MINI Takes The States – A Not So Brief History & A Beginners Guide to MTTS

So it’s happening again, MINI Takes The States aka MTTS. For most MINI owners this is something they have spent two years planning for. Many MINI owners might not have a clue as to what this is. For most car owners this just gives them another reason to look at us weird.

Getting a Bit Personal…

First of all most automotive brands have some kind of following, those people who have always dreamed of owning a certain kind of car. Some brands cater to this, some it’s the exclusivity, some it’s just the fact that you now own something that means everyone who needs to move will call you to help them haul their stuff around. It took me a while to figure out which brand was me. I had owned a few different cars in my life, Sue and I had gotten into a habit that every 5 or more years we would start looking around (basically pay off one car and start looking for the next) It was Sue’s turn and she was happy with what she had (a Kermit the Frog Green Honda Del Sol that she still misses) and I saw somewhere that MINI was launching in the US. That Spring Break we vacationed in Savannah, Georgia and on the drive there we visited every MINI dealership… None of them were open, most had not even broken ground. I was just fascinated by this irreverent little British car. It took another 5 or so years before I finally pulled the trigger. I had just left a rather stressful board meeting and decided I would test drive a MINI Cooper S (R53*). After that I ordered one- because that’s what you had to do… you had to order it and then wait until it went into production, then follow it through the factory, the ship to Charleston, and then wait for the call that it was ready to pick up. You learned patience. In 2005 my dark silver with a white top R53 arrived and was given the name “Penfold.” See that’s what MINI owners do… we name our cars. MINI at that time pushed to be the brand for those who were “Not Normal.” It was funny because the first time I pulled into work in my MINI someone commented that the car just seemed to fit me.

I’ve been a part of every MTTS since 2006, I haven’t been fortunate to do the entire event each time, but this is my story. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Professional driver on a closed course. Do not attempt this at home. Not affiliated with MINI, MINIUSA, or the Universal Brotherhood of Elves, Tomten, Bumbles, and Holiday Toy Manufacturers Local #4238.

MINI Takes The States 2006 – 15 days

In 2006 MINI was starting production of the new model so they decided to have one last “cool” version of the R53- the John Cooper Works GP. These would be a very limited edition, each numbered. and would be available for delivery at a very special event in Monterey, CA. The event was the start of something they decided to try called “MINI Takes The States.” It was a celebration to “motoring” and what makes America a great place to motor. I had just had Penfold for less than a year, I was not going to trade him in for a newer model, but event seemed interesting. Of course being a school teacher I could not attend since it happened over what normal people call the end of the Summer but what teachers know of as the start of school. In fact they would be going through Indianapolis on a Wednesday… the day after Back to School Night. I attended Back to School night, jumped into Penfold, drove to St. Louis, checked into the hotel, got about 2 maybe 3 hours sleep, checked out (they didn’t have the heart to charge us the daily rate for parking) and parked under the Gateway Arch with the other MINIs. We then drove back to Indianapolis, and I helped the local club check cars in for a lap around the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After everything I learned that this wasn’t a race, and I should have taken a little more time to enjoy the scenery. Nothing else was planned for the day. MINIUSA had actually asked the local club to not plan anything- they looked at it as a day of rest… the participants wanted something, so we all congregated across the street and I got to meet some people who have been close friends ever since.

You see, Sue had a Honda S2000 and we had done a few things with that club. I found it interesting that it seemed to be a bunch of guys who all they wanted to do was mod their cars and talk about how cool they were. They would talk to me, because I was another guy, not Sue who owned the car. The MINI community was different, we were all misfits, some of us loved our MINIs because of the “Go-Kart Handling” others because it was “Cute” others, because of the unique design, and still others because of the “Rally Heritage.” We all had one thing in common… we loved our MINI and appreciated everyone else for their similar love of their own MINI. I will often speak of “finding your tribe” I go to a Comic Book, or Star Trek Convention and I know I am with my people. These are people who understand, who don’t look at you funny, because of what you wear or what you say. MINI is that kind of community. That first MINI Takes The States, all 36 hours of it for me, was enough for me to know.

