| EVENT:. | That Dam Run |
| SPONSOR:. | Cascade Cougar Club |
| DATE:. | June 26, 2004 |
| LOCATION:. | Gorge Dam, Washington |
|
By Jim Pinkerton So, there we were--nine cars, one urban support vehicle with trailer, and 21 people--all gathered at the Safeway parking lot in Mount Vernon, on a beautiful Saturday morning. Attendees included Janna and Bill Greif, Kimberly and Dave Nashif, Sandy and Jim Hall (who arranged this outing), Carol and Tony Fisher (and Carol's mother, 84-year-young Connie Campbell) in their newly acquired '69 red Cougar convertible with white interior, Tyler Husby and friend Erin, Lucie and Ted Both, Janice and Jim Murphy, Scott Ferguson and Heather Whittaker, plus yours truly and wife, Elaine. |
|
In the Mt. Vernon Safeway parking lot, Jim Pinkerton (left) admires Tony Fisher's recently acquired '69 rag top. Tony is on the right, with his mother-in-law, Connie Campbell. Photo by Bill Greif |
 |
|
There was much yakking and visiting while many folks utilized Safeway to stock up on sandwiches, drinks, snacks, and whatnot, prior to our departure for the North Cascades. Behind the wheel of his red '67, Bill Greif--our cruising leader for the day's outing--led us back out onto I-5 for a short trip north to Cook Road; and then East to Sedro Wooley. From there we were cruising through the Skagit River Valley, via Lyman, Hamilton, Concrete, Rockport, and Marblemount, with a rest stop along the way. |
 |
The Cascade Cougar gang, plus a couple of errant Mustnags. From left to right, the classics belong to Scott Ferguson, Lucie and Ted Both, Tyler Husby, Jim Murphy, Carol and Tony Fisher, Jim Hall, Elaine and Jim Pinkerton, and Kimberly and Dave Nashif. Photo by Bill Greif |
|
We forged onward and upward to Newhalem, wending our way through the mountains, taking in the gorgeous scenery and enjoying the weather. At Newhalem we stopped at a park, breaking out the chairs and blankets for an informal lunch. Several folks took nature walks from the park, while several others decided to help Scott Ferguson, who was having a carburetor problem, as usual. Scott can have carburetor problems with a fuel-injected car, but in this case the Autolite 4300 on his G car must have gotten its float stuck or some junk caught in it. Anyway, tightening bolts and using gentle persuasion (hammer) seemed to improve things immensely. |
|
Always ready to help out a fellow Cougar person in need, members of the Cascade Cougar Club debate the size of hammer required to get Scott's XR7-G running smoothly again. Photo by Jim Hall |
 |
|
After about an hour respite we headed back out on the road and up, progressing to the Gorge Dam and Lake Diablo, just below Ross Dam on the Skagit River. We toured down and drove across the dam, pausing mid-span to get out and look over the spillway on one side and back out across the lake on the other. Pictures were taken. There was a stiff breeze coming up the valley and blowing spray from the spillway up and over the top of the dam, so we got a bit damp which was very pleasant as it was a sunny, hot day. |
 |
Atop Gorge Dam, the CCC adventurers enjoy the view and a cooling mist from the spillway nearly 300 feet below. Photo by Bill Greif |
|
From there it was on to a turnaround up the lake a bit where again we got out and enjoyed each other's company as well as the beautiful views. One of our group was dangerously low on gas, so on the way back we went via the nearest gas station in Marblemount, where nearly the whole group refueled, and of course did the usual parking lot milling and rubber-gumming. While there, we were joined by about 50 motorcyclists also out for a cruise. At the fuel stop it was time to say so long as several of the group would be splitting off to go different ways home, or to the casinos depending upon their desires. As is often said, but still so true, a good time was had by all. And we did it on a day that just 24 hours before had been predicted to have rain in the mountains--yet, not a drop dripped. |
|
. . . and a dam good time was had by all! Photo by Bill Greif |
 |
