I went to the breakfast at Lincoln Park Zoo and then headed up to Road America with a pit stop at Lambs Farm. The traffic on the way up was pretty bad but I thought having access to the tracks at Road America made up for it. First being able to test drive new mini's on the smaller track was fun, although I wish the track was bigger. Then being able to take our own Mini's out on the big track was fun but (I know, there is always a but), having so many Mini's on the track led to some traffic jams which brought back memories of the trip up there. Made you feel like you spent a lot of your day in traffic jams. I know it was suppose to be a parade, but maybe they should have had someone spacing out the cars and told us how fast to go to make it actually like a parade and to then avoid the traffic jams that resulted. And there were no personnel anywhere along the track to see/assist with what was going on. I still enjoyed parts of the parade when we were actually motoring. And did enjoy everything else including meeting up with alot of other mini lovers. What did you think?

 

Traffic was bad, but the group I was with made it fun. Hooray for swerving from side to side haha! I was thinking the same thing, I know its called a parade lap. But I had the urge to unleash my mini on a race track. The test drive was fun, too short though. Test drive and parade laps were some what of teases for me, it just made me want more.

 

During the swerving back and forth I really thought about doing some complete circles just like the guys on mowers during parades!

overall a great time but 4 hours stuck in traffic is a bit much for a day...

 

I had a great time, don't get me wrong.

I just was hoping it would be as much fun and filled with the same amount of adventure as AMVIV. I was convinced we would have some cruises out in the WI country on twisties, I thought there would be more vendors. Actual parade/track time set up in increments so it wasn't one lap 38:52 mins. Although I have to admit the swerving, full circles and fire-drills made it fun! Not to mention, the MI motoror that was using his hand outside the door on the ground to push his way around.


It was great fun, I am just always ready to go go go.

 

We had a terrific time. The kids loved it, my wife had a blast and drove several laps at the autocross, and I had Fastest Time of the Day on gokarts. I went back right at the end and did one more race, and ended up losing that race (and almost killing Chad and another guy from Detroit when I had a little 'incident'). But then I found out the guy that beat me was Stu Hayner, professional race car driver. And I made it close, so that was very very cool.

Who said it wasn't an event for kids, though?

 

That's because you weren't stuck in traffic for the better part of the morning.

 

We had a good time but my son was bummed that he was not allowed to ride along on the test drives or take a go kart for a spin.
Overall everyone I was with enjoyed the day.
Thanks MINI.

 

yeah, with the two little kids, we made the command decision to skip chicago all together and just went to International Autos for their breakfast and drive up to road america. We rolled into the track at about 12:30, at which time most of you were probably stuck somewhere on a freeway in Chicago.

We really did have the place half empty from when we got there until about 3 or so.

 

Overall, I thought things went pretty well (traffic notwithstanding).

The event at UIC was great. I was very impressed with the area and was very happy to see so many familiar faces (local and otherwise).

I really enjoyed viewing the spectacle at the Zoo the next morning. All of those MINIs lined up to roll and especially the looks from the public. It was quite a sight. I know the traffic was a point of displeasure for many. But I had the opportunity to assist the event by having one of the video people ride with me up to RA from the Zoo. It made the drive a lot more enjoyable. The drive through WI wasn't as interesting because we weren't in a group of MINIs.

RA was a time for me to visit and catch up with as many people as I could before going back home for the night. From seeing many CMMC and MKE folks, 'Sota MINI friends, to hanging and chatting a bit with Waylen/Jenny, Chad/Tori, and the many other friends I've met from MOTD over the years, it made the trip worth every minute in traffic. then to have a video guy in the car with me for the parade lap... that was really cool for me. I hope they got a lot of good video!

Then meeting the group at Ridemakerz on SUN was a nice way to end the weekend. Again, meeting with a group to chat and hang out is always a highlight for me. Hope everyone made it home ok, especially those who travelled from far away.

did anyone get a pic of a BRG/G MCC with a video person hanging out??? let me know!!

