Monday, March 29.

I am back . . . there were a couple interruptions and I had to publish my post, thinking that I could come back later and edit it. However, that was not the case. Approaching Safford I snapped the mountain capped with snow. That was getting too close for comfort. Safford is a farming community. We didn't stop in Safford because it is "hurrying to Moab" we be!

It was a beautiful drive from Safford to Clifton. Around every corner were fields of Arizona poppies running wild across the fields. Our plans were to continue up Hwy 191 into Utah, but can plans change fast.

Doug & Phyllis were a fair ways ahead of us when we turned at 3 Corners, the place there Hwys 191, 78 & 75 meet. There was a sign advising poor, icy roads 80 miles ahead. Also a sign advising nothing longer than 40' allowed past Clifton. Doug had to go to Clifton because their alternator had quit and he needed parts, so we followed. We are 61' with Truck, 5th Wheel and quad trailer. Guess we should have paid attention to the town's name. Clifton is a copper mining community. See the photo of the side of the hill. It was a bit steep getting into town and then the streets were winding and narrow. We talked with a local fellow and he said he got sick to his stomach when he took his car over 191 north of Clifton and wouldn't recommend trying it with the RV.

So . . . we drove up out of Clifton the same way we came in, heading back to Safford and then NW on Hwy 70 thru Thatcher where we saw the new Temple soon to be dedicated, to Peridot and onto Globe. At Globe we caught Hwy 77 NE. All this time we were travelling on one Indian Reservation or another.

Just when we thought we were sailing smoothly we came upon the Salt River Canyon. There are a couple of pictures on the earlier blog. It was a spectacular drive, but Gordon didn't get to see much of it as it needed all his attention to keep us on the road, as it was climb and decent and twist and turn and then climb and decent and twist and turn. We were all stressed by the time we reached Show Low. Ate supper at Arby's and spent night in the K-Mart parking lot. Not a good day, even though we saw some beautiful sights.