For what is worth . we have a great Cleveland Co Fairgrounds here in shelby nc.. the vw folks have had there EURO invasion last few years there..  about 225 cars there..  lots and lots of space for FREE camping..  also great Fairgrounds   in johnson city , tenn..  I was there to see Delbert McClinton with Paul Thorn. in 2008 . about 18,000 folks there that night....   just think simple and CHEAP is best these days.. seems we are NOT getting any new BLOOD buying classic minis.. for last few years...

Well, we solved the part about a short drive...we're hosting MMW this year...sadly at the same time as MME.  Maybe one target would be to have the Meets a week apart in 2016 so those who want to drive their Mini (or MINI) can stretch their legs!

As for MMEMW in Milwaukee, it is the second time a MINI club was holding a meet for the first time.  Both Meets (Milwaukee & Winona) showed that partnering clubs at least one with some Meet experience will help.

I'm of two minds about organizing a Meet via email & internet.  Our 2 club group (Classic but with some dual owners) has been working on Mini Meet West since fairly early last year - we had the host hotel, car show site booked before heading to Milwaukee and had one Speedway lined up for autocross & funkhana....

However, that didn't stop Ken & I from beginning to scheme up a MMEMW 2019 near the Continental Divide in a US Mountain State...and we're Canadians.

When a 1098 powred Mini is covering miles there is time to turn one's mind to the future.

 

 

1982 Was the first MME I attended.  It was in Greenville, SC and it was one of the best MME and cheapest I have attended.  It was at a Thunderbird Motel and we had a ball.  1983 was Newport News,VA and it was a Holiday Inn.  I remember the banquet was held on the top floor of a fancy hotel and was super swanky as well as expensive.  It was the first time I had encountered uniformed (black) elevator operators and waiters, and was a real shock. Seems like every MME since then has been at high $$$ hotels and the costs of the MM have grown as well.  Not sure when or where jagwrjack is speaking of.  Perhaps 1981?

i don't think he use saying.. mini classic vs MINI bmw....car tug of war...

 

                    he stated the owners of the mini vs bmw  owners ...

 

  however... what you said would be a hoot...

Been done already at Spring Thing a few years back in Jacksonville although it was more Mini - Mini and MINI - MINI. The video's were on You tube a new MINI blew a transmission.

Doc..  i never stated i was going to do all this by myself...

  it's all about " The Peoples Choice " and yes it will work........   if we all chip in just a lil on each's given project and follow through with it..

 

   as a family member... i know and feel through the effort of all family members contributing to this event ....will only draw us as a family ... more together...

 now... i just started this thread today... and already, feathers are getting ruffled a bit...........

   we have much time to see if this might even be poss.

   i'm just trying to make our event better by gathering opinions form all who might like to see a welcome change. instead of it all being cast in stone at some pres. meeting at 8 o clock.. for next years event

I wasn't lashing out at you Willie...I love ya man!  Just trying to put it in perspective that Mini Meets take a lot of planning and committed workers.  It would be great if everyone could just get together like you said and make it happen, but sadly, it won't happen. 

Back around 1982, MME was held at Williamsburg, Va. which seemed to be a good center point, but back then there were a lot of mini clubs between NY. D.C. and the Carolinas. Wonder how many clubs are still around ? Wonder how scary the beltway traffic would be now, in a mini, at my age ? ??

easy big guy... no need to lash out at me...

   well alex. will you please be so kind as to bring this up at this pres. meeting for us...

   organisation ?... thats easly sorted ....

   money issues such as greed and or scamming as well as stealing.. Will not be tolerated...AT ALL  ...i hate that sin ..

 

   Alex... your so right ... it is a family reunion . it's just so wonderful to see all smiling , upbeat spirts , playfull hearts....   God i love it...thats my fav..

  but i know my attention span , it's less then a nat's ...and i know i would be so antsy and bored at this up comming event...and i don't want to just sit down and swill beer all day like you...

 

   a day or two at a track, all to ourselfs, to play on the road circuit.  is what i need to get my juices flowing ....we all could party at the track all day and have a huge bar b q  there as well. 

