Warm and dry means way less deterioration, to say nothing of having no regular traffic since the 70s. Even before then, there was much less traffic in the roads and cars were smaller and lighter, allowing the concrete to last way longer.
I said the road sucks and Manny Beaumont freeway killer 10 they fix it today is worse than the old rules back in the twenties the roads were better than the crap today feeling believe me right on the 10 from bandy to Whitewater sucks big time interstate 8 smoother all the way
@@SidetrackAdventures you would have gotten a lot more views on this if you raised the volume some, and also made the volume more steady. My phone's on full blast and I can barely hear some of the things you say, and I'm only 37 with fair hearing. Older people are way more interested in this ..but watching a video where you can barely hear things, or not at all, is extremely tedious and frustrating.
I know that'll sound like a harsh comment to some, maybe even you. Constrictive criticism isn't appreciated at all anymore.. But you spent so much time and effort on this video, compared to the effort it would take to fix the volume However surely your only goal is to get as many people to see this and give them as much information as you can to educate them on it..
I remember before I-8 was built (circa 1970), my Dad would take us on road trips from Mexicali to San Diego using this road. I was 6 years old in 1969 and remember the slow drive up the grade. It would take about 4 hours to do the trip that today takes 1hr 40 mins. Thanks for your great videos. David El Centro CA
I remember going to San Diego from Yuma in '62 or '63 when I was 7 or 8 and taking Hiway 80 and seeing those giant boulders alongside the road. Grand-parents came out to visit us in the winter and G-pa wanted to go see his brother one last time before his brother passed. Took a good 6 hours to get from Yuma to SD. But I remember those giant boulders!
Fascinating stuff. From what I can tell, it looks like the I-8 was essentially carved through the mountains whereas old hwy just went right over and around all of the terrain. I’d love to see footage of cars making this trek prior to I-8. Actual video showing the route, not just pics.
@@normalperson1475 I remember the graffiti on those boulders. Middle to late 60's. Mostly just people's names. Not the script and symbolic stuff you see today. On one trip, my aunt promised my cousins that one day they'd stop and they could write their names on one of them! My mom wasn't too happy with us when we started whining about writing our names too! There was a big effort to paint over it at some point. Big patches of gray painted boulders with fresh graffiti on them. After I-8 came in, the graffiti died down a lot.
My mom remarried to a man from Wink Texas. He moved us from another small town in West Texas and we came up the "old road" as we came to call it the first time we drove out to California. I was three years old but I do still remember that trip and traveling on the old road.
I absolutely Love your videos.I live in S.W. Missouri,and due to health reasons cant get out and explore.Especially other states.Your videos help me get out through your lens. Thank You !!
I once rode and pushed a mountain bike up that canyon bottom from the desert floor. Some small pieces of the old 80 were visible. I didn't realize so much of the old highway still exists closer to the top.
@@jessiev7322 If you drive down to the desert on the new highway you can see little bits of the old highway, here and there, off to your left, if I remember correctly. At the bottom, once you are down on the desert floor, you can go under the highway. Pieces of the old highway are on the north side, including an old gas station, if memory serves. It has been a while since I was in that area.
I go through there monthly and NEVER thought about stopping for ANY reason. It really is El cañon del Diablo. Total respect for the native people that lived in that area for thousands of years.
My buddy and live in San Diego and ride out motorcycles all over to see hard to see 80 areas. Right across the freeway (walk under the 8 through a bridge) next to the Desert lookout. We walked up the the area where the old hwy cafe and gas station was during the 50s. There is a bunch of old wiring and remains from the cafe. I found a pic of the cafe in the desert view tower pic. Its a short but up hill hike but not a big deal to see... Its amazing! I have vids.
You do good videos. I worked for Caltrans in Boulevard, I worked every inch of the Interstate. That below you is the IN Ko Pah Gorge. That road is called a daylight road. It went with the contour of the landscape. With the Interstate, came a better road. My father drove that road in the 50's. He hauled wallboard from Plaster City, to El Cajon. Thank you for the look at the road. You mentioned the road to Yuma. There is a portion of the plank road, at the Imperial Sand Dunes still standing. That road was wooden and built in 1915. across the dunes. Near there is the All American Canal, and the EB I-8 bridge is from 1956, as is the Fourth Ave Bridge on Yuma. The other River Bridge is from 1978. That is when I-8 was completed, and 80 ceased being a road, business or otherwise.
Good info. Appreciated your comments. I remember these places. My dad used to take us camping and fishing on the bank of the All American. We'd get up when still dark and drive from El Cajon on Old 80. Spend the weekend putzin around the desert. Remember eating delicious fried catfish all weekend and sitting and watching an incredible sky at night. And Plaster city too. Thanks
Saw this today as it's ironic that yesterday I drove the portion of old US 80 from Buckeye AZ to Gila Bend crossing the Gila River on the historic old steel bridge by the remnants of Gillespie dam. This portion of the old highway is still maintained even though it parallels US 85 because of agriculture and some new development in the area and acres and acres of solar panels. These old highways should remain open to the public if nothing else to be used by off highway vehicles. I was lucky enough to be able to drive the section of old US 60 from Top of the World to where it rejoins the new highway at Pinto Creek before the state blasted a portion of it out of existence. It wound through some magnificent terrain that many will never see again.
I rode from San Diego to Ocotillo and back last fall, and got lucky with an 80-degree cloudy day riding up the grade to Desert Tower. Though I'd driven the 8 many times, travelling it at 5 mph gave me lots of time to see most of the old portions of US 80 I had missed by car. Thanks for these videos of Old 80!
I really enjoy your videos of the greater San Diego area. I lived in San Diego for many years during my service in the US NAVY, as well as after my service ended. I was never cognizant of the history of the area or of the sites to be seen. I now live in another corner of the country, but it's nice to see these kinds of things still exist. I did live in Santee for a while and did manage to do some exploring in the Mission Gorge area. I remember a stream and lots of trees in the gorge. Ah, yes...many moons ago. Thanks for the video.
Great video! Loved it! I have seen the old portions of the highway when driving on interstate 8 and figured that’s what they were. Never knew you could actually get to them by car and drive on certain segments of the old road, though. That’s pretty cool!
There's a few sections that don't have an easy way of getting to them, but I think this area is the longest continuous section of the abandoned highway in that area.
Damn , all that trash at Smugglers gulch makes us responsible shooters look bad. Just know we aren’t like like that. Actually most aren’t but it’s the results of the bad ones you see.
This video reminded me of a gravity hill illusion near there. Going west bound on I-8, take the mountain springs road exit, stop the car at the stop sign and put in neutral.
Really enjoyed this video about Hwy 80. I live in Douglas Az. Hwy 80 goes right through our town. I drive to work on Hwy 80 every day. So I really liked your history lesson and tour about it.
When driving between Phoenix and San Diego, I always notice that old road wondering if it was the road we traveled before I 8 was opened. It's older than I thought at least that part. Very interesting video .
So cool to find this video! I have literally been through that area hundreds of times (on I-8 of course) when I was a kid growing up in San Diego back in the 1980's, and every single trip through there, I would always watch for those old segments of the abandoned road and always wondered what it was like back in the 1920's-1930's to travel there on the "old" road. I always wanted to go explore the remaining sections just to see what it was like and wonder about the history. Now I know what I'm making time for on my next trip out to SD. Thanks for sharing this.
I have travelled all of 66 nationwide on 3 round trips and an westbound trip on the longest road in the history of the nation, Route 6, aka The Grand Army Highway, from Provincetown, MA to Long Beach, CA and on portions of other Historic roads. I look forward to full nationwide trips on other historic roads such as the Lincoln Highway, Dixie Highway, Jefferson Highway, Blueridge Highway, etc. And I want to do the 80 from Savannah, if enough of it exists to drive.
Thanks for showing us this section of the old route 80. I moved to San Diego in 1980 and seeing this older route through the mountains is wonderful. It must have been an adventure traveling from Ocotillo Wells over the mountains into San Diego in the early 1900s. It may have taken over 1 day to do that trip. Today it takes under 2 hours on the I-8.
I grew up in Northern California and enjoyed spotting the original alignments of roads that climbed up into the Sierra foothills. They never really removed them, but left them to mother nature. It's history to me and is not difficult to imagine all the old-timer vehicles and what not plying up and down them.
I actually drove my car the entire length of the pavement on this portion of US HIGHWAY 80 from the Mountain Springs exit to the very end where the freeway construction cut it off at the eastern end. Just beyond and around the hillside, another portion of the old highway follows the contour of the mountain with some of the edge undermined from heavy rains and it can be seen from the freeway as you drive (on the freeway, of course) down. From that point on, there are several portions of the old highway still visible, and drivable if there was a way to get your car onto it. At the bottom of the mountain where the freeway begins to level out, one last portion of the old highway makes a gentle curve beside the mountain off to the right side of the freeway before it passes under a bridge and at that point, the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway track comes along side. If you exit Interstate 8 at the Ocotillo exit and turn left under the freeway, the crossroad on the north side of the freeway is the remaining drivable part of US (CALIFORNIA) 80. Turning left at that intersection will take you almost a mile back towards the mountain where the freeway cut off the old highway. At that end, there is an abandoned bridge or trestle in the same area where the old highway comes down and is blocked by the freeway. From the Ocotillo junction, however, the old highway is still intact and perfectly drivable all the way into El Centro and turns into Adams Avenue. At Imperial Avenue, you can either turn right going south to Main Street and turn left, which will take you through the old downtown part of El Centro, or you can continue straight ahead on Adams Avenue where it curves south and turns into 4th Street, and turn left on Main Street. Main Street from there on eastward is the rest of US HIGHWAY 80. The other end is cut off again by Interstate 8, just a little ways beyond the sand dunes and state park where some pieces of the old wooden road still exist. The old wooden road is protected and souvenir hunting can get you in a heap of trouble if you're caught picking pieces.
Did you go talk to the man living in that green bus? I was out there in March and was chatting with him. He's from Jacumba and I just was out there recently and he was still there. He said he was avoiding the Coronavirus. Love your videos as I frequent these areas and love to see your views on them.
@@SidetrackAdventures my grandfather lead engineer on also contractor. My dad took me to the mile markers when I was a kid and I haven't been able to find them since it would be stamped E. Paul Ford can you reply or email bale.jimmy@gmail.com
Awesome video!!!! I always drive this when going to Mexicali so about twice a month. I’ve always wanted to see what this road was like but have been too scared to drive it and now I know it’s not as hard as I thought. Amazing exploration video with great history! Please make more!!!
Very well done video. I especially like the drone footage, which gives great context and shows how rugged the canyon is, and the challengers the builders faced. I'm also impressed how well you researched everything. You obviously have a real passion for this. I saw very clearly in the drone footage the 1942 alignment you alluded to, curving outside I-8. Even though I've researched this section over the past 25 years, I only recently found out the In-ko-pah Gorge portion was significantly reworked in 1963-64. I had been under the impression the present alignment had been unchanged. Of course they had to place the westbound lanes through Devils Canyon since the gorge was way too narrow to accommodate additional lanes. Again, great job on the video and thank you for sharing it. Even though I first set foot there 30 years ago, having a wife and kids has prevented me from going there for over 20 years. I'm glad it still looks the same and that you made me feel I was there again.
Great video and history of old highway 80 in that area. What most don’t know is the old stage coach trail goes right along that same area of mountain springs. It was a stage stop at one time and you can still see some of the stone corrals and the old trail cut out of the side of the mountain just to the west if you know where to look.
I grew up in La Mesa and we camped and hike all around here and up in Mcains Valley too. I remember those walls and structures scattered around the bottom of the grade. I seem to remember some of that was Spanish in origin , like really early stuff. Any way. appreciated your comment. Brought back some good memories of rich times exploring. Was camped out near there in 73' when the Perseid meteor shower was happening. To this day one of the more remarkable displays I've ever witnessed. Ok now I'm done.
I found this video because I was driving through this area a couple of days ago and thought it would be cool to stand on a hwy 8 overpass during a rainstorm and watch water rush through the one of the gulches. I thought maybe someone else already did that and filmed it, but this was cool too, and safer!
Great Video! In the late 50's when I was in the Boy Scouts we camped near the end of the road. At that time, the interstate was not there but a newer version of highway 80 went through where the interstate is now.
Cool man. I live in Dago near Lake Murray. I used to work in Yuma and would see parts of this old road every Sunday driving back to AZ. Excellent video.
Thank you. A memory stands out of the droning 'clack, clack,_____clack, clack. When driving Highway 80 at speed. As your tires hit the joint at the sections of concrete pours. And yeah it was definitely winding. Someone in family always got car sick when we traveled on it. My mom's dad delivered water for Arrowhead in the 20s down into Ocotillo Wells area and back from where in San Diego I don't know. Was a full sized delivery truck of the day, and no power streering. You talked on the time it saved after being built. We used to camp in the 60s and 70s in Mcains Valley up above there. I remember the trail was still there, I think it was the Mormon Trail? , where you could still see the wagon wheel ruts on the path. Probably can today unless the motorcycles have obliterated it. What a trek that must have been. REALLY appreciate the footage and your obvious interest in your subject, Thanks again.
Very cool! Looks like something fun to explore on a mountain bike, except of course for potentially being shot by accident. But I've always been fascinated with old roads, so this was great.
Really enjoy your videos. Have you ever tried to hike the old San Diego and Arizona Eastern rail line between Jacumba Valley and Dos Cabezas? I’ll bet it’s an awesome hike down Carrizo Canyon.
Steve, From about 1956 onward mom and dad and Willie the dog and I rode in our 56 Ford to the San Diego area, mostly during the summer. We ate at pancake breakfast early in the mornings at Jacumba, as part of the bargain between with mom for dad getting us up at 2am to set out across the desert before it got hot. We had no air conditioning in that car. We often continued down Highway 80 to the Wisteria Candy Cottage so mom and dad could get their horehound and caramel candies. I never had a sweet tooth. Mom and I always looked for landmarks like the small, rare sections of the first asphalt highway and bits of concrete highway. We nicknamed the former the Old Road, and the latter the Old Old Road. The wooden sections were just called the old plank road, those mostly being very short portions in the sand of the flat Sonoran desert, well before Desert View Tower. Once we turned North not far past Pine Valley and stayed in a little cabin in or near Julian, from where mom and dad fished at Lake Cuyamaca. One of my landmarks on those trips was to see the road sign for Campo. To me that meant we were not far from El Cajon and then Chula VIsta. I have a continuing essay of these memories that gets filled more every few days. Thanks for jogging my memory of those happier times. Larry
Just found this channel and I'm binging through the back catalog. I moved to San Diego about 18 months ago from the East Coast, and I'm stoked to explore all these weird places. Keep these vids up!
I surveyed this area over several years for the Sunrise Power Link. I got to drive and hike the whole "island". Lots of cool stuff out there like cultural resources, big horn sheep and old mining claims.
That's a hot desert there... Could you imagine modern comfort's like running water being shut off in a city the size of Los Angeles? That would be a rough neighborhood!
I'm really enjoying your videos. I've seen a few and instantly subscribed. Being from Florida, we don't have beautiful scenery like you have out west. Thanks for letting me tag along in the videos.
Oh nice. I see this road all the time while traveling in I8. I wasn’t sure if it was accessible. Good to know. I won’t drive on it, but I do appreciate you showing us.
I noticed in both of your videos you did not run into any snakes. Was it cold enough to keep them underground or where you just lucky? Love the history and what you are doing! Thanks.
Interesting history here, it explains a lot about it that I wasn't aware of before. I've driven on that section of highway several years ago, as visiting friends in San Diego, on a late winter day, and we decided to have a nice picnic out in the warmth of the desert; they were aware of that area. I just marveled at the smoothness of that roadway; not a crack, nor buckled part of pavement to be seen; not even a weed creeping up on the pavement, as there were no pavement cracks for the weeds to poke through . . . it seemed as smooth as if the concrete was recently poured and not driven on.
That's cool. I've drove through there so many times to count. Thanks for sharing this. This gives me an idea. I will have to take my drone there and gets some footage of the area. I always look of the freeway and wonder what if any roads are there. Now I know.
1950s 1960s lol I also remember when the built Interstate 8 l learned to drive big trucks on that road 1966 haul plaster outa plaster city! No A/C hot in the summer!
The notches in the curb is from lugnuts of trucks rubbing as drivers would let there truck's creep along and they would get out check the tie downs of their loads
How about the section on the other side of the 8 fwy? Is it private property? I see some old buildings there, and there's supposedly on old stage coach station site according to google maps.
If you mean Mountain Springs, most of it is private property. We looked around but couldn't access the actual spring without trespassing unfortunately.
a request: when you decide to get out of your car and explore, don't leave it parked in the middle of the lane with the door open. this road is abandoned but it's not unused, as all the shooting shows. you don't want your car creamed by someone who's not expecting traffic at all, let alone a car sprawled across the road. i came very close to hitting someone who did just this on lanfair road in eastern san bernardino county.
I used to stop at the cafe that was near the tower and the old lady that owned it would complian about the the state troopers stopping there and muching free coffee from her
The highway is called Kumeyaay highway. Named after the original people of that land and the highways included old 80 are the old trails used by the kumeyaay pre contact
In the late sixtys my family would drive the old hwy between San Diego and Phx. Going back home to San Diego we would stop at the old station on mountain springs grade.
Cool. I like videos like this. I checked out an abandoned bridge in Utah off the I-70 once, which was fascinating, but long before the advent of phone cameras (and phones).
That road is 100 years old and it is still better than every Road in Michigan that I drive on today
Warm and dry means way less deterioration, to say nothing of having no regular traffic since the 70s. Even before then, there was much less traffic in the roads and cars were smaller and lighter, allowing the concrete to last way longer.
Well, it really has had close to zero traffic on it for 88 years.
The rotor smoother than the 10 freeway near Beaumont Benny's the roads suck a woman Benny killer freeway sexy woman honey
I said the road sucks and Manny Beaumont freeway killer 10 they fix it today is worse than the old rules back in the twenties the roads were better than the crap today feeling believe me right on the 10 from bandy to Whitewater sucks big time interstate 8 smoother all the way
snow and salt fucks roads up
You are fortunate to have a wife who will make these “adventure” trips with you. There’s the fun, in sharing with someone you love. Nice!❤️
Trust me, I know. She's the best.
You are so right- lots more fun adventuring with a friend, sig. Fam.!!!La Puma
@@SidetrackAdventures you would have gotten a lot more views on this if you raised the volume some, and also made the volume more steady.
My phone's on full blast and I can barely hear some of the things you say, and I'm only 37 with fair hearing.
Older people are way more interested in this ..but watching a video where you can barely hear things, or not at all, is extremely tedious and frustrating.
I know that'll sound like a harsh comment to some, maybe even you. Constrictive criticism isn't appreciated at all anymore..
But you spent so much time and effort on this video, compared to the effort it would take to fix the volume
However surely your only goal is to get as many people to see this and give them as much information as you can to educate them on it..
I know that's true!!!
Poured in 1926 and looks much better than my driveway that was poured in 1996!
Lol
They built good solid construction then. Not ripoff. LOL. 🤣
Back in the good old days driving was an adventure.
It’s so expensive to even drive now :/
We lived in San Diego in '58 and took this road going east on this southern route to Arkansas. Still have memories of this road.
Arkansas ? Wow .. i have to make that drive too but from North Carolina
LOVE how Hwy 80 plays its own soft piano music! AMAZING!
Standing there at the "end of the road" it make you realize how much rock had to be moved to make way for Interstate 8. Amazing video.
I drove Highway 80 many, many times before I-8. It could be an experience coming up Mountain Springs Grade behind a slow truck and oncoming traffic.
Just discovered your videos. Born in Calif in 1943. Love seeing these places.
It must be so fun being able to visit and document all that history.
wow this was such a cool spot to explore! feels like another planet. what a gem
I remember before I-8 was built (circa 1970), my Dad would take us on road trips from Mexicali to San Diego using this road. I was 6 years old in 1969 and remember the slow drive up the grade. It would take about 4 hours to do the trip that today takes 1hr 40 mins.
Thanks for your great videos.
David
El Centro CA
Thank you for watching. I can only imagine what it was like. Some of the turns that are still there look sharp on the map.
I remember going to San Diego from Yuma in '62 or '63 when I was 7 or 8 and taking Hiway 80 and seeing those giant boulders alongside the road. Grand-parents came out to visit us in the winter and G-pa wanted to go see his brother one last time before his brother passed. Took a good 6 hours to get from Yuma to SD. But I remember those giant boulders!
Fascinating stuff. From what I can tell, it looks like the I-8 was essentially carved through the mountains whereas old hwy just went right over and around all of the terrain. I’d love to see footage of cars making this trek prior to I-8. Actual video showing the route, not just pics.
