Doin' Eighty
Day -2
The Case for Driving
Day 1
A Small Beginning
Day 2
Over the Mountain
Day 3
About Face
Day 4
Return to Phoenix
October 13, 2003
Headed back to Phoenix and caught a few sights that I had missed on the
drive west.
Before this trip, I knew next to nothing about US 80. Eric J. Finley's book and very nice web sites at GBCNet and BygoneByways really helped.
October 12, 2003
Got within sight of the coast and had a great visit with friends.
October 11, 2003
A full day on the road that included an (ultimately) friendly encounter
with one of the roadside "collectors", a prison visit, and a
view atop a watch tower.
October 10, 2003
The end of the work day came around 4:30 and I managed to log a few miles
on the old highway before darkness hit.
October 8, 2003
My day at the airport. A story of how getting there is sometimes almost no
fun at all.
Prelude
From a scheduling aspect, this outing has a lot in common with September's
Arizona Triangle Fish. Flying to Phoenix on business then hanging around
on my own nickel after the company paid segment was over. Once again I
went to the web and once again Ken the Landrunner came through. Without cataloging
specific locations or sights, he asked if I had ever been on US-80. Not
only had I never driven it, I had never even thought of driving it. I
wasn't even sure that I had ever heard of it and definitely had no idea of
what the attraction might be. I soon had a few clues from the web.
In the days preceding the system of interstate highways, US-80 was a primary route into San Diego. When its own interstate replacement appeared in the form of I-8, US-80 businesses suffered the loss of travelers that is all too familiar and the road itself benefited by being spared the heavy beating that comes with trucks & tourists.