My friends and Blue Ridge Community Church parking lot teammates, Jared and Jonathan, joined me for the Roanoke leg of the 2022 MINI Takes the States. We joined with hundreds of other MINI drivers on a scenic drive through rural Virginia, including on roads none of us had driven and places we’d never seen. We took both of my MINIs, changing up who was driving what vehicle and who had a passenger. So much fun! It was a long day—12 straight hours together—but those hours were filled with adventure, wonder, good conversations, laughter, and cheering for each other. I got choked up after we got home, telling my wife about the experience. It felt so good to share this memory with these dudes.
The last time I participated in MINI Takes the States, my sister and I ended up making this lip-sync video.
Pretty early on, we got separated from the main peloton of MINIs; but we caught back up with a few of them at the Big Walker Lookout in Wytheville, VA. This—um—interesting LOVE sign begged for a photo op. And, hey, I’m a somewhat local author.
This was my first MINI Takes the States with both of my MINIs, and this is one of my first pictures with both of them in the same frame. A freelance photographer set up near the beginning of The Back of the Dragon and sold us commemorative captures. For the most famous stretch of our drive, Jared led the way in my Countryman S All4; and Jonathan chased his taillights in my Cooper S.
Before we jumped on the dragon, we stopped at this iconic roadside hangout in Tazewell, VA—mostly because of the sick MINIs we saw stacked up all around this building. It looks like too much work to get in the queue for car portraits with the dragon; so, I opted for a group selfie.
MINI culture is often couture culture. When they first hit the market, MINI offered 1.2 million different ways you could have your MINI built. At these rallies, you’ll see so many customizations, so many flamboyant accessories. Lots of wraps, lots of funny stickers, lots of MINI accouterment. I don’t know which one was my favorite, but I know—outside of my own—this already-rare GP was the one I most wanted to drive.
Jared snapped this in the rearview mirror, as we all waited to turn at the same stop light. I’ve been a MINI owner for 17 years, and I’ve loved being part of this community.
Our MINIs were two of the last to arrive in the queue to leave. We filled several parking lots at the Berglund Center. From when the first car pulled out until our line moved was probably 10 minutes. It was a MINI wonderland, and we all kept pointing out interesting rides to each other.
I got so stoked as Formo hit the curves hard on the Back of the Dragon. I’ve been driving this 2005 Cooper S for 14 years, and it’s still my favorite car we’ve ever owned—definitely my favorite to drive. My heart expanded as Formo pushed it into the curves and worked through its gears. On this 27-mile stretch of Rt 16, I don’t think he got above third gear often. So fun!
This creaky tower swayed in the wind at Big Walker Lookout. The boards creaked, and the railings seemed to suffer from arthritis too. This quick climb came with a fantastic payoff at the end. This 100-foot tall tower shook when you walked across its observation platform, but that’s only because it also shook when you climbed its stairs. Haha.
Jared snapped this shot of Formo and me at the top. It felt like a long way down, but it was only 100 feet tall. According to their website, though, we could see mountains from five states on the observation deck (3,405 feet above sea level).
Jonathan and I have been through a lot over the past decades, individually and together. We’ve discipled each other through awkward moments, life’s curveballs, and difficult assignments. Now that we’re both in our forties, our futures are not necessarily more settled or easy; but we’re more ready for what life throws at us. This dude has a perceptive eye, a soft heart, and a ready joke. Come to think of it, those same attributes apply to Jared. They are both parts of the embarrassment of riches that I have in the friendship department.
I snapped this on the county line. As per usual in Virginia, that line isn’t straight; and that’s part of what I love about living in these mountains.
These cars looked like a kick in the pants on ground level; and from the tower, they looked like fun ways to get from point A to point B.
We pulled over at the first scenic overlook on the Back of the Dragon. We peered over the kudzu to see this beautiful scene. Most of the day was filled with beautiful farms, verdant valleys, forested wildernesses, or lackadaisical mountains. The streams were pumping with recent rain. The roads banked and twisted and obscured long vistas thanks to double yellow lines for miles on end. It was a beautiful day to drive in a gorgeous place.
Something tells me some welding was required for this LOVE sign.
I’d like to ride this route with my motorcycle buddies someday. I’m 100% sure I could drive it faster in my MINI, but I’d like to challenge myself with this many curves and corners in one day. We saw a lot of bikers along the route.
I saw this on the way home and smiled. This guy found a way to add some fun to his workaday Wednesday. I almost pinched myself that we got to have so much fun with my daily drivers, that we grown-up dudes got to play—got to let our inner little boys out. That may have explained all the smiling and laughing and cheering. I needed that, and I was happy to give my friends an excuse to join me in it.
