Mt. Lemmon Run 09 July 2016

Participants:

• Chuck - 1973 DeTomaso Pantera (disguised as a Honda Accord 2-door)
• Axel -  2014 Porsche Cayenne R4 Hybrid
• Kirk - 1986 Porsche 911 Carrera Rennsport
• Dave - 1982 Fiat Spider (did not finish)

Hey - what's with the German cars on the write up of an Italian car event?   Well, in short, a couple of our friends from the local Porsche club joined us on the run and their cars along with Chuck's Pantera (disguised as a 2-door Honda Accord) were the only ones to make it.  Yep.  It's true.  The participants met at Tucson's monthly Cars & Coffee event.  Chuck's Pantera developed a coolant leak while at Cars & Coffee and even though it was a simple fix that was completed before the run, Chuck erred on the side of caution and ran his Honda instead.  The Pantera will get some more road tests around town before venturing up a mountain highway.  Dave's Fiat Spider lost power 10 miles from the summit due to a failed fuel pump.  So, the 2 Porsches and the Honda made it up to the Iron Door for lunch and a pleasant drive.


To see additional pictures PLUS photos from the Pantera / F.I.A.T. participation in the Mt. Lemmon 4th of July parade click > here.<

Special thanks to Chuck for the photos and for organizing the club's participation in the 4th of July Parade on Mt. Lemmon!

Picnic at Parker Canyon Lake 11 June 2016 - Photos

Photo: C.Huber

We did not have any our our Italian cars on the road for this event, but those that attended still had a great time!

We met at the Vail Steakhouse Cafe & Diner for coffee and then traveled south on AZ-83 to Sonoita with Dave K./Chuck in a Jeep and Axel/Dave C. in a Porsche Cayenne (nice!).  In and around Sonoita we encountered an early monsoon storm where Dave K. and Chuck got a little wet in the Jeep but dried off quickly as the storm was short and the roads dried up with partly cloudy skies and balmy temperatures all the way to the lake.  When we arrived at the lake we found the grounds moderately occupied as we were unaware that there were events taking place corresponding with National Get Outdoors Day.  There were exhibits and displays set up by the Sierra Vista Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest, the local offices of Arizona Game & Fish, National Parks Service, and The Nature Conservancy, along with several other local agencies and outdoor groups.  We were fortunate to grab a couple of parking spots by the boat ramp.  We even found a nice picnic table in the shade just up the hill with a view of the lake.  Everyone broke out their lunch and talked about cars and adventures they've had.  After lunch we took a tour through the exhibits. Chuck tried on a boa at the snake exhibit put on by the Huachuca Area Herpetology Association.  

Chuck and "friend."

After checking out the exhibits we started our next leg of the run with a trip to Lightning Ridge Cellars where we sampled wine, heard about the adventures of buying cars in Europe and taking a tour of wineries in Napa Valley, California.  We also met the winery's new resident greeter, Monte, named after the popular Montepulciano wine offered by the winery.

Lightning Ridge Cellars' "Monte" (4 months old - look at the size of those feet!)

On the way to the winery Chuck had spotted what appeared to be a new winery or brewery.  We back-tracked just a bit to check it out and learned that it is a microbrewery that just opened up named Copper Hop Ranch.  A couple of the group tried out a beer and we sat on the small deck and talked more about our various adventures with cars.  We departed mid-afternoon and headed back towards Tucson via AZ-83 and split up going our separate ways at the I-10 interchange.

A few more pictures of the event are available >here.<
Pictures of the event from the Southern Arizona Pantera Club can be found >here.<

Run to Alpine 22 & 23 April 2016 - Photos

If you were on the fence about participating in our Run to Alpine event let's just say you missed out on a great time.  Great people. Fun roads. Good food. Fantastic scenery.  We went from the desert floor chasing up Highway 191 past one of the world's largest open pit copper mines in Morenci and then practiced our driving skills on the super-twisty part of 191 up to the Mogollon Rim and into the alpine meadows of the White Mountains of eastern Arizona.

