Time to drive the Minis again!!  Some of you have had them under wraps for the winter and are ready for some sun.  We are looking at 96 degrees in the Shade in June and July in South Florida, so we want to get in one great drive and get together with our friends before the heat/rain/mosquito/hurricane season sets it.  One and one half years between the mountain events is too long of a wait!!! Come to the Keys!

We are looking for a laid back relaxing few days with our many Mini friends.  Heck, we’ll probably have folks from all over the US and Central and South America attending.  Drive your Mini, great views, great friends, sun, bikinis, speedos, what’s not to like??

Here is a schedule overview. More details will be updated a couple of weeks prior to the event.

Thursday:  Meet in the Miami area and have cafe and pastelitos at GB Car Parts, meet Sergio Ochoa, look and touch all the parts you want for your Mini, and then drive to the Redland  farm area for some twisties and hills, (seriously??  In Miami??) stop for lunch at world famous Alabama Jacks in Card Sound Road, (try the Conch Fritters), keep going south through Card Sound Road and make another stop at Robbie’s Marina,MM77,  and watch the tarpon be hand fed by CMU members.  Continue south until MM 53, Key Colony Beach, which will be our base for the event.  After everyone gets settled in, we can: swim in the ocean, swim in the pool, swim in the canal, fish off the seawall, go snorkeling, eat, drink, eat some more, sleep, play dominoes, throw Frisbees, play beach paddles, watch the sunset, whatever.  We will get together for dinner and roast a side of beef on the beach and rough it. CMU will be supplying the food and drinks, but the alcohol is on you... Yes, free registration and free food! Thank you CMU!

Friday:  Hopefully a new local attraction, a sting ray/shark swim pool will be open and we can enjoy that (really??), if not, more of swimming in the ocean, swimming in the pool, swimming in the canal, fishing off the seawall, go snorkeling, eating, drinking, eating, you get the idea.  We can get together at a local restaurant , Sparky’s on the Water, for dinner.

Saturday:  Our only driver’s meeting at 9:00 am  (it is the Key’s after all, none of this 7:45 am stuff), and a leisure drive to Key West, just 1.5 hours away, over the 7 mile bridge, a detour to see the Key deer (no hunting!!) and arrive in KW where we can do whatever, (it all stays there anyway!).  Imagine all of the Minis cruising around KW. The tourists will wonder where you rent them!?! We will watch the sunset shows, have dinner and drive back to Key Colony Beach.  Sunday we can all go back to where we came from!!  With great memories, and a tan!!

Essentials:  Sunscreen, towels, Frisbees, fishing gear, swimming trunks, bikinis, speedos, tangos, sunglasses, hats, kayaks, noodles, beach toys, and whatever beach related stuff can fit in your Mini.

Hotel:
Key Colony Bay Hotel – 1-800-435-9811 and ask for the Minis in the Keys rate of $70 per night plus tax. Regularly $112!!! At Mile marker 54.

Registration:
It's FREE if it is received by April 18th! A day late will cost you $10 per person, all ages. So send it in now! Go HERE for the form. Remember the key word is received by....

CMU guidelines...
For those that don't already know, CMU events are open to club members and their guests, both of which must register and pay to participate in part or for the entire event. (The same low price for the entire event or just one cruise.) You can arrive in any type of vehicle, but only classic Minis and their variants produced from 1959-2000 can participate in the drives/cruises or anything else scheduled for the event. If you can't bring your Mini, or don't have one, we'll find you a ride in one. The first 3 riders get to ride with Joe Machado!! There are no exceptions, as our motto says, "Just classic Minis, no ifs, ands or butts."