My son Bradley is signed up for this year’s ORPCA (Oregon Region of the Porsche Club of America) Spring NW Passage tour. It’s a five-day, 1,200-mile romp through the Pacific Northwest for 40 cars, with no model year or marque requirements – although most of the cars are late-model Porsches.

The June event begins with a reception at the Porsche Design Center here in Portland, then proceeds to Welches, OR, on to The Bavarian Lodge in Leavenworth, WA, then to the Schweitzer Ski Resort in Sandpoint ID, back to the Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla, WA, and then home via Hood River, OR.

I’ll be going as well, most likely in our 1971 Jaguar E-type V12 coupe, as it is my best high-speed cruise and has fabulous A/C.

Bradley has yet to determine what he’s going to drive. Last year he drove the 1975 Porsche 911S and had a great time, winning an award for “The Youngest Driver in the Oldest Car.” This year, he’s considering taking the 911S again, but also our 2006 Lotus Elise or the venerable 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider Veloce, which has been in our ownership more than 40 years.

Editor-In-Chief Jeff Sabatini and I have a difference of opinions on the Lotus. I continue to maintain that it will stand as the purest analog ever built, and due to changing regulations we will never see its likes again.

Jeff has said to me that I must have a higher tolerance for discomfort than he does, as he does not enjoy being in the car on longer drives due to its lightly padded seats and small cockpit.

I have put over 10,000 miles on the Elise, including driving it on several NW Passage tours. I responded to Jeff that perhaps I’m at ease with the Elise because I grew up driving truly primitive cars like Bugeye Sprites and MGAs, and my Citroën Méhari with a 602-cc air-cooled twin still remains one of my favorite rides.

The fact that the Lotus has airbags as well as excellent A/C, along with a bulletproof Toyota twin-cam engine always makes it my first choice.

Neither the 911 or the Spider Veloce have any modern safety equipment, nor do they have much in the way of creature comforts.

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8 Comments

  1. It’s the Pacific Northwest. I’m sure they have DEI Aspirations. Give them something diverse. If you take the Alfa, it may even provide an adventure in the form of a breakdown. Just be sure to bring your own knowledge base.

  2. That’s a lovely tour; we try to do some variation of it annually in whatever “fun” car we currently have: MGA, BMini, E36M convertible, various motorbikes…We live in Sandpoint at the base of Schweitzer. Schweitzer Road is a hoot but challenging for the antiques. Have fun!

  3. never have i considered safety in a car i drive; so my odds are one in a million instead of one in 10 million re being involved in an accident. i’d take the alfa.

  4. I too would take the Alfa! With a group of rally cars there is more safety. Driving an old car in modern traffic is never fun, the open road with other like minded drivers offers a great opportunity. At the end of the day it’s really what he prefers…Good luck and never lift!

  5. Thanks for your comments. I too await his decision.

  6. XVII century was Nicholas Jarry [fr].

  7. Yes, it’s the Alfa. Basic driving in a drivers car. What more could you want?

  8. How about your Red 1991 Alfa Spider – that looks like it would be a fun long-distance driver.