May SUV Drive

BY CHANDRAN RAJARATNAM, PHOTOS BY CHANDRAN RAJARATNAM,

Enjoy the photos. There are many more on our SmugMug site: https://orpcapix.smugmug. com/2023-ORPCAEvents/May-SUVDrive-5272023/

Saturday, May 27 started out with low cloud cover and ended in bright sunshine. The downside to taking a scenic drive when it is cloudy is that the mountains are blocked from view. On the other hand not having bright sunshine and shadows means that the lush greenery and the rolling hills are better seen and appreciated, and this was the case in our drive. My wife Holli and I hadn’t been to this area before and it was beautiful! A perfect day for an outing for (mostly) Porsche SUVs.

The halfway point of this run was Lucia Falls, which was spectacular. We took some time to explore the area, chatting, and taking advantage of the restrooms. Holli and I would like to go back there for a visit in the future!

This was a Category 1 SUV drive since we had several miles on gravel roads. The surfaces were in good repair, but the winds were calm which caused the dust from the cars in the front to linger, reminding me of driving in a thick fog. Headlights were turned on and speeds slowed so that the cars were spread out. We had six cars, and I was in the middle of the pack. I lost sight of the two cars behind me, and I stopped until they caught up. The cars in front of me also must have stopped since we caught up to the leaders shortly afterward.

We did take some of the dust home. I hope that was legal!

The six cars included four Macans, a Cayenne, and a (ahem) Range Rover. We don’t have a Porsche SUV and the Boxster GTS in our garage wasn’t invited and would not have liked the road, so we came in Holli’s ride!

Tour organizer Ed Frank put together a great drive. He had checked the route the day before to make sure that it was still safe and clear. He also must have ordered the sunshine since the last half of the drive was bright and the temperature was in the low 60’s when we started and reached the mid 70’s when the drive ended at a picnic in Horseshoe Lake Park in Woodlands, Washington. The drive ended with all the cars being stone chip-free and in good shape if rather soiled.

But wait there’s more! (I always wanted to say that!) Pete and Laura had a flat tire on the way home. Bob stopped to help but AAA was already there helping. Then as Bob resumed his drive home, his warning light flashed, and he pulled over and found that all of his engine coolant was gone! AAA towed him to Porsche of Beaverton and then got him a Lyft home.

We hope that the issues aren’t serious or expensive. Good Luck.

Thank you, Ed, and ORPCA! It was a great day! n