East Valley Five “7’s” Drive

STORY BY RICK FORBES PHOTOS BY JIM BULTEMA

Over thirty cars met in east Mesa for the start of the five “7’s” drive organized by Mark Manente. We were organized into three groups of roughly ten cars each separated by a staggered fifteen minute start time.

The drive followed US 60 to Superior where we took Arizona state route 177. The road became very interesting to drive with rolling hills and fast sweepers.

The drive took us past open desert, farmland and a burn area from last years Mescal and Telegraph forest fires.

Beautiful back drops of Arizona mountains and blue skies were savored for thirty miles until the junction with Arizona route 79.

Along Arizona route 79 wepassed the monument to Hollywood cowboy Tom Mix, where he had crashed his 1937 Cord Phaeton ending his life.

The drivethen turned into long straightsof newly paved smoothasphalt with theback drop of the beautiful Catalina Mountains.

Upon reaching Florence the group split up with some people having a late lunch at various restaurants in Florence or heading home to Phoenix.