My grandson is moving to Portland from Indiana and I am going to ride with him out there. Are there any car events going on around the 6,7,8 of May.
Boy, are you in luck, the best event of the year is Sat the 7th. It's called the Portland Transmission Spring Classic, starts early 6-7 AM and is done by 11:30. It is on the east side of town, around 11th and Hawthorne, everything is free, cookies, hot dogs, pop. For several square blocks, you will see some of the nicest Hot Rods, Race Cars, anything you can think of.
Dang Marty! I have always wanted to go to that one and keep missing it. No wonder with it starting that early. By the time I get up and drive over the mountain it would be over! Dave
Hello, I am sure your grandson has his itinerary all planned out, becoming a Portland “local.” But on the way in the direction of Portland, one of the most fun trips might be to come in from the East on Highway 84 from Boise, ID. A stop for a nice view and rest at the Maryhill Winery on the Columbia River will be the start of the trek West to Portland. The sites along the river are amazing and it will be a fun road trip. For several of our longer road trips together, my wife and I have gone to Portland. The Pacific Northwest is an area different from sunny So Cal , but for some reason, we both like the Northern area. Our last road trip was to be in 2020, but we all know what happened during the Spring of that year. So, our road trips and extended vacations have been put on hold until we feel safe, going somewhere again. Vista Point looking Eastward, over the Columbia River. “Touristy” things? One of the best things is the long drive all along the shores of the Columbia River Eastward. (or Westward) There was one destination we had to take that was a little over 100 miles out to the Maryhill Winery and concert music venue. The trip normally takes almost two hours. Ours took over 4 hours because of all of the stops along the river for the major historic sites and big waterfalls. We were on the South side going up and the North side coming back to Portland. What a drive and scenery. There were a couple of hot rods, a coupe and sedan, that were powering up the I-84 up and the 14 back to Portland. One lowered truck just hugged the winding roads to the Bonneville Dam area. It was a neat drive, with the mighty Columbia River flowing at speed towards the ocean. Want to watch frustration on the water? Just watch the sailboats fight the massive, fast flowing current…an exercise in going nowhere fast. For a couple of avid sailboat owners, that river was calling to us by leaps and bounds. In the city proper and out in the Gorge, the scenery and blue water was like no other. But, the one thing we do not like is frustration sailing… getting nowhere, despite the massive effort of angles, jibes, tacks and smart sailing with the wind. It is an adventure that looks amazing, but not for us. Note: we were eating dinner near the I-5 Bridge in Vancouver, WA. At the time we started, a mid range sailboat was in front of the Portland side of the Columbia River, sailing toward the bridge. By the time we finished a leisurely waterfront dining experience, we kept watching that sailboat and it was frustrating to see it had not moved very much toward the big bridge, in the time we had our great dinner experience on the waterfront. We took a long walk along the waterfront and the sailboat still looked like it was in the same place. The current out or inward is not the most friendly aspect of sailing on the Columbia River. Jnaki We found several houses in the outlying areas of Portland. If it is anywhere we want to live other than So Cal, it is here. The problem is, if I don’t keep a sharp eye, my wife will pack all of our stuff and move us to Portland. One thing that will hold us up is that she does not like the cold, but, on the other hand, she can buy a whole new wardrobe…yikes. But, a hot rod cruising around that long river and nearby forested areas would be pretty fabulous. YRMV Favorite places: Downtown: Powell's Bookstore and the original, Voodoo Donuts Northwest: Meriwether’s Restaurant Northeast: McMenamin’s Kennedy School Southwest: Grochau Cellars Southeast: a walk down the Williamette River Trail SIDE TRIPS: Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Kalama High School, anywhere along the Columbia River… Have fun on your road trip... Grand kids are a step in the future for all of us...
