2023 Mini Ozarks run

[MiniDave]

Gauging interest to see who might want to cruise up for a Mini fun run in the Ozarks. We usually headquarter in Eureka springs for its central location and reasonable cost for lodging and plenty of restaurants, but we are not bound to it if someone would like to start from somewhere different.

Tentative dates are the second half of May at this point, open to other dates if there are conflicts.

We've done a few of these and always have a great time, the roads in northwestern Arkansas are perfect for Minis, tons of hills and twisties, not much traffic or Leos (not that we speed or anything!) and the weather will be mild and usually sunny.

Let me know if you might be up for this trip and I'll start mapping out runs and potential lodging.

For those who haven't been on one, there are low key, fairly unorganized and designed to just be fun ways to spend time driving our Minis on great roads. Not much else.....

Committed (or should be!)

MiniDave
Dan
Don Ipock
Michael Playle
Scargo
WillieB
DeanP
Al Frost

Tentative:
Seth Weaver

[MPlayle]

I'm interested.

 

[94touring]

Just let me know the dates and I'll bid those days off.

[94touring]

I was just remembering we did get pulled once, or rather got a talking to for all of us rolling through a stop sign.

[MiniDave]

OK, I choose May 14-18.....lets get some more Resto Mini Members on board!

[MPlayle]

Marked on my calendar.  Looking forward to the lodging/location details for making appropriate reservations and travel plans.

[MiniDave]

I think this year we'll headquarter in Harrison, instead of Eureka Springs. There are some very twisty looking roads to the south of there that look like they could be fun!

There are several hotels on the main drag, a Wyndam Super 8, Days Inn, Quality Inn and Hampton, so plenty to choose from. I'll get some prices and pick one. There is also the historic Hotel Seville in downtown Harrison if we want to try something different. I'll check it for rates too.

Looks like they are either $60 a night or $100, so give me a preference and I'll go from there.

I'm thinking arrive Sunday, do runs on Mon and Tues, then Wed a travel day home again or stay and do some more roads and Thursday is the run home - let me know what you all think. Is 2 days of runs enough or would you like to do 3?

[MPlayle]

The "budget minded" side wants to vote the less costly for a "host hotel", but I can go either way.

I would also tend to vote for 3 days of drives.

Any clues as to interest from additional folks that are not usually on the forum?

[MiniDave]

Seth is planning to come, and I'm talking to a couple others.....we'll see. We lost John Styers last fall and I don't think his son (who now has the Mini) can get off work, but I'll contact him. Susan has moved to Florida and gotten married. I've mentioned it to a couple of local guys too....

Of our forum members, Bruce is unable to come, WillieB has a trip both before and after the event dates, so he doesn't know if he can squeeze it in or not.....others haven't chimed in yet.

[MPlayle]

Any more details or follow up?

[MiniDave]

We're 45 days out, remember, this is just a low key run, so I don't do a lot of pre-planning. I'll have some routes mapped out and a hotel, the rest we'll just do on the fly.

[MPlayle]

Hi Dave,

At this point I am just looking to verify "its gonna happen" and "what hotel" for making a reservation.  No other pre-planning beyond that.

(I guess a little OCD and FOMO trying to kick in on me.) 

[MiniDave]

   

I mentioned it to Clancy and he's checking his schedule......he doesn't like to go over about 50 in the Moke tho......no seatbelts or roll cage and the like although the engine seems capable....


So lets choose a hotel then - we can do the historic Seville Hotel or one of the mc'hotels along the main drag.....give me an indication and I'll pick one out of a hat.

The Seville has a bar and restaurant inside, for what that's worth....it's priced right at the top of the others at $120ish. Hotels range from $60ish to $100ish, I know Clancy prefers the Holiday Inn Express, the Hampton is right next door - those are both $105ish.

AFAK it will happen, it may be only 3 or 4 of us, but me and Don are going for sure, Dan if he gets the time off and you - that's as much of a commitment as I've gotten so far. Oh, I think Seth is going and possibly Don Ruder if he can dig one of his Minis out of storage. He bought a Miata and has been enjoying being able to drive without anything breaking! Imagine that?

The other KC members all are unavailable or have broken/mid-resto cars and can't go.

Maybe you can get Brit in Tx fired up to go, or some of the other local Mini drivers? If we wanted to increase the numbers I have several MINI owners who would like to come but so far I'm going Guido and "Classics Only"

[MPlayle]

Bruce gets back from Florida sometime today.  We are supposed to try doing the local C&C next Saturday.  I will get with him and we can try to see if we can get any interest from other local Mini folks - they all tend to be on Facebook and I am not, so Bruce usually serves as go-between.

No clue as to whether we'll get any interest as we sometimes has difficulty getting any turnout for even a weekend morning local drive.

[94touring]

I may pull the mini with the bus and go to one of the campsites.  Should have the bus on the road this week. 

[MiniDave]

I think there are two camping areas, a KOA north of town and one just outside of town, south of the main drag.

[94touring]

This is the one I'm eyeballing.

https://www.riverdreamcamps.com/

[MPlayle]

This is the one I'm eyeballing.

https://www.riverdreamcamps.com/

Dan,

That would probably be fine if Dave were basing the drive out of Eureka Springs, but the initial indications are basing out of Harrison?

[MiniDave]

We can base out of Eureka, there are plenty of good roads all around there - I only picked Harrison just for something different. Plenty of hotels and such in Eureka, no problem.

If you were going to camp out of Harrison, I'd recommend the KOA on the north end of town, and there are several motels right near there for those of us who are non-campers.

In Eureka, I usually stay at the Best Western, Eureka Springs.

[94touring]

Either way for me. If it's Harrison I'll find a closer one.

[Brit_in_TX]

Unfortunately I won't be able to make it for two reasons - first of all it is Mother's Day on May 14th (And I am not even asking for a pass for that weekend!) and second - I do not have the vacation days.

[Scargo]

Count me in.

 From all the good I've heard in the past about Eureka Springs, that location would get my vote, but I'll go with the consensus of the group. Also, while we may be unofficially voting on stuff, I'm with Dave by keeping it to Classics only. Again tho, I'm happy to go with the majority rules rule.

[MiniDave]

Cool!      it will be great to see you again! Which car are you bringing?

Harrison is only a few miles away from Eureka Springs, same general area, just a different place to gather.....

[MPlayle]

Since I have not been to that area before, I am fine with either place as a base location.

Edit:
As a side consideration: I will likely be towing my Mini up on my tow-dolly, so a "host hotel" with appropriate parking would be nice.

[Scargo]

I will probably bring the Mk2 Mini.

Also, three days of driving would be fine with me if the others would like that.