@@normalperson1475 I remember the graffiti on those boulders. Middle to late 60's. Mostly just people's names. Not the script and symbolic stuff you see today. On one trip, my aunt promised my cousins that one day they'd stop and they could write their names on one of them! My mom wasn't too happy with us when we started whining about writing our names too! There was a big effort to paint over it at some point. Big patches of gray painted boulders with fresh graffiti on them. After I-8 came in, the graffiti died down a lot.
My mom remarried to a man from Wink Texas. He moved us from another small town in West Texas and we came up the "old road" as we came to call it the first time we drove out to California. I was three years old but I do still remember that trip and traveling on the old road.
Hello from Lubbock Texas. That’s near Midland /Odessa. Two hours away. Roy Orbison is from Wink Texas
I always saw those roads and wondered if they were still drivable. Nice to know now.
I absolutely Love your videos.I live in S.W. Missouri,and due to health reasons cant get out and explore.Especially other states.Your videos help me get out through your lens. Thank You !!
Thank you. That means a lot to us.
I once rode and pushed a mountain bike up that canyon bottom from the desert floor. Some small pieces of the old 80 were visible. I didn't realize so much of the old highway still exists closer to the top.
Where did you see the small pieces of the old 80?
@@jessiev7322 If you drive down to the desert on the new highway you can see little bits of the old highway, here and there, off to your left, if I remember correctly. At the bottom, once you are down on the desert floor, you can go under the highway. Pieces of the old highway are on the north side, including an old gas station, if memory serves. It has been a while since I was in that area.
I go through there monthly and NEVER thought about stopping for ANY reason. It really is El cañon del Diablo. Total respect for the native people that lived in that area for thousands of years.
My buddy and live in San Diego and ride out motorcycles all over to see hard to see 80 areas. Right across the freeway (walk under the 8 through a bridge) next to the Desert lookout. We walked up the the area where the old hwy cafe and gas station was during the 50s. There is a bunch of old wiring and remains from the cafe. I found a pic of the cafe in the desert view tower pic. Its a short but up hill hike but not a big deal to see... Its amazing! I have vids.
You do good videos. I worked for Caltrans in Boulevard, I worked every inch of the Interstate. That below you is the IN Ko Pah Gorge. That road is called a daylight road. It went with the contour of the landscape. With the Interstate, came a better road. My father drove that road in the 50's. He hauled wallboard from Plaster City, to El Cajon. Thank you for the look at the road. You mentioned the road to Yuma. There is a portion of the plank road, at the Imperial Sand Dunes still standing. That road was wooden and built in 1915. across the dunes. Near there is the All American Canal, and the EB I-8 bridge is from 1956, as is the Fourth Ave Bridge on Yuma. The other River Bridge is from 1978. That is when I-8 was completed, and 80 ceased being a road, business or otherwise.
Good info. Appreciated your comments. I remember these places. My dad used to take us camping and fishing on the bank of the All American. We'd get up when still dark and drive from El Cajon on Old 80. Spend the weekend putzin around the desert. Remember eating delicious fried catfish all weekend and sitting and watching an incredible sky at night. And Plaster city too.
Thanks
Saw this today as it's ironic that yesterday I drove the portion of old US 80 from Buckeye AZ to Gila Bend crossing the Gila River on the historic old steel bridge by the remnants of Gillespie dam. This portion of the old highway is still maintained even though it parallels US 85 because of agriculture and some new development in the area and acres and acres of solar panels.
These old highways should remain open to the public if nothing else to be used by off highway vehicles. I was lucky enough to be able to drive the section of old US 60 from Top of the World to where it rejoins the new highway at Pinto Creek before the state blasted a portion of it out of existence. It wound through some magnificent terrain that many will never see again.
We are planning on checking out that portion of 80 this spring depending on how things are going with the pandemic.
I rode from San Diego to Ocotillo and back last fall, and got lucky with an 80-degree cloudy day riding up the grade to Desert Tower. Though I'd driven the 8 many times, travelling it at 5 mph gave me lots of time to see most of the old portions of US 80 I had missed by car. Thanks for these videos of Old 80!
That sounds like an exhausting ride
@@zachmandoooo try hiking it 😅🤣😂 actually it's a beautiful hike
I really enjoy your videos of the greater San Diego area. I lived in San Diego for many years during my service in the US NAVY, as well as after my service ended. I was never cognizant of the history of the area or of the sites to be seen. I now live in another corner of the country, but it's nice to see these kinds of things still exist. I did live in Santee for a while and did manage to do some exploring in the Mission Gorge area. I remember a stream and lots of trees in the gorge. Ah, yes...many moons ago. Thanks for the video.
Great video! Loved it! I have seen the old portions of the highway when driving on interstate 8 and figured that’s what they were. Never knew you could actually get to them by car and drive on certain segments of the old road, though. That’s pretty cool!
There's a few sections that don't have an easy way of getting to them, but I think this area is the longest continuous section of the abandoned highway in that area.
@@SidetrackAdventures This is super cool! Old hwy 395 would make an interesting vid too..
Damn , all that trash at Smugglers gulch makes us responsible shooters look bad. Just know we aren’t like like that. Actually most aren’t but it’s the results of the bad ones you see.
