The archway in front of the hotel was packed with cars, drying out and applying Rain-X for the beginning of day three. The weather appears a little damp, but even Bill and Wendy in the Caterham 7 (no top) couldn’t be deterred by the rain. We were here for driving, and there was still day three to complete!
Our route today explored the 229 and 101 North, but dropped off the main tourist routes for some unknown side roads to spice up the day. We wound through farmlands and foothills, past rivers, over historic bridges, and chased forgotten railway lines as we worked our way north. Despite one quick deluge of heavy water, it was mostly the light misty rain typical of the Pacific Northwest in fall. We had started the event in t-shirts and shorts, but the reminder that fall was upon us had arrived!
Eventually we turned east, heading towards our finish in Forest Grove. Typically a CCA event will end at a golf course, or local restaurant, for a finish lunch. This time, however, we arrived at the McMenamins Grand Lodge which was built in the 1920’s. Originally a Masons lodge, the Lodge now operates as a hotel, and is full of history on each floor.
As our final lunch wound down, it was time for the awards. The Hard Luck award was originally planned for Pat and Pat Brothers, who’s Ford Thunderbird was replaced by a BMW when it couldn’t make the start…but the Camaro driven by Eric Bergman and Mike Ferguson wasn’t going to allow that to happen! With a delayed flight, the guys arrived late to a borrowed car with insurances that it had been “looked over”, and the inspection sheet filled out on their behalf. A weekend spent driving with friends, was also a weekend spent diagnosing, and repairing, a number of items which clearly should have been addressed! So we sent them back to return the car with the best shame we could provide, the Hard Luck Award!
Two of our entrants were prepared to arrive in their 1951 Studebaker Commander, when they heard a neighbour was getting rid of a car parked in their backyard. A poor 1966 Pontiac Executive Star Chief was heading to the crusher before our duo intervened. Rescued from being recycled, they merely replaced the fuel system (adding an ingenious in-trunk fuel tank), swapped out the tires, and arrived in style! The smiles didn’t leave their faces all weekend, they saved the Camaro’s bacon with parts and tools on multiple occasions, and they had most of us searching Craigslist for our next inexpensive ‘barn find’. Paul Johnson and John Ens were definitely worth of the Hagerty Spirit of the Fall Classic Award for 2019!
And with that, the 2019 Hagerty Fall Classic by CCA was over. We bid our farewells, packed up our gear…and sat down with maps?! CCA guests are not the interstate home types. Before the group could depart, maps were scoured, routes run past Portland locals, and a fun route home was selected by groups traveling in similar directions. We can’t wait too compare notes, because the group heading towards the ferries may have found part of day two for the 2020 Hagerty Fall Classic!
A preview of photos by the talented Andrew Holliday is below:
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Our day two route took us through the Willamette and Umpqua National Forests, before heading west to the coast. Once the Pacific Ocean was in view, we travelled north on a section of 101 which copies the famous Pacific Coast Highway in California almost exactly. Soon we were exchanging stories on the beach, before a much needed sleep!
A preview of day two’s photos, once again by the very talented Andrew Holliday:
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I’ve often wondered who comes up with the “ten best” lists and articles we all share, again and again. How did driving the Nurburgring become a thing all car enthusiasts need to do, but driving Spa isn’t? Now that I’ve mentioned Spa, you instantly want to add it to your bucket list…but until I planted the seed, finding out how daring you are through Eau Rouge was just a fleeting thought you had a few years ago. In the same way, I wonder who came up with the original “ten best driving roads of North America”, and why we keep rehashing the same list over, and over. Pacific Coast Highway, Tail of the Dragon, etc. etc. In many ways, the list is flawed…and the first day of the Classic Car Adventures Hagerty Fall Classic worked to prove the point.
What makes the perfect driving road? While the obvious answers is “twisty”, its certainly more than that. The combination of twists and turns, the elevation changes, the scenery, the traffic levels, the pavement quality, and many more factors all need to be considered. The best driving road in a 1964 Buick, is not likely the best driving road in a 1964 Porsche. And yet, there are certain qualities and combinations that make a road exceptional, regardless of the vehicle chosen. Certainly only these particular roads should be considered as “best”.
Our morning began with a clearing mist of rain, after a heavy deluge overnight. We were in Clackamas Oregon, basically “Portland South-East”, for those of us from out of town, and the driver’s meeting was oddly delayed. We hung around in the parking lot for almost a full 45 minutes of socializing before the meeting finally began. A route of remote road choices, little fuel options, and a miniscule selection of just two food options all day lay ahead. Our delayed meeting was simply to accommodate the lunch timing!
At first we headed south-east, through the Mount Hood National Forest, before heading south west into the town of Detroit Oregon. In Detroit we enjoyed one of the two dining establishments, and a rare occasion (for CCA) where an entire event meets up to have lunch and swap stories together. I arrived a touch late for lunch, having stopped for breakfast on the road after the driver’s meeting, so it was a quick southern-style barbecue before I jumped in the car to try and keep pace with the early part of the group. Our route continued south, down to highway 20, where my 1958 Beetle just couldn’t hang onto the group through the mountain climbs. Soon I was solo behind some locals, and I missed an important turn onto perhaps the best road I’ve ever driven.
