Event created by Edge
<p>It's that time of the year again! Spring is in the air, old man Winter is running off to hide, and the trees are starting to blossom!</p>
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<p>Just like I did <a href="http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/dc-metro-minis-archive/131437-sunday-apr-6th-and-20th-spring-fling-2008-sunday-drive-and-brunch.html" rel="external nofollow">in</a> <a href="http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/dc-metro-minis-archive/131437-sunday-apr-6th-and-20th-spring-fling-2008-sunday-drive-and-brunch.html" rel="external nofollow">previous</a> <a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=286" rel="external nofollow">years</a>, I'm organizing the Spring Fling run again, this time on <strong>Saturday, April 9</strong>. Generally speaking, I prefer to organize this event for the weekend following tax day... but this year I have to do it earlier for these reasons:</p>
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<ul><li>The IRS has extended the tax deadline to Monday, April 18<br /></li>
<li>The weekend following that (April 23/24) is immediately prior to MOTD, which would make things difficult for many people.<br /></li>
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<p>So... save the date for Saturday, April 9! Even if you haven't finished your taxes by then, you'll still have 9 more days after that to do them!</p>
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<p><strong>WHERE TO MEET:</strong> Sterling Wegmans parking lot (North-East corner)</p>
<p><strong>WHEN:</strong> Saturday, April 9 @ 9:30am. Driver's meeting at 9:50am. We depart at 10am <strong>sharp!</strong> <span style="color:#FF0000;"><strong>Don't be late!</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>WHAT TO BRING:</strong> Full tank of gas, 2-way radio, money to buy lunch (cash please - makes it easier for the check), sweater/raincoat/umbrella (if necessary, depending on weather) and a fun-loving attitude! :top:</p>
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<p>A quick refresher:</p>
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<p>One of my fondest MINI-related memories is the very first drive I ever participated in with DCMM - it was the Spring Fling, created by Bruce Pancoast (<a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/member.php?u=68" rel="external nofollow">mty_mini</a>), and organized with help from Jen Oakes (<a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/member.php?u=79" rel="external nofollow">Jen</a>) (who was our event coordinator at the time). This all happened on Sunday, April 24, 2005... only 6 or 7 weeks after I picked up my brand new MINI. Alan (<a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/member.php?u=2" rel="external nofollow">Scavenger</a>), who was getting his first exposure to the MINI, came along as my co-pilot.</p>
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<p>Meeting in the Sterling Wegmans parking lot (near MINI of Sterling), it was fun to meet a whole bunch of like-minded MINIacs all at once, for the first time. Little did I know just how much fun there was still to come... after grabbing some coffee and/or breakfast snacks from Wegmans.</p>
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<p>The roads were beautiful and twisty, and was such an awesome experience to be in a long line of MINIs for the very first time. We stopped for lunch at Orlean Market <span style="color:#000000;">in Upperville, VA</span> (in western Fauquier County), then continued on for wine tasting at Naked Mountain Vineyard & Winery after that, before heading all the way back to Wegmans.</p>
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<p>It was a long day (128 miles or so!), but <strong>so</strong> nice. Needless to say, I was eager to do this run again.</p>
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<p>Our lunch stop will be again be at <a href="http://www.griffintavern.com/" rel="external nofollow">Griffin Tavern</a> (<a href="http://www.griffintavern.com/menu_lunch.cfm?PageName=LunchMenu" rel="external nofollow">menu</a>), since Orlean Market closed down several years ago.</p>