Our trip began where most of us met at The Vail Steakhouse Cafe & Diner in Vail for breakfast.  George, the proprietor, made sure we were well fed.  Heading east on I-10 we transitioned to Highway 191 in Willcox and headed to Safford where we met up with the Phoenix group.  From Safford we continued on 191 up to Clifton where we checked out an old jail in a hillside, fueled up, and then headed up through Morenci to the pullout that overlooks the Asarco open pit copper mine and had a bite of lunch.

After lunch we readied ourselves for the fantastic twisty road to Alpine that lie ahead - 90 miles with steep elevation gain, hairpin turns, and short straights through meadows and sights of the scars left by 2011's Wallow Fire.  The Fiat Spider had a bit of a "mystery issue" that left it on the side of the road until it cooled down a bit but then it started up and successfully continued on.

Photo:  Chuck Huber

After checking in at the Mountain Hi Lodge a few of the group either took a walk or run to take in the cool and clean mountain air while others prepped hors devours and relaxed a bit before starting to prepare dinner or building a nice bon fire in the fire pit.

 

Dinner consisted of steak, roasted veggies, salad, baked potatoes, and "beverages of choice."  To top it off one of the group brought a home made New York cheese cake.  We ate like kings and queens around the bon fire.  As the moon rose over the adjacent meadow we talked shop, burned up a back of marshmallows, and just relaxed.

Photo: Chuck Huber

Saturday started off chilly and dry with slightly overcast skies.  We gathered at the Bear Wallow Cafe for breakfast.  At breakfast we discussed several options for our return route and chose to head toward Show Low.  We headed back to the motel to finish packing and check out.  One of the Panteras was reluctant to go but a $4 fix proved to get it on its way.

Photo:  Chuck Huber

Leaving Alpine we continued up 191 to Eagar where we took AZ-260 west to Show Low.  The wind was strong due to a weather front passing through the area but the views were fantastic.  We took an opportunity to play in what was left from the recent winter snows.

After some fun in the snow we continued into Show Low and fueled up.  A couple of cars headed home to Phoenix by continuing on AZ-260 to Payson and down AZ-87.  The rest of the group headed south on US-60/AZ-77 to the Salt River Gorge.

Upon leaving the scenic views of the Salt River Gorge the group continued down into Globe where they headed south on AZ-77 towards Winkleman for a bite of lunch at Maria's Mexican Food restaurant.

After lunch the group continued south towards Oracle, Oro Valley, and Tucson.  In Oro Valley the group received a honk of a horn an thumbs up from a vintage Jaguar sedan heading in the opposite direction after which one of the group peeled off towards home and the rest headed home into Tucson.

The trip was a lot of fun and everyone made it home under their own power (yes!).  Let's do this again!

More Pictures

• Click > here < to view the rest of the F.I.A.T. photo album.
• For additional photos of the event from the Southern Arizona Pantera Club click > here.<

Cruise to Casa Grande Ruins 13 February 2016 - Photos

We had a great run up to Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Coolidge, Arizona.  Several F.I.A.T. members met up at the Tucson Cars & Coffee event where there was a fantastic representation of Italian cars!  See below for Italians at Cars & Coffee* photo album.

 

After Cars & Coffee, we traveled up AZ-77 into Oro Valley and then AZ-79 up to Coolidge to the Casa Grande Ruins.  (Special thanks to the nice couple in the blue minivan!)  Several members from the Phoenix group of the Arizona chapter of the Pantera Owners Club of America  (AZ-POCA) met up with the F.I.A.T. group at the ruins.  We inadvertently created a mini car show in the parking lot!  See below for Cruise to Casa Grande Ruins photo album.

At the visitor center we looked at the displays and took in a short video about the history of the ruins and then walked the main grounds.  There is a lot of interesting and intriguing history here.

After checking out the ruins we'll rolled into Florence, Arizona for a bite to eat at Big Quicks BBQ (excellent!). After lunch the Panteras returned to Phoenix and the F.I.A.T. group returned via a spirited drive down AZ-79/AZ-77 through Oro Valley and into Tucson.

It was a great event and the weather couldn't have been any better!

