What Should I Do Between Portland and Seattle in a Golf R?

"Future Heap Owner" (aperiodic)
11/26/2018 at 23:01 • Filed to: rational decision making, Road Trip, PNW

I had to find my own transportation up to Seattle and back this weekend, so I was basically forced to rent a manual Golf R on Turo.

My lady made plans last night to go up to a cabin near Mt Hood with her friend for the weekend. She’ll be taking the dog, thus will be driving our DD to avoid getting voluminous amounts of dog hair all over her friend’s car.

This leaves me to my own devices to get to Seattle and back for my friend’s housewarming party on Saturday evening. I had not gotten myself any sort of birthday present, and she’s always telling me how fun German cars in general and VWs in particular are, so clearly the only reasonable option I had available to me was to rent a blue manual 2012 Golf R with a “close to 300 HP” stage 1 tune. My hands were tied!

Does ayone have any suggestions of fun places to drive in between Portland and Seattle? My general plan right now is to take the long way back, winding around Mt. Rainier and St. Helens, since the weather will be nicer Sunday. I may also do that on the way up, because I’ve driven that part of I-5 soooo many times and it’s a snooze fest. Is there anything fun to drive around on near the sound, or on the Olympic Peninsula?

If any Seattle-area Oppos wanna meet up between, say, 12 and 5 either day, I’d be down for that too. I figure everyone’s probably busy this close to the holidays, though.

Lastly: how scared should I be of this car? It has honestly what seems like an unreasonable amount of power to me, especially considering that the sportiest cars I’ve ever driven have been a Chrysler 300 S (auto) and a Fiat Spider (manual). I definitely don’t plan on doing anything crazy since 1) it’s not my car, 2) it’s gonna be wet, and 3) I do not have any kind of high-performance driving experience. But should I play it even safer and stick to the gentle, boring curves of I-5?

DISCUSSION (23)

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > Future Heap Owner
11/26/2018 at 23:18

My philosophy is you don’t have to be going fast to have fun, and you also don’t have to be on the limits to have fun. A fun car to drive should be fun at any speed, at 5/10s or 10/10s. So I’d say find some twisties, don’t go crazy, but enjoy the experience!

Future Heap Owner > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford
11/26/2018 at 23:22

I’ve definitely had fun on twisties in my utterly anemic 2006 Corolla

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Future Heap Owner
11/26/2018 at 23:25

Don't have too much fun. WSP doesn't give many warnings.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Future Heap Owner
11/26/2018 at 23:27

Come North, do the chuckanut

RPM esq. > Future Heap Owner
11/26/2018 at 23:28

Isn’t the Golf R AWD, albeit front-biased? I don’t think you should be too worried about anything but torque steer as long as you stay out of the snow and don’t stomp on the loud pedal too abruptly. There are some good roads on the southern Olympic peninsula, although the odds of a logging truck coming around the bend at terrifying speed are high and most would be bumpy in a Golf R. Unfortunately none of them really go the right direction for Portland-to-Seattle.

Future Heap Owner > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
11/26/2018 at 23:32

Hmm, interesting. It is a decent amount further n orth, given that most of the notoriously over-trafficked Seattle Metro Area lies in between where I’m staying and that drive, but if I can find times where the traffic isn’t too bad, it’s not out of the question. Thanks for the recommendation.

fintail > Future Heap Owner
11/26/2018 at 23:34

Keep an eye on the weather. Still a few days out, and snow levels should be coming down as the week goes on.

I was thinking just today how the slog between Portland and Seattle is so dull. You could also maybe go up 101 on the peninsula, but risk getting stuck behind slow traffic, which can be just as bad.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Future Heap Owner
11/26/2018 at 23:38

Sorry for not suggesting anything fun. Portland to Seattle doesn’t have much in terms of scenery if you take a direct route. I love St. Helens but I don’t know if it might start getting snow around there soon?

