What a Lovely Day at Garage!

Ta, all.

I wanted to just pop in for a bit and share an adventure with my friends. Mistress and I decided that it was time to have me tyres rotated. That's rather like slipping off your black patent dancing pumps and putting those tired ( no pun intended) tootsies in a pair of comfy bedroom slippers for you humans. So off we went to see our friends at Flow Mini in Winston-Salem. Lemme whisper in your ear. I get treated like a blooming star when I go there. 'Struth, I do!

Well, got me tyres in place and what do you know? They gave me a lovely bath and spruce up! Can you beat that? I looked brand new when I left.

Thanks, fellows! You are the tops!

Blowing Rock in October

Here we are, lads, zooming along the highway headed toward our favorite mountain town, Blowing Rock.

The day was lovely this time. Last visit rain lashed me windscreen all day, but today was sunny and bright.

The autumn color had passed it's peek, I'm quite sorry to say. Mistress thought she would be catching the color at its best, but she misjudged this time. Still the day was great fun.

Mistress took me to see the spot where the Mayview Manor hotel used to stand. When Mistress was but a slip of a girl, her Father used to bring the family here for vacations. It was a lovely hotel and quite elegant, I am told. Even when Mistress was a girl the hotel required that you dress for dinner in the dining room, and you could not pass through the lobby in your swimwear! The pool still holds a special place in Mistresses heart. It was built off the side of the mountain so the view one saw is that pictured in the photos above. Mistress used to pretend she was Esther Williams in one of her Hollywood swimming extravaganzas when she swam in that pool.

On the way up, Mistress had me take a slight "off the beaten path" so that I could have myself photographed on one of the old bridges that used to span the depths on the old road to the mountains. Aren't they lovely? Only a few still stand, but it is testament to the fact that things can have both beauty and serviceability.

While enjoying our day downtown, Mistress was feeling a bit peckish, but couldn't decide what she wanted to eat. Or, for that matter, where. Finally she decided to simply have a Kilwins ice cream and call that luncheon! Steed got a taste so that was just fine with him.

Kilwins is a dangerous place that makes its own ice cream and fudge. Today Mistress chose Turtle Cheesecake in a waffle cone. Meself, I don't indulge. Give me a good drink of fine motor oil anytime. But Mistress said its the best flavor she's ever tried! Steed told me that his favorite part was the bite of waffle cone he got!

These mountains are called the "Blue Ridge" mountains by many, and it is easy on a day like this to see how they got that name.

A most enjoyable Autumn adventure. Mistress took some of her fashion dolls along and is going to put a few photos in her blog "Under a Flamingomoon". I think this is about all for me now. Looking forward to our next visit. Do motor with us again! Ta!

Wash 100 Mini's and It Will Rain!

Mistress says if you "click" on a photo ... it will enlarge!


Even rain couldn't dampen the spirits of the good people at the MINIpalooza! Of course, to me, this was much like a U.K. day. In fact, it was mentioned that "English weather" had been especially requested for the day so that all the Mini-Coopers could feel right at home. We lined the streets of Old Salem in preparation for an early morning start. Now you know that I love Mistress, but I have to say it brought a tear (or a raindrop ... hard to tell) to my headlamps to see all my fellow MINI's gathered together. Quite a feeling of "old home week".

The drivers gathered at the Tavern to get final instructions from Steve (good lad. Came up with some wonderfully twisty roads for us).
Though Mistress was wearing her Smurf-like rain garb, she still managed to get somewhat damp by the time we were ready to head off. She says now that had she thought of it more clearly, she'd have worn trousers that didn't drag in every puddle.

Time to hit the road! Steve sent the Mini brigade off in 10's so as not to interrupt the flow of traffic too badly. Billy Edwards came along to act as navigator and riding pal. I always like having Bill join in as I rather think of him as my Godfather. He's the lad who brought Mistress to the dealership to claim me when I arrived after my trip from Oxford, so we feel he deserves the thrill of a drive now and again!

