Mining Country Scenic Drive:

Date: Saturday, April 19

Meeting place: Idaho Road Mini-mart

• Just north of US-60 (Superstition Freeway) at Idaho Rd.

Meet at 9:30am; Leaving time, 10:00 sharp.

This drive features a route along some relatively lightly-traveled highways many Arizonans have never driven. We'll start on the familiar route from Apache Junction, past Superior, to Globe. After the obligatory stop at McDonald's we'll turn onto State Route 77 and head south toward the small mining town of Winkelman. This stretch will reward you for choosing to drive a Miata.

Beyond Winkelman the drive will take us past Oracle and on to lunch at The Lariat Steakhouse & Saloon, a place with lots of Western ambiance, on the north side of the Catalina Mountains.

After lunch we'll return to the Valley via another scenic and less-traveled route. The scenic roads take us by a number of copper mining sites, both operating and abandoned, from which the region takes its name, "Copper Basin." Even if you're not interested in looking down into a big ol' open pit mine, the scenic highway between Winkelman and Superior will make for a great spring drive in your Miata.

If you plan to join this drive, please RSVP to Ben Cleaves: azroadster@cableone.net.