The Dragon is near! For those of you who don't know, "MINIs on the Dragon" is the single largest MINI gathering of the year. For the last 4 years, MINIs from all over America have gathered near Deal's Gap, NC to drive and enjoy the "Tail of the Dragon". The event is (formally) a 4 day gathering in the hills of western North Carolina, high to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, and about 75 miles from Knoxville, TN. www.TailoftheDragon.com

Anyway, for the third year running MINI5280 will send a contingent to the Dragon. The plan this year is as follows, subject to change:

• Leave Denver on Saturday, April 28th headed easterly thru Nebraska. Pick up Jim Petersen (Zyamfier) in Nebraska and end Day 1 at the new MINI dealer in Omaha, NE. Use as many back roads as possible, and overnight in Omaha. Stop at as many mom-and-pop eateries as we can find, in search of the Holy Food Grail along the way: The Pork Tenderloin Sandwich.
• Day 2, Sunday, leave Omaha eastbound thru Iowa, still in search of the Grail. Overnight in St. Louis, MO. enjoying a wonderful Italian meal on the Hill with our hosts, the StL MINI club. Pick up additional MINI drivers along the way.
• Day 3, Monday, leave StL eastbound thru Illinois and southern Indiana, still in search of the Grail. Pick up additional MINI drivers along the way. www.MINIsontheDragon.info
• Day 5, Tuesday, leave Indiana southbound thru Kentucky and Tennessee, ending up just south of Knoxville in Maryville, TN and only about 50 miles from the Dragon. Roadfood and the Holy Grail along the way. www.DealsGap.com
• Day 6, Wednesday, to the Dragon. Check in at Fontana Resort, the host for the Dragon event. www.FontanaResort.com Spend the day buzzing back and forth on the Dragon, as well as the close-by Hellbender 28, an equally interesting and fun driving road.
• Days 7, 8 and 9 will be spent back and forth on the Dragon, enjoying the Smokies, driving the Cherohala Skyway, attending Welcome Dinners and Cigar Salons and BrewSwaps and Beerlympics and more.
• Rather sad and melancholy drive home leaves early on Sunday morning, May 6th, arriving Denver late Monday night May 7th (yes, it is a 2 day drive even on the Interstate).

More information? Watch the link in the MINI5280 Forum right here in NAM at

Dragon Roadfood Tour in MINI5280 Forums

Tail of the Dragon Forum in NAM

Please join us. If you cannot leave as early as the Caravan, you can still leave as late as Tuesday night and make it by Thursday afternoon. That was our agenda the last 2 years, this year we are allowing more time.

Thanks,

Jonathan