Recently finished a 2500 mile road trip in my S and have the following thoughts and suggesions:

MINIs make fine road trip cars if you're accustomed to packing light. I normally travel by motorcycle, so packing light is second nature to me.

Satellite radio is well worth the bux. Otherwise you're going to be subject to the quality and content of AM radio in Hose Dripping, Alabama at three in the morning and you'll hate yourself.

No matter how perfectly those construction barrels are spaced for a little high speed slalom, no matter how perfect a MINI is to slalom those barrels, and no matter how much your MINI tugs at your sleeve to do it, be aware that the State Police take an exceedingly dim view of slaloming construction barrels even if you miss all of them.

When asked by a State Trooper in Tennessee if you know why he pulled you over, it's not a good idea to tell him that your inner child is giggling madly and figures that he pulled you over to check out your cool little car, but that your inner adult is kind of pissed about the whole thing and is looking for a board to club your inner child like a harp seal pup. Unless you actually like being pulled from the car, cuffed and searched.

Oh, yeah, don't slalom the Botts Dots either.

MINIs are not invisible to radar.

Plan on spending at least five minutes per gas stop answering questions about "whut the hell's 'at little thang?"

Even one of those little quickie half-second naps behind the wheel that you used to be able to get away with in your other car will end up with you careening wildly across the median. Which will pretty much obviate the need to take another little quickie half-second nap for maybe the next ten years. And make it almost impossible to blink for at least an hour.

 

Must have been one heck of a trip...:smile:

 

Good post!

 

Totally Hilarious!

but...
...what are Botts Dots?

 

If I'm thinking of the correct thing, Botts Dots are little white domes that take the place of painted lines on roads and highways. You bump over them when changing lanes which, I think, is the whole point of them. Like a rumble strip but in the middle of the road. They can't put them on the roads in the north because the snow plows would wipe them out.

 

Buddah - buddah - buddah - buddah - ..............go my 'lil tires over dem damn bott dots.

They're supposed to keep you awake if you have one of those "half second naps" and start to wander.:smile:

 

Sounds like fun. I had a trooper pull me over for doing 100mph (on cruise control) in my old Mercedes. He was going the other direction, noticed the car (not the speed) and pulled me over because "We don't drive flashy cars like that around these parts..." (That was in South Dakota by the way...)

 

Spunky, how about sharing some more details about your roadtrip route? Where'd you start, which states did you go through, where'd you end up? I have taken two 6+ week roadtrips, #1 was 10+K miles, #2 was 8+K miles. I found the MINI to be extremely comfy, even fully-loaded down with my ridiculous amount of luggage. I sure know what you mean about allotting more time at fuel-stops to discuss our MINIs.

Tell us more!

Clo/Wanda

 

I've always wanted to slalom those orange barrels, just never thought I would get away with it. Are you on a home monitoring device now?