Our Multnomah Falls Tour And Lunch
Turned Out To Be Quite An Adventure
By Jim Sweet, Tour Host
First, during a final scouting run three days earlier, I learned that a mile or so section of the Historic Columbia River Highway just west of the Vista House at Crown Point was closed for slide repair. The Vista House was a stop in my long planned route in order to take in some striking views of the gorge. I was hopeful the repairs, started in early July, would be completed by now. But it was not to be. So I adjusted the route to stop at the Portland Women’s Forum viewpoint at Chanticleer Point. This stop still offered stunning views, even of the Vista House, and the gorge beyond. We would then backtrack just a bit to Corbett to access the I-84 freeway. We would exit the freeway six miles east to get back on to the Scenic Highway for the final three miles to our destination. Key to making this event work at all, up to 15 parking spots had been arranged with the restaurant manager to be reserved in the Employee Parking lot for our special cars. The only questionable thing left was the weather. Most early forecasts predicted a sunny or partly sunny day. No rain!
The plan was well in hand, I thought.
At 8:30am I received a call from the restaurant manager with some bad news. The bad news was that there had been an early morning crash on I-84 “near Corbett” which had shut down the eastbound freeway until further notice for the crash investigation. Regrettably, we learned that it was a head-on crash resulting in one fatality.
With the scenic highway repair closure and now the I-84 closure, there was literally no reasonable way to get to Multnomah Falls. The manager said his staff could not even get through to open the restaurant. Not knowing exactly where the freeway closure started, there was no choice but to at least go to our meeting place and try to learn more.
Nineteen people in nine Thunderbirds – seven from RTC members, a ’64 and a ’66 from our Northwest Vintage Thunderbirds guests, plus one other car met as planned at the Columbia Gorge Outlet Stores parking lot. There was a tour bus driver there, also destined to Multnomah Falls, who kept us abreast of the latest updates on that freeway closure. Just minutes before our scheduled departure he had news that the freeway had been cleared and reopened! Yay!!!
The weather was perfection! The drive to the Women’s Forum Viewpoint went very well. No one got lost! Back to Corbett and down the hill to the freeway – all great! It was clear sailing the rest of the way – almost. Back onto the Scenic Highway, we encountered a long line of cars beginning about ¼ mile before the lodge. Slow going, but moving, bit-by-bit.
After an uncertain start to the day -- uncertain we would even make it to the lodge, we did arrive. However, overwhelmed by a deluge of visitors taking advantage of the beautiful end of summer day the promised parking spaces for our cars were not saved! But with the help of the parking attendant we were able to get our cars stuffed into the area, parking back in the weeds at the far end of the lot. We did get them all in. Communication with management was great. The restaurant staff was fabulous and our lunches were great! Everyone in our group had a wonderful time. The few hic-ups just added to the experience!
Participants in this event included: new member, Scott Bontempo; John and Judy Calkin; new member, Steve Ferree; Al Hillier and Marianne Bunnell; Jim Petersen and his son, Bob Baker; John and Oleta Sailors, Jim Sweet and his son, Jay; new members, Chenery and Doug Whittier and friend, Tamera Schaffner. In addition, Richard and Rebecca Misner, and Joe and Pauline Engert joined us from Northwest Vintage Thunderbirds.
I later learned that on their way home John and Oleta Sailors managed to miss the ramp on to west bound I84 and drove up to Crown Point, so they did manage to complete the original tour as planned. Of course that meant back-tracking to Bridal Vail to get onto I84. Then due to extremely heavy traffic on a short section of I405 (link between I5 S and OR 26 west) their 1957 began to seriously overheat, exiting the West Hills Tunnel the engine temperature went up to nearly 210 degrees. Just as they exited the tunnel (in the left lane) their engine died. They managed to get through three lanes of traffic to the right shoulder. The car started up and drove about 100 yards. It died again forcing another stop. Again it started and drove about 100 yards and died again. Fortunately there was a wide spot available for them to pull into. John then thought it could be a vapor-lock so he turned on his auxiliary electric fuel pump. The engine then started and ran fine the rest of the way home, and the temp dropped to 170 once they were moving. About two miles before their house he turned off the electric fuel pump and it ran fine on home convincing him that it was a vapor-lock.
