Explore Oregon
Willamette Valley Miata Club event
Thursday, July 17 to Sunday, July 20, 2014
Tour Leader: Len
"The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between." - Norton Juster (The Phantom Tollbooth)
This trip proved to be a rolling evolution of the OVMC clan as 3 cars with 3 members grew to 11 cars with 19 members in 3 days. On Tuesday morning, July 15, 2014 (Day 1) with the temperature at a pleasant 18C, solo travellers Harold, Ron and me left Kelowna along Highway 33 through Beaverdell. Two hours later at a cafe in Rock Creek we met up with Bob and Val from Keremeos and Verne and Carol from Summerland. Our Group of 5 then took the road-less-travelled through the quiet border crossing at Midway and a relaxing little ferry ride across Lake Roosevelt. By mid afternoon the thermometer had risen to 39C. In Moses Lake we met up with Jerry and Doreen from Kelowna who had travelled via Osoyoos and Omak.
On Wednesday, July 16. 2014 (Day 2), our 6 cars set off early, and after an interesting stop to cool off at The Country Mercantile Market we were soon through Pasco and hugging the Columbia River where we zoomed across the Washington - Oregon border to our fuel stop in Hermiston. Highway 207 rewarded us with some amazingly great Miata roads leading us to a pre-arranged lunch stop at a western-themed cafe/bar in beautiful downtown Fossil (Pop. 466). Then Highway 218 treated us to some mega curves through high and dry plateaus mixed in with some heart-stopping twisty descents into the John Day River Valley as the temperature rose into the mid-forties. With the excusive heat and dryness, we weren't too surprised to encounter some fire suppression activity along Highway 293 as we approached our next overnight stop in Madras. It was there that we met up with Tim and Kathryn from Summerland who had travelled via Highway 97 through Ellensburg and Rolly and Sharon from Penticton who drove in from Spokane after touring the southwestern states.
On Thursday, July 17, 2014 (Day 3), now with 8 cars in our tribe, we made our way to the much-anticipated McKenzie Highway. Meanwhile, after an overnight stay in Leavenworth, clan members Bruce and Donna along with Andy and Marilyn, all from Kelowna, woke up to find their Miatas covered with a blanket of ash from a major forest fire in that area. That same morning Al and Bev from Kelowna continued south after an overnight stay in The Dalles. Not surprisingly, the renowned McKenzie Highway is a summer-only route, which led us to "the best" driving road of our trip as the narrow paved trail took us up and over 45 minutes of exciting white-knuckle curves through the Cascade Mountains. The icing on the cake was a midway stop at the Dee Wright Observatory, a mile above sea level. By late afternoon our family of 11 cars were finally together at our destination, the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove.
As the images show, the following three days were filled with a number of exciting drives through some spectacular scenery, and best of all, the opportunity to meet up with many wonderful people who share our enjoyment of these great cars.
Willamette Valley Miata Club event
Thursday, July 17 to Sunday, July 20, 2014
Tour Leader: Len
"The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between." - Norton Juster (The Phantom Tollbooth)
This trip proved to be a rolling evolution of the OVMC clan as 3 cars with 3 members grew to 11 cars with 19 members in 3 days. On Tuesday morning, July 15, 2014 (Day 1) with the temperature at a pleasant 18C, solo travellers Harold, Ron and me left Kelowna along Highway 33 through Beaverdell. Two hours later at a cafe in Rock Creek we met up with Bob and Val from Keremeos and Verne and Carol from Summerland. Our Group of 5 then took the road-less-travelled through the quiet border crossing at Midway and a relaxing little ferry ride across Lake Roosevelt. By mid afternoon the thermometer had risen to 39C. In Moses Lake we met up with Jerry and Doreen from Kelowna who had travelled via Osoyoos and Omak.
On Wednesday, July 16. 2014 (Day 2), our 6 cars set off early, and after an interesting stop to cool off at The Country Mercantile Market we were soon through Pasco and hugging the Columbia River where we zoomed across the Washington - Oregon border to our fuel stop in Hermiston. Highway 207 rewarded us with some amazingly great Miata roads leading us to a pre-arranged lunch stop at a western-themed cafe/bar in beautiful downtown Fossil (Pop. 466). Then Highway 218 treated us to some mega curves through high and dry plateaus mixed in with some heart-stopping twisty descents into the John Day River Valley as the temperature rose into the mid-forties. With the excusive heat and dryness, we weren't too surprised to encounter some fire suppression activity along Highway 293 as we approached our next overnight stop in Madras. It was there that we met up with Tim and Kathryn from Summerland who had travelled via Highway 97 through Ellensburg and Rolly and Sharon from Penticton who drove in from Spokane after touring the southwestern states.
On Thursday, July 17, 2014 (Day 3), now with 8 cars in our tribe, we made our way to the much-anticipated McKenzie Highway. Meanwhile, after an overnight stay in Leavenworth, clan members Bruce and Donna along with Andy and Marilyn, all from Kelowna, woke up to find their Miatas covered with a blanket of ash from a major forest fire in that area. That same morning Al and Bev from Kelowna continued south after an overnight stay in The Dalles. Not surprisingly, the renowned McKenzie Highway is a summer-only route, which led us to "the best" driving road of our trip as the narrow paved trail took us up and over 45 minutes of exciting white-knuckle curves through the Cascade Mountains. The icing on the cake was a midway stop at the Dee Wright Observatory, a mile above sea level. By late afternoon our family of 11 cars were finally together at our destination, the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove.
As the images show, the following three days were filled with a number of exciting drives through some spectacular scenery, and best of all, the opportunity to meet up with many wonderful people who share our enjoyment of these great cars.