Upcoming Events. Date and Time: Saturday, July 14 at 9:30 AM Meeting Place: Smail Mazda GPS US 30, Greensburg, Pa 15601

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1 Volume 22 #6 July, 2012 July 14 This Way/That Way Cruise Upcoming Events Fri-Sun Oct Finger Lakes Cruise & Train Ride -Sun July Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Oct 20 Indiana Pottery Tour July 28 Ferrante Winery & Covered Bridges Cruise Dec 1 WPMC Christmas Party Thu Aug 2 7:00 PM Aug 4 Aug 18 Sun Aug 26 Thu Sep 6 7:00 PM Sep 8 Thu-Sun Sep Sun Sep 23 Sep 29 Oct 6 WPMC Monthly Meeting Train Stations of the Past Cruise Willis Cruise WPMC Picnic Christmas Party Committee Meeting Whitmire Cruise MPMC Regional Fourth Annual Golf Outing McBride Cruise Buttermilk Falls & Eliza Furnace Cruise This Way/That Way Cruise by Joe & Linda Zimliki T his is a fun cruise and everyone enjoys it. We will be discovering roads as we zoom around. This is a last minute cruise, and I now know the meeting place, as well as where we are having lunch and ice cream - two of the more important elements of any cruise. Come join us for a fun day. Details follow. Date and Time: urday, July 14 at 9:30 AM Meeting Place: Smail Mazda GPS US 30, Greensburg, Pa RSVP: Linda Zimliki at lzimliki@westpennmiataclub.com or by July 10th - You must reply by July 10th as I need a firm count for the restaurant. Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix G by Wally Swarmer et your cars shined and ready for the PVGP international car show and race weekend on urday, July 21 and Sunday, July 22. All the action (continued on page 2)

2 2 (continued from page 1) takes place on the Schenley golf course. Our car club has rented a 20x20 tent for your use on both days. Every car must be registered. You will want to preregister at for the car show. The fee is $30 and all proceeds go to a good cause. You can register that morning at Schenley Park, but it is time consuming and you get a few extra goodies if you preregister. Let any of your Miata friends that aren't in the club know that they are welcome to join us. If you wish, please bring something good to eat or drink that can be shared. Bring a small cooler with ice if you can along with a chair and sunscreen. The only shade on the golf course is under the tent! Gates open at 9:30 AM urday morning and the entrance is off Forbes Ave. onto Schenley Drive. Volunteers will direct you where to go (we are in the Asian section). For more info on the entire race week go to Any questions about our club's participation, please feel free to call or me at or wsswarmer@consolidated.net. Covered Bridges, Wine, and Ristorante Cruise Y by Dennis Weber ou are invited to an exciting day cruising to Ashtabula County Ohio. As we zoom over the level Ohio roads, our minds will be dreaming about the wonderful award winning wines from the Ferrante Winery and their delicious Italian Ristorante. On the way to the winery, we will drive over four different Covered Bridges, yes four Covered Bridges, built as early as 1867 to the longest covered bridge in the USA at 613 feet long. These represent only four of the eighteen Covered Bridges and sixteen wineries in Ashtabula County Ohio. After an extraordinary lunch and wine tasting, we will wander back to Pennsylvania for our usual ice cream treat. The cruise will end in Mercer PA at I-80 & PA 19, only one exit East to I-79 South or one exit West to I-376 South. This cruise will be our farewell tribute to Bob and Cam Farkas who have retired and are moving to Florida on the day of their cruise. We will miss them and wish them well. (Maybe surprise them with a Florida visit in the winter????!!!) PS, we will see them in Nashville. Date and Time: urday July 28, We will leave at 9:00 AM sharp. Meeting Place: Sheetz, Grove City Outlet Mall, I-79 & PA-208. GPS, 1931 Butler Pike, Grove City, PA RSVP: By July 14, 2012 to Dennis Weber at or zoomtopless@live.com. Please check the WPMC Forum often for cruise updates. Historic Railroad Stations of the Past by Bill and Karen McCullough O n August 4th we will be visiting some of the Railroad Stations that have been preserved in Westmoreland County. There's nothing better than the curvy back roads of Western Pennsylvania so we will be traveling them in the Greensburg, Latrobe, and Ligonier areas. Of course, we will be making our obligatory stop at the Pie Shoppe in Laughlintown for some bakery items. Our lunch will be at Carol and Dave's Road House in Ligonier. We will then visit the former Railroad station in Ligonier and go on to the restored Darlington Station where we can take a tour. Some of you were with us when we toured the station before its completion. Since Bill is the President of the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association, we can have a personalized tour. At present, the cost to tour the station is $5.00 which goes toward its upkeep. If we have time, we will tour some more roads and end up at a Dairy Queen or some other ice cream shop (perhaps the new one in Ligonier, The Creamery). Date and Time: urday, August 4th at 9:30 AM Meeting Place: King's in Delmont (it is located on Route 66 just off Route 22) RSVP: Bill or Karen at by August 2nd.

