Exploring Abandoned Highway 80 Near San Diego
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- Опубліковано 11 лют 2020
- Recently we headed out to an abandoned stretch of Historic Highway 80 east of San Diego, near Descanso, CA. This portion of the highway also includes the ruins of the Ellis Wayside Rest Area.
The 80 was also known as the Dixie Overland Highway and ran from Savannah, GA to San Diego, CA. This portion of Historic Route 80 was in use from the early 1900s until about the early 1960s when the road was bypassed by Interstate 8.
If you want to visit this portion of Route 80, exit I-8 at the 79, then head north on the 79 til you get to the first left at Los Terranitos Rd. Cross the bridge and follow the road to the turn out where you can park. The first portion of the road is still paved, while the second half the road is mostly washed out.
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I was in a VW in 1974 that went off a cliff on H80 when we hit some sand on the turn. 180 feet down we went. Miracle I am alive.
OMG! 😮😵😱 Back then all VWs were BUGS!
Glad you're still with us friend
@@edwardmiessner6502 Most VWs were the beetle bugs. But VW also made a station wagon and a van in the 1960s.
@@ThatBoomerDude56 Not to mention the rarer but oh so cool double cab pickup 'micro bus'. My buddy had one so we could haul around our rock band's equipment.
My Dad had a couple Bugs, a Squareback and a hatchback from '50s-'80s. The last two had the early Bosch fuel injection. I learned to drive in our '68 Squareback. I wish I still had it. Pretty quick for a stock VW!
@@rollinrat4850 I drove my uncle's VW station wagon to high school sometimes when he would borrow our Corvair truck. Remember those? Air cooled flat 6 cylinder engine in the back so the midsection of the truck bed had no drive shaft under it so the bed was down at curb height and it had a ramp on the side. Coolest thing in the world for hauling stuff. But the old air cooled flat 6 leaked oil. I must have dropped the engine and changed seals 4 or 5 times in that thing. Oh ... and for me, high school was Clairemont High about 2 years before Cameron Crowe used it as a model for Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
Crazy how that concrete thats almost 100 years old is better than many roads that are not half of that old.
It was built with quality and safety minded. Unlike today's quantity to rush the next job.
Yup, they worked themselves out of a job, didn't need to completely replace the road in 5-10 years.
You dont say? Who would have thought that a cement road that hasnt had traffic in almost 60 years is in good condition!
Well, let's be real,it's not like it's raining out there like that to put wear on it
Revisiting the past these days is so much more interesting and gratifying than contemplating the future.
imagine people back then contemplating the future and being optimistic. Premature.
Agreed I love watching and hearing stories about the oregon trail and such
Spot on, well said dude ☮️
Yes 👍
As the Sex Pistols said, No Future.
I remember very well in those "days of yesteryear", when my family would take off from El Cajon and head to the "River" over by Winterhaven California. We would always stop at the "spring" at the Ellis stop and get out our old canvas water bags and a few jars to fill up for the drive through the desert. I thank you so very much for providing this wonderful memento of days long ago.
believe it or not- that water prolly tasted (and tested) better than your tap water at home and it STILL flows at the springhouse (now it just gets absorbed by the ground). if you are fortunate enough to find the springhouse (unlocked), you can still drink from its rock pool. not the big springhouse at the rest stop- a small spring shed covered by a wood and steel structure that sits up in the hills above. do NOT drink water from the rest area.....
After the Army 65, and before San Diego State College 67 , I worked on the survey party setting the centerline for future Interstate 8 you see in the background. Spent a lot of time on highway 80. Now a retired Civil Engineer living in Texas, thanks for the video.
It's interesting how that sad piano music can make anything seem endearing, even an old road as if it has a soul.
Absolutely ! I'm a musician...and very aware of music's ability to invoke feelings.
Dont cry
I find it sappy and annoying.
This slow, solo piano added melancholy soul!
@@annohalloran6020 I find sappy and annoying music to be pleasant.
My farmily took this road in 1938 to the Lagunas where we camped. My father was driving an old orange work truck with a stake bed. The cab would only hold two people so my sisters (aged12 and 13) were with me (age 3) in the truck bed with the tent and all our supplies. I remember going up a steep grade with a cliff on one side and the abyss on the other. My sisters tried to scare me into sitting still but I had hysterics, sure we were going to plunge off into the canyon. My dad had to stop on the grade so I could get into the cab and sit on my mother's lap. Stick shift, of course. No hydaulic brakes. Terrifying for a kid (me).
Thanks for sharing that. When I was young I used to wonder about the abandoned highways that you could sometimes see near newer roads. Some portions are still in use today, but grass was growing thought cracks in the roads. Later, some of the concrete was removed but you could still see that the terrain was once graded for a road - or a railroad. You can still see some of these roads on Google Earth. Crossing the U.S. in a Model A Ford or some other antique car would be a journey.
Thanks for sharing that, Bonnie! Do videos, share those stories. Live forever through us.
@@timothykeith1367 Oh yeah, I remember riding in my Dad's car as a kid looking at frontage roads and roads that went to nowhere and dead ended and wondering what the story was about them being abandoned. Now I seek them out through videos on UA-cam. We visited a lot of ghost towns back then so I still find those interesting.
I cant imagine having my 3 year old on a flat bed truck
Grapes of Wrath!
That would be a great mountain bike ride, love history.
thats the best way to do this road- you can ride down to the sweetwater river using descanso well rd.
Several years ago a San Diego friend of mine and his family took me along for a day outing and we traveled out to Imperial County on Interstate 8, where they took a turnoff and we rode on an abandoned section of US Highway 80; where we parked and had a nice picnic.
The pavement condition of that section of the abandoned US Highway 80 was in remarkably good shape; little in the way of concrete pavement cracks and no weeds. A nearby bridge had a date marker of 1938. The quality with the road building of that era was impressive.
maybe they were italians?? the section of road you are referring to is the section west of ocotillo where miller's garage and the railroad tracks are. i used to go shooting there. that area is a huge wind farm now, but the relics you saw are all still there.
I love how your whole family hiked with you without getting tired
Na, they looked tired...lol
Your adorable little boy ambling along never complaining is a scene-stealer.
Thanks dude. I lived in San Diego County for over 30 years. Explored much of East County on foot, mountain bike and 4 wheel drive. So much history. To this day, East San Diego is the most beautiful place ON EARTH.
east county IS awesome- alpine is awesome. if only we could get a new governor....
I drove it back in the day, I left Phoenix, it Was 118° I kept thermometers both outside and inside the Plymouth, The outside temp hit 123° going across the desert that afternoon. I learned to drive at night.
Ron Wade I'm just curious...what model of Plymouth were you driving? I'll bet it didn't even have A.C. LOL. (But it must have had a good cooling system.)
an automotive cooling system works at temps close to 200 degrees F- even 123 degree heat would be nothing for it. most older cars overheated because they didn't have coolant recovery bottles/their owners didn't keep track of the coolant level.
I was raised in those mountains, my Dad worked for a company in mount Laguna , we lived there and bought a home Lake Moreno also lived in a place called La Posta . A great place to grow up in the 50's . Thanks for the video
Very cool! Such a beautiful area. We love getting out there whenever we can, I can only imagine growing up there.
Lake Morena. With an "a".
@@MeanGeneSanDiego I probably knew that but didn't sound right , Thankyou
Out of curiosity what company your dad worked for, was it a quarry?
@@hv379 wow ! Long time ago I believe the owners name was Legitt
Growing up in all those mountains out there.. I remember me & Dad were driving down the 8 while my best friend & his dad were driving down in his brand new Silver& Blue 1985 Ford 250 lifted w/ mudders, we took the freeway, they took Old hwy 80 to the end, then 4wheeled down the step hill onto the freeway.. It was a sight to behold. those were the days..!
I lived near US Hwy 80...in Louisiana......and now in MS.....love to see the history of our road systems!!!!
I remember this road so well. Friends that were truckers we always held our breath when there were high winds. Also I loved stopping at the place where water came out of the hill. it was drinkable and collected in a canvas bag so we would have water for the radiator when the car over heated.
Even after I-8 was opened, there was an incident where tornadic winds vortexing down an arroyo flipped a Continental Trailways bus on the bridge spanning the arroyo killing three people. If you ever travel west about midway up Tecate Pass, you'll notice a chainlink fence with interwoven plastic slats. That is where the accident happened.
@@dirtydog2858 Tecate Divide is where the windmills are. There are no wind frnces near there. The only wind fences are on WB I-8 at Devils canyon 1. and the other EB I-8 at Mountain Springs Offramp.
Remember it well. Knew we were almost home to San Diego during the multiple times we crossed the country. Grandparents and cousins were waiting for the holidays. There were the camping trips with Girl Scouts from Kensington to Green Valley Falls and Paso Picacho. Thank you for the memories.
Do you still live in Kensington?
@@MrTaxiRob Haven't lived there for over 30 years although I still drive around when I am down in San Diego. I moved to Normal Heights, then East San Diego and several places in Ramona where I live now.
I remember going to the Girl Scout Camp called Camp Tapawingo and we hiked to Green Valley Falls and Paso Picacho. There was another mountain we hiked that had a ranger station on top, maybe Cuyamaca.
