Our friend Melissa over at Motor Trend recently returned from a road trip with her Mini Cooper. Melissa (also known by her friends as "WickedGolf") traveled to this year's "Mini Vacation in Vegas" with her Cooper (also known as "Scrappy") and recounts her exploits with enthusiastic prose and oodles of photos.

I've had the great pleasure being able to borrow Melissa's Cooper now and again, and my four-year-old son now refers to every Cooper he sees as a "Scrappy." What's not to love about these adorable vehicles?

Melissa says  "I don't want to sound all gushy and sentimental but with every photo I come across, I can't help but smile as I remember that moment in time where family, friends, and Mini Coopers came together for four days of motoring fun." Well, if you want to share in the gushy sentimental experience, you can read her online journal of AMVIV4 and view dozens of photos detailing the fun and camaraderie of her exploits.