3 3 Huge Banana Splits & Curvy Roads By Bill & Nancy Willis W hat can be more fun on a sunny urday than curvy roads and huge portions of ice cream? We will have all of this and more. Join us for a fun day and great food. Date & Time: urday, August 18, 9:30 AM Meeting Place: Target in Harmarville GPS Freeport Rd., Pittsburgh, PA RSVP by August 13 to Bill at (H) , (C) or bwillis@westpennmiataclub.com I WPMC Picnic by Bob Wachter t is time for the annual WPMC Picnic. The date is Sunday August 26. Games will be played - some with the Miatas and some without the Miatas. WPMC will provide chicken, hot dogs, kielbasa, hamburgers, water, pop, condiments, plates, cups, napkins, and plasticware. Members attending will be asked to bring a covered dish, snack, appetizer, vegetable, salad, or dessert. Please let me know what you are bringing when you RSVP so we don't have too many duplicates. Place: White Oak Park Date & Time - Sunday August 26 at 11:00 A.M. RSVP: Bob Wachter at bwachter@westpennmiataclub.com or by urday August 18(this will be the last day to RSVP because food will need to be ordered a week in advance). Thanks for your cooperation. Directions to White Oak Park: From Pittsburgh via the Parkway East (Approx mi. or 20 min.) Exit the Parkway at Forest Hills (Exit 8A) onto Ardmore Blvd. (Rte 30 East) Continue 8.8 mi. to Carpenter Lane (Sheetz on right) Turn right on Carpenter Lane - go 1.4 mi. Turn right into White Oak Park Continue through the park 1 mi. to Maple Grove (on right) From Irwin PA Turnpike Exit 67 (Approx. 7.5 mi. or 14 min.) Take the Pittsburgh Rte 30 West ramp Proceed on Rte 30 west 5 mi. to Carpenter Lane (Sheetz on left) Turn left on Carpenter Lane - go 1.4 mi. Turn right into White Oak Park Continue through the park 1 mi. to Maple Grove (on right) From Monroeville PA Turnpike Exit 57 (Approx. 10 mi. or 23 min.) Take the Monroeville Bus Rte 22 ramp Merge onto Bus Rte 22 West Immediately get into the left lane Turn left on Rte 48 south (Mosside Blvd.) at Parkvale Bldg. Continue 5.8 mi. on Rte 48 to Rte 30 Turn left on Rte 30 East - go 1.7 mi. (Sheetz on right) Turn right on Carpenter Lane - go 1.4 mi. Turn right into White Oak Park Continue through the park 1 mi. to Maple Grove (on right) W Bridge To Nowhere Report by Vera DeMatteis hat a beautiful day! Nine Miata cars took off for a leisurely drive through the laid back towns of northwest PA to the Kinzua Bridge State Park. The Kinzua Bridge was once known as the longest and tallest railroad structure. When the tornado of 2003 went through this area, the structure was brought down. Plans were made in 2011 to replace part of the bridge with a walkway that juts out 600 feet with a partial glass floor. The view from this point was of the beautiful Kinzua Gorge. We all enjoyed the specials offered at a small town bakery/restaurant in Mt. Jewett. Then we were off to see (continued on page 4)

4 (continued from page 3) the Kinzua Dam. After that, it was time for our return trip back topped off with our usual ice cream stop. Thank you Brian and Sheila Bell for a wonderful cruise!

Did you hear the one about this old guy who woke up very-very early on a urday morning and had a craving for ice cream?

4 4 (continued from page 3) the Kinzua Dam. After that, it was time for our return trip back topped off with our usual ice cream stop. Thank you Brian and Sheila Bell for a wonderful cruise!!! Berkey Creamery Cruise Report by Dennis & Ruthann Weber H Joe really fell for Linda on the Bridge to Nowhere Cruise - Photos by Jim Pacillo ey! Did you hear the one about this old guy who woke up very-very early on a urday morning and had a craving for ice cream? So he left home (7:30 AM) on this grey and overcast day in his little car to meet ten friends in their little cars who had the same hankering for ice cream in Indiana PA. When he arrived he found Bob and Dorothy "ice cream experts" who led us over some of the most beautiful curvy mountain roads in Pennsylvania to a place in Bellefonte PA named The Gamble Mill Restaurant. We all enjoyed the old mill s charm while savoring delicious gourmet burgers, sandwiches, and a beverage. Then it was back to zooming over some roads made for Miatas in bright sunshine and looking for State College, PA. During this part of the trip we stopped in the middle of a bridge to observe something? After a few minutes the lead car had recovered from his (senior moment) or medically speaking (a brain fart) and we continued our trip after a good belly laugh. Upon our arrival at Penn State, we found a very long line of people standing in the heat just to get that fantastic ice cream cone. It was worth the wait, and we wish we could go back for more. After our ice cream cone, we drove off in all directions towards home. After 11 1/2 hours and 387 miles, the taste of "Death By Chocolate" remains in my head. Also I don't remember those college kids being so young! 2012 CRUISIN & ZOOMIN SEASON BY LINDA ZIMLIKI W e are having a hot summer and the cruises in June helped cool us off. They were up North were it was cooler than around Pittsburgh. The trip to Penn State Creamery cooled us off with its delicious ice cream. We re looking forward to our fun cruise "This Way That Way" on July 14th. Hope you will join us. The annual Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix is also in July. There usually is a big turnout for the trial runs and WPMC has a tent. We also have a big turnout for winery cruises. The (continued on page 5) Th e N e ws l e t te r o f t h e W EST P ENN C LUB

