Passed you by, honked and you waved back. Nice to see another friendly Mini face.

 

Nice to see there still some friendly people out there because here in San Gabiel area they don't wave or say hello. Sad

 

That was me! I was on my way to the club's April Fools Drive. I try and wave at every chance I get but most of the others are going the other way at 70mph so you don't have much time. Always excited when I finally find a MINI on my side of the road

-Andy

 

Please post yours here. I have some daily....

JPS

 

Here is one for you:

Monday, April 4th, 1:00 pm
Parked...on Colorado Blvd. between Arapahoe and Dry Creek
In the Church parking lot. Could be there daily.
Pure Silver.

Who are you?

JPS

 

I see Mini's quite often, but like you said they don't seem to notice when blowing by on the other side of the highway. Once on C-470 I saw a red Mini with white stipes followed by the IDENTICAL Mini 3 cars back and I couldn't get a wave from either.

Saw a yellow Mini in the Albertsons parking lot in Highlands Ranch about a month ago. It was sporting the 5280 sticker, is that person here too?

 

As a new owner, it may have been me driving on c470, but I doubt it. I spend my time in the Broomfield to downtown Denver. It was cool yesterday morning when a Blue w/ Union Jack MINI pulled up next to me.

I give the thumbs up every chance I get.

 

I drive E-470 and C-470 five times a week in each direction for work so it could be that you have seen me... again! I seem to see alot of red ones on C-470. There is one that I have seen a few times around the city that has some sort of insurance logos on it, I try to wave but he is always on his phone...

-Andy

 

Saw the standard CR/W Mini on the way in this morning. I'm usually Westbound around 7:15ish and seems like I always see it a little past 7:20 as I get close to Wadsworth. Is that you? The morning sighting is a lot more consistent than the afternoon, but the times I leave vary then too.

The other day there was a business card on my Mini with the words "Hi Randy!" on them. Kinda cracked me up, having my Mini mistaken for the Mule. I carried that card for quite a while meaning to give it to Mr. Webb, but I seem to have misplaced it. So I have the first Mini mis-sighting!

Checked out the pictures from the April Fools run, was that typical? I was really impressed by the turnout! I had shown up for a breakfast and ride once and there was only the one other new Mini. Decent older turnout of 4 if I remember right. I had slotted 3 hours free from Dad duty and by the time we got on the road I really had to head home so I didn't stay long. Everyone was really nice, but it was a much smaller turnout that I was hoping for and sitting in my car for over an hour before everyone showed up to eat was a bummer so I hadn't attended anything else. Of course I'm not a member so who am I to complain! Just thought it might be interesting to get a "potential members" feedback as he checked out the club.

On another note, I passed a Fiat club that was on the side of the road last weekend and they all waved and gave me the thumbs up... BOTH times I passed! I've had older cars in the past and loved that sense of community. Those types of people are car nuts to the core. The sound of the angry Mini (magnaflow) made all conversation stop as they located the source. I miss belonging to a group of other car enthusiasts so I will probably check out another club event this spring. It's weird with a newer car for some reason.

My old general British Car Club in Nebraska was great, although Hannah always found them stuffy! Other than Marcus and I (who we named our son after... just over 1 week old now) the club was generally over 50 and we were in our 20's. They really made me feel accepted though, and they got a kick out of the kid with the Lotus and the British chap with the TVR tearing by them at over 100 while they putzed down the highway.

Geesh, am I rambling! However I know that clubs are often interested as to what appeals to people looking to join a club. I love all of the outings you seem to have planned all the time. I would love a track day, but money and a day off can be hard for a father of two with a stay at home mom... at least on MY income!

I LOVE my Mini, just trying to decide if a newer car can have a soul and people associated with it that feel like family. The guy who runs the Colorado Conclave show is in my building and it didn't take us long to find each other! Of course, the fact that he either drives the Sunbeam Tiger or DeTommaso Pantera to work when it's not raining made THAT inevitable.

OK, I'm sure the forum limits me to 1000 words or something so I'll stop. Great to have found you guys and I hope to check out some upcoming events soon!

 

Nice Post. When one reads something that long, and reads it all the way thru, it must be good.

Consider this your invite to join MINI5280. Heck, for the small fee we will give you 40 chances or so to commune with other MINI lovers. Pick a few events that appeal to you and join us.

Contact us at our site online at www.mini5280.org or contact Rick at Membership@MINI5280.org for more information.

Hope to see you soon...

Jonathan

 

I was spotted by a club member who left a card. Purple MCS with white stripes. There was also a yellow MCS in the same lot (at the School of Mines show) that didn't have a club sticker but DID have a Club Lotus sticker! Weird having just spent the morning with Lotus cars!!!Thanks for spotting me.

 

who came out there after he spent the AM detailing my car. Contact him at Membership@MINI5280.org for club information...

JPS

 

So in my travels today I saw a bunch of Minis! Once again there was the odd 2 red ones about 3 car lengths apart on C-470 to start my day. Front one had black stripes. On the way down to the springs I didn't see any Minis but I saw a new Ford GT! (on a flatbed) On the way back I hooked up with a green on as I got off in Castle Rock. As I turned to go over to 85 there was a grey one on the otherside with (I'm not kidding) what must have been 9 police behind him with flashing lights!!! They appeared to be trying to go around him though. <whew> Lost my green motoring companion at Titan and passed another Mini that flashed and waved near Roxbourough. Got on C-470 and caught a Red 05 S that I waved at as I got off at Broadway. What a Mini filled day!

