Occasional Observations

Getting up to the superb Timberline Lodge on Oregon's Mt. Hood was a real highlight from this trip. Gerry and I briefly reprised the Alpentour with a jaunt out from Portland to the lodge, which stands at exactly 6000ft on Oregon?s highest mountain (11,249ft).

The road up to the lodge is completely different to those Italian passes: big, sweeping 70mph bends. Gerry?s chocolate-brown 560SL was barely ticking over on the way up. It was still a chance to feel the difference between the 280SL and the 560SL - the latter is better balanced but with the fairly high, freeway-geared final drive, fairly lazy. Definitely a Sunset Boulevard cruising car more than a Dolomite pass runner.

It would have been fun to hustle the 500E up the road towards the lodge ? except for those pesky speed limits. Next trip to Portland, I'd like to conquer Mt. St. Helens. The lava dome is growing ? still has some way to go before the mountain regains its pointy profile that disappeared in a puff of smoke and a bang in 1982 (Later correction: ahem, actually 1980).

Labels: Alpentour, oldtimer