The long-awaited Classic Mini United (CMU) is finally upon us! CMU is sponsored by Mini Sport USA and held at various Southeast locations every 18 months. This year’s event (CMU66) takes advantage of the fantastic twisty roads near Gatlinburg, TN, and the Great Smoky Mountains.
Preparing for a week-long driving event differs from heading out for a one-day show. The checklist includes: Charging the battery, checking ALL fluids and grease fittings, adjusting brakes, and testing ALL electrical switches and components. This will be the first-of-the-season event for Paddy, so a shakedown road test was in order.
Gatlinburg is about a ten-hour trip from our home in Central Illinois by highway in a modern car. Paddy (our 1973 Mini Cooper S tribute) will be hitching a ride south behind our 2004 MINI Cooper S. The “Paddy Wagon” is an EZE-TOW disc brake tow dolly mated to a MINI FINI Sport Link hitch system.
Loaded up and strapped down, Paddy is ready for the open road! As most owners of classic British cars know, our LBCs draw lots of attention. Now, imagine a classic Mini being towed by a MINI! Waves, thumbs-ups, video being shot by passing vehicles, and of course, the 20-minute gas station “car shows”.
On this trip, one of our highlights was being practically blocked into a parking spot by an ex-Brit who was truly ecstatic about spotting Paddy. He pulled alongside us, rolled down his window, and in a lovely British accent said, “I used to race Minis back in Donington Park!” That was the start of a great walk down memory lane for Graham! After about 15 minutes, we exchanged contact info and promised to get in touch.
Arrival at our second home in Gatlinburg means locating a level spot to unload the Mini and get settled in for the upcoming week. Just for this week, our vacation home, The Bear’s Den, will be known as the “Paddy Shack”. It’s a cool and drizzly day, but lots of warm friends and scattered twisty roads are predicted for the rest of the week!
Registration at the Gatlinburg East KOA campground on Wednesday night was a blast as dozens and dozens of classic Minis began arriving and old friends got reacquainted. We
picked up our registration packets, containing instructions and maps for the daily drives, and then scanned the “Merch Table” for that much-coveted CMU logo stuff. We also made sure to drop off our Silent Auction donation of a center-binnacle Mini Speedometer. All proceeds of the Silent Auction go towards keeping the costs down for future CMU events.
CMU is a 90% “Driving” event, making it unique in the “Mini-Scene”. Thursday morning, Mini drivers are snapped awake by Mike Guido’s shouts of DRIVER’S MEETING!! We were given group driving instructions and our schedule for the day, which included the Group Photo on our way to the Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina. Later that evening, following the drives, we gathered back together for an Ice Cream Run and a good night’s rest.
After each daily Driver’s Meeting and before we’re released to get in our cars, Mike always asks, “Does anyone need a ride”? If, for any reason, a participant does not have a running classic Mini, they can still count on being part of every drive. The group won’t leave until EVERYONE has a ride. My first ride in a classic Mini was at a CMU event during The Mitty at Road Atlanta, so this offer has always be
en important to me.
Friday is the busiest day of the weekend. It started with a drive dubbed “The Roller Coaster” and is only a few miles from the KOA. It’s a dead-end road, which we can control “one-way traffic”, ensuring maximum safety and FUN! As with all of our drives, the participants are divided into Spirited and Touring groups. After running The Roller Coaster both ways, we continue on scenic roads to Newport, TN, for a lunch break and the start of the CMU Scavenger Hunt. Folks new to CMU events will be treated to a scavenger hunt unlike any event worldwide! The winner will win $50 off their next event registration and the glory of being the 2025 champions
We begin preparing for the Friday Night Party at the KOA pavilion. The Beer Tasting area, Silent Auction, and Boot Sale areas are now open for business. The majority of people bring something for the Silent Auction. It can be Mini-related or anything that you think someone would like. At the same time, those of us with new and used items for the Swap Meet were hawking our wares. I managed to sell a new set of Mini front hub assemblies, which helped fund my Silent Auction purchases. Win-Win!!
Participants are encouraged to come dressed to Friday night’s party in "fancy dress". That is a UK term that pretty much means anything goes. It's kind of like Halloween without the scary part. Judging for the Best Costume, with a $150 Gift Certificate from Mini Sport, followed the evening’s buffet dinner.
Those who wanted to compete in the Hot Wheels “Fun” class races picked out a racer during Registration and cheered it on Friday night. Hot Wheel racing awards were presented to the winners of the Pro and Fun classes following dinner.
The final drive of the weekend was a 159-mile trek including The Rattler 209. The Rattler 209, located just outside Hot Springs, NC, features over 234 twists, turns, and curves from Lake Junaluska to Hot Springs. Traveling through the Pisgah National Forest and over the Great Smoky Mountains, Hwy 209 "The Rattler", offers some of the most attention-demanding but beautiful driving we experienced. To catch our breath and stretch our legs, a long stop for lunch at Dave’s 209 was a welcome respite.
The weekend concluded Saturday night with a Goodbye Bonfire, s'mores, and stories at the KOA pavilion.
