The DRP will be taking our show on the road for another Fun Run, this time out through Salt River Canyon. This is a run that hasn't been officially run by the DRP Since October 2005 (Thanks DMC Oracle Scott).
This is a really great run that will take up most of the day, but what better way is there to spend a day but in your Mini with the DRP?
The proposed route will take us north from SRC to Show Low, West to Payson, and South back into the valley. Its approximately 325 miles round trip, about 6 hours drive time.
We will meet at 7:45AM at the Starbucks at 1641 South Stapley in Mesa. It is just off the 60 on the SE corner by the movie theater.
Departure time for 8AM sharp, so please be gassed up and ready to go by then.
Map to Starbucks Meeting Point
Please bring your two-way radios, as this helps us better communicate while on the road.
Meet-up: Starbucks in Mesa at 7:45AM (Map to Starbucks Meeting Point)
On the road: 8AM SHARP
What to bring: Sense of adventure, drinks/water, snacks, smiles, road trip jokes, radios, etc.
Planned stops: SRC Bridge, Lunch-Licano's Show Low, Dessert-Todd-Carols Payson
Distance: Roughly 325 Miles Roundtrip
Finish When/Where?: Fountain Hills/Scottsdale at approximately 4PM
RSVP: Please reply here or email to say if your coming on the run and also please a headcount so i can update the restaurant for lunch. dan@coopahs.com
Todd & Carol have graciously offered to host a dessert stop at their cabin in Payson. It's about an 80 mile drive from Show Low, where we are having lunch, to Payson, so a nice run in between to digest a bit and then grab some dessert.
Below is a review of this drive and area. As Scott said in his email from 05, you might not want to read this if you can't go, you'll be disappointed!
Driving Salt River Canyon
By Bob Golfen
The Arizona Republic
Just a few dozen miles past Globe lies a giant cleft in the landscape, a 2,000-foot-deep river canyon that's loaded with history and some of the most dramatic views ever seen from a car window.
The Salt River Canyon is sometimes called the mini-Grand Canyon, with its stark, sweeping vistas carved by millions of years of erosion. Those who vacation in the White Mountains know it as the magnificent midway point between Phoenix and such destinations as Greer, Big Lake and the ski slopes of Apache Sunrise.
U.S. 60 snakes down one wall of the canyon, crosses the Salt River via a scenic bridge, then climbs up the other side on its way to Show Low.
Nevertheless, the Salt River Canyon remains a wild place. It's so vast that it can shrug off the crossing of people and automobiles, then curl off to the east and west through hundreds of square miles of mysterious valleys, rocky spires and vertical cliffs.
North of Globe, U.S. 60 crosses high desert country for about 40 miles before it descends into the canyon. The heavily traveled road is broad and well-paved, but drivers need to be aware that steep inclines and hairpin turns require concentration. The views can easily distract.
It's a nine-mile drive from rim to rim along a series of switchbacks that bring you down to the valley floor, then up the opposite side. At the bottom of the canyon, the Salt River roils through its rocky bed, unfettered by dams and channels, which harness the river downstream. At its lowest point, the road crosses the river over a curving bridge, which is paired with an older highway bridge that is now used only for foot traffic.
A parking and rest area just before the bridge provides interpretive displays, and paved trails allow quick access to the riverside. Beyond the bridge, campers, hikers and other adventurers can turn off the main road onto dirt tracks that run for several miles along the river.
Many pullouts at varying elevations on both sides of the canyon enable motorists to park and enjoy the view. At some turnoffs, such as one at Hieroglyphic Point, travelers can explore by foot. At this site, prehistoric tribes carved petroglyphs into the black boulders that line the slope below the road.
The Salt River Canyon contains a wealth of history and was used by Apache warriors during the 1800s as a refuge from pursuing U.S. calvary troops. Nowadays, the river provides a border between the San Carlos Apache Reservation to the south and the White Mountain Apaches to the north.
As an outdoor destination, the canyon offers camping, hiking, fishing and white-water rafting.
Because the canyon is fairly close and easily accessible, it can provide a day trip for Valley residents.
From the Phoenix area, take the Superstition Freeway east, then U.S. 60 to Miami and Globe, historic mining towns, where you may want stop for lunch or even stay over at a bed-and-breakfast. Continue north until the road begins to drop down a steep grade. After the first hairpin turn, the Salt River Canyon will begin to unfold.
If you go
Scenery: 2,000-foot-deep river canyon, vast overlooks, prehistoric petroglyphs.
Road appeal: Lots of steep grades, hairpin curves, scenic bridge.
Traffic: Can be dense on weekends, but road often breaks into passing lanes on upgrades. Slow-moving trucks can be frustrating.
Facilities: Small visitors' center at bottom of canyon has restrooms, drinking water. General store nearby with gas and provisions.
Travel time: Three hours from downtown Phoenix, about 40 minutes north of Globe.
Stuff to do: Hiking, camping, fishing, exploring, white-water rafting.
Information: Greater Globe-Miami Chamber of Commerce, 1-800-804-5623.
So count me in.
