If driving your classic sports car is your main passion, we invite you to join us for the Countryside Tour. Hosted by the Greater Pittsburgh MG Club, with help from the Western PA Triumph Association. The Countryside Tour was conceived in 2012 by Bud Osbourne as a part of the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. Participation is limited to sports & GT cars produced in 1983 and earlier*). However, new for 2023, we will accept a limited number of registrations for cars newer than 1983.
The tour departs from the Ramada Inn, in the lovely and historic town of Ligonier, and follows a delightful collection of scenic, twisting, lightly-traveled back roads through Pennsylvania’s beautiful Laurel Highlands. Be advised, this is a DRIVING tour and not for the faint of heart. We cover a lot of miles and it’s all back roads at a brisk pace!
Schedule
Registration at Ligonier Ramada Inn: 8:00 AM
First Group Starts: 9:00 AM
Lunch at Jamison Farm: 1:00 – 2:30 PM
Alternate tour available from Jamison Farm afterward
Optional Afternoon Tour
We’ve included an optional, afternoon segment to the tour. This segment will feature well-shaded, but gloriously twisting, plunging, Pennsylvania back roads. We may also include stops at some local points of interest, both historical and recreational, before winding our way back to our “headquarters”, the Ramada Inn of Ligonier, for poolside cocktails & refreshments, before heading out for dinner. Again, due to the distance from Pittsburgh, plus the special events planned for the night before the tour, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you book a room at the inn for Wednesday night
Cost
Registration is $80.00 and includes both morning & afternoon tour segments, as well as lunch and refreshments at Jamison Farm. Room reservations are up to the individual participants and you MUST CALL the Ramada Inn of Ligonier (724-238-9545) and mention PVGP Countryside Tour to reserve your room.
If you have any questions, please contact
Bud Osbourne PVGP Tourmeister
Lunch at Jamison Farm
On Tour Day, traveling in groups of three or four cars only, to enhance both safety and the driving experience, we will work up a good thirst and an appetite, which will be slaked during our visit to Jamison Farm, on another country road near Crabtree, PA. Owners John and Sukey Jamison are still raising lamb and serving meals onsite, and they are excited to be our luncheon hosts, this year. John is also a British car enthusiast and has been a Countryside Tour participant for many years.
A very talented cook herself, Sukey Jamison has created a line of hand-prepared lamb dishes, which include a Lamb Stew created in collaboration with the late, great Jean-Louis Palladin and Sukey’s award-winning Lamb Pie.
Ramada Inn
The Ramada Inn of Ligonier will be our host hotel and starting point. A block of 20 rooms has been blocked for participants. Mention the PVGP 
Countryside Tour, when you call for reservations. This is always great fun, sitting around the bar, or poolside and relaxing, before getting a good night’s rest at the Inn and avoiding the hassle of having to get up in the pre-dawn hours and do the “forced march” out to Ligonier, for the 9 A.M. start of the Tour (if it’s really going to be hot, we may start much earlier, to beat the heat). Call the Ramada (724-238-9545) and reserve your room for Wednesday night (many of us also stay there on Thursday night, rather than drive back to Pittsburgh after a long, hot day on the road).
After one of our Countryside Tours, one of the participants was heard to remark: “This is sort of like driving the Tail of the Dragon, only a lot longer and more fun.” To that, we would have to add: “and a lot less crowded!” Whatever you do, please don’t delay in registering, as we are limited to roughly 50 cars and those “slots” get filled pretty quickly.
*In the case of air-cooled Porsche 911s, Alfa Romeo Spiders and a few others, cars newer than 1983 are accepted, because they are a continuation of the original design.
Hosted by the
