A DAY OF UPS AND DOWNS

We left Apache Junction at 10:00 yesterday morning to start our slow trek back to Montana.

Wanted to see some country we haven’t driven through before so we headed up past Jim’s favorite fishing hole, Saguaro Lake, and then hooked up with Rte 87 up to Payson.

 

This is a gorgeous drive. You leave the desert behind and climb up into the pine forest. I felt like the Saguaro cacti were all waving good-bye to us.

 

 

But along with the climb up there are also lots of downs. When I read about this road in our Mountain West Directory, I was kind of hesitant to take it.

 

 

I am so glad we didn’t listen to my fears because this was a wonderful drive. The climbs are steep – we were doing about 38 by the time we hit the top of some of them and there are curves going down that needed to be taken at a slower speed. However, over all, it was a good choice.

After leaving Payson, we took Rte 260 to Rte 377 up to Holbrook. The first part of this drive was more of the ups and downs but we seemed to finally reach the top of the Mogollon Rim and the road flattened out quite a bit.

 

We had planned on exploring the Rim area but with my tooth problems and the snow and wind further north in AZ, we were late leaving AJ and will have to come back and explore this area another time. It will be well worth the trip back.