Tucson to Showlow, AZ

Yesterday's drive was from Tucson to Show Low, AZ.  We went via AZ60.  It was a day.  After arriving at the turn where we should have gone left into Florence, the GPS told us to go right.  So we did.  The next thing we knew we were out in the hinterlands with the GPS now trying to send us back where we should have gone in the first place.  We saw this.  Why is this truck blocking the road?  There was discussion of unhooking the pickup and trying to turn around and go back, but as we were waffling the truck finally cleared the road.  We kept driving through the featureless desert.

Then we saw the sign for the bridge with a weight limit of 6 tons.  We weigh about 36,000 pounds.  Apparently the bridge is stronger than they think it is because we crossed it.

Eventually we reached Florence.  Their main industry is prisons.  There are prisons everywhere.  It's a depressing place.

Then it was on to Globe.  See the "mountain" on the left?  Mine tailings.  They are all over this part of Arizona.

Globe is looking a little worse for wear.

After that it was on to the Salt River crossing.  We were moving from the bottom of the map to the top.  Those switchbacks are all 6% grades on a two lane road.  After you cross the river, it's about a 7% climb out of the canyon.  We knew this from reading the Mountain Directory West, but I have to tell you it was an impressive drive.

See the road down below where we currently are driving?

I took this as we were climbing back out of the canyon.

We were not expecting this.  It's an absolutely beautiful drive - at least for the passenger who can look out the window and gawk.

It's a strenuous drive.  There is much use of engine braking and there is much climbing.  I think the drive is actually worse going south bound due to really long steep grades.  The engine handled it well, there was no over heating.  I'm not sure we would do this route again in either direction, unless we really, really like Show Low.