From Seattle to Columbia SC in a Targa 4S
01-02-2014, 07:56 PM
#1
From Seattle to Columbia SC in a Targa 4S
My wife and I recently had the opportunity to drive from Seattle back to the Carolinas in my new-to-me 997.1 Targa 4S. How I came to own this Targa is detailed in another post, A Tale of Three Porsches. Some readers indicated an interest in a report of our cross-country journey. So, here's the first installment. I promise to include some good photos, primarily taken by my wife, who is really into photography. After a long but comfy first class trip from Charlotte to Seattle (my wife has a lot of FF miles and got me upgraded; woot!). For those of you who did not read the other thread, here is our first look at the Targa at Barrier Porsche that I decided to purchase. When we got there it started raining. Go figure. Rain in Seattle?
Last edited by Volnomad; 01-02-2014 at 08:05 PM. Reason: typo
01-02-2014, 08:04 PM
#2
Canaan, the internet sales manager at Barrier, was kind enough to pick us up at the airport. After an inspection and test ride, we bought the car and drove to downtown Seattle for the night. It was a gloomy day, but the rain had ended and I was pumped to be back in a 911 after 3 months without one. Seattle was a beautiful sight all lit up as we crossed the bridge from Bellevue to get our room at the Sheraton. The only glitch was the valet only parking. I couldn't hand over the key, so I had to park it myself in a public garage a block away. Didn't like that either! The next day we had a great time walking around in Seattle after breakfast, enjoying the respite from the rain. Here's what we could see before hitting the road for Portland.
01-02-2014, 08:19 PM
#4
Day 1 - Paper Thin Walls
We hit the road just after lunch in the Nordic Gold Targa. Why Portland? We love the Dandy Warhols and decided to stop there to see their 20th band anniversary party performance at the Crystal Ballroom. Are you sometimes a bohemian like me? (inside joke if you don't know the band; sorry could not resist). Unfortunately our enthusiasm for the dash to Portland was dampened a bit, and not just by the rain that started falling mid-way. One hour out of Seattle on I-5 a truck nailed the windshield with a rock big enough to chip it. The car has a clear shield on front bumper, partial hood, and fenders. But, I was immediately concerned that I should have had the entire front wrapped for this trip. More to come later on that thought. We love Portland, but didn't get any good car photos there. Our minds were focused on having a good time, and that we managed to do very well! Anyone ever had Deschutes Abyss Imperial Stout? Now that's a beer that packs a punch! We stayed at the Crystal Hotel and our room was like a bordello room (uh, well, what I guessed such a room would look like
) The name of the room was Paper Thin Walls. The concert was great, and fter the concert we put those walls to the test. 
We hit the road just after lunch in the Nordic Gold Targa. Why Portland? We love the Dandy Warhols and decided to stop there to see their 20th band anniversary party performance at the Crystal Ballroom. Are you sometimes a bohemian like me? (inside joke if you don't know the band; sorry could not resist). Unfortunately our enthusiasm for the dash to Portland was dampened a bit, and not just by the rain that started falling mid-way. One hour out of Seattle on I-5 a truck nailed the windshield with a rock big enough to chip it. The car has a clear shield on front bumper, partial hood, and fenders. But, I was immediately concerned that I should have had the entire front wrapped for this trip. More to come later on that thought. We love Portland, but didn't get any good car photos there. Our minds were focused on having a good time, and that we managed to do very well! Anyone ever had Deschutes Abyss Imperial Stout? Now that's a beer that packs a punch! We stayed at the Crystal Hotel and our room was like a bordello room (uh, well, what I guessed such a room would look like
) The name of the room was Paper Thin Walls. The concert was great, and fter the concert we put those walls to the test.
01-02-2014, 08:36 PM
#6
Days 3-4 - In the Wine Country
Ok, I know this travelogue is sadly lacking in car photos, but it will get better. We hauled A$$ to Healdsburg in Sonoma, passing an amazingly impressive Mt. Shasta in the sun along the way. We had never seen it and were blown away by the over 2 mile vertical ascent. The best part of the drive though was the end. We cut through the coast range to Healdsburg on a great winding road that went from fun sweeping curves to a cluster of challenging hairpins and near hairpins at the end as we approached Sonoma. We entered the fun part trailing a blue Prius. This guy, I am convinced, was really Mark Weber. I've never seen someone attack a winding mountain road in a hybrid, or any other non-sports car the way he did. Even in sport mode, I was pushing to keep up with him. He obviously knew the road like the back of his hand because he seemed to hit each entry and exit perfectly. I was grateful to follow his lead actually because by this time it was pitch black and I did not know the road at all. Only after we turned on the road from Calistoga to Healdsburg that I was familiar with was I able to go it alone comfortably. It was great fun, and my wife is not your typical pain in the butt passenger. She loved it every minute of it! Here is the car at the Simi Winery stop the next morning.
