Ride to Work

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Pittsburgh Grand Prix Countryside Tour

Montse with our flight
Last July we drove out to join the Countryside Tour put on in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix.  The Grand Prix is a huge event over several days but unfortunately we had other commitments and could only make it there for the Countryside Tour.

This year, the tour began at the Century Inn in Scenery Hill, PA and ended at the Coventry Inn in Indiana, PA.  That is quite a hike out into western PA from where we live so we left the morning before and planned on spending the night at the Century Inn to be where the action was the following morning.  As luck would have it, rain followed us all the way from home until we got there but fortunately it let up shortly before pulling into the Inn and it didn't rain again for the rest of the trip.

Our flight catches a faster flight at a light


The following morning there were quite a bit of cars for the tour and we selected to go with a slow flight composed of a Healey, a TR3 and a MGA.  The flights were generally made up of four cars and were divided into fast, moderate and slow categories.  The run out to Indiana took us through some very nice back roads and very scenic terrain.  We left around 09:00 and got there at about 13:00.  If we had gone on a straight line it would not have taken half that long but the purpose of the thing was to run out and have a good time on the back roads.

Ed's car


We met a bunch of really nice people at breakfast at the Inn.  We also met a couple of the guys from the MGTDr forum.  It was great fun and could not have asked for a nicer day for a run like this.  Unfortunately, we needed to be back in Philly by evening so we left right after lunch for the long ride back home on the turnpike.

Montse behaved admirably, even in the rain on the Turnpike on the way out.  We had no issues but it sure was a major beating driving all the way there and back.  I've bought a tow bar to use on trips like this from now on.  The long distances on the interstate are just not fun at all.  We are planning on going back next year and stay for at least a couple of days to join in on the festivities.

To see more pics from the run, please, checkout my Flickr Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Album.

Tail gun Charlie
   
At the midway point
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