By luck or chance, Warwick had also missed the turn, I had seen him zip in from the other direction thinking he was doing a side trip…but quickly put two and two together, and reversed course.
Coming around the corner, on the correct route for today, I was surprised to find all the cars I had left lunch with waiting for me. A certain camaraderie forms when you’re on a classic car adventure, and they didn’t want to start down what appeared to be a narrow twisty road without our “whole group”. We were four Minis, a Citroen, an RX-7, a Pontiac, the Camaro and my VW Beetle. After the first section of twisty hill climbs, we found a straight section, adjusted our running order, and began the best hour and forty-five minutes of my year. So far in 2019 I have driven the top six roads listed in Southern California, three of the top six listed in Colorado (did the others last year), the top roads listed in the Smokey Mountains, and the top roads listed in both Alberta and British Columbia. Nothing could top todays drive.
The curves never ended, the trees formed a tunnel for roughly 70% of the route. Occasionally we’d be river-side, and the break offered by the water would open up vast mountain views. The road, while paved, is used so little it’s growing moss in the centre. For the most part the dips, yumps and crests formed by years of road movement added to the enjoyment. Where they were car damaging, the route book either gave warning, or the road was painted to call attention to the issues. We weren’t moving at a particularly fast pace, but the road kept you working the entire time. The Minis would dart ahead in the tightest corners, and we would catch up and ride behind in the others. Up, down, left, right, the road never stopped challenging for its entire length. We passed towering dams, vast lakes, and forest so thick we almost needed headlights. The entire time you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face, and you could feel the smiles coming from the other cars in the group. With so many corners, it felt like the Nurburgring. It was as tight and twisty as the tail of the dragon, with a speed limit that says “remote and unused”. When we stretched at the end of the road, everyone was talking about how it might be the best thing they’ve ever driven. Over drinks, later in the hotel parking lot, we were discussing how we’d love to share the route with friends…but hope it stays a secret to be enjoyed.
Perhaps the worst thing to happen to the great driving roads is their inclusion on a “ten best” list. Everyone with a rental car heads to them, adding traffic and congestion to routes which were once someones secret route. In each region where “the best” road is featured, I’ve found similar roads which I think are far better for the driving enthusiasts. Today’s road doesn’t show up on any best list of driving roads in Oregon, and I found it mostly by accident, hoping to extend a route by an hour or so. It was so good, however, that I will plan an entire future Hagerty Fall Classic around this one road, perhaps driving it in the other direction next time.
A road that good? I must have been one incredible driving day…
Special thanks to Andrew Holliday for his phenomenal photos of the day, a preview of which are available below:
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Whew! Four events in five weeks…but we’ve finally returned home to the office. The Hagerty Silver Summit was a wonderful experience full of new friends, Colorado Classic Car Family, great roads, and fantastic cars. For the most part, the weather held out and only a few of us saw some snow on Saturday afternoon’s mountain pass. The following is a preview of photos from Andrew and Samantha Snucins, we’ll be posting links to the full gallery once they’ve had a chance to recover and edit!
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Whew! What an incredible pleasure to host this group of classic car enthusiasts. 182 of our classic car family, in 90 cars, traveling over 1200km. Our final day took us from Nelson, through Rossland (Hi Kip!) and then off to Osoyoos for our finish at the Spirit Ridge Resort.
Our McGyver Award was presented to Nolan and Deanna Kitchener, for their roadside replacement of a headgasket, water pump, radiator and thermostat. Yes, you read that right…roadside replacement.
The Hard Luck award was hotly contested this year, with multiple cars trying to strand their owners throughout the event. Jordan Rodier and Amos Rowsell would have surely won (having spent most of the weekend in Dave’s partially-finished Cummins-swapped truck), but they chose a hasty retreat for the ferries! There could be only one winner…and Kristophe Le and Mike Abalakov went home with the prize for their failed wheel bearing, and twelve hour adventure getting home for a replacement vehicle.
The David Ellis Spirit of the Thaw award, presented by Hagerty, was awarded to Rob Fram in 2019. Rob’s mini was often seen on the side of the road with tool kit out and Rob under the hood solving issues for some other entrant. Not only was he mechanic, but he always ran his triangle up the road before he began, so the stranded didn’t need to worry about it. Triangles and mechanics aside, we were most impressed with the way he’s passing down his love of classic motoring to his daughter Brynn. While a multiple participant as a co-driver, this year Brynn arrived with a learners permit which was just days old. And yet, she was piloting the mini for multiple legs this weekend, learning both the art of driving…and the joy of classic cars in our classic car family. Whether assuring a stuck motorist that it’s part of the adventure, or creating adventure within his own family and the future of our hobby, Rob is definitely matching David Ellis’ spirit of adventure and motoring!
Here are a few wonderful preview photos from Andrew Snucins, and Samantha Snucins:
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