Hey guys!

I joined NAM 5 months ago, immediately before deciding to buy my boss’ irresponsibly maintained R53 MCS. I then proceeded to frantically work as much as I could at my internship to be able to fix my newly acquired MINI before the end of the summer, so (hopefully) I could go on a West Coast road trip with my girlfriend….

Everything that could have gone wrong with preparations had gone wrong. Two weeks ago, my A/C compressor seized and blew chunks of metal through the entire system. The following day, my window motor broke. Last week, when I went to get an alignment on the $600 of suspension components I put in, they couldn’t align it because BOTH wheel bearings were jiggling (the following day, they started growling btw). Good eye, Mr. Mechanic.

Well, against all odds/speculation, it happened. Without a/c, sure—but it happened. I’m not much of a blogger/internet type, but I’ve really come to appreciate the community and advice I’ve found here. So...I’ve decided to tell the following tale of Sunflower’s West Coast Adventure here! Nobody I’m friends with on Facebook gives a crap anyway, haha. It'll be blog-style, with as many photos as I can fit. Sorry in advance--I'm really bad at being succinct.

 

Changed my mind on the format of the posts. I think a photo with a little blurb about each will be easier.

---------DAY 1---------



I snapped this photo at the Desert View rest area, after driving through 120F desert heat with no air conditioning.

 

---------DAY 2---------



The owner of the AirBnB we stayed at also drove a MINI! Had to snap this photo.

 

---------DAY 3---------




Broke camp at Morro Dunes RV Park. Highly recommend, $30/night and right on the beach!



Morro Bay was so peaceful. The rocky outcropping dominated the skyline in the best of ways.



ZEBRAS on the PCH. WHAT?!



Stopped for a quick photo at Big Sur!




Who said MINIs weren't versatile vehicles? The roof of mine worked wonderfully as a kitchen. :D

 

---------DAY 4---------




Broke camp in Monterey Veterans' Memorial State Park. Great place to camp!



Bought a sunflower for Sunflower. Figured $1 was worth a nice photo.



Stopped for a photo along the PCH about an hour north of Monterey.



Sunflower visits a farm!



Drove by an airfield south of San Francisco, figured it would be a cool photo.

 

---------DAYS 5 & 6---------

We explored San Francisco mostly on foot, so the only MINI photos I got were on our way out of the city.




We ate lunch in a park on the the Painted Ladies.



Sunflower at the Painted Ladies!



Sunflower at the Golden Gate Bridge! It was way too windy and cold to set up a nice photo.

 

---------DAY 7 & 8---------

We hightailed it from San Francisco to the Avenue of the Giants in the middle of the night. Didn't stop for many photos.




Sunflower in the Avenue of the Giants!



Someplace between Avenue of the Giants and Portland. Fog was awesome, though.

 

---------DAY 9 & 10---------




The entrance to Washington Park in Portland!



Sunflower takes Mt. St. Helens!

 

Oh very cool pics! Thanks for sharing.

Looks like a fun trip for sure!