Story & Photo – Joseph Boyle
On Saturday, I met my pal, Jim, and we headed south on our Harley motorcycles to Matthews Memory Lane Motors in Portland, Oregon.
You should have seen me riding my iron horse with my hair blowing in the wind. Oh, that last line was a bit of wishful hallucinating. My hair was not blowing in the wind. I no longer have hair. Anyway, you get the idea; we were having fun, acting young, like when we did have hair.
I used my Joe Boyle memory system to recall which of those two C towns comes up first as you head south. The first town is Centralia. The second town is Chehalis. My memory system puts Ce first since the letter “e” comes first in the alphabet. I then am able to put Ch second since the letter “h” comes later in the alphabet.
Now this C town thing is very important in terms of planning our big-time motorcycle adventure stop, at Starbucks.
Yes, Starbucks; remember, we are having fun. So we broke up our southbound trip with a stop at Centralia Starbucks. Centraila Starbucks is my favorite coffee shop on the I-5 corridor.
Back on I-5 and we had the freeway to ourselves. Everyone, who had headed out for the big Labor Day weekend, apparently completed his or her travel on Friday. Since it was Saturday, everyone was camped out where they wanted to be and we cleverly were behind the Friday, take off for the holiday traffic and ahead of the Monday, return home traffic.
Those motorcycle wheels kept turning until we arrived at Dale Matthews Memory Lane Motors located at 2608 SE Holgate Boulevard, Portland, Oregon 97202. Phone number: 503-231-1940.
A Mapquest map magnetically affixed to my gas tank got us there without a single missed turn. Dale can give you easy directions back home. Just turn left out of his lot and follow your hood ornament.
From the Lakewood Towne Center Starbucks, it is about 138 miles or 2 hours and 24 minutes to the Dale Matthews free car show.
Dale, who is one of those interesting guys you have to meet or your life will not be complete, has been in the world of cars since he was 12 years old.
When you arrive, you will be greeted by a fun loving staff of three and a great inventory of interesting and quality classic cars for sale. He has quite a variety too, including an old fire truck. Then there is that 1953 Cadillac. Oooh.
My first car back in 1958, when I was age 11, was a 1948 Ford 2-door sedan. I had to give the owner the shirt off my back. I paid $150 for the car; cash. Check out my 1959 photo to see what I am talking about.
Dale has a 1948 Ford 2-door convertible for $44,500. Yikes, I should have kept mine and cut the top off. Check out my photo of Dales car to see what is causing me to flash back to a simpler time 53 years ago.
He has another 1948 Ford 2-door coup for $16,500.
There is more. Dale plays the guitar in an old country music band. He has a sample video on his WEB site, where he “slaps” his guitar around. Check it out.
Dale wrote a book called Every Deal’s Different – The Dale Matthews Story.
I could not help but part with my $15.00 and came home with an autographed copy. He has one of his poems in the front too.
Even though Dale’s love for cars started such a long time ago when he was 12, he still loves going to work and hanging out with classic cars and car folks. He is 70 now. He loves the sights and sounds; even the smell of the place. All of that is what keeps him alive, according to Dale.
So, if you like classic cars and want to see or own a piece of history, take a road trip to Matthews Memory Lane Classic Cars.
Dale’s company policy is you are welcome to come down, look and hang out. You do not have to buy a car. If you want to buy a piece of history, they surely will help you make it happen.
Boy oh boy, I can see the wind blowing through my hair as I travel back up North to the Starbucks in Chehalis in Dale’s 1948 Ford convertible.
The Chehalis Starbucks is my favorite coffee shop on the I-5 corridor and is located in the first C town you come to when traveling north.
Aaaah yes, a Dale Matthews old car would make me feel young again.
Tell the boys at Memory Lane Joe Boyle sent you.
If you do not like cars, maybe later, I can come up with a story on quilting.