 

I see plenty of you, but haven't gotten a chance to see you face to face. So -- if you see an Indi Blue MINI with sunroof and Indiana plates around Loveland and Fort Collins, that's me. (My husband and I moved here a few months ago, but we've been slacking on the plates.)

I see different MINIs almost every time I'm at the King Soopers on south Taft in Loveland. If you see me, please say hello! I need to meet more people around here anyway! :smile:

 

We have seem plenty of MINIs in Denver Frontrange. In fact, if you want to see, chat, and hang out with more MINIs and their beloved owners, MINI5280 - the motoring society of the Rocky Mountain region - would be a great place! If you are not yet a member, might be worth it to become one! HAPPY MOTORING!!!

 

Have not heard from you since the MOTR Halloween Ride. You will be happy to know that we have just decided to expand MINI5280 and establish two sub chapters to MINI5280, one being Northern CO and the other Colo Springs. Please stay tuned for announcements in these forums, but we would love to have you in, active, and involved.

Thanks,

Jonathan

 

excellent! thanks! definitely looking forward to more events up this way.

yeah, I'm sure this summer we'll be joining more drives again. Seems like any time one popped up, it just wasn't a good weekend for us. If you need any help organizing things for the northern group, let us know. I'm sure my hubby has plenty of ideas for drives and things to do -- and since he does web development, we may be able to help in that area as well, if you ever need more assistance with that.

-Beth

 

*Bump!*

MINI sightings are more rare in Colorado Springs than in Denver metro, but I saw two this morning - a brand new pepper white/black on Barnes just west of Powers at 7:30 AM and a chili red/white heading south on Marksheffel at about 7:45. (This obviously excludes the BRG/B and EB/W I see at work at SAFB every day)

If either of you new '05 MCS owners sees this and wants to try and put together a quick motor, drop me a PM. . .

Happy motoring!

Bill

 

Bill,

I agree. Sightings in the Springs can be rare. I usually find that they are in spurts. I especially notice a lot more out on nice days and weekends here. On days with the type of weather that motoring enthusiasts would likely consider good convertable motoring weather, I notice ALOT more MINI's out and about. This makes me think there are more owners here who have MINI's more as weekend drivers. I also notice a lot of rich women "I have to have one" type of owners up in the North end of town where I live. They make little effort to acknowledge other MINI owners.

If you are up north you may see me. DS/W with Stripes. White wheels. Occasionally sporting Black #3 meatballs on either the doors or the bonnet. My glass is fairly tattoo'd with various stickers. NAM, WMS, Alta, Apple, Acutal Size, and of course the obligatory MINI5280.org.

I may have seen you at walmart. DS/B with a set of Black side stripes. Whas that you? We may have had a brief chat about tires.

Sean

 

FYI...the Board of Directors of MINI5280 has recently met to discuss opening chapters in other parts of Colorado. We have decided to establish a Northern Colorado and a Colorado Springs chapter as well.

To be run as parts of MINI5280, this means that we can have a bigger, more active local presence and that pp like you can and will schedule more events locally.

We will continue to use the MINI5280.org site, NAM, and our online calendar here. But we will now have Northern and Southern events, rides, and news.

Pls let me know - this is for ALL of you - if you have an interest in working with us representing the Southern and Northern tiers. We will need help with calendar dates, rides, and logistics.

Thanks again,

Jonathan Souza
President@MINI5280.org

Rick Gonzales
Membership@MINI5280.org

JPS

 

Sean,

Nope, wasn't me. We have a DS/B, but no side stripes. My wife has the car 99.9% of the time, she commutes to Denver in it. We're ordering an '06 CR/B for her, then I'll inherit the old one. I think the other DS/B in town (at least the one I saw) is around Peterson somewhere.

If I ever do run into you, I'll talk tires. We have some Falkens on it now mounted on some ASA 5 spokes. Might make us easier to ID on the road.

So do you live or work up north, or both? I used to live in Briargate (Charleston Place,) just moved to University Park a few years back. I still tend to shop and eat and hang out up north - force of habit, I guess. . .

Oh, and why didn't we see you at the Poker Run?? Was a good time. . .

 

Jonathan,

I, for one, would like to see a more local chapter of 5280, but unfortunately I can't take an active role in the coordination/running/operations side of it at this point in time. I helped start a local chapter of the Colorado QuadRunners ATV club a while back, but that was before I had a wife and two (very) active daughters in my life. We're lucky to be able to drive the MCS for fun once a month!!

That said, if the local chapters don't work out in the near future, we'll sure try to make the Denver area events as time permits. . .

Bill P

 

Bill,

I live up north and work down south. I live around Austinbluffs & Research and I am an RN in the ICU @ Penrose Hospital on Nevada. If you were to spot me around town it might be on Powers, Woodmen, Union, North Academy, The Shops @ Briargate. We stay pretty much on the north end.

As far as the local Chapter goes...hopefully things will be starting to ramp up in the near future. Between Brad Mott and I hopefully the few rides/events that we plan will really help things to pick up down here. Once we are able to make club activities convenient and easily accessible for Springs owners I hope that participation and new membership will take a big leap forward.

Anyway. Click my sig and it will take you my website...pics and more.

Sean

 

Altho MINI5280 has not formally announced the two new chapters in Colorado Springs and Northern Colorado, they are a certainty.

Feel free to communicate on rides / activities / events and plan dates as you will.

Sean, I will open new threads for just such things...there are no holds barred!

As always, Happy Motoring and your announcements are coming soon.

JPS

 

As the weather turns warmer I plan to get out and explore some more of the route possibilities in this area. I know a few but I am sure that there has to be a lot of good driving around here that I don't know about.