Yesterday the Model T Ford Club of San Diego was honored to drive in the annual Toyland Parade in the North Park area of San Diego, Ca. The weather was wonderful, clear and about 78 degrees F. We were very fortunate! Last weekend it rained, and today we are supposed to have light showers. But it did not rain on the parade!
Norm

Had to change resolution of pictures of Toyland Parade.
Norm

Hey Norm-
You beat me to it! For all of you wondering, Norm is in the 2nd picture, and the incoming President of the Model T Ford Club of San Diego. A safe and happy holidays to all of you.
Bob

Norm & Bob - Glad you had such nice weather for the parade. It was minus 1 degree here in Wisconsin this morning and we have several inches of snow (you know - that white stuff) on the ground. Needless to say, we put anti-freeze in the radiators
and the T's are all tucked away for the winter.

Have fun you guys...Keith Gumbinger

I am not as tall as I look in the picture. I was standing on the running board.
We do get a little of the white stuff in the local mountains, but you can go play in the snow and come home to warm weather. Here in Alpine where I live we get a bit of snow about every 5 years. Just a dusting, however, last winter we got enough to last about a day in the shady places. Some years, though, we get no frost and the tomatos grow all year long and produce fruit a second season.
Norm

Hey Keith-
Sure we know what that white stuff is. . . .the City of San Diego just paid a company to make 55 tons of it (probably sounds kind of dumb to you in Wisconsin, but you know us Californians *G*) for the local park, so the kids could have a Christmas/sledding/snowball party! Since it was about 70 degrees here, it only lasted about a day. Most of the snowmen were half snow and half grass and twigs, but the kids had fun!
This is our best time of year to drive the T's, not quite so hot! Hope you and your family have a safe and happy holiday.

Bob..Man that's a big poinsettia behind you!!!

Robert-
I thought that was just one of the smaller ones that Michael Pawelek grew down there in Texas! Happy holiday season!

Bob - Nice picture and for both you and Norm - nice red ties and suspenders. We like our Wisconsin weather, sort of. But the good news is, we're coming down to your area for awhile. We plan on making the San Diego swap meet at the end of February. Will your club have a space there? This will be our first time at that swap meet for us - hope to find lots of great T parts!

Fordially, Keith Gumbinger

Is that Alex's yellow Runabout in the lineup?

I wish we had that many T's in our area....lookin good.
Bob

Keith-
I don't think our club has a space, but lots of T venders and individuals from our club do and there are lots of parts and some cars available. Hope to see you there.

Mike- yes, that's Alex's '26 runabout (used to be mine, had to sell it when we moved to San Diego). Luckily he bought it and I still get to see it. He takes much better care of it, and gets more use out of it, than I did. He also lets me help change the tires *grn*

Bob- I think we only had 8 T's in the parade. We have something like 130 in the club, but San Diego County is so large it can take up to 2 hours to drive across it. This parade is almost downtown San Diego, just north of Balboa Park. A long ways for East County or North County people to drive/trailer their cars for a "small town" type parade. Also a lot of other parades and car shows going on at the same time. We really enjoyed it. A lot of very nice and appreciative people along the parade route.

Bob -- It's never pleasant when you have to sell one (I know how that feels). But it does ease the pain when you can keep it "in the family".

Mike,
It's not really yellow, I think it's a matter of lighting & the amount of color blindness of the observer, I've gotten everything from yellow to tan. To me it's a very rich, eggy French Vannilla, the original Phoenix brown (Norm's car) is still under the door panels & door latches.

Alex

Who are you calling color-blind?

There is usually a space for the San Diego Club at the swap meet. I'm not sure what the space number is, but several of the members are in regular attendance there and bring motor homes and stay overnight. It is in about the 3rd row which runs parallel with the stadium and west of the rows that run perpendicular to the stadium. I can find it but it is hard to describe to someone else where it is.
Norm

Norm - Thanks for the information. I'll be watching for the club space. I'm really looking forward to the nice weather too.....

Fordially, Keith Gumbinger

Will you be giving any lectures while you're in town, Keith?

Hope to meet you there.

rdr

Norm,thanks for clearing that up about you standing on the running board.I was sitting here wondering how the heck you drove the car with your knees up to your chin!
Nice cars folkes and it must be nice to have 78 degree weather this time of the year.We are getting up to a whoping 58 today.Maby.Been cold as the dickens latly.

Hi Ralph - Sorry, no lectures, but I might be inclined to talk about Model T's, one of my most favored topics. As a 44 year Model T owner, I've learned a few things about them, but I'm certainly far from the level of those like Trent, Bruce, Ron P., John R., etc. I'm an amateur, & those guys are professionals.

How will I recognize you? Will you have your goggles on and sitting in the yellow speedster like in the big race? Or will you be a vendor selling Rajos and Winfields and the like? Or will you just be jawboning about T's like we all do? (Note - my Wife says talk is cheap, as if she would know!)

You'll recognize me easily. As they say in the movies, tall, dark and handsome. Well, that's not me. My hair went south long ago, and my gut far exceeds what it was when I was a teenager. And of course I wear glasses like lots of us old geezers. But you'll know me because I'll have some kind of Model T hat on - obviously very distinctive. Anyway, hope to see you there.

Fordially, Keith Gumbinger

Hey Keith-
I'm looking forward to meeting you too! Can you post a picture of you in your car on your profile so we'll know who to look for? Too many of us T'ers (including me) have those balding heads, guts, wear glasses, and have Model T hats to cover those heads from the so. californian sun *G*
It's funny, but every morning when I get up and look in the mirror, I see my dad looking back at me instead of that handsome stud I thought I was!
Bob

What are the dates for the swap meet? I have a sister now working in San Diego. Is this the same weekend as the meeting in Las Vegas? J

Hi Bob & Jerry - Yes, I think the swap meet and the MTFCA Annual Meeting in Las Vegas are unfortunately on the same weekend - Feb. 27th & 28th and March 1st. I'm a swap meet junkie, so for me that will be #1. Besides, I've never been to the San Diego Swap Meet.

Bob - I don't have a picture of me and any of our T's to post. Actually, trying to get a picture of me might break the camera!!! You can see my T's by just googleing Dairyland Tin Lizzies & then Member Cars page 1. Our T's are at the top & are identified. You can see several pictures of me on past issues of The Buzz, our club newsletter. I'm the guy with the "chrome dome" on top. Bob, I know what you mean, I see my Dad in the mirror every morning also (grin).

Fordially, Keith Gumbinger

I'll look for you too!
Norm

Norm - I'll be watching for your red suspenders.....
and look forward to meeting you.

I resemble Dick Cheney, but I'll be wearing a Model T hat.

I've got a feeling that swap meet is going to be lots of fun!

Fordially, Keith Gumbinger