2005 MINI Cooper—Let's Motor

Memorable Events on our First MINI Adventure

First Evening: "We're giving free pizza to anyone that lets us drive their MINI"…Grand Junction pizza shop manager offers us free pizza in exchange for a MINI test drive. After half a second of thinking it over, we pay for our pizza.

First Morning: We are greeted with a business card on windshield inviting us to join www.MINI5280.org. How they spotted us on the first day? Do people motor their MINI from Grand Junction to Denver to get together with other MINI drivers?

Second Day: Volunteer at Ute Indian Museum checks out our MINI while we check out his museum. He comments that he's thinking of getting one also. Spend more time chatting with him about the MINI than we did in the museum.

Second Evening:  Hostess at Italian Restaurant overlooking Gunnison River in Montrose comes up while we are waiting for our meal. "How do you like your MINI?" It is parked next to a Prius so guess it had some pretty good company while we dined

Mesa Verde: Ranger Mark sees us Motoring by the scenic overlook to Balcony House and admires the MINI. At the end of the day he recognizes us while we are walking through Spruce Tree and asks us if we drink the British beer, Speckled Hen? Then he describes how Morris opened the Morris Garage and started to customize vehicles for some of his clients. He eventually started to sell them under his own make: MG.

In a particular enjoyable story to Ranger Mark, he goes into quite a bit of detail on how Morris enjoyed drinking beer at a nearby pub and eventually uses the beer name 'Speckled Hen' in naming one of his vehicles. He thought it was great that he, as a native of New Mexico, knew this story and some of his British friends didn't: it was new to us, but we are only driving a car with a British history. Well, after almost 30 minutes we say our goodbyes. We head to Durango to eat the best, most meaty tamale recommended to us by Mark…but no Speckled Hen to wash it down.

Durango: Wake up to find two motel guests plus a worker standing around the MINI discussing if they would fit inside. I assure them that it has more space inside then it appears. We saw 4 other Mini Coopers in Durango as we hung around the city but didn't meet any of the drivers. Well, we're ready to motor back to the Front Range…A little Jimmy Buffet, a little cheeseburger in paradise…

Trip Images - Click on an image to view large version

After months of waiting, Henry meets his MINI

Leaving MINI of Murray in the rain

Henry's girls near Price Utah – the first snow sighting

Motoring through Utah with a gorgeous sky

MINI starts to explore colorful Colorado – No MINI, stay on the highway

Colorado National Monument as the setting sun gives MINI a warm glow

MINI waits in Paonia for us to tool around Main Street

Mini checks out the Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP while we eat our picnic lunch – looks like iced chocolate cake with the dusting of snow

MINI woke up with its first coat of snow in Montrose while the Front Range (Denver) received its 2005 blizzard

Past the rustic fences separating the cows from irrigated farm fields, MINI discovers Yucca House NM

Off road MINI – why stay on the paved roads?

We couldn't keep the MINI away from the awesome ancient ruins at Hovenweep NM

Cliff Palace and the Ancient Ones at Mesa Verde NP welcome the MINI…How did that happen when the rest of us climbed ladders to get there?

Durango & Silverton MINI Gauge

So much snow there wasn't even a sign at the Continental Divide, Wolf Creek Pass. But the sun was melting it and Pam was in short sleeves

MINI arrives Home in Denver where it is getting to know the neighborhood. Henry's shop in the garage has extra space now – WOW!

Itinerary

A fun 8-day trip through Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado.

Let's Motor.

Wyoming – Utah – Colorado April 2005
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
3—April 4 5 6 7 8 9
Drive I-80 through Wyoming

Sandy, Utah

Comfort Inn

9:00 am Pick-up MINI Cooper at MINI of Murray

Colorado NM

Grand Junction, CO

Comfort Inn

Description of day's Activities

Delta

Paonia

Curecanti Rec Area

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP

Montrose, CO

Comfort Inn

10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Ridgeway

Telluride

Anasazi Heritage Center

Cortez, CO

Econo Lodge

Yucca House NM

Hovenweep NM

Cortez, CO

Econo Lodge

Mesa Verde

Durango, CO

Econo Lodge

Durango, CO

Econo Lodge

Pagosa Springs

Salida

Buena Vista

Denver

Happy Travels,

Pam and Henry

MINI Facts

For more MINI Cooper information please visit the official MINI web page at: www.miniusa.com

Important Mini Dates:
Event Date
Ordered: Mon, 01/10/2005
Body Shop Started: Fri, 02/18/2005
Paint Shop Started: Sat-Sun, 19-20 Feb-2005
Production Completed: Wed, 02/23/2005
Booked Southampton: 02/19/2005 07:28
Ready to scan at terminal—Southampton: 02/23/2005 07:03
Received at terminal—Southampton: 02/23/2005 07:05
Loaded on vessel 'Manon': 02/25/2005 13:29
Arrives Port Hueneme, CA: Wed, 03/23/2005
Picked up at MINI of Murray - Murray, UT Fri, 04/08/2005 9:00