5 5 (continued from page 4) last cruise for July will feature a trip to Ohio to visit a Winery along with some covered bridges. Members attending Miatas Play Music City should check the website for cruises offered. You will be able to sign up early. The Thursday night Cajun Dinner is the only offering for Thursday. Only 20 slots are open. If you want to do this cruise sign up as soon as it is offered. I ll provide details about the Miata train going down at a later date. I m also working on details for October's Finger Lakes & Train Ride. It will be a 3 day weekend cruise, Fri - Sun. I received on a new product which might interest some of you. It is to save wear & tear on seat bolsters. Here is the website: Hope to see some of our new members along with our old friends on upcoming cruises. See you soon for some Zoom Zoomm Zoommm. Curvy Roads With Bill by President Bill Willis H ope to see everyone at the Vintage Grand Prix on urday, July 21. We really had a great time last year and look forward to attending this one. We have been having great Miata weather so put your top down and Zoom Zoom! Mazda's earnings have been hurt by the yen's sharp rise, the tsunami disaster last year in Japan, flooding in Thailand and the European debt crisis. Its shares closed down 6.8 percent at 37 yen in Tokyo. Of the 163 billion yen ($2 billion) it hopes to raise from the share sale, some 93 billion yen will be allocated to developing auto technologies focused on fuel efficiency and safety. The rest will go toward building new car and engine assembly factories in Mexico and upgrading existing assembly lines in Russia, China, Japan and Southeast Asia. The automaker plans to introduce eight new vehicles by early 2016 using its "Skyactiv" technology that improves fuel efficiency by 20 percent to 30 percent compared with older models. It said it continues to seek alliances with other automakers overseas. Mazda, which has lost money for the last three fiscal years, is struggling to assert its brand as the relationship with longtime partner Ford Motor Co. withers. Dearborn-based Ford bought 25 percent of Mazda in 1979, raising it to 33.4 percent in But Ford began cutting ties in 2008, and in 2010 lowered its ownership to 3.5 percent. Mazda does not have flashy green technologies in its lineup that its bigger Japanese rivals do - such as the hybrids at Toyota Motor Corp. or electric vehicles at Nissan Motor Co. Apart from the share sale, Mazda is planning to borrow 70 billion yen to repay existing loans. Zoom, zoom zoom! Below is an article about Mazda's earnings I came across on Yahoo Finance. Mazda's Earnings Have Been Hurt The Japanese company, which makes the Miata sports car, said in a statement it aims to have half of its vehicle production based overseas by early 2016 as part of plans to make its business more competitive. August Deadline The deadline for articles for the August newsletter is August 6, 2012

6 Officers web site: Founder: Paul Fronko President: Bill Willis Vice President: Bob Wachter (724) (724) West Penn Club Legalese The FUN N THE SUN TIMES is published as a service by the West Penn Miata Club, Inc. a non-profit corporation. Treasurer: Pam Gregar Secretary: JoAnn Sprague Events Chair: Linda Zimliki Past President: Jim Pfeiffer (724) (412) (724) (724) Editor - In - Chief: Steve Lapp Send all editorial contributions to: WEST PENN MIATA c/o Steve Lapp 105 Gadshill Place Pittsburgh, PA slapp@westpennmiataclub.com The WEST PENN MIATA assumes no liability for any information contained herein; or injury or damage resulting from the use of this information. The ideas, maintenance, opinions, or modification tips expressed are to be used at the readers discretion. Individual contributors and/or editors express no approval, authentication, or endorsement. WEST PENN MIATA c/o JoAnn Sprague 1750 Norsen Drive Pittsburgh, PA West Penn Address goes here Club leave room for mail bar code to go here

Upcoming Events. Date/Time: Saturday, June 14. Meet at 9:30am to leave. Meeting Place: The Sheetz parking lot at 4701 Wm Penn

Upcoming Events. Date/Time: Saturday, June 14. Meet at 9:30am to leave. Meeting Place: The Sheetz parking lot at 4701 Wm Penn Volume 24 #5 June, 2014 Jun 14 Greendance Winery Cruise Upcoming Events Oct 4 Bellafonte Train Cruise Jun 21 Holmes Amish Cruise Oct 11 Chautauqua and Wineries Cruise Jun 28 Stramba Farm & Fiber Mill Cruise