Monday worst ever!

I have to write this now that I am able to use my computer once again.  Last Monday, I foolishly decided to go to Payson because it is said that it is cooler up there.  What an idiot!  Route 87 is the most wicked road in the world despite its being a double lane highway divided into two lanes going north and south...a four lane actually.  But nobody tells you about its serpentine switchbacks, its long ascents and descents!  I may have been told once by my brother that it was typically mountainous but I had forgotten obviously, and just thought it would be a jaunt to go from Mesa to Payson!

We learn who our friends are this way also.

Anyway, stupidly, I went on my own, alone, with a full tank of gas, and used Bush Highway to connect to the 87.   I had suspected that Bush Highway might be pretty curving but it was mild in comparison.  Before I knew it I was climbing mountains with no chance of turning back since this is a two lane road built like a freeway with few exits.

I hate and despise mountain driving more than anyone can know. I have gone over many mountain roads in Colorado and I sincerely prefer straight flat valley roads.  So here I am, twisting and turning, going up and down, until I could barely stand one more darn Mountain!  Granted, yes, they are beautiful to see, but they become tiresome fast, and finally after seeing one truck sign descent too many, I stopped and pulled over and called 911.  I was ready for anyone to help me to get down off this damn mountain top.

 I talked to a couple of ladies and one asked if I wanted to be towed down, and I said no, but a highway patrolman could drive my car if I could get one.  She did not think that we could do that. I sat there, and said to myself, well, I could follow him.  Believe me, there are no highway patrolman on this road.  I was only 20 miles south of Payson at the time, and finally, I regained my nerve, and said, I will make it, as I had been saying to myself over 76 miles of this treacherous winding road all along.  I was driving along at 50 miles per hour when I got a telephone call from ADOT in Phoenix who asked where I was and what was I doing. I had already declared myself a traffic hazard as I was driving often at 35 miles per hour while cars were passing me at 65 miles per hour.

I said I see road signs, and that I am coming into Rye.  She said, "You are almost there."  My sweaty palms and I realized that I was getting near to Payson by this time so I kept up the pace to finally spot the casino at the right of me.  I drove into Payson and went to a Wendy's, and a Coffee Shop where I talked to a couple who answered my questions about other roads going out of Payson.  I did not want to have to climb another damn mountain again.

I calmed down, drove around Payson, found the sheriff's office, and talked to a blonde haired woman there who prob ably  had been the dispatcher on the 911 call.  She calmed me down, told me that 87 was the best route to the Valley.  Since I had already driven it, I knew it would be the only way that I could get back to Mesa so I told her that I had simply kept my eye on the center line all the time, that I have a bit of vertigo, and that I did not dare to look at the railings or the rim of the road.   She told me to keep my eye on the black...she reassured me that I could and would be right to take that road back as it is the shortest and quickest.  Also probably one of the most dangerous, believe it or not.

It is called BeeLine Highway by the way.

Anyway,  I went back to the Casino where I talked to men again who helped me to decide which way to take as I considered another possibility going around Roosevelt Lake, but they convinced me that would not  be smart.  They told me not to let anyone push me and to just get off the side of the road when I needed to take a break.

You have no idea what these roads are like climbing up and down mountains...pure terror for me...so I finally got up my nerve and hit the road to find that a construction site was set up with a sign that read RESPONSE TO EMERGENCY CALL. I waved at that, and saw orange cones lined up down the road, and black oil being painted onto the shoulder.  This lasted for some time, and I would see cars coming behind me so I would turn off onto the side of the road that was blocked off to let them pass, and I would follow them then.  I managed to do this for several miles, knowing and realizing that this is what ADOT had done for me, and so I finally got through the worst of the drive to finally, after a long tense drive, finally got to Fort McDowell, and Fountain Hills where I actually sped up to 45 miles per hour once again. I traveled the mountains as if they were a school zone doing 35 mph much of the time.

I know everyone who passed me hated me, but I did not give one big damn!  I was just determined to get myself through the ordeal and back safe and sound!

So here I am writing it out because it has taken quite the toll on me.  But I am so grateful to ADOT and the sheriff's department in Payson and the guys at the Casino for getting me through it all.

What a hell!  And believe it or not if you look at a map of AZ, Hellsgate is right outside to the east of Payson!

UGH!  Welcome to Arizona!