A new game... Post pics from your cel phone V.1.0

[gr8kornholio]

All of my pics have been fine lately but I couldn’t get that one upright. 

[BruceK]

Michael and I drove up to Austin today to attend the Cars & Coffee show at the Circuit of the Americas.  We had a 90 minute drive up there on the backroads and we met another Mini owner from the San Antonio area who traveled an hour up the interstate.  You know how many local Minis from the Austin area showed up?   Zero. Zilch. Nada.  I really don’t understand people who seem to be reluctant to drive their Minis. 

There was a good deal of interest by the public about the Minis - of course many people had never seen one before.  I was offering anyone who had interest to have a seat behind the wheel of my car, and about 10 people took me up on that.  Of course they were all surprised how roomy it actually was. 

We arrived at 6:45am avoiding having to lineup to get in the showgrounds.  The show opened at 7 AM for participants and 8 AM for spectators.  At one point there was a line of people probably a mile long trying to get in - we could see it in the distance.   These were the people that apparently slept in and didn’t show up until 9am or later.  What’s the saying about the early bird?

It started getting a little toasty (well, actually damn hot) by late morning so we bailed just before 11am.

[MiniDave]

I agree with what you're saying about people not driving their classics, but I have to tell you I'm pretty much done with going to car shows just to sit and get heatstroke.

The one I did earlier this month was OK because there's a huge shopping center right across the street with food and drink aplenty.......all in wonderful air conditioned comfort. I stayed in there so long I wasn't there when they handed out the ribbons - and the RG got one!

At any rate, I'm glad you and Michael and the other guy made the effort....

I'm planning for a fall classic Mini group run down to north western Arkansas now, when the weather has cooled off. I figure the green Mini will be in ready form for that drive so I'll plan to drive rather than tow it.

Rose and I may take the boys and head to the mountains in August to escape the worst of the summer heat in Kansas.

Our temp dropped to 75 overnight, so I took the opportunity to mow this morning, and open the house up for some fresh air. The smell of newly mown grass is so sweet!

Tomorrow the Inno goes to the alignment shop and Tues I'm back to the heart Doc.

[BruceK]

Yeah, they really shouldn’t have any car shows in the summertime in Texas. The fall and spring time are ideal.  And even winter, which of course is usually very mild, is much more tolerable than summer here.

[gr8kornholio]

I missed the best one around here cause well the car.  It’s a bluegrass festival in a downtown area of Wylie Tx.  Great thing is all the non car show people that come to check out the cars. 

[MPlayle]

I'm planning for a fall classic Mini group run down to north western Arkansas now, when the weather has cooled off. I figure the green Mini will be in ready form for that drive so I'll plan to drive rather than tow it.

Keep us posted and put a thread in the "Events" on this.  I would be more than willing to join the run.

[MiniDave]

Will do, the hardest part of organizing one of these is finding a date that most people can attend.....I was going to time it around the Brit Iron show in Fayetteville in Sept, but Don is working that weekend, so now I'm onto plan B.....

[Brit_in_TX]

Yeah, they really shouldn’t have any car shows in the summertime in Texas. The fall and spring time are ideal.  And even winter, which of course is usually very mild, is much more tolerable than summer here.

I was surprised that COTA decided to host their 3 Cars and Coffee events in the height of summer!

[Willie_B]

Must be a let down after Tony's last building.

[MiniDave]

He's trying to be a little more low key?   

[94touring]

Took the girls on a vacation to Bulgaria earlier in the month.  I've been going there for the past 2 years for work so know my way around and where all the good spots are.  I was the tour guide basically.  Stayed for a week and they both said it was the best vacation they've ever had, so I must have done it right. The trip involved tours of really old churches dating back as far as the year 400, museums with 2000 year old items you could touch, ancient ruins, hidden speakeasy bars, amazing restaurants, a tour of a house with audio guide on living during communism in the 80s, lots of wine, a wine festival where a storm almost blew away all the tents, mountain restaurants with Bulgarian dancing and music, and a bad hangover.

[94touring]

More

[BruceK]

That looks like a blast.  I’ve got to admit Bulgaria was not on my radar as a place to visit but it sure looks like a nice place.

[94touring]

It's actually a wonderful place to visit!  Sophia Bulgaria is very safe, clean, people are friendly, food is really good, a lot of history, family friendly, stays open 24/7, and the weather is great.  Also the dollar is strong there.  We're foodies and love wine so it's right up our alley for that.  Ended up buying an additional bag to ship back 7 bottles of wine, rakia, vodka, and a bottle of home made brandy the one bar tender gave me. 

[94touring]

"Candle bar"  Speakeasy.  Definitely not Osha approved, but then again they couldn't find it to shut it down.  There's holes on the flooring of that upper deck along the back wall and no rails for the stairs.  It's dark as hell in there but one of my favorite spots.

Wine festival.  The rain doesn't stop them from wine even when tents were blowing away.  Just fire up the sax player.

Restaurant on the mountain.  Reservations required and bring warm clothing.  I knew this already since I'm the tour guide!  Amazing food and they put on a show.  There's also a firepit outside they dance around and in the hot coals after it's burned down.

[BruceK]

Some photos from a C&C yesterday.

[ve9aa]

The bamboo is a nice touch.

I haven't seen an FJ Land Cruiser that mint (around here) since the 1970's !
Is that an FJ40? (I don't know them very well and they were (and ARE) extremely rare in my area.

[BruceK]

These Civics used to be everywhere.  I had one 40 years ago and I loved it.  The owner of this one likewise had
one in his youth and was happy to pick this one up when he saw it.

[BruceK]

The bamboo is a nice touch.

I haven't seen an FJ Land Cruiser that mint (around here) since the 1970's !
Is that an FJ40? (I don't know them very well and they were (and ARE) extremely rare in my area.

That one came from Central America – Costa Rica - where they like their four-wheel-drive pick ups.  It’s a diesel one from the early 1980s.

Here’s another one that was at the show.  I don’t see them every day, but usually once a week or so.   They don’t rust in Texas! 

[MiniDave]

Do you know the guy in the Mini? Pretty car!

[gr8kornholio]

The state of / direction this country is and heading. 

[MiniDave]

Makes "Idiocracy" look like a documentary, doesn't it?

[ve9aa]

These Civics used to be everywhere.  I had one 40 years ago and I loved it.  The owner of this one likewise had
one in his youth and was happy to pick this one up when he saw it.

I had a 1978 CVCC station wagon I bought off my Dad around 1981.   He put a connecting rod right out the side of the block and drove it 3 days like that. *(yes, honestly!) however his commute was about 1 mile or so.

I had the block welded, put the old piston onto a new connecting rod and drove it about a year.

One of the few cars I wish I still had, although it was a ghastly brownish/shit brindle metallic colour.

[BruceK]

Do you know the guy in the Mini? Pretty car!

Yes. His name is John and his schedule keeps him busy - I’ve seen him about once a year at our local Mini events.  The car is a MPi from Germany.

[BruceK]

It’s a sports drink! It’s a motor oil! It’s both!

No, not really. It’s a new brand of oil in a very non-traditional bottle. RUN-PWR (run power?)  From Mexico.   Complete with a customer service phone number that is an International call from the US!