Motor-on with MINI Takes The States (MTTS) 2008!

Festivities aplenty for MINI motoring road warriors!

In 2006 MINI sponsored the inaugural MINI Takes The States (MTTS) - a major motoring event that stretched from Monterey Beach in California to Jersey City, and over 15 days, and attracted between 200 - 500 MINI owners depending upon the leg.

In 2008, the tradition continues...

The 2006 participants were welcome to run the whole trip or just jump in when the tour came by. The trek kicked off with a beach party at daybreak with bands, bonfires, food and about 300 MINIs. They went on to hit the House of Blues in Las Vegas, saw Graceland in Memphis, attended a MINI-sponsored music street fair in Nashville, attended a baseball tailgate party outside Busch Stadium in St. Louis, took a parade lap at The Brickyard, Indianapolis Motor Speedway (a rare privilege), and wound up over 2300 miles later in Jersey City.

Now, the MINI community is getting together again and you should seriously consider attending an event when it comes your way.

You'll learn from your fellow MINI Owners what challenges they face electronically, mechanically, and even emotionally. You'll swap stories - OK, tall tales - and you'll find a camaraderie that often extends into real friendship. Plus you'll see some tricked out versions of your vehicle, collect new ideas, and learn more about the car you love. Plus, it's a kick to see other drivers' faces when they see a couple of hundred MINIs motoring by. According to our friends at MC2Magazine.com, MTTS 2008 will be kicking off in Miami, Florida and ending in Los Angeles, California, so there's probably a MINI event coming near you.

While the Miami and Boston dates are more firm than the Chicago and Los Angeles dates, the information coming in seems pretty solid that the list below should allow you to plan your time off! If you've never attended a show/display/get-together like this, you should.

Hey, it's all about motoring, and nobody motors better than a MINI Owner. So mark your calendars for this year’s festivities, and come back to this space for more details as they come "motoring" in.

• Miami, FL June 13-15
• Boston, MA June 20-22
• Chicago, IL July 11-13
• Los Angeles, CA July 18-20