This video reminded me of a gravity hill illusion near there. Going west bound on I-8, take the mountain springs road exit, stop the car at the stop sign and put in neutral.
Really enjoyed this video about Hwy 80. I live in Douglas Az. Hwy 80 goes right through our town. I drive to work on Hwy 80 every day. So I really liked your history lesson and tour about it.
Looks in better shape than the roads in Omaha.
When driving between Phoenix and San Diego, I always notice that old road wondering if it was the road we traveled before I 8 was opened. It's older than I thought at least that part. Very interesting video .
The views are breathtaking . The history is knowledgeable curiosity. Crazy as it seems, I want to research and learn more.😊❤️
There's a lot about our area that seems to have been purposefully forgotten
So cool to find this video! I have literally been through that area hundreds of times (on I-8 of course) when I was a kid growing up in San Diego back in the 1980's, and every single trip through there, I would always watch for those old segments of the abandoned road and always wondered what it was like back in the 1920's-1930's to travel there on the "old" road. I always wanted to go explore the remaining sections just to see what it was like and wonder about the history. Now I know what I'm making time for on my next trip out to SD. Thanks for sharing this.
I love your videos. Even though I live clear across the country, watching them makes me want to travel there and retrace your steps.
Thank You for sharing this with us.
I though I was the only person who was interested in this sort of history. :)
No problem. Yes, we love this stuff. Its crazy to think who all traveled on that small road all those years.
Its amazing. especially since we explored jacumba, I saw this video and thought this was fantastic.
th-cam.com/video/Ti10Grq2zTg/w-d-xo.html
I've actually walked along this same section of road, so count me in as a fan of this history too!
I have travelled all of 66 nationwide on 3 round trips and an westbound trip on the longest road in the history of the nation, Route 6, aka The Grand Army Highway, from Provincetown, MA to Long Beach, CA and on portions of other Historic roads. I look forward to full nationwide trips on other historic roads such as the Lincoln Highway, Dixie Highway, Jefferson Highway, Blueridge Highway, etc. And I want to do the 80 from Savannah, if enough of it exists to drive.
Thanks for showing us this section of the old route 80. I moved to San Diego in 1980 and seeing this older route through the mountains is wonderful. It must have been an adventure traveling from Ocotillo Wells over the mountains into San Diego in the early 1900s. It may have taken over 1 day to do that trip. Today it takes under 2 hours on the I-8.
I love old roads. Thanks!
Utterly fascinating! Thank you for presenting this. After traveling I-5 many times, I grew spoiled by the ease of reaching SD along the coast.
I grew up in Northern California and enjoyed spotting the original alignments of roads that climbed up into the Sierra foothills. They never really removed them, but left them to mother nature. It's history to me and is not difficult to imagine all the old-timer vehicles and what not plying up and down them.
I actually drove my car the entire length of the pavement on this portion of US HIGHWAY 80 from the Mountain Springs exit to the very end where the freeway construction cut it off at the eastern end. Just beyond and around the hillside, another portion of the old highway follows the contour of the mountain with some of the edge undermined from heavy rains and it can be seen from the freeway as you drive (on the freeway, of course) down. From that point on, there are several portions of the old highway still visible, and drivable if there was a way to get your car onto it. At the bottom of the mountain where the freeway begins to level out, one last portion of the old highway makes a gentle curve beside the mountain off to the right side of the freeway before it passes under a bridge and at that point, the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway track comes along side. If you exit Interstate 8 at the Ocotillo exit and turn left under the freeway, the crossroad on the north side of the freeway is the remaining drivable part of US (CALIFORNIA) 80. Turning left at that intersection will take you almost a mile back towards the mountain where the freeway cut off the old highway. At that end, there is an abandoned bridge or trestle in the same area where the old highway comes down and is blocked by the freeway. From the Ocotillo junction, however, the old highway is still intact and perfectly drivable all the way into El Centro and turns into Adams Avenue. At Imperial Avenue, you can either turn right going south to Main Street and turn left, which will take you through the old downtown part of El Centro, or you can continue straight ahead on Adams Avenue where it curves south and turns into 4th Street, and turn left on Main Street. Main Street from there on eastward is the rest of US HIGHWAY 80. The other end is cut off again by Interstate 8, just a little ways beyond the sand dunes and state park where some pieces of the old wooden road still exist. The old wooden road is protected and souvenir hunting can get you in a heap of trouble if you're caught picking pieces.
Did you go talk to the man living in that green bus? I was out there in March and was chatting with him. He's from Jacumba and I just was out there recently and he was still there. He said he was avoiding the Coronavirus. Love your videos as I frequent these areas and love to see your views on them.
Nope, we saw the bus but wasn't sure if anyone was living in it.
@@SidetrackAdventures my grandfather lead engineer on also contractor. My dad took me to the mile markers when I was a kid and I haven't been able to find them since it would be stamped E. Paul Ford can you reply or email bale.jimmy@gmail.com
Awesome video!!!! I always drive this when going to Mexicali so about twice a month. I’ve always wanted to see what this road was like but have been too scared to drive it and now I know it’s not as hard as I thought. Amazing exploration video with great history! Please make more!!!
When it gets cooler there are some other places out that way we hope to do videos on.
