MINIFIED

SAVE the DATE. August 7, 2027. MOTM Here's what everyone needs to know. In 2027 we *will* break the record. Why so confident? Because we've come really close before (1380), we lost a few people for 2025 because they did not have a good experience in 2023 (sorry, it's the truth) but they have heard how great 2025 was. But the most persuading thing is, I have it on a very good authority that *when* (notice I did not say "if") we break it in 2027, we'll keep that record ... Historically it's been a standing joke that if we got to 1451, the Brits would put out an APB for "next Saturday" and break our newly minted record. But guess what? They can't and they won't. They won't be able to stage it. The place it was staged when they set the record (2009) is no longer an option, and the group that co-ordinated it, no longer exists. See the note below. So this needs to be an all out effort for '27. Let's DO THIS for the Sharpes / MINI of Grand Rapids / Van Andel Institute for all they have done for this effort over the years. Block your calendar for August 7 2027 now. Buy a new MINI so you have 2 -- or 3 -- or 4 and let your friends, family, neighbors or even a complete stranger borrow one or two of them. I'm going to get MOTM '27 - not attempt - but break the record stickers made. If you send me a business-size SASE I'll send you one, for free. Let's start promoting this NOW while the energy from this past event is still with us and let's make this happen. (PM for my address.) Share any part of this to any MINI club. It's going to take all of us. The participants from '13, '15, '17, '19, '23 (come back!) '25, and the multi-year MINIacs!! Rumour has it maybe even participants from the 2009 Brighton record setting event, how cool is that? You want to be part of making history. Even if you don’t, your MINI does! NOTE: The London to Brighton Mini Run in 2009 broke the world record for the longest convoy of Minis with a Guinness-verified total of 1450 cars. It was organised by the London & Surrey Mini Owners Club. The event was the brainchild of Mark Steward, who took ideas from the Vintage runs (from London to Brighton). It originally started at Battersea Park but as it grew it moved to Crystal Palace until 2022 when it moved to Cheam. The 2023 run was the last one. The introduction of the London ULEZ (a £12.50/day charge for those non-compliant vehicles) and the increasing challenge of organising the event for the LSMOC team was cited as the reason for them not organising an event in 2024.

SAVE the DATE. August 7, 2027. MOTM Here's what everyone needs to know. In 2027 we *will* break the record. Why so confident? Because we've come really close before (1380), we lost a few people for 2025 because they did not have a good experience in 2023 (sorry, it's the truth) but they have heard how great 2025 was. But the most persuading thing is, I have it on a very good authority that *when* (notice I did not say "if") we break it in 2027, we'll keep that record ... Historically it's been a standing joke that if we got to 1451, the Brits would put out an APB for "next Saturday" and break our newly minted record. But guess what? They can't and they won't. They won't be able to stage it. The place it was staged when they set the record (2009) is no longer an option, and the group that co-ordinated it, no longer exists. See the note below. So this needs to be an all out effort for '27. Let's DO THIS for the Sharpes / MINI of Grand Rapids / Van Andel Institute for all they have done for this effort over the years. Block your calendar for August 7 2027 now. Buy a new MINI so you have 2 -- or 3 -- or 4 and let your friends, family, neighbors or even a complete stranger borrow one or two of them. I'm going to get MOTM '27 - not attempt - but break the record stickers made. If you send me a business-size SASE I'll send you one, for free. Let's start promoting this NOW while the energy from this past event is still with us and let's make this happen. (PM for my address.) Share any part of this to any MINI club. It's going to take all of us. The participants from '13, '15, '17, '19, '23 (come back!) '25, and the multi-year MINIacs!! Rumour has it maybe even participants from the 2009 Brighton record setting event, how cool is that? You want to be part of making history. Even if you don’t, your MINI does! NOTE: The London to Brighton Mini Run in 2009 broke the world record for the longest convoy of Minis with a Guinness-verified total of 1450 cars. It was organised by the London & Surrey Mini Owners Club. The event was the brainchild of Mark Steward, who took ideas from the Vintage runs (from London to Brighton). It originally started at Battersea Park but as it grew it moved to Crystal Palace until 2022 when it moved to Cheam. The 2023 run was the last one. The introduction of the London ULEZ (a £12.50/day charge for those non-compliant vehicles) and the increasing challenge of organising the event for the LSMOC team was cited as the reason for them not organising an event in 2024.

I hosted an "open" run this past Saturday and a) it's not on the list at the top of this post b) did not get socialized so unless someone happened to check the calendar it wouldn't have been seen and c) even after setting a start location conducive to DC Metro members (which was an early alarm & not particularly convenient for me) the attendees were from other MINI groups & not DC Metro.

Thanks to those who came out for this event. I wasn't good about taking pictures (got spoiled in Scotland last month with a dedicated photographer!) Unfortunately, I set the meetup spot in Ashburn to accommodate DC Metro members & of the MINI friends who joined in, none were from DC Metro. Any future events I host will be based out of Frederick for the convenience factor ...

Just as an FYI, there are several Ohiol clubs mashing up Friday AM from the Cleveland and Toledo area -- about a days drive from the DMV to join up on Friday morning. If interested, check out NEO MINI or NOMO MINI, there's probably others. (Just as a 2nd FYI, it doesn't appear that the RSVP link above works)

Sounds good. Feel free to join for whatever part works for you. If you can do the short drive - only about an hour - from The Filling company to the distillery that's fine. If you can just meet up at The Distillery and skip lunch that's fine too. Just don't forget to get tickets if you're going to be able to make the bottling workshop.