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<p>For those interested or curious:</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/dc-metro-minis-archive/39093-dcmm-sunday-drive-and-brunch-sunday-april-24-10-00-am.html" rel="external nofollow">Original Spring Fling thread (2005)</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/dc-metro-minis-archive/131437-sunday-apr-6th-and-20th-spring-fling-2008-sunday-drive-and-brunch.html" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2008 thread</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/attachments/dc-metro-minis-archive/31519d1208754738-sunday-apr-6th-and-20th-spring-fling-2008-sunday-drive-and-brunch-dcmm-spring-fling-2008-route-sheet-both-editions-final-.xls" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2008 route sheets</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=286" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2009 thread</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=46&d=1240184522" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2009 route sheet</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=840" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2010 thread</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=190&d=1271364867" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2010 route sheet</a></p>
<p><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=45131+Columbia+Pl,+Sterling,+VA+20166&daddr=Loudoun+County+Pkwy+to:Ryan+Rd%2FVA-772+to:VA-860%2FWatson+Rd+to:US-50+to:Lime+Kiln+Rd%2FVA-733+to:Mountville+Rd+to:Foxcroft+Rd%2FVA-626+to:38.969557,-77.73635+to:Pickering+St+to:Atoka+Rd%2FVA-713+to:Atoka+Rd%2FVA-713+to:Grove+Ln%2FVA-55+to:Grove+Ln%2FVA-55+to:Free+State+Rd%2FVA-721+to:659+Zachary+Taylor+Hwy,+VA+22627&geocode=%3BFYU9UwIdQRRi-w%3BFRjuUgIdI0Bh-w%3BFeNQUwIdCzRg-w%3BFVSSUgId6rNf-w%3BFRajUwIdLW1f-w%3BFVhfUwIdiwVe-w%3BFeU4UwId3YVd-w%3B%3BFbicUgIdvc5d-w%3BFaa4UgIdurxc-w%3BFR6uUgIdxLRc-w%3BFfuJUQIdPidb-w%3BFX8JUQIdZ51b-w%3BFeRiUAId3Ftb-w%3B&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=0,1&mrsp=8&sz=18&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10,11,12,13,14&sll=38.969006,-77.736731&sspn=0.003032,0.004013&ie=UTF8&ll=38.863236,-77.711792&spn=0.621262,1.058807&z=10" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2010 Morning Route on Google Maps</a></p>
<p><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=659+Zachary+Taylor+Hwy,+VA+22627&daddr=Hume+Rd+to:Leeds+Manor+Rd%2FVA-688+to:Leeds+Manor+Rd%2FVA-688+to:Blueridge+Mountain+Rd%2FVA-601+to:Snickersville+Pike%2FSnickersville+Turnpike%2FVA-734+to:Jeb+Stuart+Rd%2FVA-630+to:39.050085,-77.734559+to:Snickersville+Turnpike%2FVA-734+to:Loudoun+County+Pkwy%2FMoran+Rd%2FOld+Ox+Rd%2FVA-606+to:45131+Columbia+Pl,+Sterling,+VA+20166&geocode=%3BFVqeUAIdiDNY-w%3BFZjjUAIdFuJZ-w%3BFSm8UQIdw9ZZ-w%3BFSBfUwIdrmZa-w%3BFSHAVAIdZ25c-w%3BFRf1UwIdLspd-w%3B%3BFUw7UwIdPHxe-w%3BFdsqUgIdFiph-w%3B&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=1&mrsp=7&sz=16&via=1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9&sll=39.052335,-77.733314&sspn=0.012114,0.01605&ie=UTF8&ll=38.863236,-77.711792&spn=0.621262,1.058807&z=10" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2010 Afternoon Route on Google Maps</a></p>
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<p>And here are <strong>this year's</strong> route sheet and waiver form:</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=302&d=1302283728" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2011 route sheet</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=303&d=1302283728" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2011 non-member driver's waiver</a></p>
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<p><strong>NOTE: All non-member drivers are expected to sign a waiver before participating.</strong></p>
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<p><strong>NOTE #2: Due to severe size limitations from the winery, we will not be participating in wine tasting. </strong>However, you are welcome to order yourself a glass of wine with lunch at Griffin Tavern. 
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<p>Hope to see many of you out there again!</p>
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<p><span style="color:#FF0000;"><strong>Please be sure to RSVP as soon as you know for sure that you're coming, so we can give a reasonably accurate head count to Griffin Tavern!</strong></span></p>
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