hotels are NOT expensive here in the USA.. I have to go to St Barts. soon.. check out Isle de France hotel. there in Gustavia.. www.chevalblanc.com   the rooms start at MERE $3000 per night PER PERSON..  . later bc

You guys south of the border still using pennies? We stopped years ago. Check a Canadian bill against a US bill. Ours are bigger! Also more colourful and prettier!

Hugh/Dr Mini: no offense taken at all!

Personally I believe Hotels anywhere in the US are ridiculously expensive, regardless of your currency value. This was my first experience sleeping in a Hotel, other than on My honeymoon 34 years ago in Mexico. I don't see a rented bed being worth more than 40$ a night. As many of the Mini-Meet-West folks know, I have always slept in my Autocross Mini, except at home events. Unfortunately this one cost me a bundle, as sleeping in "Stubby", my 3 foot shortened and 3 inch sectioned MK1 was impossible for both Larry and I, at 6'-4" and Larry at 6'-7". I bit the bullet and put it on my credit card since it was my first vacation since my house burned down 2 years ago. probably spent around 2 grand, all in. I live in a borrowed Motor coach, parked in a barn.....stop complaining and figure out a way to go.

dr mini.. you should KNOW  BMW MINI owners... can  NOT stay at  a Motel 6? too easy,, too cheap..btw, I agree. I have NEVER stayed at bad Motel 6..  used to love that one at Spring THANG..  all them years.. later bc

Yes we were aware of the cost being higher than ideal. Hate that some folks were not able to come because of that. A lot of our location decision was driven by finding an autocross venue, which was challenging. We also wanted to get out of the heat of the lowlands, which a lot of folks were concerned about.

One of those things - can't have the perfect venue or please everyone.

Perhaps I should have said, "worth less". At any rate, Canadians end up paying more because of it. As for the Mini Meets at high dollar venues, I remember when we had Mini Meets in hotels/motels with outside entrances...ie, cheap. Face it, most of the time at Mini Meets are spent out in the parking lot or under a shade tree at the hotel. The room is just for crashing after a long day. Personally, I don't need a $150 room just to sleep and shower in. The Mini Meet in 1982 at the Thunderbird Inn in Greenville, SC was great, and was cheap. Likewise, the Spring Things at the Motel 6 in Kissimmee were good and cheap. Somewhere along the way we "Up-sized" the hotels and it has just gotten too rich for a lot of us. In addition to squeezing out us retired folks on fixed incomes, it hinders the younger generation that maybe don't make enough bucks to stay at the expensive hotels. Anyway, it's just a thought.

All coins smaller than a dollar in Canada should be called puny's

Our one dollar coins are referred to as "loonies" and they aren't worthless!
We can't help it if the US dollar is over-valued!
The two dollar coins are referred to as "twonies"

Despite the currency difference (we are used to it), I agree that locating a Mini Meet in a resort locale makes the costs exorbitant for those of us in any country with limited hobby car budgets. I remember when the Mini was an economy car.

dr mini.. so true. the word.. STUPIC comes to mind... later bc

Someone schedules a Mini Meet in a resort town where the rich and famous go on vacation and it surprises you that soft drinks are $3 in the machines and breakfast is $27? Just think how the Canadians felt dealing with those prices with their worthless Loons!

SAlexander..   you must be a miserable mormon..?? I  was too busy.. arranging the next shipment of CHOKES.. as for  my friend from INTERPOL could NOT come over to arrest your FRIEND.. due to a  court case in london.. england.  so NO reason to come without a mini , moke..or a WARRANT..   later THE BC..

If you don't drink nasty tasting alcohol, you can't become a "stupic" obnoxious drunken fool or an alcoholic that will likely die of pancreatitis or liver disease. Coke may not be real healthy for you, but at least it tastes decent. I prefer orange juice or lemon aid when available. We all thank you werewolf for not showing up at East meets West.

who drinks cokes at Mini Meet?? kids and old women..  dont you know the brand of choice at MM is RED STRIPE??  glad you had great time there.. later bc

The weather was perfect; not a drop of rain or flake of snow all week, except at higher elevations. The 1-1/4 SU carb needed a slight tweak, by Larry, my co-driver and Rally navigator (from Heritage Garage)….took all of 2 minutes in the hotel lot. The SU fuel pump gave up and Don Racine, host of this site supplied us with a brandy new one...20 minutes later we were back in business. Larry beat me out for top time in autocross "F" class. We put 115 miles on "Crusty" the shorty Mini, in the 84 mile long Rally event...(a few wrong turns), and got our pictures on the front page of the local news paper. Very fun but expensive (for me) event. 3$ for a vending machine coke? 27$ for hotel buffet breakfast? It'll be beans and tortillas now and for a good while.

I remember the 89 meet well. It was unbelievably hot. My little 65 original moke never missed a beat. Wish I hadn’t sold it.

The weather his perfect now. Many of the Minis of the Rockies committee went up this morning and it snowed hard on us. Ice in the I-70 tunnel was very scary. It was clear by the afternoon.

Just saw the weather channel talking about snow falling in Colorado!  Anyone there drive through it getting to the Mini Meet?  Steve you can go to the next MME which will be in Kentucky in 2020-it is closer than Colorado.

And that's another thing, it was like 107 in the parking lot and I could see snow. Steve (CTR)

Won't Larry get cold in the bed of your pickup?

I'm thinking it must just be me. I drove out to Denver for a mini meet may have been 89. As I recall I had to buy eye drops, chap stick, and body lotion. My mini was not at all happy coming from sea level, I ended up at Radio Shack buying a soldering iron and solder. Lucky I don't go anywhere with out Weber jet drills. I had been thinking, my cat and dog both died last fall, the kids are in college all my racing clients have aged out. I may still get to a mini meet before there are no more. Steve (CTR)