Past Events

Below you will find photos, videos and other information about recent Del-Val Miata Club events. Simply click on the event name shown to the left and enjoy the show! Note: If after clicking on an event name you see just an empty box pop up on the right, try moving the mouse pointer over the box until you see the “>” (play video) button appear. Click thumbnail to enlarge

Somerset & Morris Mansions

FUNgus Run

20th Anniversary Picnic

Beautiful Bucks County

Re-Run Run

Pocono Track Day (2009)

More 20th Anniversary Pix Yardley/Newtown, PA Willow Grove, PA Willow Grove, PA

Mountains D&D Weekend ‘10 Yardley/Newtown, PA Penn, Maryland and W. Virginia Damon and Michele Kane Joe and Judy Kemler The DelVal Miata Club The DelVal Miata Club John Ketwig Somerset & Morris Country Stu Slifkin Chester County... Mike DeWane and Damon and Michele Kane Pocono Racetrack Jeff Jury

Lunch at the Lake Northern New Jersey Curt Springstead

Hunterdon Wishing Well Run Hunterdon County, New Jersey Bob and Roann Green

Trenton Thunder Trenton, New Jersey The DelVal Miata Club

Denise's Backyard Run Northeastern PA Denise Balsama

Famous Covered Bridges Pennsylvania Gary DiIllio

Lime Rock Park Berkshire Mountains, CT John and Theresa Bartolotta

Colossus of Roads Skylands Region, NJ John Ketwig

Allentown Brew Works Allentown, PA Curt Springstead Curt Springstead

Far Out Man Run Bethel Woods, NY

PA Farmlands Montgomery & Berks Counties Damon and Michele Kane Delaware & Maryland Ed Trahan

A Do-Over Rides of Spring

Water and Wine Delaware Water Gap Denise Balsama

Somerset & Morris Mansions After the driver meeting at the Old Mill Inn in Bernardsville, this sightseeing run went through some of the most prestigious residential areas in New Jersey. The drive featured many of the mansions in Bernardsville Mountain, Mendham and Harding Townships. A unique element was a drive through the Great Swamp Nature preserve and a stop at the Raptor Trust, one of the country's premier privately funded wild bird rehabilitation centers. Participants were able to see eagles, owls, hawks and other birds of prey. The large and hungry group of drivers finished with lunch in Chatham, New Jersey.

Water and Wine The name of this run took on additional meaning as the heavy rains meant more water than just riding along the Delaware River. Despite the raindrops, the scenery was still a beautiful backdrop for the winding roads near the Delaware Water Gap in northeastern Pennsylvania. The run headed down the Delaware River, through wonderful vistas viewed through the Gap. Drivers then headed away from the river into the Slate Belt farmlands and toward the quaint town of Belvidere. After a quick stop at Hot Dog Johnny’s, an establishment that has been in existence for over 50 years, drivers took off for the second leg of the ride. Beautiful homes, horse and dairy farms and, of course, fabulous Miata roads in Warren and Sussex counties in northern New Jersey led cars to the final destination at Westfall Winery in Montague. The covered picnic pavilion provided a nice respite from the rain and perfect spot for a grilled lunch.

Lime Rock Park This run took DelVal members into new territory--historic Lime Rock Park, nestled in the Berkshire Mountains of Northwestern Connecticut. The run started on a sunny, crisp fall morning in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey and meandered along 108 miles of crimson, orange and yellow lined roads of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. It was truly over the river and through the woods! At Lime Rock Park, drivers were able to take a few parade laps around the track, which happens to be one of the oldest original sports car racing tracks in the country. It was originally a limestone quarry and was operated in the 1950s by a family whose son would drive his MG around the perimeter. After many runs around the gravel track, the family decided to pave the road and open a real race track, which opened in 1958. Since then it has been home to many sports car events, not to mention this first DelVal Miata Club run!

Colossus of Roads It was all new scenery for the 5th annual Colossus of Roads run. With a start in Columbia, New Jersey, it was off to the winding, rural back roads of the Skylands region. The fall colors provided a perfect backdrop for these 70-80 miles of “Miata roads.” There were hills, curves, farms, forests, rock formations and more. After a pit stop along a babbling stream, it was back to the views and sun-dappled, tree-lined, twisting, turning roads. The scenery was truly spectacular in its natural beauty, enhanced by the bright colors of fall leaves. That, combined with the fun driving made for a great time for both pilot and navigator!

