New Year's Day Ride to Tortilla Flats

On New Year's Eve I didn't watch the ball drop, in fact, I was in bed by 10:PM!  Why would I forego the customary New Year's Eve partying?  To take part in what I've found to be one of the greatest Arizona traditions:  The New Year's Day Ride to Tortilla Flats.  As legend has it, this ride was originally organized by vintage bike owners as an excuse to get their antiques out of the garage and into the sunlight.  To say the least, it has blown up from there!  Hundreds of bikes of all years, makes and styles come out to this tiny town (population 6) nestled up in the middle of the Superstition Mountains along the Apache Trail (now AZ State Route 88) for breakfast, brunch and lunch.

Since moving to Arizona in 2005, I haven't made it to this ride every year, I always plan on it but New Year's Eve usually gets in the way.  Coming from the north eastern US, it has always intrigued me to be able to ride on New Year's Day which was practically impossible in New Jersey because of the harsh winters.  This year's ride reminded me of riding in the dead of winter in NJ!  This morning's temperature was 29F!  Luckily, I still have some winter gear from when I lived back east, "just in case."  The temperature definitely had an impact on the turnout.  I met up with the local Triumph Owners Club (www.azratpack.com) in downtown Tempe and thawed out for half an hour at the Starbuck's with a nice big cup of Vanilla Chai.  We then made the trek east via AZ SR202 into Apache Junction and then up the Apache Trail into Tortilla Flats.  We were the second group to arrive with only a Gold Wing club beating us there.  We sat down to a nice warm breakfast with great conversation as usual (btw, the Egg Taquitos are highly recommended).  By the time we were all done with breakfast, the parking lot outside was starting to fill up.  Still, the turnout was a little light compared to other years I've gone.  Maybe it had something to do with the iced up puddles on the sides of the road.  Nevertheless, it was a good day and the tradition was fulfilled.  Hopefully the 2012 edition will be warmer and/or with a bike with a fairing and heated grips!  Enjoy the photo album here!