You missed one of the best side trips in the Gorge! The WAAM museum in Hood River, which is a short jaunt off I84 when coming down the Gorge. The Western Aviation and Airplane Museum has a fantastic collection of antique airplanes, and old cars that's about as good as it gets, anywhere! Well worth the small detour, and the entry fee. My wife and I were at Maryhill for the car show last summer, and got free passes to the museum. When we walked out my wife told me, "Glad we didn't have to pay for that." Thought it was just me that wasn't all that impressed, so I was surprised she wasn't either. Just not a lot of things we found interesting personally.
jnaki We went into PDX to look at the flowering Akebono Cherry trees yesterday, they are along the Willamette river downtown, this was what they call prime viewing time. Your comment about Voodoo Donuts made me laugh because we parked close to them and there was a constant line of people carrying those pink donut boxes past us. Painful for my wife to see as she just started a trial gluten free diet. Sorry, no hot rods out yesterday. https://www.google.com/search?q=por...ient=tablet-android-samsung-nf-rev1&prmd=insv
Hello, We liked the stop over and rest from the long drive out to Maryhill from Portland. It was a different area than the whole forested areas of the Columbia River Gorge. At the Hood River area, we stopped to watch some sailboats fight the irregular winds coming up/down the Gorge for some interesting sailing tactics. It was a full adjustment style of sailing on the edge. Pretty intense sailing as my wife said at the time. The area is outstanding and the activities are mostly geared for the river and surrounding sites along the long road trip out to Maryhill and back. Jnaki We are always on the lookout for old hot rods and trucks when we go to different area on our road trips. We seem to find some almost everywhere we go or have been so far. But, this pandemic has put a stop to touring like we used to do and we can see the time running out if it continues to hinder everyone. @cabriolethiboy But, the northwest area is a great place to wander around and see the great experiences. The Columbia River is just one of them. So far, we have seen the mouth of the Columbia River and have driven all the way back to Portland. Then the next day, we took the 4 hour trip to Maryhill for the complete tour along the famed river area.
You will love the trip !! We moved our daughter from Chicago to Portland a few years ago........and moved her back to Chicago with her fiance about 5yrs. ago. I LOVED the trips out and back. Do yourself a favor and plan ahead to take time on the way out......while you are in Portland......and on the way back. Besides moving out and back, my wife and I made several trips out to visit. Rambled thru Deadwood.......loved all of Idaho......sold a WWII fighter fuselage to a guy in Pocatello......traded for a T roadster speedster, 1928 Chev project, multiple T and A parts........and the skeleton of a crop duster helicopter !! Yes.....yes on WAAM museum in Hood River......did it two times......great people.....awesome airplanes, cars and motorcycles. Take lots of time to meander along the Columbia river. Great history museum in downtown Portland......learned lots about the area and Lewis and Clark expedition. By all means do Powells bookstore, Voodoo donuts and take time for a memorable dinner at the Ringside restaurant for a great steak. On one trip back, we took the long way down into redwood country in California.......great country. Started going diagonal toward Reno.......picked up a 1940's dirt track midget out in the desert and headed home. Damn......I miss those trips, but love having our daughter, son in law and new grandson back in Wisconsin close to home. Have fun
Hey DDD, For all of the times we have been in the Portland area on our many road trips there, we have never been during the blooming season of those cool trees. They certainly line up the river banks quite well blooming. Nice photo... The weather looks stormy, in contrast to the 80 degree sunny weather we have been getting for the last several days in So Cal. But, as the normal weather pattern goes, it is 3-4 days of hot weather and the land is winning the battle against the ocean influence. But, way out near Catalina 40 + miles away in our coastal area, the fog bank is fighting to get back to the coastline. So, for the last two evenings, at night the land has cooled enough for the thick fog bank to roll back into the coastal plains. Jnaki This morning, driving in the thick fog is useless as it has become so thick. (hard to see past the front of the car…) The ocean wins this round until the land starts it heat up battle again. It is nature at it’s weirdest, but happens all of the time. We all have to adjust our living patterns living on the coast. If the thick fog continues on to Saturday, the local Cars and Coffee events will be cold and moist, if they are open. There are always those die-hard hot rod/sporty car folks that need those gatherings to make their day. The thick fog rolls inland without much of any blockage due to high hills or mountain ranges or it seeks the lower flat areas like the I-5 freeway valley and runs deep into the county. YRMV
For total transparency that was a stolen internet photo, my wife did take photos but I would have needed to go to school to make her photos show up here.