Allentown Brew Works Nothing like M & M’s to take the chill out of a late winter day—a microbrewery and Miata, that is. It wasn’t a run, but more than 30 Del-Val club members gathered at the Allentown Brew Works in Allentown , PA to socialize and tour the brewery. The brew pub occupies two floors of a historic five-story building in downtown Allentown and is a fairly large operation for an urban location. After the tour, members were able to apply what they learned by smelling and tasting various beers while enjoying upscale pub fare. That’s a kind of test anyone can master!! To round out the trip, some members stopped at America on Wheels, a museum of “over-the-road” transportation and a celebration of the motor vehicle heritage of the United States . It was a nice stop before “celebrating” the Miatas as everyone headed home after an interesting day.

FUNgus Run Chester County, Pennsylvania provided the setting for this drive and the cloudless spring day with temperatures in the 70s made the winter blahs disappear in a heartbeat. The first part of the journey encompassed wonderfully twisting roads that were a blast for Miata drivers. The scenic countryside included mushroom farms that part of the state is known for, hence the name of the Run. With its turn-of-the-century architecture, numerous restaurants and shopping opportunities, Kennett Square was a great ending to a FUN run.

Mountains Dining and Driving Weekend 2010 This three-day ride provided participants with beautiful weather that set off the matching scenery through farmland, woods and mountains of Pennsylvania , Maryland and West Virginia . With hardly another car in sight, the trip showcased roads that make a Miata driver’s heartbeat quicken, serene pastures and, of course, terrific food. This trip was the perfect solution for a top down-melt your stresses away weekend!

Beautiful Bucks County Bucks County, Pennsylvania is known for its rolling hills and bucolic beauty. This run started near Newtown, went through some beautiful back roads, crossed several covered bridges, ran along the Delaware River through the picturesque town of New Hope, and again through rolling hills and beautiful backcountry before stopping for a picnic lunch at a county park. After a quick spin in New Jersey through New Hope's sister town of Lambertville, it was over the Washington Crossing Bridge for a picturesque finish to a lovely ride.

20th Anniversary Picnic The Willow Grove Day Camp in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania was the setting for the club's largest annual event. The 229 guests enjoyed typical picnic fare and each other's company. Some attendees even traveled from Florida and the Carolinas! One of the great features of the day was a display of 1999-2010 Miatas (along with the 117 cars in the parking lot). Inside, there were displays of Miata and Del-Val memorabilia, club merchandise for sale and raffle prizes. Club President Denise Balsama and Vice President Curt Springstead caught everyone up on the latest announcements and recognized members who have made a lasting impact on the Delaware Valley Miata Club. The last order of events was to unveil the club's new logo.

Re-Run Run A re-run of the October 4th, 2009 rainy Colossus of Roads again brought raindrops but not dampened spirits. With the start at the well-known local restaurant Hot Dog Johnny's near Belvidere, New Jersey, the caravan traveled approximately 65 miles through beautiful rural scenery, plenty of winding roads and curves Miata owners love. There were some terrific steep uphills and downhills, trickling streams, narrow bridges and both craggy rock formations and broad vistas. Lunch in Washington, New Jersey was the grand finale.

Pocono Track Days (2009) The empty grandstand did nothing to lessen the thrill for participants of Pocono Track Days. With helmets on and in-car driver instruction, along with novice, intermediate and advanced driving classes, the group was ready to take a spin around Pocono Raceway. The event is not a race; it is an opportunity to improve your driving skills while enjoying the handling of your Miata. Gentlemen, start your engines!

Lunch at the Lake Run This 90-mile cruise started in Parsippany, New Jersey and headed north through Morris County, then crossed the Monksville Dam in northern Passaic County. After a brief pit stop just over the state line at Penning’s farm market in Warwick, New York, the Miata’s were back on the road toward Sussex County, New Jersey. Through the woods they went to the next stop in Stokes State Forest at the scenic outlook on Sunrise Mountain along the Appalachian Trail. What a beautiful view of the farmlands and mountains! Reflecting the name of the run, the final destination was lunch at Culver Lake and another lovely view.

Hunterdon Wishing Well Run Once they left the starting point in Clinton, New Jersey, this crew never looked back. With nary a stoplight in sight, there was the scenic Round Valley Reservoir, curving roads, farmland, narrow bridges and even one covered bridge as the ride meandered through Clinton, Raritan, Franklin and Union Townships. The cars then made their way through Pittstown, Baptistown and Sergeantsville as they headed for lunch at the historic Stockton Inn, just a block away from the Delaware River. The outdoor meal was a fitting way to cap off the more than 60 miles of convertible driving.

