Historic Hood River
Are We There Yet?
4-17-2026
Notes
It looks like Fred and Joy Mason Tooley’s Model T has broken down on the road up to Lost Lake. Children Carol Jean and Venard are getting restless in the back with all the camping gear. It’s not obvious who was in the brush with the camera. Maybe Fred rested it on a tree stump and used the timer?
We know the story had a happy ending because the same album page has images of them camping by the lake.
Dale Nicol
Arthur, very interesting and insightful picture of a family adventure, experiencing some sort of mechanical problem.
Based on the shape of the fenders, the car appears to be a 1911 Model-T runabout that was modified to add the “pick up style cargo bed” shown in the photo.
It doesn’t appear to be a “modified Torpedo” as the fuel tank would be under the seat and not in the cargo box.
Any ideas?
Marilyn
Hope that wasn’t where the toddler sat when the vehicle was in motion.
Arthur Babitz
Good point, Marilyn. Given how a Model T suspension works everything in the back better be strapped down well. I bet the side of the road to Lost Lake was a great place to find free camping gear.
L.E.
Any idea whose home is in the background?