Hampton Roads Club Mini

06 MCS with 105K and original clutch.  Commute between VB and Hampton every day and autocrosses all summer.  Starting around 85k I've noticed it's a little crunchy feeling when I press in the clutch pedal.  I think that's the throw out bearing.  It also engages a little higher than it used too.  I also sometimes get some noise engaging 1st when it is cold.  It doesn't slip though; yet.  I'll replace it when it does.  I wonder if I've got another 5K or another 30K?  Only time will tell...

David and Christine
We'll walk on over.

My wife an I are going.  We'll be there a few days early to do some backpacking somewhere nearby.

I'm waving all the time.  Sometimes I don't see another Mini until too late.  Then I wave in the rear view mirror but I'm sure the other driver doesn't see it.
I see a returned wave about 1 in 5 times.  I figure a few more may wave back when it is too late for me to see.

Very nice!  Congrats.

You're going to need the black plastic roof rack mount covers when you take the rack off.  Get 8 of them to start with.  They're cheap.  4 to put over the mounts and 4 more on hand as they mysteriously disappear.
In 3 and a half years I've probably gone through 15 or 20 of them.

Fontana Village reservations made... We're going to our 2nd Minis On The Dragon!

We'll be about an hour behind you Dale.

Wow, this is a great idea.  I need to login more often.
My wife and I are in.  I just reserved a room at the Inn.

I've got to check with my wife to see about shirts if it isn't too late.

Darren at BAY Custom Tinting did a great job on my Mini too.

Wow!  It was a lot of fun.  I got there Sunday a little after 3.  Met Patrick (I'm bad with names, I wonder if I got it right) and his brother, umm (oops.).   Registered and teched the car in the lot across from the hotel.  Talked with Roy and Lelane and went to dinner.

The next morning I followed Roy and Lelane to VIR.  It's nice to hang out with people that know what they are doing.  It was my first time at a track.  The different groups each got several classroom sessions and several track sessions.  I might have learned a little in the classroom sessions but found them a little chatty and not so instructy.  I learned the most from listening to Roy and my instructor "Wicky".  Thanks guys, I learned a lot.  The track sessions separated by experience level was great and made me much more comfortable about taking my car out there.

Driving on the track?  Wow!  What a blast.  I was laughing and having fun on the initial slower laps.  Then I was silent and concentrating with a big grin on my face.  Over 100mph in the front straight, tires squealing through all the curves, it was fun.  Then Roy let me ride with him in his Cooper with sticky tires.  OMG!     

The 4 Mini convoy back to Hampton Roads was a nice finish to the day.

VIR is beautiful but so big it is hard to get good pictures with my small camera.  Here's what Lelane and I got with my camera...
http://picasaweb.google.com/SpideyGirl/PhilWicks

Thanks, Wendy.  We're fine.  That really is the most dangerous part of public streets... the public.
The insurance estimate came in much lower than I thought so it must be mostly sheet metal damage.
Thanks, BabyBMW.  A recommendation from a satisfied customer counts a lot when choosing.

My Mini is in the body shop until the end of the month.
Here's why:
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2224506

After only 2 years the front of the hood is all chipped up.  So while it is in the body shop I'm having the hood re-painted.  Then I want to protect it with some kind of clear bra so it doesn't get all chipped up again.  Does anybody know a good place, preferrably southside, to get this done?

Christine and I will be there.  We won't arrive until Thursday night though.

Nice course!  Glad it didn't rain this afternoon.  This was the first time out with the new rear sway bar I installed in January.  WOW!  I know everyone says it makes a big difference but it was a bigger change than I expected.  I like it!

I printed out the forms, filled them out and mailed them in with a check.  What's on the web site is all I know.