As I sit here and await the end of yet another year (my 36th) and drink my wine, I’m filled with memories of yet another great MINI year…
Started the year at 36K miles. Ending at 76K. Sure, a lot of that was work, but there are some great track days in there and a few SCMM events.
Made new friends. Lost some that I made.
I think my track skills improved this year. Altogether I believe I have close to 50 hours of track time this year. Unlike golf, driving repeatedly on a track only makes you better!
This is the year we saw the MINI really come into it’s own I think. A lot driven by astronomical gas prices across the country. People were moving into smaller, more fuel effecient autos, and the MINI more than fits that bill.
I have a feeling that ‘05 is going to be a very good year. More events. More friends. More cool MINI stuff.
I hope that yours is safe, happy and you are spending it with those that you care the most about.
until next year…
Oh yea, now it’s time for the juicy bits! Over the last year, 10,710 of you…
visited…34,853 times looked at…171,938 pages using…IE with Windows (46.4%/62.8%)
There is a pretty good chance you got here from…(in order) gomotoring.com motoringfile.com (all flavors) J/C’s site rocketboy’s site.
Those of you looking for things (via Google, Yahoo!, GIS, MSN or AOL)… mini limo…80 pink mini cooper…73 permaplate…39 frantones pizza…64 boat vin…55 mini cooper blogs & dbmini…25
Once you got here you looked at (not counting rss feeds)… this page the gallery the minilinks page the boat track page…I really wished this still worked for you.
Anyway, thanks for visiting! I really never thought this little MINI site would ever get this kind of traffic. Sure it’s nothing like motoringfile or even gomotoring. But, it’s enough for me!
Watch for the Year in Review – My Edition coming up shortly
Wow! what a year!
Jschwa came out and visited. While here we attended:
The LA Auto Show
Buttonwillow for a weekend of racing
Frantones Pizzeria
AND…
Also this year…
The Great Malibu Run
The Saturday run
Idylwild…including snow! In April!
Irwindale Raceway for a few parade laps
Streets of Willow Springs
AND… Toys for Tots…click for the gallery
Roxy got a new set of brakes and 2 sets of tires this year. For her troubles, she also got another 45K miles which included a whole pile of track time at Buttonwillow and Streets!
For the most part, it was a great MINI Year! complete wrap-up I’ll post tomorrow, including the geek stuff! :D
Which I am sure you will all get a kick out of…
When out on the beach, I heard such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I made a quick dash, whipped open the shutters as a bright light flashed. The moon on the water, yellow and full, illumined the beach, it looked pretty cool. Then what to my amazement screeched to a stop, but a red Mini-Cooper, with a surfboard on top.
You can read all of it here.
What else would a surf board toting Santa Drive?
From this story:
Small car from Kia is a disappointment: “The Spectra has several problems that added up to a poor rating,” Lund says. The structure is rated acceptable because of too much intrusion into the driver footwell area. The dummy’s head bottomed out the airbag and then went part way out the open side window and hit the door frame. High forces were recorded on the dummy’s head, and there were possibilities of injuries to the neck, chest, and both legs.
This is the first poor rating for frontal impact crash testing since 2001. What is really disturbing:
Kia Motors America Inc. said it has met with institute officials to determine how to improve the vehicle’s performance. The company also said it was comfortable with the level of safety the Spectra provides. “Occupant safety is a priority for Kia,” the company said in a statement. “In the development of this product the Spectra has undergone a battery of tests, and we continue to have a high degree of confidence in the real-world protection offered by this vehicle.”
from this AP story via Yahoo! news.
Yea, um, sure gang. I’ll stick with my MINI thankyouverymuch :D
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