THMMC Bullfrog Run 2010

As spring weather rolls around, one of the joys that I have come to expect is participating in the Tar Heel MINI Motoring Club's Bullfrog Run.  I say I've come to expect it since it is something that I only know about due to my MINI ownership and participating with the THMMC.  This year's run was the third annual running of this particular run for the club.  Members of the club have been running the route for several years; but in memory Rob Baker they started running the route as an annual event and dubbed it the Bullfrog Run.  I never met Rob as he had passed on before my membership started.  He was described as a great driver (who really knew what to do with his DS Justa), a great club member, and a great person.  His example also spawned the MINIs Motoring Against Cancer banner.  And for this particular run, we took up a collection that yielded a $120 donation to the American Cancer Society.

I'm glad to say that I've been to all three of the Bullfrog Runs.  Besides the nature of the event, it is special to me now because the first Bullfrog Run was also my first ever event that I attended with the THMMC.  So even though my MINI adventure started in February, the running of the Bullfrog always feels like the "anniversary" of when I started with the THMMC.

So, on to this year's event.  As usual, we started out at the Lowe's on University Parkway off Hwy 52 in Winston-Salem.  When we arrived (I rode in with some SS members) we discovered the Lowe's was really busy.  Everyone getting started on their spring planting I guess.  It was one of the first really nice weekends we've had around here in a while.  Of course, this led to quite a bit of gawking as seems to happen whenever you get MINIs together.  The funniest point was when some guys rode by in a PT Cruiser and as they were pulling away, yelled out "Buy American!"

That does remind me of something.  I think it was last week on my way home from work I slid in behind another MINI on the Interstate.  As we were cruising along, I started thinking that MINI must be one of the few cars on the road that whenever people see two together, they think it is a convoy.  Whether the people in the MINIs are actually traveling together or not.  But I digress.

I think we left the Lowe's lot with 32 MINIs.  Actually, this year we split into two groups - the *ahem* super spirited group and the spirited group.  I went with the super group.  We headed up Hwy 66 (which I hope we can one day get dubbed "The Bullfrog" ala the Dragon or the Snake or Hellbender) for some awesome twisty roads, before catching Hwy 89 and Hwy 8 back down to Hanging Rock State Park.  Scared myself at one point when a curve caught me by surprise and in my haste to "catch up" with the direction I should be going, the MINI got all out of sorts.  Felt like the rear stepped out just a bit on me.

As noted, we ran on up to Hanging Rock State Park.  Upon our arrival, we discovered the spirited group had already arrived (they took a slightly different route).  We ended up with 36 MINIs lined up in the lot while most of the members enjoyed a picnic lunch (while a few talked MINI).  I was expected back at home, so I didn't get to run with a few of the club members up to Orchard Gap (but I did that last month with a small Sunday Slider group).  Instead, followed a few down Hwy 8 back into W-S and then back home.

As usual, a great day with MINI friends and some excellent motoring on twisty roads.  And, I finally felt like I put together a decent mix of driving music (which I usually just listen to on the way to and from the runs - during the runs I usually keep the radio turned down (the better to hear the tires!)).  I'll actually post the list:

Name	Artist	Album	Genre
Dirt	Death In Vegas	Dead Elvis	Dance & DJ
How You Like Me Now	Heavy	The House That Dirt Built	Rock
Life Is A Highway	Tom Cochrane & Red Rider	Mad Mad World	Classic Rock
Hey, Soul Sister	Train	Hey, Soul Sister	Pop
Living Dead Girl	Rob Zombie	Hellbilly Deluxe	Rock
Personal Jesus	Johnny Cash	American IV: The Man Comes Around	Country
Steam (Live)	Peter Gabriel	Secret World Live	Rock
Take Me To The River(Live)	Talking Heads	Stop Making Sense	Pop
Percussion Gun	White Rabbits	It's Frightening	Alternative Rock
California Love	2Pac, Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman	The N.W.A Legacy, Vol. 1	Hip-Hop/Rap
I Am The Highway	Audioslave	Audioslave	Rock
Run Runaway	Slade	Get Yer Boots On	Rock
Peace Frog	The Doors	Morrison Hotel	Rock
Forever Autumn	Jeff Wayne;Paul Vigrass;Gary Osborne	War Of The Worlds	Pop
Killing In The Name	Rage Against The Machine	Rage Against The Machine	Pop
More Human Than Human	White Zombie	Let Sleeping Corpses Lie	Rock
Lightning Crashes	Live	Throwing Copper	Rock

Sorry, not taking the time to link 'em all.  It is quite a bit of new music for me.  Best buy of the lot imo was Percussion Gun.  Really likin' that.

Anyway, as usual, there is a photo gallery for the event.  Next up will be a run I'm leading - Covered Bridge Run 2010 in a couple weeks.