't hurt, but, in my opinion, it is not critical. Had I to do it over again, I would wait until 5k miles and do it then.

 

Wow - a great trip planned! Especially Day 2 and 4 - yummy roads and scenery......

Keep a log book along with the pictures you take....and most important.....



Have a safe trip

Donna

 

Sounds like a great trip As for the bra issue, a cheap easy way to protect your paint till you get home, is use painters tape. You just may not like how it looks though. It you do get the Moss bra, make sure the paint is really clean before you put it on, and check the paint every now and them, and wipe down with a Quick detailing spray.

Have a great time, be safe.

Mark

 

I envy you, really! I think it's a GREAT idea to take this trip, alone or otherwise. Either way, having the iPod is a MUST!

I took a similar trip back in August '05 when I moved from Richmond, Virginia to Sacramento, California. I took a week and drove only during daylight hours so I wouldn't miss anything. Of course, I took the interstates, so it wasn't as cool as back roads would have been, but I had to get to previously-designated pitstops at each day's end. I took tons of photos and video during my trip. I drove a brand-new Legend Lime Mustang GT. It was a different car, but the trip was what mattered more to me at the time.

You never know when you'll get an opportunity like this again, so I'd definitely recommend proceeding with your trip. Enjoy yourself, drive carefully and share pix with us along the way if you can!

 

Wow - one of the great things about owning a MINI is the "built-in family" that comes with it!

Thank you all for your quick responses. I've been doing some additional reading about the oil change and for SURE, will be changing the oil somewhere during the trip!

The painter's tape idea sounds VERY interesting! I know I've read where MINIs taken to the track sometimes get that done. I'm wondering if the heat generated by the turbo would cause any issues? Also, I guess if terminal OCD kicks in, I could put tape UNDER the cover?

That said, I know that I want to keep Edgar as clean and new as possible, but MINIs are made to be enjoyed and that's what I hope to do!

I'll be setting up the blog "Where in the US is Edgar and William?" soon and will provide a link as soon as it's ready.

Thanks again to all for your thought and well wishes. It's gonna be fun!

Oh yea, if I happen to be driving, errr motoring near any fellow owners, let me know and I'll stop by and wave!

 

Great road trip you've planned!

When my second MINI was a week old, back in April 2003, I took her on a 10,000-mile cross-country (and back) road trip, which included attending the first Dragon get-together. I repeated the road trip every spring until this year, when my ailing father asked me not to be gone for my typical 6-8 weeks. I ended up flying to Knoxville and sharing a rental car with a friend who flew in from Iowa so we could attend MOTD.

I like your idea of using painter's tape on the bonnet underneath the bra! My 2003 MCS is all-Jet Black and on the 2004 trip east, I had a bra on her. Traveled through some storms and when I arrived at my friend's Alabama home, we discovered that debris had gotten between the bra and the bonnet, causing some deep scratches. Have a fantastic time on your trip. I'll have to check out Clover Hill, TN next time I go to the Dragon area.

Cheers!
Clover

 

It sounds fantastic!!! Can't wait to read the blogs

I'm in the camp that thinks an early oil change is a good thing. There are some great posts on here that break the process down step by step.

Have a blast!!

 

You've planned a fantastic trip. Have a safe one, and enjoy the motoring.

CROC 411

 

This definitely makes me feel better about my 2500 miles in a month.

Have a great time, and keep us updated on the travels!

 

+1 on the painters tape idea - use the blue stuff and the Truly Knowledgeable will nod their heads in supreme understanding. Bring the roll and reapply if it rains hard. Don't use that AND a black vinyl Ugly Bra - overkill.

Consider the Mobility Kit or it's equivalent (or while in Costco or WalMart get a compressor, plug kit, and slime). Or... consider the Moobility kit - a cooler and some chocolate milk to consume while you wait for roadside assistance... but I digress. Picking up one of those $20-30 tool kits can't hurt, just in case.

