Starved Rock November 4th | Chicago MINI Motoring Club

WRAPUP:? A clear and cool fall day brought out 35 MINIs to participate in this years drive..? We had a bunch of new members attending their first drive, and many “old timers” as well.? Lots of fun twisty roads and a not-too-crowded park made for a fantastic MINI day.? Huge thanks to Cathy and Gary for helping with the pre-run route testing!!

Send links of photos to steve@ChicagoMINIClub.com and I’ll add them in here

Photos by: Steve | Brent | Dave |

November 4th is the date for our annual club drive to Starved Rock.? This drive is always a club favorite.

WHAT: A MINI drive exploring a bunch of fun back roads out to Starved Rock State park.??After we arrive, people can hang out, visit, eat, ?and?explore the park on?your own.

WHERE: Start is at the Meijer Parking lot 808??Route 59 in Aurora

WHEN: Departure is at 9:30.? Remember this is the first day of Daylight Savings Time

View Meijer in a larger map

WHO: All Chicago MINI Motoring Club members or anyone interested in the club.

WHAT TO BRING: A full tank of gas, appropriate clothing for the weather outside, a camera, lunch money, optional FRS radio for in-car communication? tuned to Channel#1 SubChannel #1, and a smile.

WHY: Because it is fun!!

Please add a comment so we know who is attending, and can plan for the correct amount of route sheets

ADDITIONAL INFO:? Here is some information from Lee on some area food stops close to the start of the event..

FYI and for others who are going, there is a Panera off the southeast corner of the Meijer parking lot where we’re meeting. There’s a Starbucks in the Target across IL59 from Meijer. Finally, there’s a Dunkin Donuts on the southeast corner of IL59 and Aurora Ave, which is the intersection just south of Meijer. Feel free to make that more generally known so folks can get a coffee and or a snack before we head out. Looking forward to the drive!

http://www.facebook.com/dfphoto David Lewis

Looks like if I have the mini back together by that weekend, I’ll bring the kids out for a nice ride. Be my first outing with the club so I hope it goes well.
Alex and Jenny

Myself and Jenny will hopefully make this one!
Eric T.

I will be there
TSmith

I plan to be there w/a guest.
Nat & Jennifer

We’ll be there.
Enrique & Carrie

We’ll be there — first outting!
Rus Karlov

Tawana and I will be there!
Enrique & Carrie – we did our first run earlier this month – you’ll have a great time!
Pete_Novack

me and chris will be going
LTL M CPE

We’ll be there. I hope there are MINI cups of coffee.
Evan

Im planning on being there with possibly another MINI too.
RoadWarrior

Weather permitting, in for two.
dan80851

ALWAYS FUN Shawn and I will be there
Nucfam

We’ll be back from MITO and ready for this drive. Looking forward to it.
Lee

Planning to attend, looking for FRS radios. Not finding them in electronics stores. Besy Buy has several on-line. Are the models with “privacy codes” the right ones? We had bought a set before, but it seems the current FRS/GMRS models didn’t have subchannels and would only receive, not broadcast on the club rides. There’s a Cobra “micro-TALK” model that has privacy codes for the 22-channel FRS/GMRS channels. Anyone have an idea if this will work with the club? Any alternative suggestions on what to get/where to find? Would like to get them before 04 Nov. Thanks!!
- CMMC_Steve
  
  Hi Lee.. I haven’t looked for FRS radios so I am not sure where to best get one or even how much they cost.. The set I have is a 12 year old Motorola T5200 Talkabout. The key feature is to get sub-channels (I think the “privacy” channel is the same thing). Otherwise you would only be able to listen and not talk..
  
  We use the radios mostly for communication to keep our group together so we try to keep someone with a radio in the front, the back and a few at least in the middle.. some other clubs are much more “chatty” on drives.
  
  If you would like to borrow mine for the Starved Rock drive to try it out before buying one, just let me know
  - Trevor
    
    Steve, do your radios only work when in close proximity to each other?
    - CMMC_Steve
      
      Generally it is a mile or so range I believe..
  - Lee
    
    Thanks Steve. I found a used pair of the same make/model you have on Amazon for $34.99 delivered. No literature came with it, but found the user manual on-line. That Internet has everything! My thanks for your recommendation. Phyllis, Eric, Allie and I will all join the ride in “Dory”.
    
    FYI and for others who are going, there is a Panera off the southeast corner of the Meijer parking lot where we’re meeting. There’s a Starbucks in the Target across IL59 from Meijer. Finally, there’s a Dunkin Donuts on the southeast corner of IL59 and Aurora Ave, which is the intersection just south of Meijer. Feel free to make that more generally known so folks can get a coffee and or a snack before we head out. Looking forward to the drive!
- Rus
  
  I bought mine fairly recently at Dicks, they had a 33 mile range and it took us to the end of last trip to figure them out (it was very new to us), but they now work great. They had three different models there, all less than $100.00.
S O T F Cass

Chris and Kat will be there!
Trevor

I am trying to get the Pontiac MINI’s together to join you guys! We may have 2 or 3! I hope we can join you guys again!
- CMMC_Steve
  
  Hey Trevor!!
  Very cool on organizing Pontiac MINIs to join up. The radios are close range.. probably 1/2 mile to a mile depending on how open the area is.
Chris

I’ll be there maybe with two in tow
Tegrinton

I will try to be there.
Lori & Dave

Looking forward to it!!!
Jerry & Laurel

We plan to attend. Looking forward to it!
Brent Marnati

I hope to attend and bring Jackie! This sounds fun!
- Brent Marnati
  
  Definitely going to bee there!
Suetuff

BEE MINI and I plan to be there!
Gregoryshaw77

not far live i drive about 30 miles from home on 39 interstate south as noon we will go parks at starved rock as deaf people as not member as see join member chicago
Scott Dueball

Me and a guest will be there
DenLor

We’ll be there – recently joined and first outing!
N2fw

Hoping to make it out Sunday with the family for our first club outing
http://www.chicagominiclub.com/ Francis

if anyone is interested in driving down as a group… meet at the Starbucks in Streets of Woodfield. We’re heading out by 8:15-8:20am
- Nat & Jennifer
  
  We’ll meet you there, Francis.
ALAN ILIFF

Lillian and I will be there.
Bob

We are planning on making the trip.
Nicholas Pesce

I’m interested in making the trip. I will try to make it this morning (potential new member)
CMMC_Steve

Huge thanks to everyone who came out to the drive today.. I had a blast!!
Rus and Tawana

Thanks for all the planning and hard work Tawana and I had a great time! Wonderful to see everyone again.
Rumrunner59

Really miss this event, glad it went well! “Hello” everyone!