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!
