Canada/US Currency Conversions

[Rick Higgs]

It's again a year when Mini Meet West calls from the US to Miniacs in the Great White North...well, in our case, 3 hours north of Seattle by road.  And, we face the practical reality of differing currency values when budgeting for the excursion south.

Not to tweak HyperSprite too hard, but today $1.23-24 Cdn. would buy a US dollar.  Conversely, 80-81 cents US would buy a Cdn. dollar.

Few of us would choose to take 5 days for a frantic dash to, for and from Mini Meet in northern California if the gap between the dollars was much larger (e.g. the mythical 60 cents).

This year we'll take two days heading south and several days heading north through sampling the vineyards and the hot springs in the Napa Valley.  We look forward to visiting with MINI/Mini friends and family too: my wife was born in the USA.

The currency gap does help explain why few young Canadians make the trek south of the 49th for Mini Meet.  Conversely, when Mini Meet West is hosted north of the 49th, we are delighted to welcome our friends from Alaska, the Lower 48 and Mexico!

[Rick Higgs]

An update on Cdn/US currency conversion...today, December 13th 2005, the Canadian Dollar is worth 87 US Cents.  The economic/monetary forcast is for parity of the two dollars in 24-30 months.  Thereafter, the Canadian dollar may be worth more than the US dollar.  Cdn. Dollar was worth more than US dollar 40 years ago.  A long cycle for the "Mouse lying beside the Elephant"!

So, Mini Meet West 2006 should generally be less expensive than MMW 05.  And, convergence of the dollars has us planning to attend MME 2006 as well...going transcontinental on the MADMEN's scavenger hunt.

[Rick Higgs]

Today 96 cents Canadian would buy a US dollar about where the currency folks thought things might be about now.

And, the values of our dollars won't deter our plans to travel to a Mini Meet in the US in 2008...and we might invite you north in 2010 for a MMW, after the 50th Mini Meet East Meets West in Winona, Minnesota in '09.

Minis are for driving, turn on the ignition, engage 1st gear, let out the clutch....