Planning the first long trip with the MINI.

Like to see the Oregon coast in Sept. Real reason is to get outta town and drive the MINI, second would be landscape photo ops. Any ideas on the best road (circuit) to take from Montana.

 

If you can get out to the 101 either north or south bound is quite beautiful.



I like 84 east west along that passes by Mount Hood.

Astoria is pretty cool town that is north on 101 but when you go south you get in to the big trees and such towards the border of California.

Have a great trip..anywhere out there is very pretty.

 

Any road you take in Oregon is going to be beautiful!!

 

Alot of it will depend on how many days you have to spend in Oregon. If you want the 35-45mph "spirited driving" roads, we got you covered... if you are only in Oregon for a day or so, than you are limited to 60-70mph roads... That's cake

84 W to Portland
26 W to Cannon Beach
101 S to Reedsport (or a little further to Coos Bay)
38 or 42 E to I5
I5 N to Eugene
126 E over the Mtns to Sisters / Redmond
26 E through John Day to Bates
7 E back to 84

From there you can either go back north through Washington or head South-West into Idaho... I recommend going through Coeur D'Alene, ID at least once on the trip... treat yourself to a "road warrior" type message at one of their amazing spa's.

PM me if you want more detail.. this was a quick 5 min version

 

make sure that you take the Old MacKenzie Hwy. Best road in Oregon.

 

I don't even know where to start. Too many! It depends on what you want. To DRIVE (hustle the car) or to tour.

Columbia River highway is always a pretty option before you come into the Portland metro area. Curvy too. It runs essentially parralel to I-84.

 

I don't know what road it was, but the seal caves are on it (well, right next to it). Hugs the coast. It was a challenge in the RV.

 

Thats 101 between Waldport and Florence. FUN road but lots of RV's

 

A Performance Road for RV's!

 

From highway 26 west you can get on hwy 53 or hwy 6, both are good. End up near Tillamook area, very pretty. Definitely hwy 101 along the coast, excellent seaside towns along the route.

dan

 

One more plug for Hwy 242 - Old MacKenzie Pass - from the Oregon Dept ot Transportation website:
ORE242
MP 68.36
ORE242, 13 miles East of Intersection with McKenzie Highway ORE126
Details: OR242 MP 68.36 (Old McKenzie Highway) OR242 MP 66.36 is restricted to 20,000 lbs. single axle, 40,000 lbs. tandem axle; Wt. Table 3. **This highway is also length restricted to vehicles no longer than 35 feet.

So only small RV's and no Tractor/Trailers!
Can you say twisty? Can you say hairpin-swtich back? I thought you could.

 

If you're here on Sept. 15, a group of local Mini owners is driving up to Crater Lake from Roseburg on a daytrip. You'd certainly be welcome to come along.

Roseburg is on Interstate 5, about 70 miles south of Eugene and 125 miles north of the California border.

 

[FONT=Tahoma]Wow! I’m impressed. A buffet of road choices. Now I just have to pick a main course, a couple of side dishes and dessert. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma] [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma]Thanks all for all the advice.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma] [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma]Like all holidays, never enough time, so looks like a couple of trips to try out all the suggestions.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma]I’m thinking MINI roads are twisty, not many, potholes, campers trucks, semis and motorhomes, and not too fast (over to soon), so I think we will start there.[/FONT]

 

Yeah, that's it! I didn't notice many RV's. But that was probably because they were all behind mine, as I managed 11 MPH going up-hill while literally standing on the accelerator (it was a rental).

 

Just got done driving for a Hood to Coast team. Highway 202 (off of Hwy 30 Portland to Astoria) was awesome. I was in a minivan with 6 other people, but I could see the potential: very tight, very twisty, sparsely travelled and it ends at the coast.

dan

 

Since when is Youngs Bay the coast? It almost ends at the coast, but not quite. It is a great road and I love all the small communities along the way, Mist, Birkenfeld, Jewell.

 

For somebody travelling from Montana, it's the coast. Granted, it doesn't go to the beach. Although, if you want to drive the beach, you can do that too...

dan

 

Touche. Close enough, when you put it into that perspective. Either way, it's still a wonderful drive.

 

Onurleft, if we were to know when you are going to be here, we could show you around. Up to you.

dan