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Saturday, October 13, 2001 - From Coppertone to Copper Country
51 miles. Apache Junction, AZ to Willow Motel, Globe, AZ
We left at dawn today with Phoenix in our wake.
The first 20 miles were relatively easy except for troublesome rumble strips.
Plus we were surprised at the amount of traffic on U.S. 60. Since it is
the only road in the area it should not have been so surprising.
It was the usual semi-desert with lots of our now
favorite, the Saguaro and the other usual suspects: mesquite, yucca, ocotillo,
etc. We rode past a parking area and I went over to check out a
notice board. I saw some perplexed four wheeler personal RVers and saw that the
area was restricted this weekend because of live artillery practice. As we
rode away we heard artillery firing in the distance.
We climbed over the Gonzales pass, noting the number of
crosses denoting traffic fatalities and continued on to Superior, AZ (pop.3,468)
Here we had a restaurant lunch but not before riding thru old Superior looking
to eat where the locals did. It was all boarded up and all the restaurants
were on U.S. 60. It cost a mile and a steep climb. Leaving Superior
the road enters the rugged canyon of Queen Creek climbing steeply for miles and
passing thru a tunnel of about a quarter mile. We went as fast as we could
in the tunnel but it was still uphill and traffic caught us at the end, its
noise greatly amplified by the tunnel. We exited it for a panting rest.
It was all very scenic with the canyon walls shooting up hundreds of feet with
Saguaro dotting the walls.
The climb continued more gradually for several more
miles, the total climb being about ten miles. We topped out at 4,600 feet
before starting the descent into Copper Country. We dropped steeply down to
Pinto Creek with big trucks passing, climbed a bit and coasted into Miami, AZ
(pop.2,018) for a Gulp after a descent of about eight miles.
From Pinto Creek on we observed several large open pit
copper mines which along with their smelters and copper tube manufacture,
account for the region's economy. When one of the big mines closed recently
those laid off simply left since there are no other jobs here. We
continued on past huge slag piles, stocking up with lots of groceries. They give
us a comforting feeling.
After Miami came Claypool (pop.1,942), then Globe (pop.
6,062). All three stretch along U.S. 60,there being little level ground
here. Total climbing today came to about 3,000 feet.
P.S. We are applying for credit for four miles ridden back in Quartzsite
because of a detour.
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