Where’s Ollie?

[jd1923]

Where's Ollie? She's back home after a couple trips down to the Phoenix Valley lately.

I used to hate the drive, especially towing, the section of I-17 that drops 2000 ft through Black Canyon City AZ. Steep and winding, narrow lanes, rough pothole ridden, sections without shoulders, always construction present, and when there's an accident, you're waiting long without an alternate. When northbound, climbing elevation, note the sign to turn off your A/C when it's hot out. With a 10% climb, there were always cars overheated, parked on the shoulder.

After 2+ years of major construction, the first 40 miles heading north on I-17 is now the greatest road is Arizona. It is now a 6-lane divided highway the whole way with new Flex Lanes in the steepest section. The lanes are now full Interstate width with oversized shoulders all the way. I used to often take an extra half hour to drive up the back route, Hwy 89 through Yarnell. Today, we flew up the mountain, towing 65+ MPH the hole way home!

It's the main route from Phoenix to Prescott, the Verde Valley, Sedona, up to I-40 at Flagstaff and of course the Grand Canyon. Check it out on your next trip to Arizona! 😎

Edited May 6 by jd1923

[johnwen]

Yes...those flex lanes are great.  Went that route about a month ago :)

 

[Mike and Carol]

When our daughter was going to NAU in Flagstaff we made the drive from Sierra Vista up through Tucson on I-10 picking up I-17 in Phoenix.  We’ve been up and down that freeway many times but not since the new construction was finished.  Sounds like an improvement!

[Tideline77]

The Little Golden Gate Bridge near Eureka Springs, Arkansas 

9’5” clearance 
 

 

Rolling through the Ozark Mountains from SW Missouri, Mill Creek COE on Table Rock Lake to Eureka Springs Arkansas Dam  Site COE Campground on Beaver Lake

Running the backroads 

we ran into the single wide , 5 ton limit , 9’5” Little Golden Gate Bridge

sorry we didn’t get better pictures, on a tight curve with traffic.

had to back up about 100 yards 😳😳😳

 

 

Edited May 10 by Tideline77

[Tideline77]

[Boudicca908]

6 minutes ago, Tideline77 said:

The Little Golden Gate Bridge near Eureka Springs, Arkansas 

9’5” clearance 

We should have a pinned Forum Post dedicated to LOW CLEARANCE. 

Thanks for sharing this. 

[Tideline77]

Mill Creek COE , Lampe Mo. is pretty darn nice

 

 

 

 

[topgun2]

Just now, Tideline77 said:

Mill Creek COE , Lampe Mo. is pretty darn nice

So's your Ollie - nice pic!

Bill

[Mike and Carol]

Great pics!  That’s one of our favorite areas.  My grandparents lived in Branson when I was growing up, it was a little different in those days.  Mike

[Tideline77]

Dam Site Lake COE near Eureka Springs Arkansas on Beaver Lake

 

Edited Tuesday at 09:00 PM by Tideline77

[Tideline77]

Heading west in the green Prairie of eastern Oklahoma

Following the path of frontier people traveled 225 years ago

planning to visit the old historic downtown areas of Muskogee, Wagoner and Pryor Oklahoma 

day 31, 10 campgrounds so far

Flat Rock Creek COE Chouteau, Oklahoma 

[Tideline77]

On 5/10/2026 at 6:51 PM, Mike and Carol said:

Great pics!  That’s one of our favorite areas.  My grandparents lived in Branson when I was growing up, it was a little different in those days.  Mike

In the Rolla area

We went way out in the woods to visit the pioneer cemetery of my ancestors that settled in Phelps County, Mo and visited the house my Great Great Great Grandfather built in 1832. ( permission from the owner )

their house is supposed to be the oldest registered historic home in the State of Missouri 

I wore the tyvek suit and muck boots for tick bite prevention as this area is crawling with ticks

 

[Tideline77]

On 5/10/2026 at 6:51 PM, Mike and Carol said:

Great pics!  That’s one of our favorite areas.  My grandparents lived in Branson when I was growing up, it was a little different in those days.  Mike

Fumble finger post…..

sorry

 

 

Edited 56 minutes ago by Tideline77

[rideandfly]

@Tideline77Understand about needing a suit, completely. My Sister in Law was extremely sick a week ago until she was diagnosed & treated for Lyme disease from a tick bite, now she is finally returning home from the hospital. She is a bee keeper.

Edit: We were camping when I got Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever from a tick bite,  we saw the symptoms and I received early treatment! 🙂

 

 

 

Edited 25 minutes ago by rideandfly