 

  have shared times maybe on the track . 1 for thoese who just want to play easy. ( a slower pace if you will )  2nd. for the ones who like that thrill of going deep in a corner, and then hit the gas.

 

 

"This was shown by last year's woeful effort - we all had fun, but the organisers seemed to be more in it for the money than the cars and people (just my 2c)."

Well, From my understanding it was ran by a MINI club as opposed to a Mini club.  Perhaps if they had had it in Arkansas as the President's Meeting agreed to at the previous MM, it would have been more about the cars and less about making money.  Just my 2 cents worth.  Anyway, good luck Willie trying to host a MM like you suggested...it ain't ever gonna happen.  It takes a good solid club to host one, and nothing "just happens" when you put on an event like this.  Everything must be planned and considered, and you will still have issues.  I am looking forward to this year's event because (like Alex said) it is like a big family reunion.  That said, to quote Hank Jr, "Lately some of my kin-folks have disowned a few others and me..."  Anyway, it's about the cars and the friendships, so maybe we can overcome the politics looming in the shadows.  Hope to see you there!

    perfect ... perferably , with a body of water between the combatentes...

 

   keep um comming...

Want to cut down on travel distance to MME or MMW?

Host the event!

How about a tug of war between Mini and MINI owners?

Discussions for the next MME (and often a few years ahead) occur during the meet - this time there is the Presidents meeting at 0800 (yes, Willie, there are two 8 o'clocks in one day) on the final day to discuss and plan the next events.  With the amount of organisation required, the host club has to be pretty switched on and keen. 
This was shown by last year's woeful effort - we all had fun, but the organisers seemed to be more in it for the money than the cars and people (just my 2c).

MME is so much more than just a car show though.  It is like a big family reunion.  Sure, you can argue that it is formulaic, but is that really such a bad thing ?
CMU always drive the same roads in the Smokeys, but that doesn't seem to be a problem.

Practical jokes ?
Remember the Power of R...

 

   perfect Dan... here we go....we have over a year to put this all together......

 

     Sir Big Al is going to be the Distinguished judge of the jello wrestling.......i hope his ticker can take it....

 

   fun factor and location, both??....but of course and much more...it's all what we make it.....

 

             i really like the one about who can pull the biggest prank on alex...   like moving his steering wheel to the left side...

 

          as far as Don helping us out a bit...???  ( i'm not asking for a 43' skater here ) ... tax write off....plus he's loaded...in fact next time i see him... going to ask him if he has any daughters...

 

   

Ohhhh......... hard choices Willie!

Some weird mental images too, like Big AL jello-wrestling.

Don aleady does enough for us by hosting here. Thanks always, Don.

Fun-factor VS location... why not both?

Personally, I've wanted to attend a Mini meet since I got my Mini (she seems lonely), but I've been limited by distant locations, inopportune date (July 1st. is my anniversary) and often by financial limitations.

 

 

   what about the idea of all of us agreeing where MME 2016 will be held at...

 

   for me.???   i had a blast down south at the tail of the dragon meet..  i would love to do that one again..    we did white water rafting as well... what a hoot..

   find a place where we can rent a track for the day to run our minis and have a big bar b q there as well..

 

     maybe have a softball game.......or see who can pull the biggest prank on Alex.....

   it allways seems that for some...   the meet is to far for them or perhaps another issue ...

    to me... if i'm going to drive my arse off to an event...there has to be track or  something like the dragon to enjoy the mini moment as opposed to a parking lot with cones..

   i mean... we have the baddest lil cars out there...seems a shame to not take um to the streets and flaunt them off to the towns people, while we all have big smiles on our faces.  then sitting around a parking lot with cones..

   sure, still some will not be 100% happy with the location...but they will be maybe 75% happier as opposed to not go at all ....in turn which make them want to come possibly for things they shared there input on as to ways to improve MME...

  we don't need 1 host to do it all...we can set it all up from our homes...members vollinter to set one thing up and so and so...

    some may be needed to go a day earlier to the meet to set something up... i don't see a problem there.....

 

                                           thoughts please...