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><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">Just</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">like</a> <a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=286" rel="external nofollow">I</a> <a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1413" rel="external nofollow">did</a> <a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1952" rel="external nofollow">in</a> <a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2784" rel="external nofollow">previous</a> <a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3354" rel="external nofollow">years</a>, I'm organizing the Spring Fling run again, this time on <strong>Sunday</strong><strong>, April 19</strong>.</p>
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<p><span style="color:#FF0000;"><strong>NOTE: If you have done this run before, please take note that we are NOT starting at the Wegman's parking lot, but the TARGET parking lot.</strong></span><span style="color:#FF0000;"> This is because Wegman's apparently has a strict policy against allowing car groups to gather in their parking lots (boooooo...).</span></p>
<p><strong>WHERE TO MEET:</strong> Target Sterling West parking lot (South-East corner). The address is 45130 Columbia Place, Sterling, VA 20166</p>
<p><strong>WHEN:</strong> Sunday, April 19 @ 9:00am. 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>RUN DISTANCE:</strong> <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">68.1 miles (morning) + 69.3 miles (afternoon) = 137.4 miles total.</span></strong> Easy "early exits" available in afternoon at 85.7 miles (Rt 66), 94.0 miles (Rt 50), 105.8 miles (Rt 7).</p>
<p><strong>RUN TIME:</strong> Approx 6.5 hours - we will return to the Target parking lot at approx. 4:30pm, if you decide to complete the full run.</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 7 1/2 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>, since Orlean Market closed down many years ago. Unfortunately, due to the size of our group, we will be a more selective and limited menu than their regular menu, but they will still have their famous Shepherd's Pie and other classics.</p>
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<p><span><strong>NOTE:</strong></span><span> The plan is to have </span><span><strong>1 check per table</strong></span><span>, so to make things easier to sort out, please bring sufficient cash to cover your portion of the check.</span></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.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=286" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2009 thread</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://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>
<p><a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1413" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2011 thread</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1952" rel="external nofollow"> Spring Fling 2012 thread</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2784" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2013 thread</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.dcmetrominis.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3354" rel="external nofollow">Spring Fling 2014 thread</a></p>
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<p><strong>Due to severe size limitations from the local wineries, we do not participate in wine tasting any more. </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>RSVPs are OPEN! PLEASE NOTE that our lunch stop (Griffin Tavern) has given us a hard cap of 50 ADULTS, so if we reach that number, RSVPs will be closed. (Kids will not count towards the count of 50, so please put in the comments if you have any kids coming with you)</strong></span></p>
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