Photos below courtesy Jim Sweet and John Sailors
Turned Out To Be Quite An Adventure
By Jim Sweet, Tour Host
First, during a final scouting run three days earlier, I learned that a mile or so section of the Historic Columbia River Highway just west of the Vista House at Crown Point was closed for slide repair. The Vista House was a stop in my long planned route in order to take in some striking views of the gorge. I was hopeful the repairs, started in early July, would be completed by now. But it was not to be. So I adjusted the route to stop at the Portland Women’s Forum viewpoint at Chanticleer Point. This stop still offered stunning views, even of the Vista House, and the gorge beyond. We would then backtrack just a bit to Corbett to access the I-84 freeway. We would exit the freeway six miles east to get back on to the Scenic Highway for the final three miles to our destination. Key to making this event work at all, up to 15 parking spots had been arranged with the restaurant manager to be reserved in the Employee Parking lot for our special cars. The only questionable thing left was the weather. Most early forecasts predicted a sunny or partly sunny day. No rain!
The plan was well in hand, I thought.
At 8:30am I received a call from the restaurant manager with some bad news. The bad news was that there had been an early morning crash on I-84 “near Corbett” which had shut down the eastbound freeway until further notice for the crash investigation. Regrettably, we learned that it was a head-on crash resulting in one fatality.
With the scenic highway repair closure and now the I-84 closure, there was literally no reasonable way to get to Multnomah Falls. The manager said his staff could not even get through to open the restaurant. Not knowing exactly where the freeway closure started, there was no choice but to at least go to our meeting place and try to learn more.
Nineteen people in nine Thunderbirds – seven from RTC members, a ’64 and a ’66 from our Northwest Vintage Thunderbirds guests, plus one other car met as planned at the Columbia Gorge Outlet Stores parking lot. There was a tour bus driver there, also destined to Multnomah Falls, who kept us abreast of the latest updates on that freeway closure. Just minutes before our scheduled departure he had news that the freeway had been cleared and reopened! Yay!!!
The weather was perfection! The drive to the Women’s Forum Viewpoint went very well. No one got lost! Back to Corbett and down the hill to the freeway – all great! It was clear sailing the rest of the way – almost. Back onto the Scenic Highway, we encountered a long line of cars beginning about ¼ mile before the lodge. Slow going, but moving, bit-by-bit.
After an uncertain start to the day -- uncertain we would even make it to the lodge, we did arrive. However, overwhelmed by a deluge of visitors taking advantage of the beautiful end of summer day the promised parking spaces for our cars were not saved! But with the help of the parking attendant we were able to get our cars stuffed into the area, parking back in the weeds at the far end of the lot. We did get them all in. Communication with management was great. The restaurant staff was fabulous and our lunches were great! Everyone in our group had a wonderful time. The few hic-ups just added to the experience!
Participants in this event included: new member, Scott Bontempo; John and Judy Calkin; new member, Steve Ferree; Al Hillier and Marianne Bunnell; Jim Petersen and his son, Bob Baker; John and Oleta Sailors, Jim Sweet and his son, Jay; new members, Chenery and Doug Whittier and friend, Tamera Schaffner. In addition, Richard and Rebecca Misner, and Joe and Pauline Engert joined us from Northwest Vintage Thunderbirds.
I later learned that on their way home John and Oleta Sailors managed to miss the ramp on to west bound I84 and drove up to Crown Point, so they did manage to complete the original tour as planned. Of course that meant back-tracking to Bridal Vail to get onto I84. Then due to extremely heavy traffic on a short section of I405 (link between I5 S and OR 26 west) their 1957 began to seriously overheat, exiting the West Hills Tunnel the engine temperature went up to nearly 210 degrees. Just as they exited the tunnel (in the left lane) their engine died. They managed to get through three lanes of traffic to the right shoulder. The car started up and drove about 100 yards. It died again forcing another stop. Again it started and drove about 100 yards and died again. Fortunately there was a wide spot available for them to pull into. John then thought it could be a vapor-lock so he turned on his auxiliary electric fuel pump. The engine then started and ran fine the rest of the way home, and the temp dropped to 170 once they were moving. About two miles before their house he turned off the electric fuel pump and it ran fine on home convincing him that it was a vapor-lock.
Photos below courtesy Jim Sweet and John Sailors
