Every few months PDX Tesla has group drives to various places around the area. Last spring we did a drive up the Columbia Gorge as far as Stonehenge and back. In July was a trip to Mt St Helens. The next event will be doing the Hood River Fruit Loop on Sunday October 14.
The town of Hood River has lots of things to see and do as well as some hotels with destination chargers. Also the initial meet up place will be in Troutdale, OR which is near the Edgefield which is a hotel and place with a distillery, wine cellar, and brewery on site, as well as a few restaurants. For anyone who wants to make a weekend of it, you can meet up with us on the Fruit Loop.
The plan is to meet in Troutdale at The Outlet Stores at 9:30 AM, then caravan to the Public Parking Lot in Cascade Locks, located at 95 Wa Pa Na St at NW Lakeside Dr. and arrive about 10 AM. This parking lot has the Cascade Locks CHAdeMO charger for anyone needing to top up and Rendezvous with others coming from another route.
For anyone who is coming in from the east or lives around Hood River, we can arrange to meet up with the caravan somewhere near Hood River.
The Fruit Loop has many attractions.
Hood River County Fruit Loop Map - Hood River County Fruit Loop, Oregon
However the current plan is to stop at a few fruit related places plus one not on the Fruit Loop map and then return to Hood River by mid-afternoon. The last stop before Hood River will be a cluster of wineries and a brewery where people can do wine tasting if they want. We plan to eat a late lunch in Hood River (lots of great restaurants) and there is a CHAdeMO charger in the large public parking lot near the downtown core for anyone wanting to charge while having lunch. The nearest supercharger is in the Dalles which is the next town the east.
For anyone wanting to do more than sample fruit before reaching the end of the loop, in Parkdale there are a number of restaurants too. We ate at a fairly good barbecue place there a few years ago.
Planned stops are:
1) 10:30 - Apple Valley Country Store about 24 miles from Cascade Locks
This store has some fruit, but they mostly sell preserves, sauces, and dressings. Sometimes they are selling barbecue and/or baked goods too.
This will be about a 15 minute stop.
2) 11:00 - Mt View Orchards about 11 miles
This stand has some varieties or pears and apples not available at other stands. They have some activities for kids and are usually selling pumpkins.
This will be about a 20 minute stop.
3) 11:30 - Kiyokawa Family Orchards about 5 miles
This stand has the largest variety of exotics in the valley and they have a playground for kids. It's usually very crowded but parking is available in a field across the street.
This will be about a 30 minute stop.
4) 12:15 - Mt Hood Organic Farm about 6 miles
This is my favorite place on the fruit loop and where I buy the most fruit. The owner is a friendly ex-hippie type who loves Teslas. The property is gorgeous with views of the valley and Mt Hood.
This will be about a 45 minute stop.
5) 1:15 - Wine Tasting about 10 miles
There are several wineries and a cider brewery in Pine Grove just off SR 35 on the way back to Hood River.
This stop is optional. It could be an hour or so.
6) 1:20 or 2:20 - Hood River for Lunch about 5 miles past the wine tasting
There is a large public parking lot on Columbia St with a CHAdeMO charger. There are also some AC chargers around town for anyone who might need one. Hood River has a wide variety of food choices including a micro brewery and a good pizza by the slice place, all within walking distance of the public parking lot.
The times are all approximate so people can have an idea about how much driving and how much time each stop will take.
The town of Hood River has lots of things to see and do as well as some hotels with destination chargers. Also the initial meet up place will be in Troutdale, OR which is near the Edgefield which is a hotel and place with a distillery, wine cellar, and brewery on site, as well as a few restaurants. For anyone who wants to make a weekend of it, you can meet up with us on the Fruit Loop.
The plan is to meet in Troutdale at The Outlet Stores at 9:30 AM, then caravan to the Public Parking Lot in Cascade Locks, located at 95 Wa Pa Na St at NW Lakeside Dr. and arrive about 10 AM. This parking lot has the Cascade Locks CHAdeMO charger for anyone needing to top up and Rendezvous with others coming from another route.
For anyone who is coming in from the east or lives around Hood River, we can arrange to meet up with the caravan somewhere near Hood River.
The Fruit Loop has many attractions.
Hood River County Fruit Loop Map - Hood River County Fruit Loop, Oregon
However the current plan is to stop at a few fruit related places plus one not on the Fruit Loop map and then return to Hood River by mid-afternoon. The last stop before Hood River will be a cluster of wineries and a brewery where people can do wine tasting if they want. We plan to eat a late lunch in Hood River (lots of great restaurants) and there is a CHAdeMO charger in the large public parking lot near the downtown core for anyone wanting to charge while having lunch. The nearest supercharger is in the Dalles which is the next town the east.
For anyone wanting to do more than sample fruit before reaching the end of the loop, in Parkdale there are a number of restaurants too. We ate at a fairly good barbecue place there a few years ago.
Planned stops are:
1) 10:30 - Apple Valley Country Store about 24 miles from Cascade Locks
This store has some fruit, but they mostly sell preserves, sauces, and dressings. Sometimes they are selling barbecue and/or baked goods too.
This will be about a 15 minute stop.
2) 11:00 - Mt View Orchards about 11 miles
This stand has some varieties or pears and apples not available at other stands. They have some activities for kids and are usually selling pumpkins.
This will be about a 20 minute stop.
3) 11:30 - Kiyokawa Family Orchards about 5 miles
This stand has the largest variety of exotics in the valley and they have a playground for kids. It's usually very crowded but parking is available in a field across the street.
This will be about a 30 minute stop.
4) 12:15 - Mt Hood Organic Farm about 6 miles
This is my favorite place on the fruit loop and where I buy the most fruit. The owner is a friendly ex-hippie type who loves Teslas. The property is gorgeous with views of the valley and Mt Hood.
This will be about a 45 minute stop.
5) 1:15 - Wine Tasting about 10 miles
There are several wineries and a cider brewery in Pine Grove just off SR 35 on the way back to Hood River.
This stop is optional. It could be an hour or so.
6) 1:20 or 2:20 - Hood River for Lunch about 5 miles past the wine tasting
There is a large public parking lot on Columbia St with a CHAdeMO charger. There are also some AC chargers around town for anyone who might need one. Hood River has a wide variety of food choices including a micro brewery and a good pizza by the slice place, all within walking distance of the public parking lot.
The times are all approximate so people can have an idea about how much driving and how much time each stop will take.
