Our EIM MINI motoring mate MINI dmv entertains us with a description of his trip from the Quad Cities out to MOTD this past spring!

Click on the more… link below to read the tale. There are also companion pics that you can access in the Gallery (<–link).

Thanks for sharing your story with us!

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009
– My buddy and I get into St. Louis at 11:30pm and spot a Chili Red w/ white top outside of a hotel and gave a honk but no reply.
– Checked into our hotel. Had drinks at a comedy/piano bar The Big Bang (lame). Checked out some other bars then went back to The Big Bang and closed it down. Went into the Casino down the street and gambled $51 and won $141.
– Left there looking for a place to eat. Is that sirens I hear. Pulled over. Officer gave me a warning for speeding and directions to a Steak & Shake which we never found.

Thursday, April 30th, 2009
– Check out and hit the road for Graceland. Spot a MINI, flash the lights, no reply.
– Check in to Memphis hotel @ 3:45pm. Graceland tours end @ 5pm. Motor over to Graceland and take the tour. Got a few pics. Good time.
– Stop to eat. Friend wants a beer with food. 1st two places we try don’t sell beer. Finally we get pizza and beer. It was very good!
– Next stop is Beale street in Memphis. RAIN. Lots of bars, good looking girls, high priced drinks and let’s not forget the vagrants and indigents that offered up their umbrellas, anecdotes, belts and advice from the Lord for a small fee. We settled into a Karoake bar for the rest of the evening and had a great time singing and drinking.

Friday, May 1st, 2009
– Late start for the Dragon. RAIN. So we drive…RAIN..RAIN..hey what’s that…oh it’s RAIN!
– Made it to Nashville to see the New and Old Grand Ole Opry’s (got a pic with the Old). Of course it was in the RAIN!
– Stop mid afternoon for a bite at O’ Charley’s (like Appleby’s). Make hast for the Dragon in the RAIN!
– I drive the Dragon in to head for the hotel. Superb and exhilarating. GPS leads us astray plus we didn’t pay attention to the Fontana Village sign very well. We get lost call the hotel and get back on track. The Brew Swap that we signed up for starts @ 8:00pm and it’s after 9:00pm. We also forgot about the 1hr time zone difference.
– Check into hotel. Go to Brew Swap. Met Yvonne from Michigan MINIs. What do you mean there is no beer? What do you mean we had to bring our own? Oh, so this is a dry county and the local store that had beer is closed. Um, excuse me is there anyone that would like to sell some of their beer?
– I was thankful to get a couple of beers from a fellow motorist. We watched people drink their beers and enjoy themselves. We finished ours and retired to the room.

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009
– Up early, get breakfast, saw an old MINI (had to be 60’s) convertible but the top was up because it was RAINING! The MINI pulled up to the hotel entrance and a 7’ tall guy gets out.
– Batteries in camera are dead. Head to local store for batteries but end up getting in line for the MINI picture in the RAIN! The MINIs were three deep and roughly 40 per row. Can’t wait to get my mural of the shoot.
– Next we picked up batteries and drove the Dragon. My buddy (Jamie) drove it up and got a Warning issued by a local officer. Then he drove it back. Then I drove it out and headed back home. We did what we came to do and it was GOOOOD! Even in the wet conditions Jamie said that my MINI handled great and that he felt like he could push it a little more. I thought he pushed it just fine for I was white knuckled for a lot of his drive. I’ve got pics and video.

And that sums it up I guess. Will I go back….yes, eventually and I’ll remember to bring my own beer.

See you all soon!!