I recently sorted my “best” close-to-300 pics from our MINI Takes The States / Coast To Coast drive back in August, and uploaded them to Google Picasa – the nice benefit of that is that anyone now can visit the gallery in map view and zoom in to see exactly where different pictures were taken

During MINI Takes The States 2010 there were some fabulous themed comic strips created over at My Geek Odyssey, featured by MINI Takes The States … After the event the original artworks were given to Ryans MINI Adventure and auctioned to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I bid for a few of the artworks and was lucky enough to get this one:

A very nice collectible – and a good cause too!

UPDATE: The artist, Bruce, very kindly sent me a high resolution version of the complete colored comic published by MINI Takes The States – thanks!

If you participated in MINI Takes The States last month, watch out for a friendly email from MINI USA …

Hmmm … any use for me I wonder …

Today, we picked up GPMINI from MINI of Orlando, and did the final hop of our Coast-to-Coast drive, by reaching the Atlantic Coast!

In total, we put about 4,800 miles on GPMINI, as recorded by Road Trip on my iPad:

(Road Trip also recorded all our fuel stops)

As you can see, we averaged 27.5mpg, a little above Robert’s 26.0 on the way out – something to do with driving speed perhaps, as we noticed a significant difference between driving at 65-70 or 80-85 (and you can see here that Robert’s later driving at slower-due-to-Police-infested Arizona and California has much better mpg) …

Adding these together, GPMINI did just over 7,200 miles on her Coast-To-Coast-To-Coast trip; and I’m sure she enjoyed all of it! Now she’s fully healthy once more (thanks MINI of Orlando), and settling back to garage time and occasional short drives, while Margaret and I plan to fly back North this week …

Huge thanks go to Jim McDowell (and Patty) for arranging for both Margaret and I to test drive the new Countryman this morning

We had a chance to test drive an all-wheel-drive S model, though the all-wheel part didn’t have much function driving around Denver!

We were definitely driving a MINI! Yes, it didn’t have the performance of my GP, but it responded like a MINI, felt like a MINI, and looked like a MINI. But, with lots more space and comfort inside; very nice …

From first (Los Angeles, August 7) to last (Denver, August 15):
MTTS 2010 auto-cross
Countryman preview party (liking it)
Los Angeles to Las Vegas (yes, we missed Phoenix)
Minus 5 (best night, maybe!)
Las Vegas to Salt Lake City
Bonneville Salt Flats (even though we didn’t go)
Salt Lake City to Grand Junction
Gelato Junction
Colorado National Monument (all the MINIs should have gone here)
Grand Junction to Winter Park
Winter Park Parade
Winter Park and BBQ
Winter Park to Denver
MINIs fill the parking lot
Denver Friday night gathering
Red Rocks and a Rally
Infinity Park Music Festival
Last pics – Sunday breakfast

And some of the stuff we’ve collected:
MTTS 2010 swag
MTTS 2010 pins

We collected quite a few nice pins, badges, etc during the last week

A few duplicates of some, too!

A few pics from this morning, before we all head away …

The new Countryman parked next to a similar sized Kia:

And then there was three – GPs:

Breakfast:

Souvenir hood (dealership says they will keep it):

MINI Takes The States is a great MINI drive, but it’s also a great group of MINI people … so many folks I know that make the event so great, and sorry that I can’t even think to list them all! Top of the list probably Robert & Kittie, that made the whole trip for Margaret and I so good, getting GPMINI out to LA, and inviting us to stay at their home:

George, with his new partner Jennifer:

A special thanks to Jim & Trudy from MINI USA, always such fun people and much of the reason for this event happening:

And most special thanks to Margaret for accompanying me and being my best friend!

Can’t believe it’s the last night already! It’s been great fun for both Margaret and I, and wonderful meeting MINI friends everywhere … but tonight is the end (well, except for breakfast in the morning!); pictures in the Gallery or check out these:

Tall Captain America?

BMX stunt riders:

Bad MINI!?

Blues Traveler: