Trying to get to San Diego via I-8 with your RV from the western part of the greater Phoenix metro area can be a problem. In the past, State Route AZ 85 is a dangerous road with a lot of head- on collisions. Fortunately, help arrived and the road is now 4-lane divided highway. In 2004, while looking for an alternate route to AZ 85 to go to San Diego, CA, we drove the OLD US 80 HWY between Buckeye and Gila Bend, AZ. If you are familiar with Maricopa County, Arizona this road begins at the same alignment as Elliot Rd and AZ 85. OLD US 80 does take you out of the way a little as it heads west through the cross roads of Palo Verde, Hassayampa and Arlington. The Palo Verde Nuclear Power plant is even visible from this road. The highway turns south and then southeast. The road seemed like a good choice since there was little traffic and no one was trying to pass me and my 5th wheel in an unsafe manner, as they used to do on this road. Things seemed good until we got to the Gila River. The bridge that crosses the Gila River is a very long narrow road typical of the bridge designs of the first half of the 21st Century. While crossing the

bridge, my rig bounced around as if the bridge was on its last leg. To the left, I could see that Gillespie Dam had been breached. A whole section of the dam is in fact, just plain gone. Since I have written this article, I learned that the local government breached the dam due to the excessive silk build up probably somewhere around 1993. The road continues southeast and then heads for Gila Bend. The map says that the road goes through Cotton Center, but if it was there, it was definitely an eye blinker. I can now see why they abandoned this alignment for US 80 in favor of what is now State Route AZ 85. Since they improved AZ 85 and this road is not in the best shape, it is definitely the better way to go.