 

I don't think I have any pics (you were behind us, CR/B MCC from MO) however the person in front of me shot a lot of video and still pics that should include you. I don't recall what state, but their plate was "WHEE." Anyone know who that is?

 

Someone got a pic of a DS/B MCS with a photog person hanging out...

 

She was all over at RA taking photos.

 

I'll have to check around as people start to post links from the event. While on the track, I kinda felt like the kid with the hall pass when everyone was stopped on the track, we started to drive up and around so we could get more video of other people on the track (that's how we ended up behind you.. love the dipping stix from MOTD btw...) so to everyone we passed (and started to yell at us...) no harm done, hope you end up on their video

check out my pics by clicking the flickr link in my sig

 

Being that we was able to drive from the north to RA about 60 miles we were able to avoid the traffic. But the "parade lap" on the track more than made up for; I felt like I was in Chicago!

I've toured MANY a time on RA with other clubs and RA events over the past 20 years and I NEVER had happen to me what happened Saturday with the Parade lap. I think a hiccup developed when some of the touring MINIs stopped to gain some space to let it all out on the track in a short spurt. I think to improve that in the future the coordinators need track spotters or maybe instruction to the drivers - DO NOT STOP ON THE TRACK! And perhaps with as many MINIs as there were trying to get on the track that maybe there should have been a split group with two sessions (if time allows).

I was hoping to post my in car video of the Parade lap(s) but there isn't much to show except my last spurt I had from turn 14 up to the start/finish line before we had to exit the track just before turn 1. Maybe next time.

Overall however, it was really a great experience. The vendors, the MINI store, the test track, go-carts and the Blues Traveler concert. Very well planned out and enjoyable. And of course the weather was really great!
I'd do it again when MTTS comes around in 2010.

I've attached a few photos I took.

 

After some thought, I've decided that the big thing I would have liked is more time at Road America. Arriving at 3pm, I had barely three hours to check everything out (the marketplace, test drives, go-karts, but most of all the other MINIs and meeting the owners who came from out of town) before the parade lap and Blues Traveler. A lot of that had to do with traffic delaying the trip from Chicago to RA, which should have been easily anticipated, in my opinion. It kind of turned the drive into a hurry-up-let's-get-there stressful drive instead of a leisurely one.

But I had fun chauffeuring one of the photographers up on the morning rally... it definitely made it easier to deal with the traffic. And having the largest turnout to date also was cool (that was the big thing for me--just to see all the MINIs at the zoo).

On the way back home Saturday night I caught up with what appeared to be the MINIUSA caravan (a whole lot of Jersey plates in a group) motoring down I-43... that was a nice little way to cap the night. I also went out to shoot some photos of the caravan to Ridemakerz on Sunday afternoon as they passed through Kettle Moraine South but unfortunately the turnout wasn't as huge as it was Saturday--maybe that's a good thing, though, because my camera couldn't keep up with the MINIs that did pass by.

 

I was disappointed that you have to be 21 to participate in the parade lap. As I watched a good amount of people spin tires onto the track, it made me a little upset that the maturity level was the same as ones first day of having a license. With more track experience than 3/4 of the crowd, it felt a little unfair that I could not participate in a nice easy ride around the track with everyone else. Same thing in Miami, too.
The traffic also sucked, taking almost 5 hours to get there made me feel like I had missed much of the day's activities, with little time to test drive the works cars on a track that gets smaller at every MTTS event. Blues traveler was great, and the friday night meet was the best one yet, with free food and activities to do before watching the movie.

 

I don't see the "maturity" level problem with spinning the tires, I think someone is just grumpy they didn't get on the track. If its okay to spin your tires anywhere, a track with slow moving traffic is the place to do it. Besides Spinning the tires was about as much as you could do, seeing as it took 3 1/2 days to get around the track.

 

Like all events there are things that could have been done better now that they are done. I know MINI USA made changes to this event up to the last min to make it the best it could be from the things they learned at the 1st two events.

