Our adventure began just after our lunch stop in Gila Bend. As we were pulling out of Love's, I noticed a gorgeous old pickup at the gas pump, which turned out to be a 1941 International. A true "sympathy" restoration, the weathered patina on this old truck was incredible.
A monster of an engine lurks beneath this battered old facade. I got goosebumps when the owner started it up and pumped the throttle. Love the sound of V8 power!
You must be this tall to ride!
Once we were headed in the correct direction, we were treated to lots of typical Arizona desert and farmland, and I am happy to say, several "Solar" farms, but, there is a reason why Old US 80 has so much appeal. It's the Gillepsie Bridge and Dam that are a "must see". The concrete dam was built in 1921, and to enable traffic safer passage, the bridge was completed in 1927.
Due to heavy rains in 1993, the dam suffered a breach and has been standing "as is" ever since.
Our next discovery was of an old bridge section of US 80 that is no longer functioning. At some point, this bridge crossed a large wash, but has been out of commission for quite some time.
Sticking our toes over the edge.
It's hard to tell from this angle, but it's about 20 feet from the edge to the ground.
Driving along, we spotted an old abandoned farm house, which allowed for some haunting photos.
Our next gem of a discovery was an old Dodge work truck that has been wasting away for decades. I'm not sure of the year, but I estimate this truck to be an older 40s model.
Grapes of Wrath
As we approached Buckeye, we passed through the small community of Arlington, or should I say, we almost didn't pass through Arlington. A few days earlier, this area had experienced some heavy monsoon rains, which unbeknownst to me, caused Old US 80 to be closed due to flooding. While pondering whether we should ignore the road closure signs, we decided to take some photos of the Arlington Cattle Company, where we encountered some very old grain equipment rusting away.
We decided to try an alternate road, but quickly found out it was also closed! So, we found ourselves back at the original road closure. In no way did we want to turn around and head back to Gila Bend, as we were only a few miles from Buckeye. So, being the adventurer that I am, and with my daughter's gentle prodding, I drove past the road closure signs to see how bad the flooding was (if any). My thought was the road had been completely washed out, but when we got to the wash, all we found was some left-over debris, and no water. Win!! Buckeye, here we come!
Our final "find" of the day was the heart-shaped marking on the face of a beautiful Holstein dairy cow. Cheryl spotted it as we were passing the dairy. Good eye, Cheryl!
"Bessie" (aren't all cows named Bessie?)
She was enjoying the salt lick when we interrupted her for a photo.
So, if you ever find yourself in the Phoenix area and have a few hours to spend, check out Old US 80. Who knows what treasures you might find.