MINI Takes The States 2008 – 3 days (each location)

Two years later in 2008 MINIUSA decided to try it again… this time they tried to replicate what had been done in Europe with MINI United… It was fun, but… Four locations a weekend party. Miami, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. by this time Sue now had a MINI so we took hers to Chicago, which was actually held in Wisconsin. We scratched our heads a bit, but being at Road America was really cool. Blues Traveller was the headliner and they had a chance for people to try out the latest MINIs on an Autocross set up. The saddest thing I heard at the end of the day was a teenager thinking he was so cool because he got to learn how to drive stick on a John Cooper Works MINI. We flew out to Los Angeles to attend MTTS at the Rose Bowl, we didn’t have a MINI and created “Counterfeit MINI” only to be relegated to the “non-MINI” parking. I recall trying the autocross again, this time with my dad only to be told that I needed to be gentle since most of the clutches had been shot during the previous events…

MINI Takes The States 2010 – longest route 8 days

It now had become a thing… so in 2010 MINIUSA did it again, this time a combination of 2006 & 2008. Four different routes three converging in Indianapolis, and then everyone heading to Colorado. In 2009 I had started “My Geek Odyssey” after attending MINI United in the UK. I actually had done a comic strip that had gotten the notice of the people planning the event… to keep me quiet, they asked me to do one during the trip. I was planning on jumping on in Indianapolis (you bring the parade down my street, I’m going to join along) so I started working with them. Basically a full color Sunday Comics like strip each day of the event. I figured it would be awesome, not thinking through that I would be driving all day, and then drawing all night. That said, it was an amazing time with some amazing memories. Here was something I haven’t mentioned before, the involvement of the management during this. Jim McDowell especially. As VP of MINIUSA he was “Chief Motorer” and took those responsibilities to heart. He would be the first with a squirt gun on a hot day, or urban legend has it- go buying ice cream for the people behind him when he stopped at an ice cream truck. This was one of those things that made MTTS an amazing event.

MINI Takes The States 2012 – 11 days

2012 wasn’t best start for us. First Penfold after almost 100,000 miles was in the shop and the prognosis was not good. I had planned on getting the new JCW GP in the Fall, but keeping Penfold around. Only a MINI owner would understand how hard it is to say goodbye… Compound that with Sue losing her job, it became a time of decisions… so on a whim we bought a Roadster and within a few days of picking up Alfie aka Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All we were heading to New Jersey to “Go all the Way.” What would the future bring us? We didn’t know, but at least we’d go out in style and on an adventure. When I ask Sue what was her favorite MTTS- 2012 is it. MINIUSA had amazing things planned each day and night. We watched 4th of July fireworks from the Newseum just of the Mall in Washington DC. It all ended with an amazing party at the House of Blues and then a breakfast (for those who went All the Way) on the beach in Santa Monica. Good times with some amazing friends.

MINI Takes The States 2014 – 15 days

We survived everything and 2014 was looking amazing… I wouldn’t be able to go the entire route because of the start of school. But we were excited to spend some time in San Francisco and then see where the route takes us. By this time we had had met a lot of amazing people over the course of the various MTTS and had even met at other events, so we had a group to drive with which is something that tends to develop naturally. Some of them we had met in England at MINI United, others we had met along the road over the years, some we even “ran into” literally. OK, not me, but one of our group members since things can get weird trying to get out of a parking lot filled with MINIs. I was able to go as far as Lubbock, Texas this time. So I could at least check Roswell, NM off my bucket list. By this point MINI was starting to realize that this little event was growing really big… and maybe even too big.

MINI Takes The States 2016 – 15 days

So we’d gone West (young man), and then East, where to next? Where to start? Where should we end? This was a mystery, and in the lead up MINIUSA did their best to keep us guessing. Instead of just posting the route, they posted photos of things you would see along the route. The white barn is still one that makes people tilt their heads and go “huh?” Sow we started in Atlanta with a pre-party the night before. Then we all went to the Atlanta Motor Speedway to start traveling “Track to Track to Track.” MTTS had started to get almost unmanageable. We drove up to the track that morning only to find that cars had been in line since 3AM to get in so they could be “first.” Our little group just wanted to be together, which can be harder than you think. We did our lap and then started of on the most circuitous route to Palm Springs I have ever seen. As for favorites, for me this would be number two with 2012, being my favorite. We saw train tracks, horse racing tracks, more race tracks, and went up through Michigan. Every day was an adventure, every morning a breakfast burrito (except when fresh flapjacks were on the menu). every evening was a party. It all ended up in Thermal, California and a mad dash for umbrellas- not because of rain, or the need for shade, because some people felt they deserved SWAG and they were going to take as much as they could…

