mbabischkin

Well, then mine wouldn't be the only Countryman... Yes, I'll meet you guys in Tysons.

Where's the icon for egg on my face? Maps are amazing things - and if I looked at one I might be dangerous. With a name like Brits by The Bay I was thinking that it was - you know - by THE BAY... and not almost in the Catoctin Mountains Soooo, all those things I said earlier, ignore that!

Well yeah, but there's nothing remotely close to a decent location to meet over by 50 and the Beltway... Given how much of a pain it would be to coordinate a meet over there it seems to make better sense for me to just meet you guys at the event... But why are you guys going around the Beltway from Tysons anyway? Wouldn't it make better sense to cut through Arlington via I-66 and then over to 395 to catch 295 up to 50 and out?

Since you're headed that way, I'll meet you at the event. It's kinda silly for me to run 3/4 around the Beltway...

Do you need help with the logistics? Since my Navigator is 300ish miles away I won't take part in the hunt. But I'd be happy to help out as a non-hunter...

For some reason I keep getting drawn to the second from the bottom... I can't imagine why... I've got about 400 to go through from last week's trip. I'll probably have a few to share once I'm done...

Since I'm essentially at RT1 and the Beltway - yes... :itsme:

Gotta get out of vacation brain and remember to get the MINI washed this week...

I really like the Wilson Bridge Shot...

Just got my registration in...

These aren't from the recent snows.... Early in the 2003 President's Day storm...

Got a wave from a white MCS with Maryland BMWCCA plates on I-270S in the Rockville area... I think he may have actually dropped back when he saw me to wave. Was on my way back from a week in Cleveland, got a lot a waves from MINIs out there, more than I normally get out there, and a lot more than I tend to get here...

Cleveland Rocks people! The whole family will be joining in Cleveland and doing the legs to Buffalo and PA... We'll be running with the MINI and the Tiguan - so we can pitch in a support vehicle if somebody needs a little extra room... I'll be headed to Cleveland the weekend before the MTTS circus arrives and both vehicles will be coming to the DC area straight from PA...

Yes, Cleveland will be there the next weekend... But I haven't seen my wife and my son in 3 weeks - 4 by the weekend of the karting event. DCMM was our extended family for many years - but can't replace my family.

I've been tempted to make an Ikea run all day... Itching to play with the All4...

CRAP! I was watching for a carting event... And of course it's a weekend when I'm headed back to Cleveland...

Sadly I didn't get to take as many pictures as I had hoped - my "walk-around" lens starting acting up yesterday and only got worse today... However, where should I upload my photos from the day? And it was awesome to see the Countrymen representing! :congrats: It's Countrymen in the picture WTOP posted! :rock:

You might want to consider sending press releases to the 3 TV stations in the area as well, they might be interested in covering it... Better yet, see if you can convince the PR person at Operation Second Chance to draft the release and send it out... They could probably do a better job and get more interest than any of us could... Unless we have a PR person in the club...

Their contact page (http://wtop.com/?sid=2243710&nid=700) has an e-mail address for Jim Farley the VP of News & Programming. I'd send it to him and use the contact form at the bottom of the page...

Ignorant and/or lazy... In 4 months back here I've gotten maybe 3 waves... 10 years ago as the club was starting you would be waved at from 90% of the MINIs you saw - however there were a lot fewer MINIs around, and a lot of those who bought a MINI back then were an enthusiast of some sort or another... Now, with 5 dealers within 50 miles of each other and a tremendous secondary market the MINI is a lot more mainstream in the area. There's a lot more commuters, students and other folks who view their MINI as just a car and not an entry into a community. As a result they typically don't know, and more likely don't care about the wave... 10 years ago there wasn't much of a difference between a MINI owner and a MINI Enthusiast - the same can't be said now. The reality is that today at least in this area, the wave is more MINI enthusiasts recognizing each other and less MINI owners recognizing each other. That being said, yesterday I got a wave from a White Countryman with Black stripes on Telegraph Road just south of Van Dorn St... I totally wasn't expecting them to wave back...

I know... What's next? A Countryman with Ohio tags roaming the area and waving at folks? :questionmark:

So the Navy comes around AFTER the Coast Guard has stepped in...

Florida does not have front plates - and hasn't issued them for over 30 years (probably longer). I know that for a fact - I have a FL drivers license... And thanks to being military- A Florida license - with an Ohio address on it

Yeah - my MA was completely on top of the build and delivery process - until it came off the ship. The day after the ship arrived I called her for an update and based on what they had it would be 2 more days before the MINI made it to the dealership... While we were on the phone my MINI was rolled off the truck...

Assuming there are no issues and nothing to be installed at the port, I wouldn't be surprised if it arrived at the dealer tomorrow morning... My Countryman was off the ship and rolled off the transporter at Classic MINI outside of Cleveland in 24 hours, with Classic being a 6 and a half hour drive from Baltimore (actually probably longer in a truck... )