Hampton Roads Club Mini

Fall Colors Run '09
October 23-25, 2009

This will serve as the official sign up and notification thread of the run. Check in on this thread for your planning information and all the new updates. This year we'll be doing things a little differently than previous years. Call it an experiment if you will. This years event will be headquartered  at the historic Highland Inn, in beautiful Monterey, VA. Located 52 miles northwest of Staunton, it's a 100 year old inn, listed on the National list of Historic Places. It truly harkens back to a simpler time, but still provides today's travelers with a great level of service, including a restaurant in house. Rooms will run between 79 and 129 bucks.

HIGHLAND INN


So raise your hand and tell us if you're coming, how many in your party and if you're bringing your pet.

We're planning on gathering at the Inn Friday evening. We'll sit on the porch and enjoy some adult beverages and start the weekend off with some good ol' motoring tales. Then, we'll leave early Saturday morning, we'll stop often for pictures and sightseeing, and we'll pack on some really great miles, we'll stop for lunch, we'll drive more... we'll be good and tired at the end of the night when we have dinner. We're even planning a darkness run through some of the twisties. If you missed the night time runs at the Dragon, here's your chance. (Well, maybe a bit more tame.) Sunday will be quite optional for you... take the highway home, or we'll find a route that brings us on the backroads of Virginia all the way into town.  No one has been disappointed in the past.  No matter what, judging from past events, it will be a fantastic weekend of motoring, laughing, smiles and thrills which we'll talk about with fondness for quite some time afterwards.

So who's coming with me?   (Updates will be made in this first post as we go)

Here's the schedule as of now:
Arrive Friday October 23, 2009
  Social gathering on the porch
Saturday 9 AM
  Meet on the porch and prepare for the days drive.
  2 part drive, short 2+hour run and a continuation for another 3+hours for the more adventurous
  Back at the Inn for dinner at 6 PM (ish)
  Inaugural Color of Darkness run leaves 9 PM (ish)
Sunday 10 AM
  Prepare for departure
    straight home or
    Southern run back to the HR.

Call the Inn and make your own reservations. 1-888-466-4682 and tell them you're with the MINI group. The rates run between 79 - 129 per night with an extra 10 bucks per night for your well behaved 4 legged friend. We have less than 15 rooms blocked,so make your reservations FAST! We may be able to get the other rooms (only 4 more) if there is room, so time is of the essence! There is another hotel 23 miles away, but it just ain't the Inn!

Atendees


1.  Kathy (Apollo) & Dave (SKARGO) + maggie the wonder dog
2.  Dale +2 (Maacodale)
3.  Scott Miller +1 (bloodvayne)
4.  Steve & Elaine (Baby BMW)
5.  Donia & Bill (MINI S PILOT)
6.  Jeff  (WARPED)
7.  David Cooke +1 (MirthScout)
8.  Stanley  (Mistertripps from DCMM)
9.  Mike+1  (General Wee)
10. Chris (Maxi Cooper from DCMM)
11. Brian (Brian 0758 from DCMM)
12. Craig (KOOPER)
13. Marty Bongers (mbongers)
14. Adam (Jumping Jack Flash)
15. Mollie Williams


Maybe

1.  Don (MNI LIMO)
2.  Kurt (Sparke1975)
3.  Forrest  (Forrest)
4.  Terry  (Da Coup from DCMM)
PRETTY FIRM SCHEDULE

FRIDAY OCTOBER 23, 2009
Arrive at the Highland Inn and check in
Dinner on your own
7:30ish Fall Colors Run '09 Inaugural Darkness Run
9PM on Test Rockers on porch of Highland Inn. Adult beverages on your own.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 24, 2009
Breakfast on own
9 AM Fall Colors Run '09 kick off
   Lunch at Cass Railroad approx 12:30
1-2PM back at Highland Inn
Afternoon open for sight seeing/ touristy stuff/separate local scenic runs from brochure.
7 PMish Dinner at Highland Inn. Make sure to place your order before the AM run!
After dinner, maybe another Darkness Run v2.0
More rocker testing on porch.

SUNDAY OCTOBER , 2009
Breakfast on own
9AM Leave for Seneca Rocks Run/Depart for home


 Other local attractions not to miss!
Greenbank Radio Observatory-pretty darn neat. Tours too!!!
Sugar tree country store in McDowell. On Rte 250 on the way to Monterey. Must stop!!!
Driving tour brochures. Available at the Highland
Southern Most Maple Products
Highland Inn's local shopping guide. Must see!

Don't Forget, We're supporting Highland County SPCA
Bring something they can use. Cat/Dog food, litter, etc. More info to follow.

 

 

Rough draft of the Shirts. Craig has done an awesome job on the initial design, so much so I don't think we need to change much if anything. So to keep this thread strictly info for the FCR, PM me directly if you have any input on the shirts design. So without further fan fare:

 

UPDATEThis is still the front design. It has been changed to be over the left breast area. We have a new, updated back logo posted on the 2nd page of this thread along with prices.

My only input...... I WANT ONE, ARGGH !!!  Make that two   One large and one XL for my fat ass

Put me down for yes & the wife. I will reserve a room next week. Love the shirts too. Reserve 2 for the Miller family.

Not sure if I'll be able to make this or not. I won't get back in town until about 5:00 Friday and not sure if I want to make a three or four hour drive straight from the airport.

Don

Hoodies would be awesome!

Damned fine idea Donia!  Hoodies and regular ol' sweat shirts too.  I'd buy t-shirts and sweats.

Okay, here's the deal so far:
If you're planning on going, call the INN and get reservations ASAP. Remember, they're only holding 13 rooms for us. There are other INNs/B&B's in Monterey and the Highland has a sister inn 23 miles away. But we want all HR MINIs at the Highland. I figured I'd do a mass cross posting campaign to the other MINI clubs and see if there is any other interest, but since it's our event, I want all of us in one spot. However, the sprawling metropolis of Monterey doesn't look much bigger than a local apartment complex. So even if we get separated, we ain't that far away.

I also plan on making a trek up that way next weekend. I'll lay out the routes and find some interesting stops along the way. I'll be checking out the Inn and nightlife of Monterey, if I can find any!