Sidetrack Adventures it’s called Lake Elsinore/ Wildomar Nostalgia & History
When I was a kid we took old hwy. 80 to El Centro to see my cousins. I just love Imperial Valley.
had 10 car hauler, rolled over 8 twice a month an back to s.e. usa. love the truck stop at casino 4,200 feet.
Very well done video. I especially like the drone footage, which gives great context and shows how rugged the canyon is, and the challengers the builders faced. I'm also impressed how well you researched everything. You obviously have a real passion for this.
I saw very clearly in the drone footage the 1942 alignment you alluded to, curving outside I-8. Even though I've researched this section over the past 25 years, I only recently found out the In-ko-pah Gorge portion was significantly reworked in 1963-64. I had been under the impression the present alignment had been unchanged. Of course they had to place the westbound lanes through Devils Canyon since the gorge was way too narrow to accommodate additional lanes.
Again, great job on the video and thank you for sharing it. Even though I first set foot there 30 years ago, having a wife and kids has prevented me from going there for over 20 years. I'm glad it still looks the same and that you made me feel I was there again.
Lived in Imperial Valley for 35 years and always wondered about Old Highway 80 up on the grade. Thanks for sharing.
Great video and history of old highway 80 in that area. What most don’t know is the old stage coach trail goes right along that same area of mountain springs. It was a stage stop at one time and you can still see some of the stone corrals and the old trail cut out of the side of the mountain just to the west if you know where to look.
I grew up in La Mesa and we camped and hike all around here and up in Mcains Valley too.
I remember those walls and structures scattered around the bottom of the grade. I seem to remember some of that was Spanish in origin , like really early stuff. Any way. appreciated your comment. Brought back some good memories of rich times exploring. Was camped out near there in 73' when the Perseid meteor shower was happening.
To this day one of the more remarkable displays I've ever witnessed. Ok now I'm done.
awesome entrusting place I love going places like that from history made from the old day
I found this video because I was driving through this area a couple of days ago and thought it would be cool to stand on a hwy 8 overpass during a rainstorm and watch water rush through the one of the gulches. I thought maybe someone else already did that and filmed it, but this was cool too, and safer!
Great Video! In the late 50's when I was in the Boy Scouts we camped near the end of the road. At that time, the interstate was not there but a newer version of highway 80 went through where the interstate is now.
Thanks I live in West Texas and most of old hwy 80 is still used as a service road for I-20. Appreciate the history lesson on Cali side.
I love how you actually drive on the abandoned road. I guess roads can’t become 100% abandoned unless they collapse or get too overgrown.
I'd imagine that a lot of roadhounds will be impressed the age and surprisingly excellent condition of the road here.
Cool man. I live in Dago near Lake Murray. I used to work in Yuma and would see parts of this old road every Sunday driving back to AZ. Excellent video.
Driving from Texas to visit family in San Diego that was always my favorite portion of our road trip.
Thank you. A memory stands out of the droning 'clack, clack,_____clack, clack.
When driving Highway 80 at speed. As your tires hit the joint at the sections of concrete pours. And yeah it was definitely winding. Someone in family always got car sick when we traveled on it.
My mom's dad delivered water for Arrowhead in the 20s down into Ocotillo Wells area and back from where in San Diego I don't know.
Was a full sized delivery truck of the day, and no power streering.
You talked on the time it saved after being built.
We used to camp in the 60s and 70s in Mcains Valley up above there. I remember the trail was still there, I think it was the Mormon Trail? , where you could still see the wagon wheel ruts on the path. Probably can today unless the motorcycles have obliterated it. What a trek that must have been.
REALLY appreciate the footage and your obvious interest in your subject, Thanks again.
I grew up in that area in Alpine, love east San Diego and lots of old history in those mountains.
Yep. This week's video will be near here too.
Very cool! Looks like something fun to explore on a mountain bike, except of course for potentially being shot by accident. But I've always been fascinated with old roads, so this was great.
Really enjoy your videos. Have you ever tried to hike the old San Diego and Arizona Eastern rail line between Jacumba Valley and Dos Cabezas? I’ll bet it’s an awesome hike down Carrizo Canyon.
The Carrizo goat Canyon Trestle.... awesome hike...technically it's closed by the railway but people hike down there all the time anyways
Never knew about that 80 down south.
Steve,
From about 1956 onward mom and dad and Willie the dog and I rode in our 56 Ford to the San Diego area, mostly during the summer. We ate at pancake breakfast early in the mornings at Jacumba, as part of the bargain between with mom for dad getting us up at 2am to set out across the desert before it got hot. We had no air conditioning in that car. We often continued down Highway 80 to the Wisteria Candy Cottage so mom and dad could get their horehound and caramel candies. I never had a sweet tooth. Mom and I always looked for landmarks like the small, rare sections of the first asphalt highway and bits of concrete highway. We nicknamed the former the Old Road, and the latter the Old Old Road. The wooden sections were just called the old plank road, those mostly being very short portions in the sand of the flat Sonoran desert, well before Desert View Tower.
Once we turned North not far past Pine Valley and stayed in a little cabin in or near Julian, from where mom and dad fished at Lake Cuyamaca. One of my landmarks on those trips was to see the road sign for Campo. To me that meant we were not far from El Cajon and then Chula VIsta.
I have a continuing essay of these memories that gets filled more every few days.
Thanks for jogging my memory of those happier times.
Larry
I would love to ride my mountain bike there. Thanks for making this video.