As for Seattle itself: RPM is the man for that, as he lives and works there. I used to be in downtown four nights a week -- 8 years ago, when I was young and fun.

Future Heap Owner > RPM esq.
11/26/2018 at 23:39

Aye, it is AWD. That does make me feel a little better.

Are those Southern Olympic peninsula roads you’re talking about unpaved forest service roads? I think I’ll be sticking to paved roads so as to not bang up the car nor get myself in serious trouble. I do have plenty of leeway on time , so I could take large detours.

Future Heap Owner > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/26/2018 at 23:44

That’s fine, I know there’s not a ton to work with. I am willing to go fairly far out of the way, though. Right now I’m giving myself about eight hours to make a drive that’s under three on the optimal route (without stops). I f I don’t find anything that looks better , I’ll try the volcanoes and just turn back if it becomes snowy.

Future Heap Owner > fintail
11/26/2018 at 23:47

Hmm, I’ve actually never followed the Columbia out to the coast, so I might take 30 out to Astoria and head up the coast from there, cutting back inland at Aberdeen. Should avoid the snow.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Future Heap Owner
11/27/2018 at 00:02

If it’s a weekend, I’m around to drive too!

Future Heap Owner > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
11/27/2018 at 00:20

As Dr. Z would say, “hmmmmmmmmmm”

How much advance notice do you need?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Future Heap Owner
11/27/2018 at 00:25

A day or two, not much. I'm pretty flexible

Merfthemadmauler > Future Heap Owner
11/27/2018 at 01:13

It doesn’t look like a good week for a nice drive or camping in the northwest.

Future Heap Owner > Merfthemadmauler
11/27/2018 at 01:15

Sadly, no. Right now Sunday doesn’t look too too bad on the ol’ forecast but we’ll see. We’ll see

RPM esq. > Future Heap Owner
11/27/2018 at 02:37

No, more like the paved country roads linking small towns. They’re just not very well maintained, located in the woods, and beaten on by logging trucks, so there are some potholes and gravel. Probably not a great idea in a Turo car that someone probably loves a lot more than a normal rental car.

RPM esq. > Future Heap Owner
11/27/2018 at 02:49

You should absolutely do this. I initially didn’t think you’d want to go that far out of your way. Take 101 through the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge (slow but scenic, especially if you like birds, and I’ve even seen a bear from the road there) and then you have a choice between cutting over at Raymond (highway 6) or Aberdeen (highway 12). Highway 6 is the twistier route by far and has less traffic in my experience, but it’s slower and presents the greater risk of getting stuck behind something slow. More likely, though, you’ll get passed by a lifted Ram 2500 doing 20 over with a poorly tied down ATV in the bed and wonder how the driver is still alive.

ETA: it’s farther north, but I’ve heard that 101 along the Hood Canal is a good place to stretch the legs of a fun and/or fast car as soon as you’re a couple miles out of Shelton. All I know is I like to go eat oysters out there.

Future Heap Owner > RPM esq.
11/27/2018 at 03:23

Rad, thanks for the tips! I think this is my top candidate right now, unless I can confirm that the roads around St Helens are clear.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Future Heap Owner
11/27/2018 at 03:53

hoon the wheels off of it

fintail > Future Heap Owner
11/27/2018 at 09:18

It should be all two lanes until you get to Aberdeen , so if traffic is light, the roads could be fun. Some twisties on both routes north of the Columbia. It is 4 lanes from Aberdeen ea stward, and sometimes there is speed enforcement, but probably not so much on the smaller roads.

Forecast now looks to be drying up for the weekend, especially Sunday.

Future Heap Owner > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
12/01/2018 at 16:48

Going that far up North and putting all of Seattle between me and home is gonna add too much time, uncertainty, and I-5 mileage to make it work on this trip. Thanks for the suggestion and offer to meet up! Hopefully we can make it work in the future.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Future Heap Owner
12/01/2018 at 17:05

No problem! Enjoy Seattle