MINI Takes The States 2018 – 10 days

2018 MINIUSA went back to a divide and conquer kind of mentality… Two routes, meeting in Keystone, Colorado for three days. Starting from as far south and as far north as they figured logistically possible. This is where I bring up “going rogue.” The route is a suggestion, MTTS is an “Excuse to Adventure” to go places outside of your comfort zone. We decided this time to start in Little Rock, but not after stopping in Bensonville to take in a few museums. From there the Eastern route would have taken us to Dallas, we instead headed to Oklahoma City, and then to Sante Fe to meet up with the Western route. We decided we wanted to just motor and not worry about if everyone was together and discuss where we were going to eat, or if we should stop. The trip was to embrace the introvert in us, we’d be with people enough once we got to Keystone. Were there problems? Yes, our hotel in Keystone overbooked and decided that we really didn’t need our room. They rebooked us down the road (we had chosen the lodge specifically for its proximity to the event). The event itself was great, high altitude did have some effect on my MINI, but that was expected and the folks at MINI Roadside were awesome in taking care of the issue.

MINI Takes The States 2022 – 8 days

2020… I mean 2022… I think the original plan was to scale back in 2020 due to health concerns and then it was easy to just reuse the original 2020 route in 2022. I don’t blame them, like after 9/11, things have changed. While a shorter event, the roads and scenery were amazing. One thing missing- evening events. This happened due to a number of things, I know there had been a group pushing for more time to explore where we landed for the night. It had become a massive group of people with a “It’s Tuesday this must be Belgium” kind of vibe. You drove all day, not stopping, because if you did you might arrive late for the evening event… if there is no evening event, you can take your time and enjoy where you are… not a bad idea. The morning events became the must attend and it looked like after 2016 we didn’t have people parked out at 3AM waiting for the venue to open. This was interesting for Sue and me, because we each took our own MINIs. Sue had a business thing going on until almost the start, and I had family stuff, so we met in Burlington and drove on our own. You’d think the shorter distance between stops would make the days shorter, but the actual routes took just as long to drive. In the end everyone had time at the BMW factory and opportunities to drive or be driven on the track.

So Enough Blabbing About History- What Do I Need To Know about 2024?

Last week MINIUSA announced MINI Takes the States 2024. After some grumbling in 2022 about how the route was specifically on the Eastern side of the US, this time it is pretty much exclusively on the Western side starting in Albuquerque and ending in Seattle. There are still some unanswered questions in the schedule which may or may not get answered. Already some things (like the address of the send off) have been cleared up. So what do you need to know? Have fun. Unlike Hyundai Takes The States, or Subaru Takes The States or even the very impressive Chevy Takes The States- MINI Takes The States is unique in the fact that it actually exists. Other Automobile companies have events (Jeep Jamborees and Invasions come to mind) but from what I understand those are put together and organized by local or national clubs. I could be wrong… I don’t know. I’ve experienced a “Jeep Invasion” recently but have no idea about how it was put together, just there were a lot of Jeeps and a lot of ducks. MINI Owners don’t have a national organization. Yes, there have been a few attempts, but nothing has stuck. So guess what? You are on your own… which isn’t a bad thing if you think about it.

Welcome to America

While we may not all agree politically, one thing is in America we have stores, so if you forget something, stop by a WalMart, or Target, or other big box store and buy it. Yes, shop locally, but in a pinch… There are Starbucks, and McDonalds, and whatever in almost every town, you won’t starve. If your MINI breaks (it can happen- it’s happened to me more than once) there are auto supply stores, and (if you are on the route) MINI Roadside Assistance, if not AAA can help too. So re up that AAA membership as added insurance.

Breaker One-Nine for the Rubber Duck

You may want to have a radio with you. The various boards will have “experts” to help guide you as to what is best, and just as many experts to tell you that that person is wrong. Still, having a radio will help communicate with other MINIs on the road. the default frequency has been 7:21 but each group tends to alter that to avoid unnecessary noise. usually one person in a group has a radio on 7:21. Oh, you don’t have a radio? (see above “Welcome to America”)

Your Excuse For Adventure

Each morning at the Rise and Shine you will be given a route. This is a suggestion, you may have decided to go another way because you really want to see that rock formation that looks like a giant toilet. It’s all up to you. If there is a roadside attraction that attracts you, stop… you may never have a chance to see the world’s largest turnip again. They only take attendance at the Rise and Shine (unless they have an evening event planned) which is the best opportunity to meet new people and hear from Desiree about the day… just don’t end up in the pocket of DOOOOOM! MINIUSA has planned two full days on your own in some of the most picturesque areas in the country… go explore.

