There are more Minis than I have ever seen in one place...some perfect, others pure whimsy, some prosaic, others wild. We will let the photos do the talking.

The Concourse Day provides enjoyment from carwash to car ogling, to vender visits, to story and myth swapping. Jeff Smith (VMC Prime MINIster and Leanne are here (left Vancouver on Tuesday and arrived Friday night late - towing their Mini). Colin and his twin, David and family are here from Kingston. David is off to Bosnia shortly so he did not bring his Mini.

A Floridian seeks us out as contenders for 'Mini driven farthest to the meet'. He even took in some of Northern Ontario and got a damaged windscreen for his mileage "padding"!

There are folks we met at Vallejo, California (MMW1997) and Colorado springs last year (E Meets W 1999). A special couple are Frank Smeets and Peggy Ponson from the Netherlands. They own three Minis belong to a large national club at home and a small German club. Big International Mini Meet fans and attendees (up to 2,500-3,000 cars), they were at Silverstone last year (15,000 Minis). Mt. Orford is small potatoes for them but terrific for us. Their flight from Brussels to Montreal was shorter than our drive (and may have cost less, at $800 return, than our trip - thinking of head work).

We dined in town, where the owner took up the guitar for English and French country songs and ballads, with Minis blasting up and down the roadway off the veranda. Just after 9:00 p.m. the whole meet fires up and convoys over hill and dale to the Canada Day fireworks. What a sight, with more than 200 vehicles strung out single file over country roads.

Fireworks were a great, small town show of love for Canada in Quebec!

And, maybe a good omen. Elaine and I saw our first fireflies, though the little delights must have suffered a sensory shock from the pyro display.

Tomorrow is Rallye Day, ending in the vineyard with a picnic and group photo1 We will skip the rallye and get to the vineyard on three cylinders as we have full oil pressure, normal engine temp. and no other signs of distress. No one had a compression guage yesterday, however Denis Boisvert will bring one in today. Then I'll tuck into fault diagnosis and repair plan! Not a big deal, only a valve.

Cheers!
RICK (and Elaine of course!)