Trenton Thunder Baseball Members of the Del Val Miata Club met in Trenton, New Jersey to watch the New York Yankees Double AA team, the Trenton Thunder, play the Binghamton Mets. It was our own version of a Subway Series (in central New Jersey)! Club President Denise Balsama threw out a ceremonial “first pitch” at the start of the game and the perfect summer evening was a showcase for pure Americana. Great seats along the third base line provided close-up action of the bat-fetching dog, mascot antics, between-inning contests and, oh yes, baseball. We even had a shout-out on the Jumbo-tron, only there was a typo and, for the evening, we became the Delaware Valley Mista Club! A great post-game fireworks display sent everyone on their way.

Denise's Backyard Run In what has become an annual run, Del Val Miata Club President Denise Balsama led participants through her “backyard” of the eastern Poconos in Pennsylvania. After meeting at the Delaware Water Gap, the first leg took drivers down the Delaware River along some beautiful wooded roads. Then it was through some rural areas near the Slate Belt and Cherry Valley, with the rest stop at Sorrenti’s Cherry Valley Vineyards! While the rain meant ‘tops up,’ it didn’t dampen spirits as the run continued toward Blue Mountain (with a covered bridge thrown in for fun) and the rolling farmlands in southwest Monroe County. Of course, all that driving meant hungry people and the run ended with lunch in the borough of Delaware Water Gap.

Famous Covered Bridges Run This run was a reenactment of one of the most popular tours from our past—touring seven of the 12 covered bridges while snaking through scenic Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Rain didn’t dampen the mood as the drivers gathered at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve and took off toward the first bridge. The tour skirted the edge of Bowman’s Tower and once the rain stopped, that meant a brief pit stop to put tops down! The ride continued through LakeTowhee Park and Nockamixon State Park on the winding, tree-lined roads Miata drivers love—with no other car in sight. After a couple hours of spirited driving and, thankfully, no rain, the hungry crew gathered in Quakertown for the finale of lunch and conversation.

Far Out, Man This run to the site of the Woodstock festival and event museum at Bethel Woods, NY got started in Columbia, NJ with an extra kick as participants dressed the part from 41 years ago. With some of the same colors reflected in the fall foliage that was just starting to turn, and a cloudless blue sky, it was a beautiful ride. The run wound through rural roads in Pennsylvania and New York. After lunch upon arrival, the crew was ready to tour the museum and listen to music and film clips. Volunteers from the area put on Harvest Festivals featuring food, crafts and music just down the road from the museum which provided an extra bonus. Another highlight of the "trip" was to see one of the first suspension bridges built in the U.S. by John Roebling, designer of the Brooklyn Bridge. Way cool.

PA Farmlands With a cold winter fading into the past, Miata fans gathered for the first official run of 2011. With temperatures in the 60’s and a steady wind, heaters were going full blast as the ride started near Harleysville, Pennsylvania and traversed through the gently rolling hills of Montgomery and Berks counties. As drivers turned corners or reached the top of hills, there were some beautiful panoramic views where the blue sky and clouds just opened up before you. The run took drivers through Green Lane Park, small villages, farmland and true country scenes—a nice balance between twisting roads and scenic driving. Of course, all that driving and “watching” makes for some hungry members and the trip brought everyone full circle to lunch back near the starting point. What a great way to start the season!

A Do-Over Rides of Spring This 60+ mile ride through Delaware and Maryland was try #2, after the original date was washed out by a monsoon. While six cars did show up for the first run, the run leader wanted to make sure it could be enjoyed to its maximum, so a second date was scheduled which proved to be a smart move as it was a beautiful day with plenty of sun. The run started in Newark, Delaware and got off to a quick start through sun dappled winding roads, which opened up into scenic farmland. The twisties and hills kept drivers on their toes and allowed them to have fun in the sporty Miata. Other than some Amish carriages, Del Val members seemed to have the roads to themselves as they traveled from a low point (geographically, that is) at the Susquehanna river level at Peach Bottom, to a high point of the cliffs overlooking the river at the Pinnacle overlook. After a lunch pit stop, drivers finished up the second part of the ride and judging from the smiles it looks like there should be a do-over next year!