The following are photos and a photo map from the trip down to Red’s MIAZ run.
Enjoy.
Gallery
A screen capture from my iPhone showing the weather in the direction of my desired first night’s destination of St. Louis, Missouri. This does not look very promising.
If you get breakfast at the Super8 (Lakeside Exit) in Amarillo, Texas, this is the shape of the waffles they provide. Pretty cool, actually.
The last time I was here, this entire vacant lot was filled with tents. This time, it’s just my tent and the Vector enjoying the shade of a huge cyprus tree.
I don’t know Gus Gustafson but he has an interesting memorial. This stone is on a rock just off US60 in the deep canyon a short distance east of Superior, Arizona. The canyon bottom is littered with the rusted remnants of other poor souls that have gone off the road.
Look closely in the middle of the photo and you’ll see some rusted metal that was once somebody’s shiny car or truck, before they went over the edge of the canyon wall. I don’t know if this is a part of Gus’s truck (memorial in other photo), but it is in the canyon near his marker.
Some canyon spires along US60 just east of Superior, Arizona.
Some cool rock formations along US60 just east of Superior, Arizona.
The east portal of the Queen Creek Tunnel on US60 just east of Superior, Arizona. This tunnel was a part of the rework of US60 in the 1952. Old portions of the original US60 from the 1920s are still visible and we’re about to investigate part of that old route. From left to right, that’s Randy, Jeff, Red, and Redbeard.
Walking down the old US60 roadbed. That’s Jeff, Redbeard, and Red totally ignoring the private property sign. Randy and I are about to follow suit.
A cactus at the edge of the canyon wall. An old retaining wall for the abandoned US60 roadbed is visible to the right.
The southern cliff walls along US60 in the canyon just east of Superior, Arizona.
A yucca plant on it’s way to death. At the end of a yucca plant’s life, it throws up this tall stalk that blooms up on top. Then the plant dies. These two haven’t bloomed yet, but are well on their way.
This is the original tunnel that was used for US60 back in the 1920s. It’s nowhere near the length or width of the modern (that is, 1952) tunnel in use today.
The inside of the old US60 tunnel. You can just about picture a couple of Model T Fords navigating this bore. That’s about all that would fit.
One climber minds the rope as the other climber ascends the cliff face. The poor guy at the bottom hadn’t seen his partner in a while. He just played out the rope as it moved up the cliff.
Look close and you can see both climbers in this view. One is still at the bottom; one is near the top.
The modern Queen Creek bridge on US60 east of Superior, Arizona. The old bridge is out of view further downstream but is still standing.
A saguaro cactus overlooks the cliff wall.
A wider view of the canyon along US60 east of Superior, Arizona. You can see the US60 cut through the middle of the photo from the left.
A nearly blooming yucca stands before an impressive set of spires at the top of the canyon wall along US60 east of Superior, Arizona.
The sun prepares to set and its low angle casts an orange glow on my campsite. The reason the windshield stands out so brightly is because it is still covered by dust kicked up by oppressively heavy winds from the long ride the day before.
Beate, Red, and Tall Paul prepare some deviled eggs to accompany our evening meal. Actually, Red and Paul are prepping. Beate is providing moral support (I suppose she’s supervising).
The group starts to migrate to the back yard now that it is out of the sun. That’s Rusty, Steve, Jim, and Mitch.
I’m going to get wet. My route takes me through these mountains and there’s no way I’m going to avoid the precipitation in those clouds. Little do I know that the temperature under those clouds will drop from 50°F to 30°F, turning the rain to snow and forming ice on the leading surfaces of my Bike, boots, and helmet. Someday I’ll attend a MIAZ run and manage to avoid snow.