Okanagan Open-top Odyssey
July 18th - 20th, 2025
About This Event
Join in on a full weekend's drive through the expansive Okanagan Highlands of Washington State. This July is a two (and one third) day's drive along some scenic backroads through the hills along Washington's northern border east of the Cascades. Think micro-road trip just to drive through some open rolling plains, follow pavement winding through pine covered gulches, rocky barren canyons, and along some river banks.
We'll meet up Friday after work in Monroe, WA and drive over to the Leavenworth / Wenatchee area for dinner and then lodging for the night. Saturday morning we'll meet in Wenatchee and end up in Colville. Sunday we'll come back home over Hwy 20, though Winthrop, and then over the North Cascades Highway. As we come down the western side of the Cascades around Rockport, WA I'm figuring folks can split for home, wherever that might be. I'm estimating we'd reach the Seattle area around 8-9 pm on Sunday evening.
Caveats
This is a drive I've been wanting to do for some time, particularly in a Miata. I've thoroughly mapped out the route but have not done, nor will I have time for, a pre-drive. So. Bring your adventuring hat if you want to try this out. I think it will be a grand time with wonderful scenery but I cannot make any guarantees.
Organization - Lodging, Meals, etc.
Minimal. While there are planned lunch stops mid-day and we'll know what towns we'll be at in the evening, that's the extent of planning.
EACH OF US IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN LODGING
AND DINING ARRANGEMENTS
This will be mid-July-ish, plan ahead accordingly.
See below for specific itinerary.
Itinerary
For each day, be ready at the meeting point with a full tank of gas for the Miata, top off yourself with breakfast or wake-up juice (coffee), a charged radio, and any beverages or travel rations you'll want for the day.
Friday - July 18th, 2025
Meet at Grocery Outlet in Monroe
405 Butler Ave
Monroe, WA 98272
4:00 pm Meet
4:15 pm Driver's meeting
4:30 pm Departure
Arrive in Leavenworth approx. 7pm
Recommend finding lodging from Leavenworth to Wenatchee.
Saturday - July 19th, 2025
Meet at Lincoln Park in Wenatchee
1410 S Mission St
Wenatchee, WA 98801
8:00 am Meet
8:15 am Driver's Meeting
8:30 am Departure
Lunch / gas in Tonasket ~1pm
Arrive in Colville approx. 6pm.
Recommend finding lodging in Colville or within a 20-30 min drive of town.
Sunday - July 20th, 2025
Meet at Safeway in Colville
391 N Main St
Colville,WA 99114
North parking lot near the Safeway fuel station.
Lunch / gas in Winthrop ~2pm
Recommend lodging at your home. :P
Route Hand-Out and Rever Links
A more detailed route directions and Rever mapping app links will be available at the drivers meeting and / or via e-mail before the event. One note on Rever, we'll be out of cell reception a good chunk of the time so use offline mapping if you can.
Special Notes
We'll be traveling mid-July through Eastern, WA. It should be quite hot with temps expected in the upper 80's and through the 90's and a lot of sun exposure when the tops are down. Bring sun screen and plenty of fluids.
Bathroom / stretch breaks are planned for at least every 1 - 1.5 hrs, however, the route goes through some remote areas and public restrooms may be few and far between. I will endeavor to verify restroom stops will be open as we get closer to the drive. At least half the stops are at public parks or campsites with vault toilet. Maybe bring some extra hand sanitizer.
Just to reiterate: you're responsible for your own lodging. Book ahead of time. See above for the dates and towns we'll end up in at the end of the day.
We'll be going through smaller towns and remote places tend to close early. I'm trying to get us into our destinations in time for dinner in the evenings
Bring extra cash "just in case."
Bring FRS compatible ration, set to channel 5