There is almost no cell service on the Dragon or in Fontana, and Fontana's wireless works (in the main building, anyway) but can be slow. Plan ahead. The roads, though, are heaven.

ClearBra is the way to go, good idea to have it done locally.

Oil change: It's important for the break-in oil to do its job. Leaving it in for 3000 miles won't hurt, taking it out too soon can, since the parts have to "get to know each other". Just check the oil during the trip and top up as necessary - shouldn't be necessary.

Break-in: MANY schools of thought here, most agree that you need to vary the rpm a bit during break-in (not only hwy mileage), and staying out of full boost for the first 1000 miles or so helps. THAT... will be the hardest part!

I'm jealous! You're going to have a ball. The only thing you're leaving out is a co-pilot, and (like with many other things) there are benefits and drawbacks to that also! Take lots of pictures, keep a log, and let us know how it goes! Good luck, and happy Motoring!

 

Gromit801 has a NAM Member's Guide thread over in the Off-topic forum.

 

I'll be doing an out and and back from Phoenix to Springfield, IL the end of the month in my new Clubman. I'll be sure to wave as I pass you on the road. Like you, just me, Mini and iPod on this run. I'll see if I can break the old record of 23.5 hours. Very possible with less gas stops.

 

we pick up our NFR/S Clubman at Minis of the Hamptons on 9/21 or so, go to a wedding in vermot, then drive home. But we're gutsier! We're doing it with the whole family! Me, my wife Cheryl, Alison (3 1/2) and Jenny (1 1/2). Should be interesting for sure. But we're taking more of a northern route as we're in north VT for the wedding....

Matt

 

Good Luck on your trip, I will be in NY on Long Island that week, I actually lived in the hamptons when I was a teenager. If you want to grab a bite I know a few good places that will be on your way, drop me a email. Also when in Memphis is you like BBQ you have to go to Corkeys for ribs.
Have a safe trip.
jim

 

Wow - out and back, not sure I could take that! At least on my first road trip that is! The longest time of driving for me a 15.4 hours in one of the days. I don't take much vacation time off of work, so I'm planning on taking it slow for a bit.

To get it all started, I'm taking a flight to JFK on 8/24 and then the Hampton Jitney (bus) to Southampton to the MINI Dealer.

One of the tallies I'm looking to keep is how many MINIs I see along the way and how many wave.

Once I get back to Phoenix and get the registration/plates/tint done, I'm looking forward to going to some of the local meets.

William

 

VERY COOL! Who is your MA at MINIs of the Hamptons? Mine is Jerry Halloran.

I have several folk that have "volunteered" to ride with me at various points along the way. I get the sneaky suspicion it's more about riding in the Clubman than having my company! For now, I'm looking at this as an 8 day journey to adjust with my new car AND take the long way home...

Best of luck with your trip!
William

 

Absolutely - will be sending you PM shortly. Is that "Corkeys" as in the movie? I do love BBQ, grew up in North Carolina and love how it's cooked in the Carolinas/Tennessee. I'm lucky enough to have two guys from Tennessee that have opened up a BBQ place in Phoenix - Honey Bears. Good, old fashioned Tennessee BBQ. It will be nice to eat at the source though.

Thanks again for the offer and wishes!

 

Sounds like your have your extended NAM family as remote co-pilots. Do keep us posted through the trip and be safe.

I once did a cross-country trip from Philly to LA in a Porsche in 2-1/2 days. Exhausting but at least I can say that I've done it.

 

I think he gets the "honor" of answering the e-mails!

Matt

 

I'm taking my computer, camera and video camera along with me and will do my best to run out of electronic film! I just found out today that the place I'm staying near the Tail of the Dragon does indeed have wireless.

I'll post my blog site link as soon as it's setup...

Thanks for the reply
William

 

Sounds like a really fun trip. I spent a few years living in Shelby as well. Enjoy it and take your time.