Once we left Hwy. 52 and moved onto the back roads on our way around Pilot Mountain and back to the Westbend Vinyards we had no time for photos! Even though the super curvy back roads took us though gorgeous rural scenery which was painted with misty rain and softened by low clouds which almost touched the tree tops, there was no time to have photos! Mistress was driving me like a mad thing, and Billy was hanging on for dear life and reading directions. I was just having a grand old time, Mates. This is the kind of life I was born to lead. Mistress and Billy had a bit of a giggle over the fact that mini-drivers not from the area were going to wonder why the town was named "Pilot Mountain" ... there really is a Pilot mountain, but it was completely obscured by fog and clouds and no one got a glimpse of it's distinctive shape.

As the trip went along I found myself behind a bit of all-right who I later learned was named Rita. She was a looker of a blue Cabriole and just the thing to catch the eye of a red Clubby like myself. The rain was a good thing, because if Rita had had her top off ... well, I don't guarantee that I could have remained a gentlecar.

As luck would have it, we arrived at our destination, and I got to park right next to Rita! Now I didn't mind sitting in the rain at all. Here we are at arrival. Me, Bill, Marty, Pammy and Rita.

Rita has only been in the US for a couple of weeks now. She's still getting used to living just outside the nation's capitol, but she says that Marty and Pammy seem to be quite the perfect Master and Mistress, and she's even got two dogs of her own now. I told her that I have Steed as a riding companion and now and again Mrs. Peel. Though Mrs. P does not consider herself to be a "car cat", we get along quite well when she does need transport. I pride meself on being a congenial sort of bloke.

Lunch was, I am told, delish. There was a band for entertainment playing on the winery's patio, and so many folks to talk with and so many MINI's to look at that the hours just flew past.


Mistress walked around and took some snaps of the multitude of Mini cars. Marty, Pammy, Billy and Mistress insist that there were no two alike! Speaking for meself, I could have told them that would be the case. But it was more fun to let them discover our uniqueness for themselves. I don't know if the count was official, but rumour was that 160 of the mighty Mini's joined in the Mini Miglia.



Time came to leave and head back to Kernersville.
Billy insisted we stop at an old petrol station he knew so that I could have a drink, but, sad to say, the pumps were not servicing anymore. Too bad. Mistress thought the price of the fuel to be quite good!

Ready for the MINIpalooza!

Looking forward to a nice drive around Pilot Mountain and up to the Westbend Winery tomorrow. I'll be sure to post photos for all my friends.

Mistress gave me a good wash and tidy-up yesterday so that I'd look presentable with the other's of my kind. Stay tuned! More to come.

Another visit to the Old Mill

Mistress decided that her sister-in-law might enjoy some products produced by the mill and since it was a nice day, we took a spin.

The mill wheel was turning and the sound of the water splashing over it was delightful. It gave a sense of coolness, even if the day proved to be quite warm.

I must comment that the effervescent lady who owns the mill was quite taken with me. Mistress was quite proud to show me off. And I do believe that another MINI might soon be going down the road.

As you might be able to tell, my partner-in-motoring, Steed joined us for the trip. He's missed driving this summer as the weather has been entirely too hot for small white dogs.

Mistress took a couple of photos of the mill pond.

The owners have been nice enough to provide picnic tables in case visitors would like to have a lunch in a beautiful setting.

My First Trip To The Mountains

Mistress decided that we should drive up to Blowing Rock a couple of weeks ago. Sadly, the weather did not agree with us. We spent most of the time getting quite drenched in passing storms. But we'll go back on a sunnier day.

Here we are on the way up as we approach the Blue Ridge Parkway. We're just about at the Eastern Continental Divide. And to celebrate my first time there, we actually got a bit of sun.
Steed was in his usual co-pilot posish as we toodled along.
However it proved to be less than a great day for him as he and Mistress got soaked and since it was quite humid as well it was not a good "doggy day".




While sitting on the wall looking down a very long way for a small white dog, Steed showed his usual bravery and showmanship. However, Mistress didn't ask him to do his own stunts after this one time.

