The Space Age

We lost a day in Tucson getting new tires. The dealers along the route have put us on the lift immediately when we’ve arrived unannounced. I gather this is standard procedure everywhere when long distance riders come through. Being treated this way is a privilege we appreciate.

Today we have to get some miles under our belt and it’s going to be a long lonely ride north of the Mexican border, with the only break being Organ Pipe National Monument, taking #86, then #85 to Gila Bend.

As we’ve mentioned before, our life surrounds gas stops. And today we’re in for a treat. The village of Why’s gas station is an epicurean paradise. All kinds of food nicely displayed, it felt like Whole Foods
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Then down through Organ Pipe. It’s hard to describe how removed this is. The Tohono O’odham Nation we’ve crossed through is vast and has an uncompromising, dangerous feel to it
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Down to the border town/crossing at Lukeville, maybe couple of dozen buildings all up. This may be the furthest corner from anything in the US. If not, it sure feels that way
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Then we head north towards Gila and pass through the town of Ajo. The prettiest church on our route since Marja, TX
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Then across 100 miles of badlands
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Eventually into the town of Gila Flats, where our road crosses the major truck route I8. It’s the last stop west the whole way to Yuma. Hold onto your seats, here is the Space Age capital of southern US, partnered up with Best Western at a truck stop
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We had to stay. Here’s the lobby
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The rooms had planetary details outside on the posts
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The pool house was a lunar base station
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Comments

8 Comments so far. Leave a comment below.
  1. Tom,

    LOL – Space Age lodge reminds me of when i went to Disneyland and stayed in something similar… in 1968.
    Blast from the past!

  2. Vladimir Zinovieff,

    SPACE AGE LODGE BEATS THEM ALL

    Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2012 20:00:54 +0000 To: vzinovieff@hotmail.com

  3. Are you going down the Baja?

  4. Alex Elgard,

    What are you doing for Christmas? Flying your daughters down to where you are.

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