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Rainbow Bridge

by erickpl on Tue Sep 20 06:01:56 PDT 2005

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

mtngal

by leafchild on Tue Jul 15 00:03:02 PDT 2003

Missed a few days so I'm really behind. My deepest condolences regarding Winger. Animal companions can give you so much in the short time they share their lives with you. I hope you will find comfort in knowing that you gave Winger a very happy loving home. I'm sure people have seen this one before, but I'm posting it anyway: Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.... Author unknown...

Update

by mattrichter on Fri Apr 04 16:17:09 PST 2003

1) 2002 Chilli Red "S" with 12,500 miles to date. Bought in Early OCT 2002. I bought mine in Salt Lake (even though I live south of SF, CA) because they didn't charge markup, had shorter waits, and would do factory orders. They were wonderful. 2) I beat the doodee out of my little car (~95 on the freeway, really pushing it in turns) and the milage is a pretty constant 24.8 MPG (by the odometer.....) The MPG has come up by one or two since new, but I wasn't really paying too much attention. 3) I got the leather, directions control, Nav system, the Xenons, the Sport Package, the cold weather package, MutliFunction steering wheel and the trip computer. I think that's it. I haven't added anything aftermarket, but the John Cooper Works set up looks sweet..... 4) For maintenance, I've been really happy (less one item). I did have a loose "S" badge, replaced under warranty. There is one issue I'm fighting. My trip computer keeps saying I'm getting 34.4 MPG when the odometer is telling me 24.8. This is wayyyyyyy to much of an error to be acceptible. Peter (service manager) at Mini of Moutain View seems to think that's working fine, so this has yet to be resolved to my satisfaction. They wanted to charge $40 to rotate the tires, and that was too much so I did it myself. I did get a real big crack in my windshield (the windshield is pretty verticle, so rocks going at 100 mph make a real big WHACK) but the CA DOT paid for replacement because it happened someplace they were doing construction. (FYI, it was $603 for the new windshield). Since theres a lot of weight on the front end, the tires pretty much were down to the wear bars at 12K miles, but the rears looked brand new so maybe I'll get another 12k out of the set. Overall, the tires don't impress me much (I have the Pirelli's). The run flat is nice, but they're SO HEAVY! And Mini of Mountain View wants $300 a tire (~$170 at Tire Rack) so I won't be getting any tires from the Mini dealer. 5) The first interresting trip was from Salt Lake to my home in Woodside, CA. I wanted to take the senic route, so I entered "Tuolome Meadows" into the Nav computer and it directeb me accross the Nevada diagonally. Talk about stares! I filled up with gas at some town that wasn't even on the map (about 20 buildings with a Gas Station) and everyone stopped what they were doing as I drove by. Also, even during break-in, 6th gear at 4500 RPM is well over 100 mph. I rested a little while past Yosemite, and was home a bit after that. 17 hours total with 11.5 of that driving. When I pulled into my driveway the average speed indicator was at 75, and that included crossing the bay on one of the bridges. I too have used my car to get stuff at Home Depot. I bought some Pergo on sale to do a new floor for my kitchen. I got lots of suprised looks when the whole lode of crap when into the back and I drove away. 6) Pros: Handles like a slot car. I live up in the hills above the bay, so every day I drive I hit the windies! The car handles so well that I really push it pretty much all the time (hence the wear on the tires) . There's a very interresting benefit to the DSC system. If you hit a turn too hot or with the weight set wrong, Mom (I call the DSC system that) will break individual wheels or cut the throttle to keep you from crashing. I've found that if you set up the turn just right, the computer can't really do anything and it won't intervene up to and including very slight four wheel drifts (not full slides, but you can feel the tires starting to go). So it's been a really grat coach for cornering. CONS: the cup holder suck. They're really only good to hold my cell phone and some change. There isn't really anyplace to put anything, the way I drive it just rattles around the footwells. My wife leaves everything she owns in the car when she drives it, and when I get it back, all her crap flying around is pretty distracting. The lack of low-end torque is a problem, until you get used to a two gear downshift. If the revs are over 3500, it pulls just fine. That's about all I don't like. Some other comments. I have quite a stable of cars. An Acura MDX, a modified 65 Mustang convertable, a 99 Civic SI and a 75 Fiat Spyder. The wieght distribution is like the MDX, (too much weight up front) but after driving the Mini for a while, I find myself scared that the MDX will roll over. So high and heavy with body roll. But setting the two vehicles up for turns is pretty similar. The Civic SI is another front drive car on steroids (160 HP VTEC) but that car needs to be at 6000-8000 RPM to really dance. It has better weight distribution, but it doesn't handle as well. Those 17" wheels and the (relativly) large wheelbase for the Mini really pay off. The Fiat is on jack-stands, but when I do drive it, I'm really suprised at how mushy the car feels. And it used to be my nimble little plaything. It's about the same weight, but it's old and sloppy now. The Mustang is fun, but in very different ways. It has a 5.0 FI motor and 5 speed from a 92 CHP car, 13" breaks with PBR calipers up front, 11" rotors in the rear and other toys and tricks. It's top goes down and the Mini's doesn't. It has real torque (any gear, any time) and that's very different than the Mini. They weigh the same, but the mini is much more rigid. They're really different driving experiences. (I got the Mini as a winter commuter, no way would I put my restored and modified Stang through all the winter crap). But I've put more than a couple Mini's worth of money into my Mustang, so in value for dollars, the Mini is wayyyy ahead. I I also noticed something in the back of the last Road and Track (or Car and Driver, are they really different magazines?) Look at the 700 ft slolom times in the table at the back of the mag. You need a Porche Boxter S or a Viper Competition Coupe to do it faster. No Ferrari, no Corvette, no Lotus or Jaguar or Infinity or Nissan or anything else will do the slolom as fist as a Mini "S". So now I know how I keep on the tails of all those motorcyclists up near where I live. Overall, I really reccomend the car. Great utility, great fun, and really low costs.

Pat

by pat88 on Wed Jan 16 09:54:48 PST 2002

Pat--My sympathies are with you and your family. I have the poem that Patti referred to to help me feel better whenever I think of our dog, Pepper. I hope it will help you and anyone else who has lost one of our animal friends. The Rainbow Bridge There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. It is called the Rainbow Bridge because of its many colors. Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge, there is a land of meadows, hills and valleys with lush green grass. When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this place. There is always food and water and warm spring weather. The old and frail animals are young again. Those who are maimed are made whole again. They play all day with each other. There is only one thing missing: They are not with their special person who loved them on Earth. So, each day they run and play until the day comes when one suddenly looks up! The nose twitches. The ears are up. The eyes are staring. And this one suddenly runs from the group. You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet, you take him or her in your arms and embrace. Your face is kissed again and again and again, and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet. Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be separated. ~~~Pat