Years ago it was Loch Raven

 

not a lot... most you get around here are curvy pot holes...or should I say pot holes that have you curving down the road just to try and avoid them

 

I think there are some good spots around Old Ellicott City. I've only driven through there once, but it looks pretty promising! There's also Greenspring Ave (exit 22 off 695). Take it north. It's about 8 miles from downtown, and it all of a sudden turns into farmland if you go north. Neat country-style roads.

 

Northern Baltimore County has all kinds of potential. I've bicycled these roads for 25 years and there's some good routes to be had. Now that I've got my MINI I need to rethink a bit what works well when one drops the pedals, gets four wheels and ups the speed 2-4 fold. Falls Rd. above the Beltway forms a major "spine" leading northward and in itself can be an invigorating route if you're not stuck behind a pokey. Sightlines vary, but there are opportunities for passing with care. Major side roads along Falls branching out east and west north of Butler offer secondary routes that can loop back or crisscross Falls. Up near the MD/PA border to the east is Prettyboy Reservoir which is encircled by twisty and undulating roads. The surrounding counties up here also offer more of the same. Get a map and explore. Though I don't think you'll find "The Dragon" here, with a little effort I think you'll see there's some routes that have what you're looking for. And please, watch out for cyclists, we like our twisties too!

 

Geeze..... Has everyone forgotten Northern Harford County?

 

"The surrounding counties up here also offer more of the same."

. . . . not ME!

 

Many times I took my TDI NB on rides there. Sometimes crossing the Conowingo and going north or south on 222. Lot of nice riding up there.

 

DCMM covers Baltimore as well, and we did a Falls Rd and Pretty Boy resevoir run last year on the way to the Towson picnic. Was about a 3 hour run through the northern MD backwoods. Good times. I'm pretty sure you know, but in case you dont, at the bottom of these forums are regional sections. DCMM is under east coast.

 

Been there, done that, didn't work.

Northerners are are seceding (sp?) (like South Carolina in 1860). A rebellion in the area.

 

well i've got an area that can rival the Dragon ...I think we should make it the mini Dragon and host an event...and I'm sure you DC folks can attest to this one...Thurmont? Sure you've heard of it? I hear it's very nice...Starting just south of 32 off 108 is how I would get there

 

Ahh, that be Howard County, not Charm City.

But northern Howard County is still mostly rural and hence ....

 

yep, that be true ...I don't care where I am...just give me some damn roads and away from any city

 

yeah, all you complainers out there. I live a couple miles from the intersection of 32 and 26 in Eldersburg/Sykesville and I'm a member of DCMM. In fact I make it to most of the events that happen regardless of where they are located. So quit your complaining about DCMM only being DC and just make it out to an event that isn't in MD.

 

3rd try a charm? Nah ... Secession is in the wind

Trying to be serious for a moment, they all got a point. 95% of the activities are far south (or east). Except for a couple of things in Glenelg, most all social activities are south. Maybe the geographic area is way to big and the population between the two major cities is pretty big. I would bet there are lots of owners in Harford county or anywhere North of Charm City.

 

Ellicott City here..

 

I wouldn't think it would have to be because we don't want anything to do with the "DC" folks. I love DC... For some yes, it might be a hike. I would think if "Charm City" wanted to start a club, I see no reason to flame them (us) for wanting to do so...MINIs on the roads are becoming far more wide spread these days. I would think the more clubs the merrier...and we could have club versus club events ...and good times together

 

 

Most of the events are in the DC/VA area because that's where the people are who are planning them.

At some point in the future I'm actually planning a little drive in the Westminster-ish area. What I was tentatively calling the "Five Guys East" run. Similar in content to the one we did in Manasses. That is to say it contains burger (Five Guys), ice cream (Hoffman's), and mini golf (Tom Mitchells). As I've been working 10 hours days recently I haven't had a chance to actually sit down and figure it out yet, but I want to do it sometime late spring/early summer.

 

I know that. The Baltimore ppl need to speak up more.

Your trip sounds cool. You should plan it

 

I doubt that the member roles of DCMM would be effected, as it'd probably be a small group...

 

geez Matt...subtle. DCMM doesn't have a monopoly on MINI owners. If they want to start a northern MD club, they're entitled. I wouldn't call it rebellion or secession at all.

 

I would be up to join a baltimore mini club

 

So you don't want anything to do with Mini folk from west of baltimore, south of baltimore, north of baltimore, annapolis, laurel, and everywhere else... Because you'd rather hang out with Mini people who live next door, than Mini people from all around.

Makes perfect sense. I think there's a word for people like that, and it starts with an I.

No, not really. From my experience with the Mini, simply owning one makes you a member of the world wide Mini web. Everyone I've met in Mini's so far has been friendly, helpful, and welcoming. We're all friends. But when a group of people say they don't want anything to do with you, to me that's un-mini like. And pretty sad imho.

 

Ok. This Baltimore area club may be a good idea. Perhaps, as a start, we could put together a Baltimore sub-forum under the East Coat section on this site. Then we could gauge participation in that before a real club is formed.

I don't see anything wrong with starting a Baltimore or Maryland specific club.

 

Katie I called it a secession cause I thought it reminded me of the Civil War ... but as Wagn says, that might not be appropriate as its one community.

However, I dont think it might be "small". There may be a huge untapped number of MINIs from Laurel north. I see, literally, half a dozen each day, driving only 10 miles to work. There are many, many "plain" or unmodded MINIs about who simply might not know that clubs exist and are an untapped resource.

Take a look at the numbers in the Towson "meetup" thing that nobody wants to run so Towson stopped having meetings. I get an Email a week saying somebody wants to join meet-up but nobody wants to run the meeting. I see about 100 emails waiting on the list to join and only recognize about 5 of the regular DCMM ppl.