On a crisp Saturday morning, Oct 12th 13 cars including eight Classics and four Big Birds (guests from VTCI -Vintage Thunderbird Club International club) met in Vancouver for a cruise up the Gorge crisscrossing on the toll bridges up to The Dalles. The participants were rewarded for making the early start with hot coffee, bagels and pastries to ward off the morning chill even though it was sunny. We started out from a parking lot just off Hwy 14 near Beaches Restaurant. [See video posted on the RCTC website; courtesy of Alice’s cousin Judy who came out to see us off ] It was a pleasant drive up the windy two lane highway on the WA side of the Columbia making our way up to the WA Shores Bonneville Dam Visitors Center. After a quick check for weapons and drones at the entrance, we were allowed to enter the secure facility. Unfortunately, the ranger scheduled for a guided tour bailed out on us but we were lucky to have a volunteer docent step in and give us a private tour.
We were all fascinated seeing the turbines and generators up close below the river level as well as the fish ladders providing viewing of many fish including large salmon. It seemed no one on our drive had ever toured this North side facility previous to this.
After the tour we continued East up Hyw 14 crossing over The Bridge of the Gods to the OR side. Following a short drive through town of Cascade Locks, we got on the I-84 freeway up to Hood River where we crossed the toll bridge back over to the WA side again at White Salmon. Our journey continued East where we encountered a dramatic change of scenery and topography from forests thick with trees showing early Fall colors to a more arid rocky landscape typically found East of the Cascades. Crossing back over to the Oregon side on the Hwy 197 bridge at Dallesport we all arrived with healthy appetites for lunch in The Dalles.
Since the weather had turned mild and sunny we ate lunch outside along the Columbia River at the Bargeway Pub which provided us with lots of menu options and generous servings. After lunch, everyone had several options for the afternoon including doing the Fruit Loop in Hood River or stopping at one of the waterfalls on the drive home. All were free to return home whichever route they chose. Four of us (two Classics and two Big Birds) crossed back over to WA side for a leisurely drive back down Hyw 14. We crossed back over The Bridge of the Gods to Cascade Locks for ice cream before splitting up for the final drive home. The weather was perfect for this Fall outing giving us a sunny day with no rain and nice mild temperature (several cars were topless) for what was likely the last drive of the season before we lay up our cars for winter.
John Villanueva
We were all fascinated seeing the turbines and generators up close below the river level as well as the fish ladders providing viewing of many fish including large salmon. It seemed no one on our drive had ever toured this North side facility previous to this.
After the tour we continued East up Hyw 14 crossing over The Bridge of the Gods to the OR side. Following a short drive through town of Cascade Locks, we got on the I-84 freeway up to Hood River where we crossed the toll bridge back over to the WA side again at White Salmon. Our journey continued East where we encountered a dramatic change of scenery and topography from forests thick with trees showing early Fall colors to a more arid rocky landscape typically found East of the Cascades. Crossing back over to the Oregon side on the Hwy 197 bridge at Dallesport we all arrived with healthy appetites for lunch in The Dalles.
Since the weather had turned mild and sunny we ate lunch outside along the Columbia River at the Bargeway Pub which provided us with lots of menu options and generous servings. After lunch, everyone had several options for the afternoon including doing the Fruit Loop in Hood River or stopping at one of the waterfalls on the drive home. All were free to return home whichever route they chose. Four of us (two Classics and two Big Birds) crossed back over to WA side for a leisurely drive back down Hyw 14. We crossed back over The Bridge of the Gods to Cascade Locks for ice cream before splitting up for the final drive home. The weather was perfect for this Fall outing giving us a sunny day with no rain and nice mild temperature (several cars were topless) for what was likely the last drive of the season before we lay up our cars for winter.
John Villanueva
Below is the video Alice Villanueva's cousin took as all of the T'Birds left the gathering spot and headed up the gorge. This is the very first video I have successfully loaded onto the website! Yeah! Turn up your sound as you can hear the cars pulling out, especially the Sharp's Caddy Bird.
More photos are below the video.
More photos are below the video.
Jim Sweet took this photo while on the
way to pick up his son for the trip up
the gorge on 10/12/24. It was a beautiful day.
A bit chilly with the top off in the morning
though.
At the gathering location near Beaches Restaurant in Vancouver. |
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Our first destination, the North Bonneville Dam and Power House, and our Docent John |
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So why a picture of a yellow blob under a plexiglass cover? You ask.
The yellow "blob" is actually the top of one of the generators that is
spinning to create the electricity. It runs so smoothly that it is hard
to perceive it is turning, Therefore there is a black stripe painted on
it radially so we can see the motion. I took six shots before I got this
one with the stripe showing (the blur on the right).
Leaving Bonneville we continued East and crossed the Bridge of the Gods back into Oregon. Shelley Roberts took these photos while we were in line waiting to pay the bridge toll. The only toll-taker was a little busy with traffic backed up both directions, which gave Shelley time to get out take these.
Lunch time at Bargeway Pub and Grill in The Dalles
All photos courtesy of Shelley Roberts, Jim Sweet and John Sailors.