Over all I think MINI USA did a fine job planning and working TWO remote locations from 1000's of miles away. While I would not have designed the routes they did everyone got there SAFE and SOUND.

The 21 rule is a RA rule not a MINI USA rule and 21 is the rule at most tracks.

A tip of the hat to MINI USA, all the Vendors, Bands, RA and All of YOU that made MTTS Chicago/RA the largest of the 1st 3 events.

YOU ROCK!

 

My thoughts:

Overall a good event that with a few tweaks could have been a great event. The Road America set up and activites were the highlight for me. Love the test drives, and mostly the go karting. Like another said I expected more vendors.

The Friday night meet was fun, but I don't think a movie is the best choice for the opening night meet and greet. People want to mingle and talk on opening night, and the park conditions were not good for a movie. Food was good there!

Saturday meet at the zoo was a great idea and it was wonderful to see so many MINI's lined up and the expression on other people's faces as they went by.

Worst issue - traffic. From Saturday to Lamb's Farm, the RA "parade lap" and the end of the route to RideMakerz these were the times most in need of tweaking. Everyone that lives the Chicago area knew the route and time estimates from the zoo to RA were unachievable. Turning this portion over to the local club would be a good choice. The rotue to Ridemakerz was very scenic for the first 2/3, but then it had you go west on I43 to Rockford the east on I90 to Schaumburg? It was like someone gave up and didn't finish the route. I knew of several much more scenic and more direct routes, but at the time was leading the final group of cars and thought it best to stay the course rather than confuse/lose people. Others have pointed out improvement ideas for the RA lap. Although the swerving was fun when we were moving!

BMWCCA puts on a national event every year, Oktoberfest, that changes location every year. They rely on the local clubs for much of the coordination of routes and such. MINI USA could learn some things by talking with that team down in Spartanburg.

Overall I had fun, and hope to do another soon. Always fun to motor with fellow MINIacs.

Jim

 

+1

As a vendor I was disappointed that the 2 day event became a 3 hour event for the most part by the time most of the guests got to RA. I know many of the vendors LOST money on this event. It was a risk and part of biz, not sure that I would be a vendor again without seeing many of the changes listed above. They could also learned a few things from the last few MOTD events and Vegas events.

 

I brought up the traffic issue months ago. I don't think MINI realized that RA is three hours from Chicago. Then add in traffic and a stop at the petting zoo. No thanks. That is why we skipped Chicago and just left from Kenosha. We had our three MINI caravan and made it to RA in an hour and a half.

 

We had a great time. Yes, the traffic was worse than usual, but it was still fun riding in a convoy of Minis. Blues Traveler was great, and the parade lap was fun, even if we did go faster side-to-side than forward. All in all we loved it and wished they did it every year.

 

While they dont do a formal MTTS every year we could come up with a larger event like in Vegas or MINI in the mountains or the Dragon in the midwest?

dont know just an idea!

 

I was able to make Vegas (AMVIV) this year and the Dragon (MOTD) the past two years. Both are incredible events. If you had fun at MTTS-Chicago or any of the other MTTS events, I promise you that the other national events are all as good and larger than MTTS.

I was AMAZED how many fellow MINI owners I spoke with on Saturday never heard of the MOTD. I urge those of you that want to expand your MINI travels to other MINI events to read the listings of National Events here on NAM. Then make plans to attend one of these events at least once. You make so many new MINI friends and have fun driving to and from the events at the same time.

Perhaps MTTS/MINI USA should adopt one of these National events in the "off year" of MTTS and support the clubs that do such a fine job of hosting events such as AMVIV and MOTD. MINI USA could help relieve some of the financial burden it takes to put these events on which would help reduce the registration fees associated with going to the other events. I'm sure these groups would welcome MTTS/MINI USA support. And what a great way for MINI USA to show off their product to captive audience!

 

Well your wish is coming true next year. http://www.minimeet09.org/
Please join the Mini/MINI enthusiasts of Minnesota for a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the classic Mini and the 9th birthday of new MINI.

See You There, Dustin