Restoration-Mini

General Discussion => Events and Mini Clubs => Topic started by: Whee on September 24, 2023, 11:21:21 AM

Title: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: Whee on September 24, 2023, 11:21:21 AM
Hotel contract is signed, car show location picked, rally route driven, autocross logistics nearly complete, kids events being planned.

Registration will open in January 2024. Mark your calendars now for July 8-12 2024.


https://minimeeteast.regfox.com/mmew24
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MiniDave on September 24, 2023, 11:28:54 AM
Excellent! I will see you all there!   :steeringwheel:

BTW, July 8th is my B'day!
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: tmsmini on September 25, 2023, 08:09:00 AM
Looks like there is an error on the forward to this site:
https://minimeeteast.regfox.com/mmew24

as I get an SSL error on just
https://www.minimeeteastwest.com/
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MiniDave on September 25, 2023, 08:43:50 AM
I got http://minimeeteastwest.com to work...take the "s" off the HTTP....
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: tmsmini on September 25, 2023, 08:46:15 AM
Yes the SSL link with the HTTPS fails with:
Secure Connection Failed

An error occurred during a connection to www.minimeeteastwest.com. PR_END_OF_FILE_ERROR

Error code: PR_END_OF_FILE_ERROR

    The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because the authenticity of the received data could not be verified.
    Please contact the website owners to inform them of this problem.
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MiniDave on September 25, 2023, 11:19:52 AM
I have that problem with this site once in a while.....at any rate, it's early days - I'm sure Whee will get it sorted out well before the January open date.

I'm looking forward to this event - I did a Rushmore weekend with the 5280 club with my 2009 Clubman S when it was new, I'm ready to go back....we did the Devil's Tower run too and that was majorly cool! One of the most amazing thing I saw at DT were the pictures taken in the early 1900's of women with bustles standing on top of the tower.....there was a wooden ladder that ran up the side and folks could climb up to the top! The remains of that ladder are still there in places. While we were there we saw a number of people climbing the sides, I guess you can apply for a permit to climb the tower, but the number is limited each year. I would love to be able to go to the top of that thing!

I'll see if my friend Don can bring his drone and get some pics of the top at least.
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: cstudep on September 25, 2023, 01:47:37 PM
We vacationed up in the Custer state park area for many years, probably 5 or 6 at least. Always a nice place to go so long as you are not there around the 4th of July or in beginning of August for Sturgis. This is probably far enough removed from the 4th so as to not be quite so busy.

Devils tower is a National park and generally speaking drones are not allowed, just like metal detecting.

And just because I was curious, this is from the devils tower website.
https://www.nps.gov/deto/learn/management/lawsandpolicies.htm

Aircraft
The National Park Service requests that pilots of aircraft maintain a minimum distance of 2,000 feet above the nearest ground mass within national park units. Additionally, there is a 2-mile no-fly advisory zone around Devils Tower (3 miles in June). The use of remotely piloted aircraft, or drones, inside of Devils Tower National Monument is prohibited. Regulations regarding drones are discussed in the above-linked Superintendent's Inventory.
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: Whee on September 26, 2023, 07:35:53 AM
Quote from: tmsmini on September 25, 2023, 08:09:00 AMLooks like there is an error on the forward to this site:
https://minimeeteast.regfox.com/mmew24

as I get an SSL error on just
https://www.minimeeteastwest.com/
Thanks, will look into it. Link works for me, which is a little odd!
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: tmsmini on September 27, 2023, 08:19:52 AM
I tried a couple of browsers, firefox and chrome on two different computers, same result with the https protocol. Could be my ISP Comcast/Xfinity though.
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MPlayle on September 27, 2023, 08:55:19 AM
I get the same errors if I use the link "as-is".  If I type it as Dave did (http instead of https) then it works - the redirect processes without errors.

I am using the latest Firefox on an older MacBook Pro.

Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: 94touring on October 10, 2023, 06:29:36 AM
Changed your intial link so it links. 

I'm planning on carving out time to make this event.  Would love to bring the Inno.
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: Whee on January 28, 2024, 07:57:07 PM
Registration will go live February 1st!

Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MiniDave on January 28, 2024, 09:35:03 PM
Cool, I've been wondering when it would drop.....
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MPlayle on January 29, 2024, 07:40:15 AM
I am interested, but have never been to any of the big Mini Meets.  Anyone willing to be a guide for a "newby" to such an event?
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MiniDave on January 29, 2024, 09:26:30 AM
No guide needed......just show up and have fun! Dan is planning to go, I'm going, Don is going with his Pup so there will be a few folks you know right off the bat. I think once you get there you'll find all kinds of familiar names that you can now put with a face and car!

The events are well organized, and always include a few drives around the area, an autocross, a car show and I'm sure some other fun things to do. They also leave some "empty" times so you can go off on your own if you want. This area has a TON of cool things to see - including Mt. Rushmore and the Devils Tower (which I'm planning to go see again)

The roads are generally well kept and lots of scenic drives to do....and of course you're welcome to hang with us. For me it's a kind of a reunion - I get to see folks I haven't seen, sometimes in years.

See if you can talk Bruce into coming?

I may stay over a day or two extra - or get there a day or two early, not sure of my exact plans yet, but there is so much to see and do around there.