Thank you, Steve for you. Great videos.
They're really interested. I learned a lot
Love, really love, your video. But, please don't turn away from the microphone. We keep loosing sound and have no idea what you were telling us.
Yes- the sound quality on this video isn't as good as his other videos, sadly :-(
Yeah, that was disconserting...
Great video with historic information on this major early road. Great views along this forgotten highway!
Love this! Love old Portland cement.
I remember seeing that driving along the 8. Always thought it was there for when they were putting in the 8 freeway. Thanks for sharing.
Just found this channel and I'm binging through the back catalog. I moved to San Diego about 18 months ago from the East Coast, and I'm stoked to explore all these weird places. Keep these vids up!
I surveyed this area over several years for the Sunrise Power Link. I got to drive and hike the whole "island". Lots of cool stuff out there like cultural resources, big horn sheep and old mining claims.
I love exploring once busy old roads
Hard to believe in one time this simple,narrow highway comfortably fit most of the California-bound traffic from the South.
That's a hot desert there... Could you imagine modern comfort's like running water being shut off in a city the size of Los Angeles? That would be a rough neighborhood!
I'm really enjoying your videos. I've seen a few and instantly subscribed. Being from Florida, we don't have beautiful scenery like you have out west. Thanks for letting me tag along in the videos.
Awesome! Thank you!
Great videos from you. Thx. I’m 4000 miles away but you point out some fun places to look over. Gosh I would like to look it over.
Oh nice. I see this road all the time while traveling in I8. I wasn’t sure if it was accessible. Good to know. I won’t drive on it, but I do appreciate you showing us.
My dad used to drive that to get to our ranch just southeast of Jacumba...
love it ! thank you for taking us along . 👍🏼
I noticed in both of your videos you did not run into any snakes. Was it cold enough to keep them underground or where you just lucky? Love the history and what you are doing! Thanks.
In the last couple of years we've only run into one snake and it was off the Ortega Highway. We are always super cautious of them though.
@@SidetrackAdventures "The King" making a comeback, might have something to do with that!! My favorite..
I grew up in San Diego never knew about this. Left the state as soon as i turned 18.
Very cool great to revisit history good job.
That paving looks better than any road in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
I’ve always wondered about that road when I’m driving out on 8. Thanks. Might take my son out and explore it🤙
Never in my life i've ever seen an expressway this abandoned, & eerie :O
Best weather in Nevada! Nice & warm. For me at least, as I don't like winter.
Interesting history here, it explains a lot about it that I wasn't aware of before. I've driven on that section of highway several years ago, as visiting friends in San Diego, on a late winter day, and we decided to have a nice picnic out in the warmth of the desert; they were aware of that area.
I just marveled at the smoothness of that roadway; not a crack, nor buckled part of pavement to be seen; not even a weed creeping up on the pavement, as there were no pavement cracks for the weeds to poke through . . . it seemed as smooth as if the concrete was recently poured and not driven on.
Thanks for introducing this. I have always wonder what went across the the southern US from California to US1.
Thanks for your history lesson about the road 🛣️ I find it interesting.
That's cool. I've drove through there so many times to count. Thanks for sharing this. This gives me an idea. I will have to take my drone there and gets some footage of the area. I always look of the freeway and wonder what if any roads are there. Now I know.
That's the place l was talking about where my friend lived. in the 1960s and 1960s Their was a hamburger stand and even a Post Office.
1950s 1960s lol I also remember when the built Interstate 8 l learned to drive big trucks on that road 1966 haul plaster outa plaster city! No A/C hot in the summer!
The notches in the curb is from lugnuts of trucks rubbing as drivers would let there truck's creep along and they would get out check the tie downs of their loads
Would be interesting to bikepack on in the cool months.
How about the section on the other side of the 8 fwy? Is it private property? I see some old buildings there, and there's supposedly on old stage coach station site according to google maps.
If you mean Mountain Springs, most of it is private property. We looked around but couldn't access the actual spring without trespassing unfortunately.
We used to drive to Imperial quite often in the 1060's. I remember this portion very well. It was so desolate.
They had cars back then?! 🤯😮
a request: when you decide to get out of your car and explore, don't leave it parked in the middle of the lane with the door open. this road is abandoned but it's not unused, as all the shooting shows. you don't want your car creamed by someone who's not expecting traffic at all, let alone a car sprawled across the road. i came very close to hitting someone who did just this on lanfair road in eastern san bernardino county.
cool vid - interesting landscape, looks like the hills are basically just big piles of boulders
Your adventures are always appreciated a lot!
I used to stop at the cafe that was near the tower and the old lady that owned it would complian about the the state troopers stopping there and muching free coffee from her
I drove old hwy 80 before I 8. Great drive
Great content Steve very much appreciated
The highway is called Kumeyaay highway. Named after the original people of that land and the highways included old 80 are the old trails used by the kumeyaay pre contact
In the late sixtys my family would drive the old hwy between San Diego and Phx. Going back home to San Diego we would stop at the old station on mountain springs grade.
I'm amazed how there are no weeds growing through the cracks after all these years of abandonment. It looks like it's poured concrete and not asphalt.
Cool. I like videos like this. I checked out an abandoned bridge in Utah off the I-70 once, which was fascinating, but long before the advent of phone cameras (and phones).