Some info posted on the KC MINI club site today...... Just to let people know - the "official" MTTS route from KC to Dodge City will not be taking I-70. Granted, there is no event planned in Dodge so feel free to get there however you want - or even head directly to CO- but most of the group will be traveling off the beaten path via 50 across KS. Looks like about 5 to 5 1/2 hours either way you go. And, as of today - July 10 - there is somewhere between 300-400 people registered to be in KC for MTTS festivities. There will be a stop at Baron (2PM-5PM on Wed., Aug. 11) for sno-cones and a possible charity car wash. Then, maps will be given for a "tour" of our famous K-5. I imagine groups will leave to drive the K-5 on an impromptu basis i.e. this is a own your own tour just kind of like being at the Dragon. Drive the K-5 if and when you would like that afternoon and if others are going at the same time, then great. Finally, Boulevard Brewery is working on scheduling some tours that afternoon. More info on that will be posted in the next week. What the club can provide is a list of recommended places to see, eat, etc. while out-of-towners are here. Since there's no formal event planned for Wed. night, it would be great for the club to sponsor a hand out of favorite local places to go. So go ahead and post your favorite places in this thread and I'll make sure they get compiled and printed for handout at Baron during the stop. That would be the biggest help the group of us can be to make everyone's stay in KC a great one since we basically have no money to spend reserving something somewhere not to mention the fact that KC will be the second to the last stop for all the east coast travelers. In my experience (this is my 3rd cross country journey with MTTS) by the time the group gets to the last couple of stops, everyone is exhausted and just wants to relax for an evening.So if we can all recommend our favourite places in KC to hang out, be it restaurants, ice cream places, bars etc., we can let all the east coasters know that KC isn't just a hick town in fly-over country. The launch point on Thursday morning will be the parking lot of Heartland Community Church at 119th and Strang Line Rd in Olathe (the Old Rhodes Furniture building next the the AMC 30 theatre.) It was an ideal parking lot close to I-35 (we'll be departing on I-35 South toward 50 for Dodge City) and could accommodate a few hundred MINIs on a Thursday Morning. As always, it should be a great time with a couple hundred MINIs in KC for the stop.
I wonder why the don't use the parking lot of the shopping area that has nothing in it right behind the MINI dealer.... I'm sure the lot would hold that many MINI's...
Good point! There sure aren't any shoppers there.....but being private property and all, they'd need permission. Still, I agree that would be an ideal place, especially since the event is headquartered on the Plaza, and the most direct route to I-35 from there is straight out the Parkway that runs in front of Baron...... I think they're missing a good bet here.... Sad that K-5 is the only remotely twisty MINI fun road in the area, and it's miles from Baron!
I'm sure they'd be allowed to use the parking lot since there isn't anything in there (was going to have a circuit city but they all shut down) Maybe someone could mention it to mini....*cough* Todd *cough*
I went and checked out the meeting spot for KC and here's some pics of it. Pretty easy place to spot...if you're looking for it. It's right next to Cracker Barrel on Strang Line road. Sign at street: Church sign: Parking Lot (this thing is HUGE):
Good scouting there, Steph... It's gonna be fun to see a couple hundred MINI's there next Thursday morning. Too bad I'll already be Winter Park by then. You and dimini and iowamini will just have to get some pics for us all to share.
No, but he's talking about doing the KC - Dodge City part of the run - he'll drive his JCW I'm sure, given the heat, distance and quality of the roads....