This event is one week away ... a couple of Carlisle MINI club members signed up, where's the DC Metro represent?? Must have a ticket (free) and there are a limited number available, so please get a ticket and RSVP asap. I've done the bottling workshop a couple of times and it is fun, interesting, and educational .. For clarification, the drive is from the Filling Co to the Distillery -- it's only about an hour. The bottling event is at 10 and I can't set an alarm any earlier. Well, I could set an earlier alarm, but I don't wanna

Event Title: MINIs Go a-fill’-n-distillin’ (Adults 21+ only) Event Date: 07/26/2025 08:30 AM to 07/26/2025 02:00 PM Event Address: 42175 Shapiro Dr, Ashburn, Virginia, 20148, United States See Link below for (free) Tickets Fillin’: Saturday, July 26 830a Get any necessary Go Juice for you and your MINI Filling Co Gas & Grub 42175 Shapiro Dr, Ashburn, VA 20148 (multiple location in area, be sure to select Shapiro Drive) Scenic drive to ... Distillin’ (10a – 12n) Catoctin Creek Distilling Company 120 W Main St Purcellville, VA 20132 Distillery Tour and Bottling Workshop – Learn How to Bottle Your Own Whiskey! Here's your chance to volunteer and learn how to bottle, cap, seal, and label Roundstone Rye. Get your chance to work the magic "whisky cow"! Or maybe you'd like to try your hands at operating "Ninette", the fancy French labeling machine! Includes a free light continental breakfast (bagels, donuts, coffee), mega-tour from Scott, the bottling workshop activity, and a free tasting at the end. Ticket (free) Required link: Tickets Distillery Tour_Bottling Workshop Re-Fillin’ (lunch) We will walk 5 minutes to Monk’s BBQ 251 N 21st St Purcellville, VA 20132 RSVP on the event here:

See Link below for (free) Tickets Fillin’: Saturday, July 26 830a Get any necessary Go Juice for you and your MINI Filling Co Gas & Grub 42175 Shapiro Dr, Ashburn, VA 20148 (multiple location in area, be sure to select Shapiro Drive) Distillin’ (10a – 12n) Catoctin Creek Distilling Company 120 W Main St Purcellville, VA 20132 Distillery Tour and Bottling Workshop – Learn How to Bottle Your Own Whiskey! Here's your chance to volunteer and learn how to bottle, cap, seal, and label Roundstone Rye. Get your chance to work the magic "whisky cow"! Or maybe you'd like to try your hands at operating "Ninette", the fancy French labeling machine! Includes a free light continental breakfast (bagels, donuts, coffee), mega-tour from Scott, the bottling workshop activity, and a free tasting at the end. Ticket (free) Required link: Tickets Distillery Tour_Bottling Workshop Re-Fillin’ (lunch) We will walk 5 minutes to Monk’s BBQ 251 N 21st St Purcellville, VA 20132 RSVP (once you have a ticket; there are a limited number available):

Yes it would have been an incredible experience even in a MINI van (tho those oversized vehicle gummed up the works on the single track roads ... but that was part of the experience -- drivers *having* to co-operate to get anywhere) but the MINIs were bonus ... I am giving strong consideration to doing the Ireland trip next May -- will depend a bit on the MTTS plan for next year - have you been to Ireland also? Is it different enough from Scotland or too similar?

As most of you know, I've been part of the MINI Community in the states since 2008; I have traversed the country from north to south, east to west, coast to coast, track to track, with MINI USA and on shorter events with different regional clubs. An international MINI drive has been on my bucket list since I first read about them years ago and this was finally my year – I signed up for a two-week MINI driving tour of Scotland. I was not sure exactly what to expect but knew the following: I have never been to Scotland, I love driving MINIs, and other MINI club members took a trip with the same host several years ago and raved it was “the best vacation they ever had” That was almost an understatement. This trip far exceeded even my preconceived high expectations. For as many times as our MINI community roots out the best of local flavor – the MINI version of diners, dives, and drive-ins – and economy hotels (after all, it’s just a place to sleep before the next road calls) this was an indulgence. Spending the night in castles and historical hotels – not just a night or two, but *every* night. Two course breakfast and three course dinners – not occasionally, but every night (because the package included the lodging and two meals daily, it was suggested to budget for lunch. I’m not sure if “budget for lunch” meant money or calories, but we never needed a lunch budget for either!) .. since it was basically an all-inclusive package, I *never* felt compelled to save a few dollars on meals or lodging. (Not at all disparaging our stateside more budget friendly events, just remarking on the stress-free-ness of having someone else make all the arrangements.) As much of the US as one may have seen, there's a whole world to explore and what a fantastic way to do so. Knowledgeable tour guides with a comprehensive itinerary, outstanding accommodations and meals, many memories made with new friends professionally captured by the tour videographer / photographer. Highly recommended experience for those who love MINIs and those who love travel; I am personally looking forward to another trip with Ultimate Driving Adventures in the future. FB Link is here (the trip we just finished is the first pages under "Posts" (not under Featured): https://www.facebook.com/UltimateDrivingAdventures PS It was my goal to wear a different one of my MINI event / club shirts each day of this trip .. I am sure you will see that I did represent DC Metro MINIs .. and a couple of different shots Like Comment Send

They are belatedly posted ... there aren't many .. and they aren't that great .. but I did just post the photos from the "Bo" run last fall ... thinking of another, slightly different variety for this spring if I can get the details synced up. Better late than never, right! Here's the link to the 2024 Bo Feeder Run album on this forum: