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U.S. Route 80 (or known as US 80 for short) is a major highway which currently travels from eastern Texas the Georgia coastline, with a large decommissioned segment going to California. The route however you take it provides an interesting contrast in American culture ranging from the Old West to the Old South and often passes through lightly traveled and sometimes overlooked parts of the United States.

Understand

The Ghost Ranch Lodge in Tucson is a good example of an iconic motel on US 80. The sign was designed by famous American artist Georgia O'Keefe. Today, the old motel is a retirment home for the elderly.

At first glance, US 80 will appear to be an ordinary highway. For the most part, it's a lightly traveled alternative route to Interstate 20 and Interstate 16, except between Macon and Meridian. Although the total length of US 80 from end to end is presently 1,032 miles (1,660 kilometers), it used to be a good 2,726 miles long (4,387 km). Before 1971, the popularity of US 80 would sometimes rival that of Route 66. In the early 1950s, more cars were recorded coming into California from Arizona on US 80. Both routes had a number of curious tourist attractions, iconic motels and restaurants with flashy neon signs, major historical markers and eye catching geographic features. Both routes even had a similar length. Though one key difference was Route 66 never traveled from ocean to ocean. Though Route 66 started at the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, it ended a good few hundred miles from the Atlantic Ocean at Lake Michigan in Chicago. US 80 however traveled from the Pacific Ocean to San Diego to the sandy beaches of Tybee Island, Georgia. It was the shortest and the southernmost transcontinental highway in United States, going through warm climates where snow and ice rarely appeared in winter. Due to this, US 80 was often advertised by highway organizations and travel agencies as an all weather route, even before it was fully paved.

As was the case with most major U.S. Highways, the Interstates largely replaced US 80 starting in 1957. Between 1964 and 1991, the highway was slowly removed between San Diego and Texas, now ending at an interchange with Interstate 30 in Dallas. Despite its shortening however, most of the historic route between San Diego and Dallas remains undisturbed and continuous. Those that follow the historic path of US 80 can sometimes go hundreds of miles without seeing an Interstate highway, really helping to recreate the feeling car travelers would have had prior to the 1960s. Currently, the route is undergoing massive historic preservation efforts, with the route being marked historic in California, Arizona, western Texas, Louisiana and small areas of Alabama and Mississippi. Historic roadside attractions and businesses are also undergoing renovation in hopes of attracting tourism. Some points of interest however, remain much the way they were back in the road's heyday. For those wanting a quieter less over done version of Route 66, US 80 is a great choice.

Prepare

Like all road trips, going down US 80 requires good time management, finding places to eat, visit, spend the night and a good route to follow without getting lost. Make sure to plan these necessities well. Time is a big factor. It's best to look at what you want to do on different days and estimate how much time you want to spend doing it. For example, if you book a hotel in one city and spend more time than you imagined at a restaurant or attraction, you may find yourself driving in the dark for long hours just to get there. There will also be times where you won't be able to do everything you want, so prioritize your to do list. That way, if you have to miss something, don't skip something you wanted see more than another. Time zones are another big factor. The continental United States is divided into four major time zones. The current US 80 only passes through two, while the historic route hits all four. When changing time zones heading from east to west, the clock will move back an hour. For example, if it's 3:00 PM in the Eastern Time Zone and you just crossed over into Central Time Zone, the time will change to 2:00 PM. If you are heading west to east, this rule works the exact opposite way, with the clock moving ahead an hour. For those visiting from outside the United States, remember the distance between towns and cities is longer than what you may expect. For example, the state of Arizona alone is almost the size of Poland and the distance from Phoenix to Tucson is 181 kilometers (113 miles), which is only 16 kilometers shorter than the fastest route by car between Antwerp and Amsterdam. The United States also uses the older imperial measurement system, especially to measure distances on the highways between points. So when looking at distance sign on an American road, multiply whatever the distance is in miles by 1.6 to get the distance in kilometers.

Travelers preparing to embark on US 80 have two major route choices:

• Take the historic route starting in San Diego, also ending at Tybee Island.
• Follow the currently commissioned and well signed U.S. Highway from Dallas also ending at Tybee Island.

Following Historic US 80 is the far better option for people who want the most out of their trip. This is also the route the itinerary is set for. However, this route is mostly unsigned and east of Dallas does not always follow the current US 80. There are segments of older US 80 which deviate from the current highway onto different roads and streets, sometimes taking a substantially different path. While finding this route can sometimes be a hard task, don't worry, there are a number of good books, guides and websites on the internet providing driving directions for those wanting to follow the historic route. Signage is slowly improving on the route as well. Historic US 80 travels through four time zones; Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific. It also passes through eight states; Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Be aware, that this route spans the entire length of Texas from the Louisiana border to El Paso, which is a distance of almost 800 miles (1,287 km), so you will go several days without seeing another state.

If one wants to take the modern US 80, the current route is well marked on all maps and there is no lack of critical signage, meaning staying on the route shouldn't be too hard. This route however is less interesting than the historic route and you would be missing out on a lot of what makes US 80 a fun trip. This route passes through two time zones (Eastern and Central) and five states; Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and the eastern third of Texas. The route also sticks more closely to the Interstate and sometimes bypasses small towns and cities that would be worth seeing. This route is also seven days shorter at most, taking substantially less time.

One last thing to consider before traveling is to be careful if you plan on staying in historic motels. While the prices are cheaper than chain hotels, some of the old motels have deteriorated badly over the years and can be in bad condition. This may include badly cleaned rooms, infestation by pests, location in a dangerous neighborhood with high crime and may allow questionable individuals as customers. But don't be afraid to stay in a few of them. A number of motels have been nicely restored and are as safe and comfortable as modern hotels. The number of restored motels increases every year, meaning more choices in the long run.

Highways You Will Encounter

As mentioned above, this trip doesn't always follow modern US 80. You will encounter many different kinds of highways on your route to California. The federal, state and county highways are referenced in this guide by short abbreviations. Here is a list of the different kind of routes, their signs and abbreviations you'll encounter on your trip as well as where they are found:

Sign Type	Highway Type	Abbreviation	Location
	Interstate	I-X	Nationwide
	Interstate Business Loop	I-X Business	Nationwide
	U.S. Route	US XX	Nationwide
	State Route	GA XX	Georgia
	State Route	AL XX	Alabama
	State Highway	MS XX	Mississippi
	State Highway	LA XX	Louisiana
	State Highway	TX XX	Texas
	State Loop	Loop XX	Texas
	Farm to Market Road	FM XX	Texas
	State Road	NM XX	New Mexico
	State Route	AZ XX	Arizona
	State Route	CA XX	California
	County Route	CR XX	Nationwide

Route

Day 1: Tybee Island to Macon

Tybee Island → Wilmington Island → Savannah → Bloomingdale → Eden → Stilson → Statesboro → Twin City → Swainsboro → Dublin → Jeffersonville → Macon

Day 2: Macon to Montgomery

Macon → Roberta → Talbotton → Geneva → Columbus → Alabama border → Phenix City → Crawford → Marvyn → Tuskeegee → Shorter → Mount Meigs → Montgomery

Day X: Deming to Tucson

Deming → Lordsburg → Rodeo → Arizona border → Douglas → Bisbee → Tombstone → Benson → Vail → Tucson

Upon entering Arizona, the meaning of the word "direct" no longer applies to US 80. The highway will take many twists, turns and detours across the southern half of the Grand Canyon State, taking its time to get to California. At 500 miles, Arizona no doubt had the second longest section of US 80 after Texas.

Deming to Lordsburg

Following Pine Street west through town past the historic Luna County Courthouse, take a left eight blocks west of Gold Avenue onto 8th Street. One block south take a right on Spruce Street, then make the first left after 9th Street onto NM 418. Follow NM 418 west out of Deming to I-10. From there get onto I-10 heading westbound. From here onto Lordsburg, keep an eye out between the Interstate and the railroad. Abandoned sections of US 80 will pop up from time to time as overgrown road embankments, occasionally becoming the north frontage road. However, the old road is mostly if not entirely impassible unless taken by an off road vehicle. At Exit 42, the mostly abandoned service stop of Separ warrants exploration. A long forgotten water tank, service garage, gas station and motel can be seen among the occasional discarded truck tire. Today, the only business still open is the Continental Divide Trading Post. For those curious about the old road's whereabouts, the south frontage road is old US 80 and US 70. It dead ends and is impassible however.

Continuing west down I-10, old US 80's remnants can still be seen on the north side of the Interstate, between the railroad and the westbound lanes. At Exit 24, leave the Interstate and stay to the right, merging onto the I-10 Business route. After passing the Flying J, a dead end section of US 80 appears on the right. Going west through town on Motel Drive (I-10 Business), Lordsburg has many old motels and service stations. In the 1950s it was a vibrant highway and railroad town with plenty to offer. However, the coming of I-10 forced many of the businesses to shut down and the people running them to move elsewhere in the country. It's safe to say there are no good motels left on Motel Drive. Halfway through town, US 70 splits off and heads northwest towards Duncan, Arizona, leaving US 80 on its own once again. On the west side of town, curving south away from another dead end section of US 80, merge back onto the Interstate and head towards Roadforks.

Lordsburg to the Arizona State Line

Heading west, the drive is mostly nondescript with the occasional stray Ocotillo cacti to keep you company, among far off distant mountains, randomly appearing farms, all too plentiful sand and high desert brush. As was the case between Deming and Lordsburg, old sections of US 80 show up from time to time between I-10 and the railroad. Once in a while, a few lone standing telegraph poles from yesteryear, too stubborn to fall down, stand proud as tombstones to a bygone era. Keep heading west until you reach Exit 5, then disembark the Interstate and merge south onto NM 80. This is the last time you'll see the Interstate for a few hundred miles. If you need a pit stop, Roadforks has a gas station and mini mart to refuel on supplies. Beyond hat, there's not much around.

Going south on NM 80, the highway curves past Blue Mountain and Granite Peak, signalling your arrival in Chiricahua country. The last attraction before entering Arizona appears just north of the small town of Rodeo; the Chiricahua Desert Museum. As the road itself curves gently into Rodeo, the abandoned trackbed of the El Paso and Southwestern Railroad appears on the right, historically one of the most important rail lines in copper country. The last time a train passed through here was in 1961. Coming in on the left is an old section of US 80 which used to take a long curve up and over the railroad on an overpass. Once the tracks were ripped up the overpass was abandoned and demolished. The rail line is the reason for Rodeo's existence. Rodeo itself is home to a few arts and craft stores as well as an RV Park. The town is very small, being only 13 city blocks. Southwest of Rodeo, NM 80 passes State Line Road, which means we are now in Arizona.

Arizona State Line to Douglas

Now following AZ 80 southwest, the first point of interest in Arizona is the Geronimo Surrender Monument. It was only a few miles from this concrete and stone monument that the fearsome Geronimo, leader of the the last Apace resistance in the southwest, surrendered himself and his arms to the United States Army, ending the Native American conflicts in Arizona. Up ahead on the right are the exposed stone peaks of the Chiricahua Mountains, an ancient and powerful reminder of Arizona's volcanic past. Less than a mile from the monument, the first "town" in Arizona appears. Apache, which is made up of three buildings, was once the home of a roadside general store. The store has long since closed however and is now a private residence. Just past Apache are a few smaller volcanoes dotting the landscape. This is the San Bernardino Volcanic Field, a group of small cinder cone volcanoes surrounding the highway. Don't worry though, the volcanic field hasn't been active for a few million years and there's no chance of them erupting again. The fact these ancient volcanoes look good for their age is thanks to the arid desert climate, which works well to preserve most objects within it.

Leaving the volcanoes, AZ 80 winds its way through the tall grass and fertile farmlands at the base of the Chiricahuas. Just past Silver Creek Road on the southside of the highway is an old washed out section of US 80. The roadway has long gone thanks to the powerful monsoons the southwestern deserts are known for, leaving only a lonely bridge standing in an otherwise empty flood plain. AZ 80 enters the outskirts of Douglas a good several miles after passing through Apache. Just past the municipal golf course, take a left onto A Avenue into the town proper. Douglas is an old border town which built its livelihood on the copper industry and EP&SW Railroad as well as minimal income from the port of entry at Agua Prieta. Today, Douglas is a mostly quiet town that's clearly seen better days, with several empty storefronts and houses around. After following A Avenue south 12 blocks south of 22nd Street, turn right onto 10th Street. The streets are all sequential letters and numbers so it shouldn't be too hard to find. In 6 blocks make another right onto G Avenue, passing the historic Gadsden Hotel along the way. Follow G Avenue straight out of town and it'll become AZ 80 again, passing the old EP&SW Depot, now a police station, on the southwest corner of Pan American and G.

Day X: Tucson to Gila Bend

Tucson → Oro Valley → Florence → Apache Junction → Mesa → Tempe → Phoenix → Goodyear → Buckeye → Arlington → Gila Bend

Day X: Gila Bend to Yuma

Gila Bend → Sentinel → Dateland → Tacna → Wellton → Yuma