Phoenix, AZ

When we left Prescott, we continued on AZ 89 rather than taking a short route over to the freeway and on to Phoenix. We were not disappointed. The road continued to wind through the high country, eventually leaving the forest and continuing through the high desert through tiny little towns like Groom Creek, Wilhoit, and Peeples Valley. Shortly thereafter, the road split and the old road became one-way down while a newer and much better constructed road became one-way up about 600 feet below us. We began a long descent on a hair-raising bit of road that dropped very quickly from 3,000 feet to the desert floor. Many of the corners were marked at 20 and 15 mph and I can’t imagine anyone cheating on those speeds. The views over the desert were splendid when one chanced a glance from the roadway. Thereafter the road became flat and straight through Wickenham and on in to Peoria, a suburb of Phoenix. After a bit of searching, we found a modest hotel for the night. We were anxious to get further south, and we decided not to explore Phoenix any further on this trip.