Ok, I know this travelogue is sadly lacking in car photos, but it will get better. We hauled A$$ to Healdsburg in Sonoma, passing an amazingly impressive Mt. Shasta in the sun along the way. We had never seen it and were blown away by the over 2 mile vertical ascent. The best part of the drive though was the end. We cut through the coast range to Healdsburg on a great winding road that went from fun sweeping curves to a cluster of challenging hairpins and near hairpins at the end as we approached Sonoma. We entered the fun part trailing a blue Prius. This guy, I am convinced, was really Mark Weber. I've never seen someone attack a winding mountain road in a hybrid, or any other non-sports car the way he did. Even in sport mode, I was pushing to keep up with him. He obviously knew the road like the back of his hand because he seemed to hit each entry and exit perfectly. I was grateful to follow his lead actually because by this time it was pitch black and I did not know the road at all. Only after we turned on the road from Calistoga to Healdsburg that I was familiar with was I able to go it alone comfortably. It was great fun, and my wife is not your typical pain in the butt passenger. She loved it every minute of it! Here is the car at the Simi Winery stop the next morning.
01-02-2014, 08:51 PM
#7
Here are some pix on a hill near a winery in Sonoma. It was a beautiful morning, and I noticed that light really changes the look of the Nordic Gold. In shade it seems a warm honey gold. Bright sunlight really brings out an orange hue. My wife used a polarizer which seemed to saturate the colors more than the photos I took with my iPhone 5. After lunch we headed south on 101 toward SF and Carmel, our next waypoint. My wife took a shot as we crossed the Golden Gate. The car was performing flawlessly.
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01-02-2014, 09:58 PM
#9
Days 5 - From Sonoma to Carmel
I was pumped to get to the coast highway; so we left for Carmel by the Sea around lunch time on December 17. The weather was decent, partly cloudy, and not raining! We took 101 across the GG bridge then turned off toward the coast, rather than taking the inland route. Good choice as it turned out, as this was the best weather we got for the next few days. We put the Targa top back. In the 997.1 it's like a big panorama roof, but it really makes the car seem much more open. The wind in our hair and some sun made for a great feeling, exactly what we were hoping for when we decided to take this trip. Here are a few photos that capture the car in this beautiful setting.
I was pumped to get to the coast highway; so we left for Carmel by the Sea around lunch time on December 17. The weather was decent, partly cloudy, and not raining! We took 101 across the GG bridge then turned off toward the coast, rather than taking the inland route. Good choice as it turned out, as this was the best weather we got for the next few days. We put the Targa top back. In the 997.1 it's like a big panorama roof, but it really makes the car seem much more open. The wind in our hair and some sun made for a great feeling, exactly what we were hoping for when we decided to take this trip. Here are a few photos that capture the car in this beautiful setting.
01-02-2014, 10:00 PM
#10
Great colour, I've never seen it.
01-02-2014, 10:17 PM
#12
Later that evening we got stuck in some traffic in San Luis Obispo, not too bad though. It turned out to be a good thing because it slowed us down. We caught sunset at an overlook just outside of SLO as the coast road turns back inland for a few miles. Check out this fabulous sunset! Sorry for the multiple shots, but it was memorable.
01-02-2014, 10:18 PM
#13
I took the last one with my iPhone and got my photographer wife in it without her knowing I was taking it. And, thanks for the comments about the car's color. I really like the Nordic Gold. But, I think it would not be for everyone!
01-02-2014, 10:36 PM
#14
Day 6 - Big Sur or Big Blur?
We arrived in Carmel early in the evening. There was a strange smell in the air that we did not recognize the significance of until later that evening. After a great day on the coast highway, we had built up quite a thirst and an appetite. Rowing through the gears and snapping photos can be a real work out.
We had dinner at a wonderful French restaurant in Carmel by the Sea, L'Escargot. I highly recommend it. Tiny, intimate, great service, delicious French country food and a very good wine list. What's not to like?
That night back in the hotel we learned that there was a forest fire burning out of control in Big Sur. Several homes and about 700 acres had already burned. The smell we noticed was smoke blowing in from the park area where the fire had started, actually west of highway 1. Not a good sign for my bucket list trip, and this was supposed to be the big day.
We arrived in Carmel early in the evening. There was a strange smell in the air that we did not recognize the significance of until later that evening. After a great day on the coast highway, we had built up quite a thirst and an appetite. Rowing through the gears and snapping photos can be a real work out.
We had dinner at a wonderful French restaurant in Carmel by the Sea, L'Escargot. I highly recommend it. Tiny, intimate, great service, delicious French country food and a very good wine list. What's not to like?
That night back in the hotel we learned that there was a forest fire burning out of control in Big Sur. Several homes and about 700 acres had already burned. The smell we noticed was smoke blowing in from the park area where the fire had started, actually west of highway 1. Not a good sign for my bucket list trip, and this was supposed to be the big day.
01-02-2014, 11:33 PM
#15
We left Carmel early on what seemed to be a cloudy day. Turns out it was mostly smoke not fog. We had seen fire fighters in Carmel, lots of them, and as we drove toward Big Sur we saw many more with their fire fighting vehicles at small motels along the highway. Here are some photos that show what it looked like. At one point the fire was burning on the bank right next to Highway 1. My dream of driving down the PCH on a beautiful day was going up in smoke, but having seen the grief on the faces of those who had lost their homes to the fire made me feel really foolish for caring about this. The smoke was so thick it seemed almost dark at times, and your throat started burning if you stayed out of the car for more than a short time.