The plan was to head west on I-10, exit the interstate at Exit #45 to visit New Hope, continue I-10 west and exit at Exit #31 onto US Hwy-60. This is the western end of US Hwy-60 (it use to go to LA). [The eastern end is in Virginia Beach, VA.] The plan was altered when I could not find any visible signs of New Hope. Instead of returning to I-10, we took Vicksburg Road north to Vicksburg Junction and went west on US Hwy-60 back to the I-10 off-ramp. Turned around and headed east on US Hwy-60. Here is first US Hwy-60 East road sign. [Note: It was a mistake not to photograph the western end of US Hwy-60 -- lots of winter visitors living in the desert.]
Visit Hope, AZ only to be told that we are now beyond hope.
In Wenden, go north on Alamo Road to Alamo Lake State Park. The round-trip to/from the park approximates 70 miles.
{view ... view ... view ... view ... view ... view ... view}
{dam ... info} {lizard ... dog and me}Continue east on US Hwy-60. We passed a train, but the train picture did not work. [Note: I took this picture while driving 65 miles per hour. The train was too far away and I needed to zoom, but US Hwy-60 is a travelled road and it is not a good idea to be distracted.]
Visit Wickenburg.
{Wickenburg Massacre ... plaque}
{downtown ... Saguaro Theater ... inside restaurant}
{Garcia School ... plaque} {sculpture} {sculpture ... plaque}
{Jail Tree ... plaque} {retired train ... train station ... gun trader mural}Continue US Hwy-60 toward Phoenix using AZ Hwy-74. The drive east on AZ Hwy-74 takes us past Peoria's Lake Pleasant Regional Park.
{lake ... desert ... desert ... Waddell Dam}Continue AZ Hwy-74 to and drive south back to the Valley of the Sun. [Note: prior to leaving Lake Pleasant, I got a flag/cactus picture. I-17, which we caught at about 5:00pm was full of traffic.]
391 miles; 9:15am to 6:00pm
Author: Gerald D. Thurman
[gdt@deru.com]
Created: 14 February 2004
