2022 CORPS OF
DISCOVERY TOUR
FRIDAY-MONDAY, JULY 29-AUGUST 1, 2022
FROM CAMAS, WASHINGTON
TO WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON
TO CHELAN, WASHINGTON
TO DUFUR, OREGON
TO HOME
The Corps of Discovery was the name of the specially-established unit of the United States Army that formed the nucleus of the Lewis and Clark Expedition that took place between May 1804 and September 1806. The 2022 Corps of Discovery Tour covers the same region in the Pacific Northwest and builds on the success of the "All British Road Meet" of 2020 and last year's inaugural Corps of Discovery Tour.
The 2022 format consists of four days and three nights, or you can do a shortened version of three days and two nights.
You may participate in any car of any vintage from any country (notwithstanding the website name of all-british). We encourage vintage cars as the daily distances are not especially long, but drive what you like.
This event is different in several good ways:
There are no fees. You make your own lodging reservations (info below) and pay for your own food, beverage and gas. You pay us nothing.
There is no registration. Just make your own lodging reservations and show up at the kick-off breakfast in Camas, Washington. (It is, however, useful if you email us to let us know you're coming so that we can contact you in the event we need to provide additional info.)
You'll likely see cars you haven't seen before, meet car owners you haven't met before, and see and hear cars on the road like you've never seen and heard them before.
For those who don't like a lot of "structure" in their auto hobby events, your prayers have been answered. You can literally wake up the morning of the event and decide to participate (as long as you can still get lodging reservations).
Here's an overview of how it is planned to go:
On Friday, July 29, we'll meet at 9 a.m. at Smitty's Family Restaurant in Camas, Washington (sometimes it's listed as being in Washougal, Washington). We'll have breakfast and make a few announcements and provide some useful information. We'll leave around 10:00-10:30 a.m. bound for Walla Walla, the scenic way. You can drive on your own or fly in formation with other cars. We'll plan to stop in Goldendale for lunch, although you're free to stop and dine where and when you like.
For our overnight stop in Walla Walla you can make reservations at whatever accommodations you prefer, but we like the Marcus Whitman Hotel (make your reservation for the night of Friday, July 29, 2022, and note that you may have better luck getting a room by contacting them directly as opposed to trying to make a reservation online).
Then on Saturday, July 30, we arise to the included breakfast at the Whitman and strike out for remote and exotic Chelan, Washington. We'll plan to stop in Ritzville for lunch, although you're free to stop and dine where and when you like.
Our destination this day is the Riverwalk Inn in Chelan, Washington (make your reservation for the night of Saturday, July 30, 2022 - and note that you may have better luck getting a room by contacting them directly as opposed to trying to make a reservation online). We'll discuss dinner options when we arrive, but as always, you're free to dine when and where you like. Chelan has several options.
On Sunday, July 31, we arise and find breakfast. We then depart Chelan and you can head home (Chelan to Portland is about 325 miles, for reference), but Dufur, Oregon is the official destination for the day. That's about 250 miles from Chelan. Lunch is likely in Yakima, but again, you're welcome to stop when and where you like.
We'll stay Sunday night at the historic Balch Hotel and have dinner there (make your reservation for the night of Sunday, July 31, 2022 - and note that you may have better luck getting a room by contacting them directly as opposed to trying to make a reservation online). . If you miss getting a room at the Balch - and it's pretty small - there are lots of lodging options in nearby The Dalles (about 13 miles away), and you can still join the group for dinner at the Balch.
Monday, August 1, is Head Home Day. Via the most direct route, it's about 100 miles to Portland, but there are more-entertaining routes available.
This event is about driving - great roads, great cars, great people and great fun. Not to mention the great scenery. There are no catered banquets. No liveried staff circulating with trays of hors d'oeuvres. No demi-celebrities to rub elbows with. No guest speakers. (Well, maybe one.) No trophies for in-crowd favorites.
This event is about driving, not social climbing.
Are you in? Then please do not delay making your lodging reservations because a couple of these hotels are quite small and/or busy in the summer and will likely fill early. We'll see you at the kick-off breakfast in Camas on Friday, July 29 at 9 a.m.
While there is no registration for this event, we do request that you email us to let us know if you're coming. This info will be useful as we scout out restaurant options and could use an idea of the potential head count, and it could also be useful if the unexpected should occur and we want to contact you about it. Forest fires, hotels going out of business, and road closures come to mind as possibilities.
In summary:
No fee for this event. You make your own lodging reservations directly with the suggested lodging or other lodging of your choice.
There are no rooms reserved or blocked for us. Please don't delay making your reservations.
You can drive any car of any vintage, although vintage cars are encouraged, but drive what you like.
All questions gladly answered, with the answers guaranteed to change your life, possibly for the better. classic.car.activist@gmail.com Reid Trummel, Expedition Organizer