From MINI to Monterrey: Day 3

MINI agreed to lend it to me A 2025 Cooper S so I can put in 3,100 miles to cover the events of Monterey Car Week. Follow the entire series here.

The photo says it all. I spent most of today in the middle of nowhere in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska. At the end of the day, I saw a large convenience store in Lincoln, Nebraska, and the sign that read “You’re Not Going Anywhere” perfectly summed up my day’s driving and most of the places I passed.

I started at 6am and basically spent the entire day on I-80, just driving a few miles and stopping at rest areas occasionally. Afterwards, I went to a truck stop and had lunch at Arby’s. The staff was very friendly and the food was great.

I was looking forward to reaching Omaha, Nebraska, where I would meet up with my best friend Trent Abbott at his garage and take a break. After 605 boring miles, I finally arrived.

I hadn’t been to Trent’s new garage before, so I followed the GPS to his lapis lazuli blue Porsche Cayenne. I found it, parked alongside it, and went inside to meet my friend.

I have known Trent for about 20 years, having met him at an old Hagerty party at The Lodge at Pebble Beach. We started talking and became friends right away. We both love cars, scuba diving, all things James Bond, and have the same taste in music. In fact, he and I took a trip to Monterey a few years ago in my old 944, just like this one. We are both now involved in the collector car hobby and mentor each other in many areas.

His garage and car collection is truly amazing and reflects the types of cars that Gen Xers like. He has a lot of Porsches, because Trent has a Porsche, and a few odds and ends, including British cars and three different international Scouts. We chatted for a while and I told him that of all his cars, the 1961 Scout was my favorite. The reason was that when I was in high school, a friend had one and I thought it looked cool. It had an air of seriousness and utility, and it looked like it would be fun to drive. He thought I should take it out for a spin, so I did.

If you haven’t driven these original Scouts, they are unlike any other 4X4 I’ve driven – more civilized than an early Jeep, but less refined than an old Land Rover. I consider them the template for the original Ford Bronco, and if you look at this car, you can probably see why. They are all about torque and no power, and they are a lot of fun to drive.

After about two hours of wandering around, Trent and his friend Jeremy Tate cleaned the windows of the MINI while I headed to Lincoln. I had only asked for some glass cleaner, but they took over the job. I happily offered them some homemade cookies from Ann, which they gladly accepted.

Tomorrow is the longest run of the week: a 900+ mile drive to Salt Lake City, Utah, so stay tuned for progress.