The Apache Trail - Part II

One last remnant of my computer failure of a few weeks ago 

was remedied today.

At the time that I purchased the new MacBook Pro, I didn't realize that they

now no longer come with DVD drives.

All a part of going to the "cloud" I suppose.

Needing a DVD drive for numerous reasons... first and foremost is

the need to create a boot disc so if my new computer goes belly up I

can restore from my backups - today we made the drive down to the

big city to the Apple Store in Gilbert, Az to get a new usb superdrive.

This worked perfectly into my plan (and desire) to drive the full length of

the Apace Trail as we drove down to Gilbert on US 60, then made the return

trip by heading over to Apache Junction, and jumping onto the trail.

We had also intended on heading over to Mary Coyle's Old Fashioned

Ice Cream Parlor in Phoenix for a taste of some real old fashioned Ice Cream

made with 16% butterfat milk....  at taste of 1951 if you will...

but we just did not have the time.

Don't worry Linds...  its now on the bucket list for sure.

Next time.

A map of the Trip.

We start from Point A and take the lower blue route to point B

Then the return trip is point B to C and back to A

So after our trip to the San Tan Mall  (very very cool place) and

the Apple Store,  we walked over to Grimaldi's Pizza

(they made the Brooklyn Bridge famous)

and picked up a pie to bring home for dinner.

Knowing that the Pie would also have to travel back in the bed

of the truck (can't put it in back with the Doodles)

I wrapped the box up in a plastic garbage bag in anticipation

of the dusty trail that awaited us.

We Hit The Trail

Heading east from Apache Junction, the trail starts out innocently enough.

Lots of cars heading to Tortilla Flats and the road is paved.

You start to climb out of the Phoenix Metro into the Superstition

Mountains as the road winds ever deeper into the wilds.

First you come to Canyon Lake

All along the trail you cross over numerous one-lane bridges.

About 20 miles or so into the trip you come over a hill and into the

town of Tortilla Flat - population 6.

Tortilla Flat bills itself as the "authentic west".  I call it a

tacky remnant scab.  What was once authentic is now just a shameless stop

along the trail hoping to fleece passer-bys.

The town served as a stagecoach stop in by gone days and got its name when

a bunch of cowboys who had driven a herd of cattle from the Tonto Basin 

(where we are camped) to Phoenix had a little too much celebrations...

When headed back to Tonto they camped in the flats and realized that they

had not provisioned while in Phoenix and only had flour to make Tortillas.

A few miles after Tortilla Flat the pavement ends.

And the real beauty begins!

For the next 27 miles we go up and down...

Over and around...

At Fish Creek Hill we drop down about 1.500'

(see the road below going off into the distance?)

We go down along the face of the mountain...

The sheer drop off to the right is hundreds of feet straight down.

At spots the road is not wide enough for two cars to pass

The scale of the mountains and the silent beauty of the area

is impossible to describe.

Eventually we crossed the Superstition Mountains and entered the Salt

River Valley enroute to the Tonto Basin.

I kicked it up and notch and said to all those behind me...

Eat my dust!

Back at the shack now... we polished off our Pizza while I blogged.

Bon Appitit Pardner!