Keith’s Blog: Join the SCM Caravan to Concorso

We are currently planning our annual informal tour down the coasts of Oregon and California to Monterey.

Anyone is welcome to join, although cars with at least a pretension of sportiness are preferred. Event stickers and SCM hats will be provided.

At the moment, our plans call for me to drive the SCM 1971 E-type V12, and staffers Jeff and Rory to be in the SCM Alfa Duetto and Jr. Zagato.

Our Oregon group will leave from Portland on Saturday, August 7. We will head down the mind-numbing Interstate 5 until we cut over to the coast and Highway 101 at exit 162 south of Cottage Grove, OR. This scenic route is where our AutoZam said goodbye to its head gasket last time we had this tour.

Lunch will be in Bandon, OR, and then we head south to spend Saturday night in Eureka, CA. It’s a long day of driving and we will want an early start.

There are several route options the next day, my favorite is the pothole-filled but empty and evocative Lost Highway that we access by passing through Fortuna, CA.

We eventually end up on Highway 101, just in time to go to the Drive-Through Tree. Along the way we will pass the Trees of Mystery and visit with Paul Bunyan and Babe the Great Blue Ox. The first time I saw Paul I was six years old, and I try to see him on every trip I take to California.

Sunday night we will spend in Novato, CA, 30 miles north of San Francisco.

If we take a leisurely start on Monday, we can wait until the commuter traffic wanes. Then it is a straight shot down Interstate 280 to Monterey. We should arrive in Monterey around noon on Monday.

There is a chance some of us may not continue to Monterey but turn around and head back north from Novato. We can talk about that as the time gets closer.

In our experience, stretching the trip over three days makes it possible to stop and enjoy the views and roadside attractions.

While we will provide a little bit of coordination, this is not a supported tour. We will all be on our own for accommodations and food, although we will try to stick together in the same places. If someone has a major failure, we will not be able to wait around for a flatbed, although we will do our best to help out.

If you are interested in being updated about this Caravan, please drop an email to Neil@sportscarmarket.com, with Caravan to Concorso in the subject line.

It should be a relaxing, fun adventure.

And after all, isn’t that what owning old cars is all about?