Well, when I started the restoration of my Mini I promised myself I wouldn't be precious about the car...so this past weekend I took it on the Rush to Gold Bridge - a two-day mixed-surface tour through BC to the remote mountain mining town of Gold Bridge.
It was 40C/104F in Lytton - traditionally the hottest town in Canada - and this would turn out to be the hottest weekend of the year! We took a reaction ferry across the Fraser River (the ferry is powered by the flow of the river and only holds two cars)...
The ferry took us across to a dirt road that traverses a ridgeline to the town of Lillooet. This was where I learned that the Mini does NOT have very much ground clearance! Clank, clunk, bang!
I had some cooling issues on the climb up the mountain...the 40C temps didn't help! Luckily I had lots of water on hand.
The final stretch of the day up to the Bridge River Valley and the Chilcotin Holidays ranch was very scenic and challenging.
Nothing like being greeted by cowgirls on horseback!
I'm not sure I'd do another gravel run in the Mini...it would need some more clearance to start! But I'm glad I did it. It was a great adventure with some fun friends and certainly one for the memory banks!
Full story and a bunch of other photos of the other cars is up here: http://www.classiccaradventures.com/201 ... ge-photos/
