please pass the salt

Day 3: Wendover, UT to Grand Junction, CO

Totals to date -

Miles motored:: 1609

Bugs fatalities:: the entire cast of Bugs Life, plus all the extras

Roadkill observed:: 2 deer, 3 raccoon,  7 rabbits, 3 skunks and 1 plastic beach ball

Curse words:: 25

Today's adventure includes when weather gets in the way, a guest passenger from the UK, a grumpy room mate, one possible bad thermostat, and the most bad ass car wash in America!

Under cloudy skies the third day of MINI Takes The States 2014 begins with a kick off in the parking lot of McDonald's in Wendover, UT - hey when you have to park bunches of MINIs you go where there is ample free parking.  Much to everyone's dismay we learned that the weather was going to change the plans for the day.  No driving on the Bonneville Salt Flats.  waw waw waw -insert sad face here.   Still we managed to work a photo opportunity out of this...

Which leads me to - I had a guest passenger today.  Riding along with me was Ali Mir who boldly walked up to me at a pit stop yesterday and asked if he could be my co-pilot for the day.  Since this is an adventure, I found myself saying sure! (WTF - who is the alien that has taken over  my body?)

This turned out to be quite fun.  Ali told me all sorts of stories, played some cool tunes, took photos and didn't fall asleep once!  

Ali and Ugly Doll hanging out in the co-pilot seat above.

And then there was Alex and her bad mood... Miss Rose woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning - I forget what being 21 was like - do they need more sleep than old people???   After she missed the exit for this first stop this morning it was apparent that she needed a nap.  Happily she snapped out of it by the time we hit the afternoon stop at Papa Joes.

And then the check engine light went on in her car... MINI to the rescue!  Claude and John from MINI USA came over and ran a little diagnostic test on the car deeming it safe to drive onto our final stop in Grand Junction.  

We motored on toward the last stop of the day - the Splish Splash Car Wash in Grand Junction. woot, woot!  This was the BEST. Car. Wash. EVER!!!!  It was like the Tron ride of car washes.  A friendly attendant removed my car magnets, another gave me instructions on how to ride the conveyor and a soapy blast to the front windshield (for the great bug massacre) and then boom!  I rode in Felix watching the car being blasted with soap suds, giant brushes, water jets, blowers and cool flashing lights.  Probably delirious from driving, but I thought this was fantastic!