Page 7 - roadways

WE WELCOME YOU TO GWRRA AZ - R! FANTASTIC 2018 Looking forward to 2019
I can’t believe another a year has passed! Seems the years pass faster and faster. This has been a great year for Angie and myself with Chapter R as Membership Enhancement Coordinators. We have learned so much and are still learning. Chapter R has gained some great members
this year and look forward to seeing their contributions to Chapter R. One of our new members, Don Lanouette was only with us a short time before a motorist cut him off. Don sustained a few broken ribs but his spirit and connection with Chapter R didn’t diminish as he rode to the AZ District Rally to support us with the costume competition. Now that is Chapter R Spirit! Don get well soon brother, we miss you.
This month I thought I would continue with the Highway series and cover US 60. US 60 is currently 2,670 miles from it’s current western terminus to it’s eastern terminus in Virginia US 60 has been in existence since 1926. As a transcontinental highway, US 60’s original western starting point is approximately where Interstates 5 and 10 meet in California and traveled west crossing into Ari-
zona near Blythe. It traveled across Arizona and eventually meeting up with Route 66 in Missouri. At one point in 1926 they were going to call Route 66, US highway 60 but then Kentucky Governor William J Fields objected to the proposed route because there were no major East West highways going through his state. So Route 66 remained as is and US 60 was given the go ahead. All of US 60 in California was decommis- sioned in 1972. The point from where it entered Arizona to it’s current starting point near Brenda, Arizona was paved over and became Inter- state 10 in 1982. From Brenda, it travels on a North-East path to Wicken- burg. There we find one of touring Arizona stops at ‘Desert Caballeros
Western Museum’ (B17). After passing through Wickenburg US 60 continues on a South-East path to Surprise where it received the name ‘Grand Ave’. It continues on to Phoenix and joins up with I-10/I- 17. It follows the I-10 alignment until it exits at the Superstition Freeway and continues East through Mesa, Gilbert and Apache Junction. From Apache Junction it continues as US 60 to Globe where we find another Touring Arizona stop ‘Besh-Ba-Gowah ruins’ (B7). This is a 200 room pre-historic Salado masonry pueblo a top a ridge overlooking Pinal Creek. Heading north-East we find another Touring Arizona stop, the ‘Salt River Canyon’ (B6). This is an amazing motorcycle ride through the twisties and spectacular views of the river and the canyons.
From here we continue our travels on US 60 to Show Low and Springerville and from there to the New Mexico bor- der. While up in the Show Low, Springerville area why not visit another Touring Arizona stop the Pinedale Covered Bridge it is west of Show Low on AZ 260. It is the only paved covered bridge in AZ that is open to vehicle traffic. Great spot to take Christmas photos and reminds one of the old bygone days of travel across the country before the interstates ar- rived.
If you decide to continue on US 60 eventually you will pass through New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia and finally end up at Virginia Beach, Virginia.
While we are in the Eastern part of the state next month how about a trip up the Devil’s high- way US 666 now US 191.
Until next time remember the next ride is always the best. Keep the rubber side down and have fun.
“R” ARIZONA ROADWAYS 7 DECEMBER 2018