I'm thinking of doing a MINI run on Saturday, September 19th. I'm trying to figure out a good starting place for most everyone to meet at. I was thinking of maybe Murfreesboro there at one of the shopping center parking lots along SR-96. Meet there say about 9:30 and leave at 10 AM. From there pick up SR-70S and go SE toward McMinnville. Just east of McMinnville we would pick up SR-30 to go to Fall Creek Falls State Park. According to my mapping software this should take about 1:45 to drive it.

I'm going to check to see if we can reserve a picnic shelter so we can have a picnic lunch there. After lunch we can drive around the park some and look around.

Once we're done there we can drive on to Rock Island State Park. Should take about 45 minutes to an hour to get there. We can drive around there some and also hike around some also. Hopefully this will take us to about 5 PM. That's when the Foglight Foodhouse opens for supper.

http://www.foglight-foodhouse.com/index.htm

Depending on how many show will determine on whether or not I will need to make reservations.

Well, what do you think of my route and plans?
Let me know what you think and if you are interested in joining in.

Idea - meet in the Moe's/jason's deli parking lot at intersection of Thompson Ln/Medical Ctr Pkwy. There is a coffe shop right there that is locally owned that is really good just across from my Moe's. Anyone who needed some Joe before you Go could get some there. Good bagels etc. Big parking lots there. It would be good to support the non-Starbucks as I know they need the business.

Thanks for the suggestion! I know where you are talking about. Nice large parking lots in that area and easy to get to.

I know it's still a month away, but I need to get a general idea of how many plan to attend. This way I will know whether or not to reserve a picnic shelter and reservations at the restaurant.

I'm cross posting this to the Mid-Tennessee MINI's website also.

Think I'll start a list of who's coming along including how many people.

1) HalAC - 2

2) Greywolf40 - 3

3)LeahLuvsMINIs - 2

4) Ryan - 1

5) Karissa - 1


I'll add others as you contact me. This way I can give a heads up to the restaurant owner on how many plan to attend.

Hey all! I would love to go with you guys but my Scion club is taking a cruise that same day, to the same place oddly enough. If you guys wanted to tag along with us you could always do that. The more the merrier you know.

Here is the link to the tread if you guys would be interested
http://www.musiccityscions.com/forum...ead.php?t=1899

It's about a month away now, so I'll start posting few more details.

I think we should meet up at Moe's Southwest Grill on Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Maybe start meeting about 9AM and leave at 10. There's a coffee shop and a deli near by if you want to pick up something for the trip. Remember to bring a picnic lunch and something to drink. Also don't forget to have a full tank of gas before starting the trip. I've reserved a picnic shelter at Fall Creek Falls. I believe there are grills if you want to cook some burgers or hot dogs.

Please let me if you plan to attend and how many will be in your party so I can let the restaurant know how many to expect.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Hal,
I haven't been able to commit to this as we hit the ground running when we got home. We're still going back and forth on what's going on (Scouts and farm stuff), plus have a dog who's just recently had surgery, a horse with a bad foot, and another horse about to go off for some extra training. That is if I can get his fat self into my horse trailer. He's gained so much weight I don't think he'll fit! Tub O'Lard!

So, Sorry I can't be more specific, but if I do get to come, it will most likely be just me... I'll keep in contact with you about it as we get closer to the date.

Oh- do you want to PM me your cell number? If I do get to go, I'll have to leave early as M-boro is about an hour + away from me...

Thanks- V

I'll looking forward to it...come one, come all!


Bill "Greywolf" DiNatale

Called the Foglight Foodhouse yesterday and found out they will be closed on Saturday the 19th. So I did some quick research and found a place down close to Manchester. My supervisor at work has been there several times and he has given it a glowing review. It is Boskey's Grill at WillowBrook Golf Course. Below is a link that shows the menu.

http://www.golfwillowbrook.net/sites...681&page=38251

Hope this is good for everyone who is going on the run.

Again I will need to know very soon how many plan to go so I can call the restaurant to give them a "heads up".

My friend Ryan is coming with his MINI!

1+!

One other thing I thought we should have with us on the trip are some FRS walkie-talkie radios. If you have one tune it to channel 12, sub-channel 9. I have a few spares in case you don't have one.

Had a great time on the run. Great job HalAC. Met some super people (aren't all Mini Owners Super?).

Some nice vista's and some cool twisties! Rain behaved itself.

See you out there...where the tire meets the road.

Bill "Greywolf" DiNatale

So sorry I couldn't make it! Hal I got your message, but not until later yesterday... I had forgotten I had turned my phone to "tickle me" until it did just that. Then I realized I had a few messages from calls I hadn't known I'd gotten...
We had some wicked bad rain up this way. In fact, it was so bad, I pulled into Best Buy and my daughter and I stayed in there until it slowed down enough to actually drive.
I wish I had made it. Y'all sound like you had fun.

Looks as though a good time was had by all. We had a total of four MINIs, two starting from Tullahoma and meeting at Murfreesboro. We waited until 10 AM but no one else showed up.

Onward to meet up with Leah and her friends in Woodbury for a total of four MINIs. From there we motored through McMinnville and picked up SR 30 to take us to Fall Creek Falls (FCF) State Park.

This is where it got fun. Sections of this road just prior to and just after the town of Spencer are reminiscent the Tail of the Dragon. Just not as long. One advantage this road has over the Dragon is some of the sharp right handers have a shoulder that is wide as a standard lane. Makes for a really good line on the turn. We were lucky that the rain had held off from that area early in the morning. Roads for the most part were dry.

Once we entered FCF, we headed to the picnic shelter I had reserved. That came in handy since just as we arrived it started to rain. But the rain didn't last too long. After lunch and good conversation, we headed out to see some of the beautiful waterfalls and scenery. And even though the speed limits in the park are slow ( 20 & 30 MPH) some of the roads are still quite interesting at those speeds.

Once we made a tour of the park we took another route that took us west then north back up to SR 30. We went for a short distance then picked up a back road that would eventually take us back to SR 70s. But not before some more twists and turns with a good share of ups and downs. We did have a couple of encounters with dogs in the roads. Nothing bad though, just had to slow down and a honk or two of the horn sent them on their way. Oh, there was also a rooster that was haulin' butt across the road in front of me.

When we got back onto SR 70s we headed to Rock Island State park. Unfortunately we were unable to get to see the waterfalls there due to a helicopter striking some cross country power lines that cross right at the falls. Fortunately no one was hurt and the copter was able to land safely.

After a pit stop at this park, one of our MINI friends had to head back home to Knoxville. The rest of us got back on SR 70s to head to Willow Brook golf course where we had supper at Boskey's Grill. The food was good and there was a live three piece band playing blue grass music.

After supper we all said our goodbyes and headed home. Tired but had a very good time.

I hope to do this and other routes throughout the year. Who knows, I might even do a drive for MOTD 2010.