Event Coverage Phoenix Area Week-After-New Year's 2023 Run to Tortilla Flats!

From our chief curmudgeon, Chip Quinn:

NEW YEAR'S DAY RUN TO TORTILLA FLATS!!!!
NEXT SUNDAY 1-1-23, Starts at CORONADO PARK (12th street north of McDowell in Phoenix) at 9am!!!

We'll try to give additional updates, including alternate gathering points around the valley, as the week progresses.

Tortilla Flats is always a HUGE gathering of all kinds of wheeled vehicles and "interesting" people!

 

UGH !
7-Day Forecast 34.08N 112.14W (weather.gov)

 

this will be the first time I won't make this run. we will be in California have fun

 

That's putting it mildly:
"New Year's Day
Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Southwest wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%."

That just means the roadster won't be making an appearance!

 

No wipers and a exposed engine on my hot rod, That leaves me out also

But we need the rain...

Also same weekend as Glendale swap meet.

 

Hello,
@Blues4U and the rest of the So Cal hot rod contingent is in the same boat, so to speak. not like a Noah's Ark type waiting. But, as it looks on the radar/satellite map of the Pacific Ocean hitting the Westcoast of the USA.. it looks to be a big one.
Radar:

Satellite:

The early morning sun and blue sky is now cloudy and getting darker. So, it is moving in towards all of us.

Jnaki
But, was the weather goes, the closest station to the Jan 1 New Year's Day Rose Parade in Pasadena shows some surprises.

After a sunny Christmas weekend, Pasadena looks to be in for days of rain to close out 2022.

The National Weather Service’s forecast issued early today covers the period through New Year’s Day — but does not forecast weather for ‘Rose Parade Day,’ which this year is Monday, Jan. 2 (reflecting the Tournament of Roses ‘Never on a Sunday’ rule).

The current forecast call for a chance of rain in Los Angeles County for five straight days beginning Tuesday and continuing through New Year’s Eve, likely followed by sunshine on New Year’s Day and then three more days of possible rain.


What the Westcoast gets, then a day later, the Arizona folks get the same system moving East. Keep an eye peeled on the local weather services... YRMV

 

Yeah, the roadster is staying in the garage this time, but I'll get the new-to-me '55 Ford (413, 4-speed) out there. Funny thing is that my side of town is projected to get a half-inch, while Tortilla Flat is supposed to get over an inch. Hope they're wrong...although that might mean there will be more seats available at the bar!

 

Must be a tropical storm heading our way because I can see a tropical bird in the second weathar radar picture...

 

Not good for the Glendale swap either.

 

Now they are saying rain just sunday late afternoon ! ! !

But its AZ and its weather changes as fast as one changes underware.

 

Well, now they're calling for thunderstorms in the PHX area on Sunday (my part of town is looking for multiple inches, which is a lot for around here!), so the Tortilla Flats run is being pushed back a week.

The official word from Chip:
"I hate to do it gang, but I have made the decision to push Sunday's run back a week, to NEXT Sunday, the 8th on January. I've been watching the weather all week, and no matter who says so, it's going to rain Sunday, all day. I really want our roadster gang to enjoy, and that makes it hard to do. That and wandering around Tortilla Flats in the rain waiting for a seat in the restaurant... Let's do this when it's better!"

 

Chip posted on FB that he is going to postpone doing it until the 8th due to the nasty weather.

 

***** U P D A T E *****

From Chip's FB page:
"TORTILLA FLATS CRUISE SUNDAY THE 8TH!!!
Here's the low down. There's three ways to join this one. First, is to meet up at Coronado Park in Phoenix, which is on 12th street, just north of McDowell, by 9am. We'll leave there by about 9:15am, and head east on McDowell, take a right on Hayden, and head south. Your next opportunity to join up, will be on the corner of McClintock and University, as we pass at about 9:45am. We'll then head east on University to just past the 202, and our third and last pickup point, the QT just east of the 202, on the south side of University. We will be there by about 10:15 or so, and stop for gas and leg stretches, bathroom break, etc. We'll leave there at about 10:40ish and make the final run down to Tortilla Flats!"

 

BTW, we had hail on NYD around here on the NW side of town. Glad I wasn't out and about in all that!

 

Best wishes to you guys, I hope it works out. We're looking at not much sunshine all week here, until Sunday, since the storms hit here first you guys may still be under the weather at that point.

I have to say I'm jealous of the support Chip is getting here, I announce a similar run at the same time and it's pretty much crickets. We had good weather and only a handfull of guys made it out on New Years Day. And this is So Cal, it's supposed to be hot rod central.

 

I hear you, it won't happen overnight, but a good run is a good run. Do it again next year.

I doubt Chip will care if two or two hundred show up. The cruise is what's important - this one is only about 50 miles - and a string of hot rods going right through the middle of Mesa is going to freak people out!

 

Bump!

"TOMORROW!!!
TORTILLA FLATS CRUISE!!!
There's three ways to join up with this one. Meet us at Coronado Park, on 12th street just north of McDowell by 9am, Meet up with the crew at the MacDonald's on Hayden and McClintock by about 9:30 am, or, Join us at the QT that is just east of the 202 on University in Mesa by about 10 am!
This is gonna be a fun run, as always, with the reward being a damned good burger in a neat little place, and a drive through some of the southwest's prettiest landscape!"

 

Perfect day - it was 72 today - and, while I didn't get a car count, there were a flock of HAMB-friendly cars on the run (along with a bunch of street rods, and late-models).

Semi-early at Coronado park:

(The Jag roadster had a Windsor update with a couple of hair dryers hung on it. Talk about fast....)

 

The 'Burban was full of tools and spare parts, just in case. Chip and Miss Judy were riding in their new-to-them A pick-em-up, also loaded with tools!

 

And I had my new-to-me '55 Customline...413 4-speed!

 

Miss Judy wrangling the herd for the quick driver's updates.

 

Chip, in the flannel shirt over Miss Judy's left shoulder, exposing the route.

 

I didn't get any on-the-road shots - I was driving! - but our first stop was at a gas station to meet up with the East Valley group. Cars were double- and triple-parked! We had to scramble and leave early when a fuel delivery truck showed up and we were parked right on top of the tanks!

 

More QT shots...

 

And...

 

More...

 

Right before the panic...

 

After an awesome trip through the Arizona countryside, complete with a long section of 15 and 20mph curves, we arrived at the Tortilla Flats restaurant. The hot rods all parked together...