Hampton Roads Club Mini

Hey Y'all, I know some of ya have seen the UK magazine Modern MINI. I had emailed them about doing a story on the Dragon for them. They knew of the Dragon and were interested. They offered me a 650 word spot in an upcoming issue. That's pretty good for a guy they don't know. I was honored. I sent them 15 pictures, and YES, they were a "little" heavy on HR MINI content. I had some and Harry supplied some great shots. Not sure which issue it'll be in but here's a sneak peek of the story. I put a lot of work into it and "think" I captured the feel of the event. Remember, they don't have many things like the Dragon in the UK.

MINI's on the Dragon

There may be more than a few differences between the MINI scene in the UK and over here in the States. Simple things like your tyres versus our tires, your petrol versus our gas and of course the side of  from which we pilot our MINIs. One thing, however, is globally equal, and that is our love for all things MINI. Nowhere in North America is that more evident than the annual gathering of the MINI faithful each spring known as MINI’s On The Dragon (MOTD).
The Dragon in question is no fire breathing reptile. Instead, it’s a simple 11 mile stretch of asphalt located in the Smokey Mountains, on the North Carolina/Tennessee border. But the real lure of the Dragon lies in it’s 318 turns. It’s a drivers road. It beckons motorcyclists and sports car groups from across the country to challenge it’s curves. With turns named “Pearly Gates”, “Toll Booth” and my favorite “Gravity Cavity”, it can be a little intimidating. While some of the surrounding roads are a bit more tame, they are still a great deal of fun to drive.
This year’s event was the 9th annual edition. Eight months of each year Barry Patascher (Snooter as he’s known on the boards) devotes a great deal of his spare time to the event. But he’ll be quick to tell you, that he couldn’t do it without the great group of volunteers that make the event a success. It’s held each year at the Fontana Village Resort, where the entire place is literally overrun with MINIs of almost every color and size. There is a lodge with smaller cabins placed throughout the hillsides. There was a MINI or two or three parked in front of each cabin. A new attendance record was set this year with 543 MINIs and 823 people registered. MINI owners from 37 states, Washington DC, Canada and Germany attended this year.

The great thing about MOTD is that you can tailor the event to fit your needs. You could hang out at the village and chat up fellow MINI owners. You could have a pulley, sway bar, motor mount or just about any other mod performed at one of the trader tents. All seemed to do a brisk business the whole time. There was a car show on Friday with MINIs divided into separate catagories. Sadly only 38 of the attending MINIs participated. But the real attraction of the event is driving. There are several organised drives each day, some more spirited than the others. From a sunrise drive through the Smokeys or a run to a brewery or to visit some waterfalls, to a midnight run on Saturday night. There is even a newbie orientation meeting for first timers. That gives you an idea of how menacing the Dragon can be. 





Those wanting a souvenir of their driving prowess on the Dragon can visit one of the websites such as killboy.com and view photos taken during the event. Darryl Cannon and his photographers take pics of you as you drive, then post them for sale on his site. How inventive is that? Other non driving events during MOTD, include a welcome and farewell dinners, a cigar salon, wine tasting, a brew swap and a panoramic photo. 
The five days that made up MOTD 2011 went by all too fast. With old friendships renewed another year and new ones made it was time to head home on Sunday. If anyone with a MINI wants to experience what is arguably some of the best roads in North America coupled with some fantastic scenery, MINI’s On The Dragon 2012 would be a great opportunity. To keep up with developments on MOTD ’12, which will be 2-6 May, check out www.minsonthedragon.com.

Nicely done 

I double that.  You even spelled everything right!

Thanks guys. I did ask for several copies to hand out. It seems not many folks on this "side of the pond" really know about Modern MINI magazine. It's different but really well done. If you see it, you'll laugh at MC2 magazine. They have a far different take on the MINI scene over there, but they are none the less passionate about it.

There website is www.modernmini.co.uk

Damn fine retelling of the story of the Dragon!