Things Change… Be Flexible

While everything looks like it locked in place… local groups may plan things, Giant Kaiju may attack, things happen, be ready to pivot. For example right now there is chatter about nothing posted for Seattle, or Salt Lake City even though those are “destinations.” My question is: If there is nothing planned, then how do I get my button? So just because you plan to avoid a place because nothing is happening, be prepared to change if something gets announced. Also, we aren’t the only people out there, this will be the height of summer, there will be crowds… go with the flow.

Button, Button, Who’s Got The Button?

While it might be different- there will be SWAG, and there will be SWAG hoarders. In 2022 no one could have anticipated the desire for people to want MINI Financial Services Magnets… but there it was, like a Black Friday nightmare. As for buttons, we all assume MINI will be giving out buttons at each destination… somehow this became a bigger things as people started trading their own person buttons. Is this required? NO. If you want to… go for it. In 2022, I went to JoAnn Fabrics and bought a bag of assorted buttons (the kind you sew on) and handed those out just to be silly. Some people will have stickers, some will hand out ducks… if you want to create a signature thing for you or your MINI- have fun being unique. NOT Normal is what MINI used to be all about.

The Cost of Doing Business

Yes, this isn’t cheap. Then again, owning a MINI isn’t cheap either. I come to this with the same point of view I have when going to Disneyworld or any resort… I’m going to end up spending more than I expected. I’m a retired school teacher, I don’t have money to throw around, but every two years, this is important enough for me to suck it up and pay for the once in a lifetime experience MTTS can be. Last year was $150 per driver for the entire thing, then hotels and gas on top of that- I was able to see a part of the world I may never drive through again, which was amazing. This time it’s a lot further from home, but even more opportunity for adventure awaits. Will I be eating ramen for a month when I get home? Probably… but it will be worth it.

Back in 2010 there was some off the RADAR philanthropy going on. In 2012 it got a bit more organized with support for the US Paralympic Team. Since then each year has had a series of philanthropies and sometimes competitions to raise the most money. I believe it was 2014 when “Best Friends” was the philanthropy they asked on the registration form if you were bringing a pet and I replied “Yes- other” I actually got contacted by MINIUSA because they were concerned that I might be bringing some dangerous animal. When I told them a monkey… That said, be prepared for raffles, and other opportunities to give to a good cause throughout the trip. At the end we will be told the total raised and who raised the most. You not only had a great time but you also did some good.

MOST IMPORTANT:

This is supposed to be fun… so have some fun. I recall being trapped in an elevator at a Disneyworld Hotel and having to listen to a parent tell their teenage child “We spent a lot of money on this, so you WILL HAVE FUN.” I’m not saying that, but life is an adventure, sometimes things go wrong, laughing about it can make it better. Think of Gromit in 2006.

Take some time each morning to meet other people who, like you, are crazy enough to invest their time, and money into doing this… Who love their car like a member of the family.

Don’t ask about the monkey… I don’t know anything about the monkey.

If you don’t already know, a automotive glossary:

• Mini/MINI Cooper– Fast little British Car
• MINI Cooper S– Faster little British Car
• MINI Cooper John Cooper Works (JCW)– Even Faster little British Car named after John Cooper who modified and raced the original Mini
• Mini– designed by Sir Alec Issigonis in the late 1950’s to provide an economical car for a family of four 1959-2000 aka “Classic”
• MINI– the Redesign of the “Classic” by BMW 2001- present
• Convertible– the top comes down…
• Countryman– SUV version of the MINI
• Clubman– Station wagon version of the MINI (soon to be extinct)
• Paceman– Two door SUV (extinct)
• Roadster– Two seat Convertible (extinct)
• Coupe– Two seat no the top doesn’t come down (extinct)

*Currently MINI Owners will also use letter designations to describe their MINI- it’s easier to smile and nod than to figure it all out. For the record I currently own a Roadster (R59) and a Classic (Mk VI). The Roadster with 147,000 miles will be going on MTTS like he has every one since 2012 (which he did on temporary plates).