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Tour du Nord II: St. John's Newfoundland Feb 17-22

39K views 585 replies 39 participants last post by  squid 
#1 ·
Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, MINI-ites, it’s that time of year again. We need to decide IF we want to do another trip this February, and if so, WHERE.

I will assume we have all answered the IF since last years thread doesn’t seem to die. That leaves the WHERE.

Being your intrepid, ah, something or other, I have been feverishly working behind the scenes with our Canadian friend Ross and we have narrowed down this year’s fare to THREE choices. Yes, there are many options available: we could drive to both the North Slope, and Ross says we can actually drive to FRANCE (more on that later).

However, I have decided to keep this year’s menu somewhat tame and mild (“Tour de Nord, lite”). Drum roll, please:

Choice 1: James Bay Road, to Radisson, again

Choice 2: Trans-Labrador Road, to Goose Bay

Choice 3: Tour de Newfoundland


Specific details of each choice is listed here


I would like everyone to please vote on one of the three choices. Actually, if you are SURE you CAN’T make it, please refrain from voting. If you THINK you MIGHT, go ahead and vote. And, if you want to vote the same as me, I will offer these fine words from Mayor Daley, of Chicago: “Vote early, and vote often.” I’ve set up a poll at NEMINI.org. Click the link to go there. Poll over at NEMINI.org

While I do welcome and encourage open discussion and electioneering for one’s favorite choice, I would like all to keep their vote a secret until after the results are tabulated. (We’ll have representatives from the accounting firm of Deloitte, Rover and Masseratti counting the votes in a week or so.) You’ll obviously be able to see the results before that, but let’s not discuss that detail on the boards until polling closes so as to foster unimpeded creativity of ideas.

I hope everyone is excited about a new trip, and I think Ross did a super job highlighting the info and working with me to narrow down the choices to a bite sized lot.
 
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#15 ·
I want Trans-Labrador, but you sure we can do it in a Mini...

Last time I saw it done was in Land Rovers, and the road doesn't look too fun in the winter. I know it is plowed due to the Manic Dam system. Once you get past the Manic V complex there is not much else until you get to Labrador City. But it would be fun to see Happy Valley and Goose Bay.

Here is a link to the Landrover site that did this run:
http://www.eastcoastrover.com/ECRexped991.html

Looks fun tho...

GW
:eb:
 
#16 ·
I just voted, so the count is up to 16. Can you guess for which option?

All kidding aside, the accident last year and the fact that in the last three track days I've (1) run out of gas, (2) broken a belt and (3) wore out the rear brake pads leads me to the conclusion:

We will need adequate first aid supplies, vehicle parts and tools!

Last year, with all the new cars and all, I think that aside from the accident the worst MINI problem was my flat tire. (I now carry a repair kit, thanks to Joe Rose's advice). If the top had been up, I truly believe we would have been dealing with two injured parties after the accident.

We don't necessarily need a dozen duplicates but between us there must be, IMO, first aid supplies (and people reasonably well-trained in basic first aid), parts such as brake pads and serpentine belts, and the appropriate tools (such as the belt de-tensioner).
 
#17 ·
Good idea, Pete. I'm still thinking I should line up our burn/hypothermia specialist as an event sponsor.

Franz and Mary King are moving to California on Saturday, away from beautiful upstate NY (and their snow tires are for sale, according to their post on the WNY Mini board). I guess that means they're not planning to return just for this! The Big Yin has been traveling a lot, but I'll have to see if he's been checking in here at all.
 
#19 ·
Several things:

1) Under the Newfoundland trip's expenses section, am I reading correctly that the ferry ride is $150 per person? Ouch. That 16.5 hour drive back the last day isn't too inviting, either. I remember when we drove from Amos home and I was nearly comatose by the end of it. Several hours more on top of that?! :eek:

2) Trans-Labrador sounds fun, don't get me wrong, but I have several problems that only affect me. One, that extra day of travel, as my vacation days are stretched thin as it is. Two, I would absolutely, positively have to buy snow tires, which I'm not sure I could afford at this time seeing as I am also due for a set of regular tires. Plus there's that deductible from the deer incident looming over my head. Three, that one day break in Radisson was much-needed. It gave us time to explore, as well as to recollect ourselves and prepare for the long drive home. Trans-Lab is just driving, driving, driving. Doesn't give you much chance to stop and experience the area, which was such a large part of why HB was so great. Come on! How much fun was it to talk to the locals? "You're not French *hic* are you?" Then again, maybe there isn't much to see on this trip and it's more of an endurance test.

3) Where are these snow tires, and how much are they asking?

4) I've tried to ignore it, I've counted to 10, I've done all I could but I can't take it anymore. Peter, please stop whinning about how this isn't "hard-core" enough! None of these trips are a walk in the park. You have weather, unforseen mechanical issues, accidents, not to mention the many, many hours of driving which is trying in itself. Any of these trips present a wonderful opportunity to visit places most people wouldn't at a time of the year they definitely wouldn't. You will see incredible things and have stories to tell no matter where we end up. If that's not enough for you, then go run your own "hard-core" expedition. And it's "wussing" not "woosing". There, now I feel better.
 
#20 ·
NoNo said:
3) Where are these snow tires, and how much are they asking?

4) I've tried to ignore it, I've counted to 10, I've done all I could but I can't take it anymore. And it's "wussing" not "woosing". There, now I feel better.
Nono, their thread on the snow tires is on the WNY board here, no price listed but I can ask
http://minicooperclubofwny.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=405

Whew, thanks, that misspelling of 'wuss' has been bugging me forever!
 
#24 ·
squid said:
Happy birthday, iBlue.

I voted for cold.

But if you want French, notice NFNL is so close to France
that there is a Drive To France Contest in 2006.
thanks for the bday, and i appreciate you voting for the cold.

sorry you think i'm whining, and maybe i am, but it's how i feel. and as for the spelling, i don't spell well, and you understand what i meant, so it shouldn't matter.

I see your point about it still being cold and about the other unforeseen things that can happen on any trip, but what made this trip so unique and the stories so great was the extremes, the extreme north, the extreme cold, the grooved ice that passed for a maintained road, the lack of civilization. For me, those elements are what made the trip.

And I'm campaigning as such.
 
#25 ·
I see nothing has been decided yet, but I'm still planning on going wherever and whenever and for whatever length of time this trip will take.

Right now I'm about to pack up my computer in preparation for moving so I'll be out of touch for several weeks. But count me in!
 
#26 ·
What is this with Dangerous Mini runs and me being on business trips?

I am out as I will be in England (as it looks now) for the next 3 to 6 months working with two customers there. So at this point count me out...however I wouldn't mind doint the Trans-Labrador Highway thingy in the late spring before summer hits...

GW
:eb:
 
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