I'm trying to plan a Colorado elk hunt trip for next year, and plan on taking the Mini. This will be a solo trip, so no extra people. I do have a roof top basket off my blazer that will be used for some gear.

My plan is to take out the front passenger seat and lay the back seats down and making some sort of plat form that extends over the passenger seat area to make for sleeping room. I might not have room to stretch out 100%, but think it should work for a couple nights.

I know this won't be ideal but i think it might work. I will be doing this to cut down on hotel expenses, I figure stay in a hotel every other night or every third night. I am really hoping this will work out and if it does it will open the doors for other hunting trips in the future. So if this works it will defiantly be a cost saver, hek being able to take the Mini cuts the gas bill in half, and at 1,500-2,000 mile round trip, that's alot of cash.

In case your wondering why I want to use the Mini, well honestly I love driving it, and the MPG is pretty darn good. Not to mention I would only be doing these trips 2 maybe 3 times a year and can't justify buying a truck reliable enough to travel that far from home. And renting is way out of the budget.

 

OK, so, you tag a 700 lb. bull elk, get him field dressed and you figure on loading him across the fender of you MINI to drive him out of the mountains? Would love to be a chipmonk watching that exercise. Oh, and good luck on your hunt, always wanted to do that once but we got lots of whitetail around here to keep us busy.

For a quick bivouac I always used a trail fly tied between a couple of trees with a hammoc strung below and a good bag. Some sticks between the ropes and the tree bark so's not to scar the tree tied on with a round turn and two half hitches or a timber hitch.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Can I be a rabbit and stand next to you watching as well.

I see a youtube video in the making. lol

Seriously, with all your gear, and you, where are you going to put the elk? You could get you a little trailer or something I guess, and pull behind.

 

Heh, I have snoozed pretty good by just leaning the drivers seat back and a comfy pillow of some sort, using the passenger seat for side support (left upright). I have taken the long drives from MI to Tampa FL and to Birmingham AL and gotten some shut eye time along the way. Good luck!

 

If you drive without the front passenger seat it will probably trigger the airbag warning light. I don't think it automatically goes out when the seat is reconnected and has to be reset with the proper tool. This might add about $75-$150 per trip if you have to go to the dealer for this.

 

thanks guys for the feedback. as far as bring back the entire elk, i don't plan on doing that. i plan on filling two good sized coolers, and donating the rest to a local shelter/foodbank type program.

i do also have the roof top basket that would hold the majority of my gear.

but on another note, i guess ia mini driving down the highway with a elk rack on the roof would be a site to see.

 

I was drunk one night and went to talk to my girl on the phone and decided to talk in the car. I was at my friends house and planned on staying the night, but it was hot in his place and the air felt so good, i decided to recline the seat and pulled a blanket out from the back. I slept comfortably until about 5am. After that I was sober and drove home. No regrets.

 

I've slept in my Dodge Caliber before. I do not recommend it. And it has more room than your MINI (thank goodness for the cargo screen!).

Perhaps you could get a small trailer and sleep in that, then haul your kill in it on your way back?

 

Why not just pitch a tent? It would probably be more comfortable with the right sleeping bag.

 

I will defiantly be bringing a tent along. But I would like the car option if the temps drop to low. Also with the idea I have in my head to cover the passenger seat space would add alot of room. But as mentioned before about the air bag deal. I'll have to call the mini dealer and find out what would happen if the seat gets disconnected.

 

I've found that, unless you've got a conversion van whose rear seat folds into a "bed", sleeping in the driver or passengers seat in the fetal position is the best way to get any sleep.

You should try it out tonight.

 

After looking some more, I'd be half tempted to add a hitch and get a 4x8 utility trailer type deal and make a small tear drop style or just a low profile box type(somethign that is about the height of the mini to minimize wind drag) trailer, very basic to save on weight. It would just need to be tall enough to crawl into and through some stuff in there. If I can keep it about 800 LBS or less might be ok.

 

Pennywise, pound foolish.
just buy a good sleeping bag and a small tent....you will be much more confortable.
Removing the seat will set an airbag code as soon as you turn the key on....and reclining in THAT sear will be the most confortable one to sleep in....
Getting mud, blood and guts in the newer mini might not be a good choice...
Imo a tent is cheapr than resetting the light, and you eill be able to stretchout and sleep...and not be stiff....

 

Take a look at these small campers:

http://www.openroadoutfitters.com/?g...FU-d4AodmR0Apw

 

I'm a biker, and never thought about using a bike trailer behind the mini. Such a great idea!

I went and looked and found a good hitch source. These folks made the hitch that others copied.
http://www.minidomore.com/mini_coope...iler_hitch.php

If you like ordering through outmotoring, then you can use this link for the same minidomore hitch:
http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...l-trailer.html

 

A friend rented one of these to tow behind his R56. Nice.

 

I have folded the rear seats down in my clubman and put down a nice heavy sleeping bad and then used a sheet or blanket over me to sleep. Did this for 6 nights on the Great Ice Cream Run in 2009. Also slept in the back a few times in PA rest stops on my way to MINIs on the Dragon a few years.

Okay I am only 5'6" and it was a little short but curling up in the fetal position was all it took. Kept me warm and out of the rain and no wet tent in the morning to deal with.

But I am with many of the others here. Where are you going to put this big Elk once you get it. I will be the owl in the trees laughing with the squirrel and rabbit.

 

I hope all the forrest creatures understand that this isn't to be derisive laughter. Oh my no! That would be hurtful.
Signed:
The chipmonk

 

I slept in my R50 one night and it was a little rough. I am 6'-6" and not skinny. I laid in the passenger seat and slide it forward a little bit to get the seat to recline more. I didn't have enough leg room so I put one leg on the drivers side, behind the stick. The E-brake became uncomfortable in the middle of the night and I lowered it...not a good idea as the car began to roll backwards. I was not completely sober when I went to sleep so it wasn't bad, but when I woke up I was a little sore.

I would not suggest doing this many nights as it was different to sleep like that, but it was doable. I only slept in the car form about 4am-7:30am I was at an event called Redneck Yacht Club so these were perfectly acceptable accommodations.

 

A collection of "I Slept In My MINI Not Completely Sober" essays, poems, short stories and novelettes could have possibilities. Especially if they were written while not completely sober.

 

 

Not completely sober at my size is the only way to tolerate it.

 

Yep, I did it. Slide the passenger seat back, drop the back all the way down, sleep. Not the most comfortable, but it gets the job done.

Or take a tent and sleeping bag, as suggested above.

 

Ok! We've got a start.
Here's mine though I was sober at the time - had I not been it may well have been even more exciting.

Pulled over about 0100 or later on the edge of a very small village and fell right to sleep. Some time later I was awakened by the squak of police radio. I reached to the passenger seat and picked up my pipe by the bowl, opened the door, pushed it open with the pipe upside down in my right hand and heard someone say something real fast. I stood up, put the pipe in my mouth and the two officers stood up from behind the squad and re-holstered their sidearms.

 

Have you checked out minifini.com? We have on of their hitches and a Little Guy Trailer that they sell. We slept in it on a road trip we took last year and it was great. The trailer has a queen size bed in it and it was really comfortable. Much better than sleeping in the car or on a sleeping bag in a tent.