RED ROCKIN', BLUES TRAVELIN', FAREWELLIN'!!!

By Erin 'Gigglechick' Bennett

Once again, we woke up at the crack of dawn (this experience really is trying whole-heartedly to turn me into a morning person...) and we rallied over to the Red Rocks Ampitheatre on Saturday morning.

MINIs and their owners were totally ecstatic to be in this awe-inspiring environment.

The MINIs kept pouring into the parking lot... oh what a sight!







When we went into the ampitheatre there were hundreds of exercise fiends working out... not for nothing, but, you're reading a blog post from a girl who was winded from STANDING and watching them.





Everyone had their cameras at the ready - especially when it came to snapping photos of the MINI Mob in the parking lot..



Here is just the half full lot...



The MINI stat van let us sign our names/states to the elevation... I wrote above the number 5 and below some fellow Jersey Shore folks.







After crowding into the ampitheatre (and sitting, not doing frog leaps up all 69 steps like the locals were) we sang the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" and then we were off!



We had to get back to Denver to hit the MINI Takes The States Festival at Infinity Park!

I met MINI USA President Jim McDowell and did the secret handshake in order to receive a BULLDOG MTTS pin... hooray!



Before the concert started there was some Whiptastic Handling going on with the BMX folks...



Hung out with the Road Warrior Award winners and the Match Made In Heaven Award winner!





I have to give a shout out to Roy (of FYREBEAST fame) for his sweeeeeet MINI shirt...



Took a snap of the Vanity MINI enjoying the concert



They had to tie up the other MINIs just in case they got too excited...



Besides the MINIs all gathered around & watching Blues Traveler, their owners seemed to be pretty pumped up to be there, too!









I'm not giving you the "Runaround", Blues Traveler was fantastic (as always. Yes. I have been a fan for a while.)









John Popper, the lead singer, gave his harp to this MINI girl up front for "rockin' out!"



After all of that it was time to head back to the hotel and then say my farewells....

I have had a WONDERFUL experience with each and every one of my cohorts and the other MINI owners (Now I must return home where they look at me funny when I tell them my car is a boy and his name is Phooka... whereas, over the past 9 days with the owners they would look at you funny if your MINI was nameless.)

Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me and I hope to see you on the next MTTS!!!!