Mark your calendars and save the dates! Registration for the 7th annual Blue Ridge Parkway Tour will begin February 21st, 2014.

This year Tar Heel Mini Motoring Club will be running the BRP from North to South. Stay tuned for more details as the registration date approaches.

Happy Motoring!

Lorraine
THMMC Dollars & Cents Chick

 

Registration is now open for the Blue Ridge Parkway Tour 2014! Head over to Motorsportreg.com to sign up.


On this 7th annual running of the BRP we will travel from north to south. Using the registration system, you can let us know whether you will be doing the whole thing or just certain days. You can also place your orders for registration packages and t-shirts. You may notice we are charging a bit more for t-shirts this year. Based on some feedback we received, we are offering some slightly nicer t-shirts.

As we have done the past couple years, we will use groups to help participants experience the BRP Tour in a way that best suits their goals for the journey. The groups are:

• Bear Group - this group will travel the BRP at a leisurely pace with plenty of stops to take in the scenery. Expect minimal excursions off the BRP. But lots of time in fellowship with other MINI owners. The plan is to be unrushed and take in the beauty of the BRP.

• Wolf Group - this group will have a mix of everything. Stops for scenery, some spirited runs, some leisurely stretches, some off-BRP add-ons. This group is for those more interested in the experience than in sticking to a schedule or seeing any particular place. Be ready for the unexpected and willing to roll with changes.

• Otter Group - this group will really focus on the twisties. This means there will likely be several off-BRP add-ons, possibly at the expense of some overlooks and maybe even missing a mile or two of the BRP. It is anticipated that most runs, especially stuff off the BRP, will be done in a spirited manner.


We also have a couple unique opportunities available this year (both are tentative):


• Skyline Drive pre-BRP Tour Event - We (the leaders of the Otter group) are planning a pre-BRPT run to start at the north end of the Skyline Drive at 3:00 pm and head south on Thursday, June 12th to arrive in Staunton in time for the opening BRP Tour dinner. If you have the time and want to get in an extra day of motoring, you may want to sign up for this pre-event. All drivers will head (via speed routes probably) to Front Royal, VA to have lunch (venue TBD) at around 2:00 pm on Thursday. This pre-run is to get our shoes warmed up for the Blue Ridge Parkway Tour. Note: you don't have to sign up to be in the Otter group to drive this pre-run. See y'all there!

• Pure BRP - Jeff Causey is planning to run a parallel group to the regular BRP Tour. The goal of this group is to stay on or within sight of the BRP the whole time. The only instances when the group may get off of the BRP will be for a gas stop and to attend the Saturday evening event. The group will be trying to get ahead of some of the other groups to get some pics/vids of MINIs on the BRP and stop at more overlooks and other locations. This group is expected to be limited to only 6-10 MINIs and is dependent on lodging being available (which means it may not even happen). This group is not recommended for first time participants or those who feel a need to stick to a schedule.


Some links with information and other helpful stuff:

• Hotel Information
• BRPT Facebook
• BRPT Google+
• BRPT Twitter
• BRPT Info Blog

If you have any trouble with the registration system or have questions about what you may be signing up for, please feel free to post on the THMMC forum or send an email to jcauseyfd at the domain of gmail.


We look forward to seeing you in June on the Blue Ridge Parkway!

 

Registration is open! Bear, Otter, Wolf - something for every driver's ability. Don't have the time off to run end-to-end? Start and end on the days that work with your schedule.



Some links with information and other helpful stuff:

• Registration
• Hotel Information
• BRPT Facebook
• BRPT Google+
• BRPT Twitter
• BRPT Info Blog

 

Don't forget to register and get your hotels booked!

Twisties, Scenic Overlooks, a whole lot of Motoring Friends, and a couple of MINI selfies

Scenic Roads


MINIACS


MisterQ hasn't quite mastered the Selfie

 

An update on registration ... you know you want to join us .. the Twistys are calling your name!

So far we have 12 Bear, 13 Otter and 7 Wolf. Of the 32 registered MINIs, 19 are hoping to do the Skyline Drive on Thursday in preparation for the BRP.

Hotels are booking up don't delay! See you on the parkway!

 

Reminder - today is the last day to register and be able to place a t-shirt order. We also cannot guarantee registration packages for anyone who registers after today. So be sure to hit the link to head over to MSR if you want to get that t-shirt order in and get signed up for the BRP Tour!

Click here to register!

Construction/Repairs have been completed on the BRP - group leaders are busy planning their routes, it'll be a weekend of Motoring you are sure to enjoy!

 

I had originally planned to attend this event, and may have signed up, but my plans have changed. I can't tell whether I am registered or not, but if I am, I won't be going. Sorry.

 

We'll miss you ... maybe you can join us next year for all or part of the run!

if you are registered, it would show up on your MotorSportReg account dashboard as "My Events". If you'd like, send me a PM with your real name, and I can look it up.

 

Registrations are still rolling in! Construction on the Parkway is completed, and soon it will start to come abuzz with traveler activity.

Our group hotel blocks are starting to be released, so it you're thinking about this one, you may want to make some calls to our selected hotels and get a reservation in place.

Here's a link to all the Hotel Information

 

It's nearly here! First DRAFT of the itineraries for ALL groups are available here:

http://www.tarheelminis.org/2014_eve..._itinerary.pdf

A couple quick notes:

- everything is always tentative; traveling as many miles over as much time as it takes means it is virtually impossible to keep to the timetable. We are MINI drivers, not train engineers after all (though if we had a train engineer in our group that would be pretty cool).

- for Sunday morning, we are still working on trying to organize a group photo. As we finalize those plans, we will let you know. That probably means the Sunday schedule will change.

- the Otter schedule is only a very loose estimate. You know those Otters - they hit the twisties and who knows how long it will be before they surface again.

If we have any major changes, we'll be sure to let you know.

Thanks for your patience and we look forward to seeing you next week!

 

ONLY FOUR MORE DAYS TO REGISTER!!

BRPT 7 is fast approaching. 469 miles, 50 Minis, 3 groups. Head over to MotorSportReg and get yourself registered for the entire tour, or any days you wish.

 

the BRPT 7 is in the books! Sounds like a good time was had by all. Thank you to all who came out! Be sure to check out our Facebook page and THMMC forum for lots of great pictures!

Join us for our Fall events, MINIPalooza in the Mountains (Sept 2-6, 2014) in Asheville, NC and the 12th Annual MINIs Slay the Sleeping Dragon (October 24-26, 2014) Fontana Village, NC.

Happy Motoring!