@cabriolethiboy .... since you are from what most in the PNW would consider 'flatland' plan your trip to be travelling the Columbia Gorge (I-84) during daylight hours. The entire stretch (~200 miles) is interesting and awesome. Be especially aware of Mt. Hood, get good views of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams too. Keep an eye out for the water falls on the Oregon side of the river, and if you can, take a side trip on the Scenic Hiway that includes the Vista House and Multnomah Falls. As others as stated, WAAAM in Hood River is a good side trip. The Columbia Gorge, Portland, and the surrounding area are home to some fine brewpubs. I'm not sure if it is currently open, but there is an air museum in Wilsonville (southwest of Portland) that has the Spruce Goose and a bunch of other neat stuff. (if you are into aviation there is another good museum in Tillamook, on the coast). The Pacific Ocean is only about 1 1/4 hours from Portland, so you can travel down the Columbia and feel like you're Lewis and Clark! Be prepared for unpredictable weather.... it could be sunny and warm, or rainy and cold, but either way there are a lot of things to enjoy. If your grandson is a car guy, tip him off about the 'every Wednesday evening' cruise in at PIR sponsored by Beaches Restaurant (he can google it), which unfortunately doesn't start 'til June. Be safe on your trip, and enjoy the Northwest!
That's a nice a run. Up the Oregon side on the old Historic Hwy past Crown Point, stop at Multnomah Falls, have an ice cream (disgusting stuff) and take some pictures, into Cascade Locks, Bridge of the Gods (ride the stern wheeler down to B'ville dam) then into Washington. If it is lunch time head up to Skamania Lodge for a beer and a sammich, Hwy 18 past Cape Horn (another can't miss picture event) and then into Camas/Vancouver, cross either bridge back to Portland or stop say hi on the friendly side of the river. You can do this in reverse order but the parking lot at Multnomah falls for traffic heading west (into Portland) is across the freeway (tunnel access) and filled with parasites armed with crowbars. I highly do not recommend it. The East bound lanes have parking right next to the falls which is much more secure.
Dont you need to be out there earlier than 6am to park anywhere close? I am planning on actually going this year with a car. Dont know if CJ will come or not, but I plan on coming.
The last time we went to the swap meet we parked in that parking lot over on the other side of I-5 that the shuttle busses pick you up from and carry you right up to the gate of the swap meet. We weren't after anything big but I helped some guy carry a bumper on the bus on the way back. I don't need anything bad enough to want to go to Portland this year though.
@cabriolethiboy Congratulations on the upcoming trip with your grandson, out to Portland Oregon. Certainly not badmouthing Indiana, I have friends that live in Madison Indiana, but its no secret how cold it gets there in the winter and how high the humidity is, in that town, in the summer ! I hear about it often, via texts from my friends. That being said, I think your Grandson will really enjoy Portland for a variety of good reasons. The weather, the rain, the flowers, the diversity of the city, the proximity of the mountains and the river. The music scene, the different festivals during the summer time, the food, the theaters, etc, etc . There is a little bit of everything there in Portland and the surrounding community's, that he will enjoy, I am confident of that ! Its a shame that you wont be there in time to enjoy the Portland swap-meet, that would be a grand experience for the both of you, it draws a lot of people from all up and down the west coast, to go shopping for a myriad of cool stuff, automotive and non automotive combined. But there is always next year in regards to that event. Be safe and have a great trip cross country, and enjoy the scenery along the way, take a lot of pictures and share them with the H.A.M.B. community as a thread. Thanks from Dennis.
^^^^ Yes, but.... Madison, Indiana is the home of Miss Madison, one of the oldest Unlimited Hydroplane race teams in the country! Community owned, always a top contender, has been national champion more than once. Great hydro racing in that town!
Thanks for all of the info. I really didn't expect that much. There has been a change of plans, we are leaving Indiana on April 7 not May. I got my dates mixed up. When is the Portland swap meet? He got a job with Intel and has been working from home in Indy for about a year. He is not a car guy yet. But he has been around it, so maybe it will rub off later. He has gone with me to events when he was younger and driven some of my cars. Again thanks for all of the info.
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