MTFCA Forum

-
DAY ONE on the GOLDEN GATE TOUR

We spent this perfect sunny afternoon heading west working ourselves all over the Golden Gate Headlands Nation Park from Fort Cronkhite to the Nike Missile silos to Battery Mendall's bunkers overlooking the Pacific Ocean, to Fort Baker inside the Golden Gate and finishing (after a visit from the Park Ranger) with cocktails at the Trident Bar hanging over San Francisco Bay. Everyone ran without issue except for one flat tire. Tomorrow we head back to the Marin coastline but this time we travel north.

Wish us luck,

Some more Day One Photographs

-
Day Two of Golden Gate Tour
Social Distancing

Today, as you can see, was another spectacularly beautiful virus-free day. We traveled out to Coastal Marin County, over the Panoramic Highway, to little Bolinas for a catered picnic in the park, then north to Point Reyes Station, and back to Mill Valley via Stenson Beach and the Shoreline Highway. We had no issues with the Ts but one of us did fall off his trailer causing superficial damage to that driver. The trailer was unhurt.

Tomorrow we head over the Golden Gate Bridge and into the City of San Francisco for a picnic on the historic Presidio Army Base. Wish us luck.

-
More Day Two Photographs
-

-
Day Three of The Golden Gate Tour

Today we had perfect California weather for our trip to the famous houseboat communities of Sausalito. We then crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and onto the historic San Francisco Presidio for a catered gourmet picnic on the parade grounds. This was followed by a circuitous tour of this army base, that has proudly protected San Francisco since before WW1. We then toured some of Pacific Heights most impressive estates before crossing back over the Golden Gate and landing once again at the Trident Bar on its rickety old wooden pier overhanging the water with bay views of Alcatraz Prison, Angel Island and the City of San Francisco. Our Ts had no problems other that one low band needing 3/4 turn tightening. Tomorrow we leave Mill Valley for our new home in the Alexander Valley wine country. This tour will wind through Marin and Sonoma Counties golden grassland hills and will be the most remote and scenic drive yet. Wish us luck.

AWESOME FOLKS! Thanks for sharing!

Hank

Did anyone get a picture of all the cars on the bridge?

What a wonderful tour you folks are having! I'm envious as blazes.

-
DAY FOUR on THE GOLDEN GATE TOUR

We are now in the California Wine Country. Perfect skies once again. Today, we left our Mill Valley hotel and twisted north through the majestic inland grasslands of Marin and Sonoma Counties. We were without cell service and gas stations for 85 miles. As you can see below, we are traveling with our own portable outhouse. Our picnic lunch today was catered by a hippie delicatessen in Fairfax Town. Upon our arrival in Healdsburg, we were welcomed by a German sausage restaurant for a satisfying meal of "worsts" on their moon-lit patio. This gathering was preceded by yet another parking lot cocktail hour among the Ts at John Padlo's "Rusty Water Bar" and followed by Lee Chase's (MTFCA Member #29) 91st birthday celebration complete with two carrot cakes. This was the the most engaging day of touring yet so far.

-
DAY FIVE of the GOLDEN GATE TOUR

On Friday, June 5th, we were joined by four members of the Motherload Model T Club, of Auburn, CA, and meandered through vineyard covered hills and oak tree lined valleys. The Calistoga Inn & Brewery provided a delightful lunch for us on their garden patio and MTFCA member and webmaster Jeff Stevenson (a wonderful guy) led us on to an expansive estate to view the entire Alexander Valley from a private grassy bluff. We lost an exhaust pipe and one of the Ts needed to be bump started a few times but otherwise the day was trouble free. This evening's tri-tip steak dinner and all the fixings were catered by our nurturing L&M host Wanda and her staff, which so impressed our group that we gave her a 33% tip. Of course, John Padlo's Rusty Water Bar was open as usual lubricating the festivities. Tomorrow, we pack up and head west to the Sonoma Coast and back south along its rocky and oyster filled shores to Mill Valley where we left our trucks and trailers. ...Wish us luck.

-
DAY SIX on the GOLDEN GATE TOUR

Today was our final day of touring. We began by threading ourselves over charming little one lane backroads flanked by cottage wineries and family farms. Then we followed the banks of the Russian River through a redwood forest and out to the grassy shore of the Pacific Ocean. After a quick stop to put on our jackets we toured through sleepy Bodega and Tomalas Bays with an endlessly diverse coastline on our right. By 1:PM we reached Original Smith's favorite haunt Rancho Nicasio and our Final Banquet. This rustic ranch opened their manicured property and outside bar for us to enjoy spicy Bloody Marys and a host of bar-b-que delicacies and the like. It was the perfect end to a perfect six days of Northern California touring.

We are already making plans to do this route again next year so if you're interested please save the dates. May 30 through June 4, 2021. These dates were chosen so that the near by Hollister Speedster Run (all Ts welcome) may be included as an extension option.
-

I hope Mr Chase and Mr Chase, and Mark
had a great time.

Beautiful pix. I appreciate your taking the time to post.

Since I do not know a single person in any picture, it might be nice to have some captions...like exactly who is the gent who is all bruised up, and why?

He fell off his trailer, Scott.

Ouch

that would be a tough tumble for a young man!

-
Scott,
The trailer was unhurt.
Smiles

I have been following you on the posts and hope all of you make it home safely. Glad you had a good time on the tour. This was quite a week according to the news, and you picked the right day to cross the bridge.
Norm

I'm happy to have attended this great tour. As you can see, the corona virus didn't stop any of us from enjoying ourselves! My little factory '25 pickup never complained once in over 400+ miles.

Great job, all of you.

Looks like you guys are ushering in the post pandemic syndrome ha ha ha.

John:
You got that right. The government made us do something we shouldn't have had to do! No one got sick on this tour, because we were all out enjoying ourselves in the clean Northern California air!

-
I thought it might be fun to bump this thread back up to the top because it's happening again starting May 31, 2021. Details are listed in the Activities Calendar section of your most recent Vintage Ford Magazine. ...or, you may email me at NewNorthSouth@gmail.com
-