North American Motoring - Waco Run 2013

[SIZE="5"]Waco Run 2013[/SIZE]

The Waco Run is back for 2013! This will be the NINTH iteration of the run and will revist our favorite roads from the past.

WHEN: This year, the Waco run will be held on Saturday, January 5, 2012.

HOW DO I JOIN IN ON THE DRIVE: The drive is for anyone who shows up along the way. You can meet us in Burleson for breakfast, after breakfast, in Glen Rose or just in Waco for lunch... it's up to you and you just show up.
Note: The drive IS NOT an official club event.

HOW DO I JOIN FOR LUNCH: Please sign-up for lunch by posting on the MM.org calendar, here: http://www.metroplexmini.org/forum/c...4&day=2013-1-5
Note: The lunch IS NOT an official club event, but the club has been nice enough to let us use the calendar function to track who is coming as the forum site we used before has been overrun by spammers.

WHAT THE HECK IS THE WACO RUN: For those of you who are new to Metroplex MINI, the Waco Run is a driving event that usually happens on the first Saturday following Christmas. Are you going to have 15 out-of-town relatives staying with you in your 1 bedroom apartment? Plan to celebrate a bit too much for New Years? The Waco Run is the way to recharge your soul. The date got pushed back because of how Christmas and New Years fall on the calendar, but we will still have a grand time.

We gather in Burleson, TX, a bit south of Fort Worth for an optional breakfast. Afterwards, we get organized and enjoy a spirited drive through twisty country roads on our way down to lunch in Waco, TX.

For the past several years, over 35 cars and 60-70+ people have participated in the run. It was the very first event I went to some 7 years ago where I 'got it'... where I learned how cool the MINI community is/was and where I felt a real connection.

HISTORY: The first 2 Waco Runs were organized by Uncle John. He sold his MINI and life got in the way so that he couldn't run the drive, so I picked it up as it was so much fun! I've organized Waco runs number 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. I absolutely love the drive with all of my MINI peeps, but my wife got a cool new job in San Francisco, so this will probably be my last year on the run. Dave has stepped forward to take ownership of the drive and Jo is going to be the new Scenic Group leader. I still hope to make it to the run this year, but things are in flux with the house going on the market, etc. I'm helping with a handoff to Dave and he has had training for years as the Spirited drive leader, so it will be an excellent event, as usual!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

8:30 to 9:30 – An optional Breakfast at Denny’s (868 NE Alsbury Blvd., Burleson, TX)
9:30 am – Leave from the gathering point, a parking lot next to the First National Bank of Burleson (899 NE Alsbury Blvd., Burleson, TX). Because of the number of traffic lights, we will split into smaller groups for the trip to Glen Rose. The bank is directly across the street from the Denny’s.
10:30-ish – Arrive at the Exxon in Glen Rose – Here’s a good chance to get some gas, pick up something to drink and hit the bathrooms. Please let the ‘scenic drivers’ get gas first as they will be departing first!
10:40-ish – Driver’s briefing – The ‘scenic’ drive group will depart immediately after the briefing.
11:10-ish – The ‘spirited’ drive group will leave about 20-25 minutes after the ‘scenic’ group heads out.
2pm – Arrive in Waco – Lunch will be at the Elite Circle Grill, same as the last couple of years. Lunch is usually around $20 per person and will be paid directly to the restaurant (final details are being worked out right now)

If you figure an hour for lunch and a 2-ish hour drive back to the DFW area, you will be getting home around 5 or 5:30ish that evening. There are usually a handfull of small caravans that make the drive home together that are organized by word-of-mouth at lunch. Some folks like to stop by the outlet malls that are along the highway on the way home to break out the gift cards that they got for Christmas.

WHAT IS A 'SCENIC' AND 'SPIRITED' RUN GROUP?: As usual, we will allow everyone to separate themselves into 2 different groups. Jo will lead a 'scenic' group that will keep a brisk pace in the twisty regions but will allow for a bit more enjoyment of scenery (recommended for new drivers on the run and people with passengers in the car). Dave will once again repeat his stellar role as leader of the 'sprited' drive group that will keep the pace moving all along the route.

Please mark the date on your calendar. Please RSVP on our Calender http://www.metroplexmini.org/forum/c...4&day=2013-1-5

Lots of detail on the route, photos from past years, etc is available over on www.WacoRun.com.

This is not an official club event.