My favorite photograph. Here I am on Wonderland Drive. This is the street where Mistress would love to live. As a youngster she and her family would come to a hotel called Mayview Manor which was located here. It is gone, sadly, but the views are still magnificent. She used to love the swimming pool which was built on the side of the mountain, and looked out over the view which you see at the very start of this blog.

Here is the new riding and show ring that was being built at the equestrian center. Looks like it will be a great place for the local residents (seen below) to show off, as it were.





At least the rain was giving our equine friends a free bath and lots of green grass upon which to nibble.






And so, we leave beautiful Blowing Rock having snatched the few moments we could between raindrops.

Workout Buddies!

Here I am at the Sportscenter with my workout buddy. He's a real sportsman as you can see by the racks on top ... those can carry a bike or a kyiak!

I'm afraid I am more of a clubman than a sportsman. Cheers till next time!

I Visit With Other Spiffy Autos

Ta, one and all!

As you see me in this photo,it's early day and Mistress and I have stopped by Korner's Folly to see the early arrivals at the car show they'll be having this afternoon.

Only a couple of "guests" have arrived, but they look smashing! I can't wait to get a closer look at these celebrities of the highways and byways.

It was a lovely sunny day to enjoy all these wonderfully restored cars and trucks.

I do say that it was quite delightful to see such loving tribute paid to my "elders"!


Mistress said that this 1936 Ford was the second cutest red car at the show!
I'm pleased to say that she insisted that the VERY cutest was me, meself, and I!

I do confess though, that if there had been a "for sale" sign on this little guy, I would have been a very nervous Mini-Cooper. Clubman or not!

Here we have one of my countrymen. I did see Mistresses eyes light up when she spotted that black and white 1940 Jaguar. No one can say that we Brits don't have style. And lots of it.

What you see in the boot of the car is it's very own tool kit with a shaped space designed for each and every tool.

Mistress wanted to know where the space was where she would keep the tiny mechanic! Surely no one would expect her to actually FIX that car, would they?

Leave it to the Americans to think of everything! This totally cool car brought it's own food! Drive-in food on a window tray at that. I wonder if Mistress would get one of those window trays for me?

That's all we've time for now.
There were some muscle cars and a few more trucks, but these were our favorites.

Thanks for traveling along with us again. Always lovely to have our friends along.

The Old Mill of Guilford

Oh, I say, this was quite enjoyable. We took a trip to an old mill which has been in operation since 1767. As you can see, I'm parked just off road with the mill in the background. And, may I say, there wasn't a great deal of "off road" to park on. Had I been a larger car, we'd have been in trouble. As it was, Mistress risked life and limb standing on the motorway to get this shot! I was pleased to see that the mill wheel has now been painted a bright red. I rather expect it is "Chili red", and I blush to think that it could have been done because they were so impressed with my very own exterior!
Here I am, safely off the motorway and tucked into the parking lot of the mill. The porch is always shaded and cool, even in the heat of a North Carolina summer. And usually there are a couple of cats and a dog or two ejoying the shade. Today, there was only a human doing a bit of cleaning up.

Mistress brought her friend Eddie along for a ride ... simply everyone wants to have a ride in me .. can you see me blushing? And they decided to take a trip inside while I enjoyed the lovely weather.

I realized as I took a bit of sun, that this mill was in operation before the yanks got a bee in their bonnet about independence from the dear old Motherland. In fact, in 1781 our British troops marched right past here on the way to the Battle of Guilford Court House. I believe they were wearing Chili red coats.


Mistress took a shot inside the mill. They still grind grains and make all sorts of delicious mixes for sale here. Mistress tells me that the Sweet Potato Muffin Mix is almost too good to talk about!

The lady who is working is the owner of the mill and also run the mill store where visitors can buy all these great and fresh things to take home and enjoy!
If you'd like to know more, go to this site: http://www.oldmillofguilford.com/index.htm

Here I am sitting near one of the old storage buildings on the property.  I expect it was a store at one time.

And here is our final look at the side of the mill.  Its hard to see, but there is a swinging bridge over the mill pond to an out cropping where one can sit an enjoy the view.  

We'll save that for another trip.