We feel like we hit the Google Earth Lottery. Last year on the PhillyMINI In The Mountains IV Run, 40+ MINI's were passed by the Google Earth car. Well guess what, it finally surfaced on Google. Follow the link and look at the street view.... We were re-queing our cars near Muncy Valley, PA on Route 220/42, on a long straight-a-way, after turning right on Route 220, but just before turning left on Route 42. Follow link: Muncy Valley, PA - Google Maps Cheers, Joe Montante Co-Prime MINIster, PhillyMINI
Cool pics but answer me this... Are images that you see taken by satellite at that particular time? and you guys just happen to be there? I'm assuming that google takes intermittent pics?? I ask because sometimes I look at google earth and the pics are old and obviously like your pic, pretty recent. Thanks, Mark
Mark, This is how they are doing the street view stuff. Google Street View Camera - Immersive Media - Spherical Video Applications - Popular Mechanics
As we were re-queing on the side of the road, the Google Earth car with the cameras mounted above the roof drove by us in the opposite direction. Dumb luck to some degree, but we are guessing we are the first MINI Club this has happened to.
Great timing. How many MINIs at the rally? A few should've followed the camera car around for a few miles so that it'd appear that there are MINIs everywhere
I was really impressed with all the events PhillyMINI hosted. I never knew rallys could be so interactive and game like. BTW, I was a total nerd and look at the entire lineup that was caught on google. I'd never seen a black MINI with black bonnet stripes until then.
Thanks for the positive feedback guys. This was on our 2008 running of the PhillyMINI In The Mountains run. We were 40+ MINI's for a follow-the-leader style event over 186 miles of twisty mountain and country roads. I am the 04 MCS EB/W up at the front of the pack...
Thats cool and weird being on Goolle Earth. Mikie herding the stragglers like always with an imposter MINI behind him.
Additional positive feedback here. However, somebody in a red cabrio needs things 'splained to them about the proper care and feeding of a cabrio. I count 5 drop tops and one of them is not getting the most out of the motoring experience. Respectfully submited by a die hard topless motorer.
What an amazing turnout! I really need to get out to one of these phillymini meets - I am a member, after all. That guy in the Toyota Echo after the entire line does not look too pleased. hahahaha. - Marc
Nathan, Thanks bud, that was pretty informative. I had no idea how it was done... definitely interesting. Mark
Too bad the Google Earth Car was not there this year. On Saturday, Octoder 3rd, we had 55 cars, so the line was a wee bit longer... It was a great weekend. We had 55 cars Saturday for the PhillyMINI In The Mountains run and 35 cars Sunday for the PhillyMINI To Harvey's Lake run. I do not know what numbers other Clubs get for runs, but we average 25-30 cars per typical event, with 50-80 for our two larger events, the PhillyMINI Meet and the Mountain run. We are fortunate to have a very enthusiastic Member base... P.S. Marc, we have about 4 Motoring events left till the end of our Motoring Season in early December.
Joe - great to see you on here. I have a list of the events and am going to try to make one of them. Just got the MINI back after a _month_ at the shop for various things, so it's up and ready to go. - Marc
For Any MINI drivers of North East I suggest you check out a PhillyMINI event. You will find every type of MINI owner from daily drivers to auto-Xers and track junkies. Great crowd and alwas a Starbucks stop too lol.
Marc, Look forward to seeing you at an event. Felipe, Sorry to see you back in CA, but thanks for the plug...
hey joe! thanks! i was wondering when that google moment would go "live." what a great time that was!!! good to see i had the top down.....i was in the late/middle section "leading" the yo-yo group.....vroom!!! it would have been even more amazing if it had caught us in the twisties! any of you thinking of joining a phillymini event/ride couldn't find a nicer group of folks......keep up the good work joe/alan/et al!