You can go look at any of the previous MM and see pics of the events, they're all over the web.......or, like I said, just show up!
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: Whee on January 29, 2024, 09:47:46 AM
I don't think I have much to add to what MiniDave said! Probably the biggest decision is how you get there. Caravan with others, or solo? Once there, the event will have plenty for you to do.

We are making a special effort to make 1st-time attendees welcome - but as Dave says, you're going to know ppl there already.
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MiniDave on January 29, 2024, 06:09:20 PM
I have one small suggestion.....nametags - maybe with a pic of the owner's car on it, so people can associate car with face and name?
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: Scargo on January 30, 2024, 07:28:35 AM
There's nothing unusual about having name tags with the person's name and hometown at a Mini Meet but including a car photo would result in additional challenges for the organizers.

Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MiniDave on January 30, 2024, 09:06:47 AM
OK, name and common screenname used online?

Whatever format they take, it should be a large, easy to read font, so you don't have people staring at your chest while they try to read your name   :grin:

One event I went to they gave out race style lanyards with the clear covers that hold credentials, then the tag could be as big as the holder
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: Scargo on January 30, 2024, 03:55:32 PM
Years ago (before Restoration Mini was born) someone thought it would be cool to have the option of having our Mini Mania screen names added to the name tags. If only I had a nickle for every non-Forum member who asked me what Scargo signified....

Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: Whee on January 30, 2024, 04:01:22 PM
Quote from: MiniDave on January 29, 2024, 06:09:20 PMI have one small suggestion.....nametags - maybe with a pic of the owner's car on it, so people can associate car with face and name?

We spent quite a while on this topic. We decided not to try the photo on name-tag - it is quite challenging. We *will* have car photos linked to participants for the awards banquet though.
Large print on name tags. Good feedback, I am passing onto the responsible committee member.
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MiniDave on January 30, 2024, 05:12:45 PM
Quote from: Scargo on January 30, 2024, 03:55:32 PMYears ago (before Restoration Mini was born) someone thought it would be cool to have the option of having our Mini Mania screen names added to the name tags. If only I had a nickle for every non-Forum member who asked me what Scargo signified....


Look at that S car go?   :grin:

But you have to admit it's a good conversation starter! Mine is fairly unimaginative.
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: 94touring on February 01, 2024, 06:12:12 AM
I paid my registration fee a moment ago. I plan to caravan up with Dave and Don.  Suppose I should reach out to Dean to see if he wants to join us.  Still undecided if I'll drive or use my trailer to haul.
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MiniDave on February 01, 2024, 10:12:47 AM
I'm in! It'll be fun caravanning up.....it's an 11 hour drive from my place but we're going to push on and do it straight thru.
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: Whee on February 05, 2024, 03:02:06 PM
Carhenge
Quote from: MiniDave on February 01, 2024, 10:12:47 AMI'm in! It'll be fun caravanning up.....it's an 11 hour drive from my place but we're going to push on and do it straight thru.

Carhenge is only an hour out of your way :)
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MiniDave on February 05, 2024, 06:50:14 PM
Went to it the last time I was in this area - fun!

My blue Clubman S on the end....


Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MiniDave on February 05, 2024, 06:56:53 PM
A few other fun things to see and do while in this area.....

If you look closely at the pic of the tower, on the right side you can just make out the remains of the light brown wooden ladder that people used to be allowed to climb to go to the top. At the museum there are pics of women in bustles and high top button up shoes on top of the tower, pics from the late 1800's is my guess. Also, if you look closely further up - about 3/4 or more to the top on the side near the ladder, you can see a white spec. that is a climber - you can get permission to climb the tower but you have to apply well in advance as they only let a limited number do it each season. I would love to go to the top, but no freakin way I'm climbing it - even with a ladder!

A group of about 10 of us went to Devil's Tower that day, as we were getting ready to leave a group of Mustangs came roaring in - there's a very limited number of parking spots around the museum lot- one of the women got out and yelled to the rest of the group "it's OK! The little cars are leaving!  :-)

If a group of classics go, we can park them two to a spot, nose to tail.
Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MPlayle on February 11, 2024, 04:56:12 PM
I managed to get registered and made reservations at the host hotel.  It looks like I will be going solo - Bruce is not going and Craig does not have the time available.

Title: Re: Mini East Meets West 2024 Spearfish, South Dakota July 8-12 2024
Post by: MiniDave on February 11, 2024, 05:14:58 PM
Glad to hear you're going, but it's early days yet.....there may be someone from one of the local clubs you can roll with.....

What days are you going to be there? Looks like nothing really going on till Tuesday......I was thinking of getting there a day early and taking some short side trips, after driving for two days to get there I won't want to spend the next day in the car too!

Devil's Tower is just over an hour away, Deadwood is close by and you can get out and walk the street and see all the old historical stuff. Of course, Rushmore is right there too - it's super impressive if you've never seen it before.....and the Crazy Horse monument.

Edit: Looking at the schedule, it looks like there is a lot of free time (for me anyway) in the early part of the event......Monday is meet and greet, Tues the car show but that's over by early afternoon then the rest of the day is open. Wed is the autocross which I'm not going to run so other than watching, that day is open too. Thursday looks to be a full day, and Friday we head out home.......so I'm thinking I might arrive Monday night, leave Friday.