Photo Album:  Italians at Tucson Cars & Coffee* - 13 February 2016
Photo Album:  Cruise to Casa Grande Ruins - 13 February 2016

* Note:  Not all the Italian cars photographed are members of the Fun Italian Automobiles of Tucson group.  However, those that are not are welcome to join in the group's events.

Italians at 2016 Tubac AZ Car Show

The Santa Cruz Valley Car Nuts presented their 22nd Annual Collector Car Show in Tubac, Arizona on Saturday 30 January 2016.  There were three De Tomaso Panteras from the Arizona chapter of the Pantera Owners Club of America (AZ-POCA) and one Ferrari Testarossa.

A few more pictures are available > here. <

Southern Arizona Wine Country Cruise 21 November 2015 - Photos

The Fun Italian Automobiles of Tucson and Southern Arizona Pantera Club held their 2015 Southern Arizona Wine Country Cruise on Saturday 21 November 2015.  This year's theme was dubbed "El Tour de Wine Cruise" in honor of the El Tour de Tucson annual bicycle event.  The weather was clear and balmy - a perfect day for a top-down cruise and wine tasting tour!

We met up for breakfast at The Vail Steak House Cafe & Diner and then headed south on the first leg of our tour down AZ-83 to Sonoita where we met up with another member at Dos Cabezas Wineworks.  After sampling a few nice wines we began the second leg of the tour by heading east on AZ-82 to Lower Elgin Road and towards the hamlet of Elgin, Arizona. At Elgin we headed west on Elgin Road back to AZ-83 where we headed south to Lightning Ridge Cellars.  At this winery we sampled some truly Italian-style wines and had lunch at one of the outdoor tables they provide.  After lunch and taking a few more photos we jumped back onto AZ-83 on the third leg of the tour by continuing south to the intersection of AZ-83 and Elgin-Canelo Road.  On Elgin-Canelo Road we headed north back to Elgin and re-traced part of our earlier track onto Elgin Road to Kief-Joshua Vineyards.  This winery had a nice variety of wines to sample and also had some meats and cheeses and other "snacks" to purchase.  We had a nice surprise when an early 60's Chrysler-powered Cunningham - a Cobra-type car with 8 Weber carbs growled up to the winery. This car is one of 7 in existence!

Kief-Joshua Vineyards was to have been the last winery on our tour but we managed to squeeze in another winery after one of the members talked about an orange-chocolate port they sampled at another winery we visited on last year's wine country cruise.  So off we went to Wilhelm Family Vineyards. At Wilhelm we sampled a few more wines and ports (of course!) and pet their resident Weimaraner dogs and Pug.  With the sunlight turning everything golden as late afternoon approached we headed back towards Sonoita where a couple of members opted to stop for dinner at The Steak Out while the rest of us headed back towards Tucson on AZ-83.

There were no accidents, no break-downs, and no tickets.  Everyone seemed to have a great time while touring a few of the wonderful wineries southern Arizona has to offer along with great views and open roads.

There are a lot more pictures of the event available from the following links:

• Fun Italian Automobiles of Tucson event photos > select here.<
• Southern Arizona Pantera Club event photos > select here.<

Mammoth / Oracle Run - Photos

We met up at Tucson's Cars & Coffee on Saturday 12 September.  Cars & Coffee had a nice turn out.  There were a handful of Italian cars present (see photos > here.<).  The Fun Italian Automobiles of Tucson and Southern Arizona Pantera Club members departed at about 8:30 AM embarking on our road trip up the road to Mammoth, AZ.  We had a stop-over at the Tucson Hilton El Conquistador in Oro Valley until about 9:15 AM to see if there were any other members joining up after which we headed up AZ-77 to Mammoth.

In Mammoth we stopped for lunch at La Casita and watched as a lot of people stopped to take a look at the cars.  We headed back home around 1:00 PM in time to watch UoA's Wildcats take on Nevada (and win! Go Cats!).

All in all, it was a nice run to get the cars out.  With one exception we had a pretty good time and we're looking forward to our next event.

More photos of the Mammoth / Oracle Run event can be seen by selecting > here.<
Photos of the event from the Southern Arizona Pantera Club can be seen > here.<