In childhood, trips to the desert lay along Highway 80. As county engineer, my dad laid out some of the road's features in Mission Valley. His friends talked about driving the plank road across the dunes in the desert beyond the mountains east of San Diego. Though I left San Diego to live in New England in 1971 never to return, I still have fond memories, especially of the smells of the plant life. In the late 40s the family took a train trip through the Carrizo Gorge on a steam train, the last run on the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railroad.
I just watched a UA-cam video on the plank road. I had no idea it even existed and there are some preserved parts of it left! What an idea it was to navigate across the desert sand without getting stuck.
The plank road is preserved in the sand Dunes
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Plank_Road?wprov=sfla1
Remember the water bags on car when we took rides in 50s. Memories
Yeah! ...and "Burma Shave" signs on the roadside!
What's a water bag?
@@xmo552 A canvas bag filled with water. They held about 2 gallons. They would hang on the grille of the car. If you wet them the process of evaporation would chill the water inside.
@@MeanGeneSanDiego
Oooh. You know what, I think I've seen those in old westerns.
Yep, all hanging from the front bumper.
How about those window hanging a/c units? IF a/c was what they were.
Old 80 is beautiful! I bet it's magical.up there. I rode through the Mts. In San Diego.on a full.moon. I can't even explain how breathtaking it was. Thanks for this History.
its awesome for bicycling- little traffic and great weather most of the time.
Those are the kind of places we rode our motorcycles exploring in the early and mid 70's. We rode from our homes in El Cajon and on busy roads you rode side saddle and slow to show respect for a sheriff who may be driving by. We were just in 6-7th grade then and rode all afternoon after school.
Our Sheriff said we could ride our dirt bikes NEXT to the road but never on it. In fact, we had to hop off and push it across the pavement. He was a fair man and just looking out for us. Riding after school across the desert was so much fun.
@@CarsandCats I didn’t see any sign disallowing dirt bikes.
Why would they care anyway?
Who owns the land?
Did you know Doug Steward? He is my uncle. He took me out here on a motorcycle in the 80's.
@@CarsandCats We would go side saddle and go to motorized push mode when we saw the sheriff.
Trail bikes are great exploration vehicles. Cheap to buy and run. Go anywhere.
I grew up in San Diego and stopped at the Ellis Wayside Rest area many times. I miss it.... memories...
My desert compound is on the Mountain Springs Rd exit between Jacumba and El Centro on Exit #80 where Abandoned 80 ends and loops back. If you had walked another 100 yards you would be in my yard. Great video.
Is this where there is a sign posted of no trespassing? I wanted to check out that loop, but there was a sign saying no trespassing. Also, isn't there an old stage stop near this area? Not to mention an old hot spring well on the other side of the 8 fwy?
@@jessiev7322 Yep! The guy that owns that now is not a nice guy. He owns like 75% of the land in there but not the road or the park and other people own a couple of the cottages as vacation homes. If you look to the right of that gate is the road where Abandoned 80 does a little end loop up and around. I'm up on that loop. Got the 4 Terra Cotta Yurts next to the RV. Stop by anytime and we can do a channel plug swap =)
Great Video that brings back wonderful memories of my childhood.. My parents bought a cabin in Mt. Laguna in the early 60's.. we traveled old Hwy80 to get up there every weekend for years until Interstate 8 was completed..and even then we would still use the sections that were still open through Pine Valley etc just to get around the mountains.
Strangely after living in San Diego for 45 years, I moved to a small town in Texas about 30 miles East of Dallas (Forney Tx), and to my utter amazement the main highway through town here is the same Highway 80 that I used to take as a kid... Apparently this is the only section of the entire Highway 80 that is still open as a Highway.. strange how some things come around in life..
My Grandmother drove her 3 young daughters from Fort Worth on this road back around 1930 or so. She was in a Ford sedan of sorts. My Mother, one of the three girls, remembered portions of the route being "Wooden and bumpy." Grandfather, unable to take them at the time, had found a man to accompany them and off they went. I had been curious about that route in California. A fine presentation. Thanks for posting.
if it was in the 30's - that would have to have been highway 80 in imperial valley on the 'plank road'- cool.
We used to take our bikes out to Hwy 80 and ride for an hour out and back, not for exercise but mostly for the views.
Thanks for this video. It brings back fond memories.
I passed by this area driving from San Diego down to El Centro back in the the 70’s... i still remember some places like El Cajon, Julian and Jacumba just to name a few...i was a young 20’s year old sailor stationed at NAF El Centro then.. i am now 70 yrs old..enjoyed that drive once a month to San Diego and back on Interstate 8...
I’m surprised that they have not conserved the road for use as a bicycle trail. It looks ideal for that.
California, ....money..... They don't care.
@Mark Hepworth
America = money = nobody cares
California = 3.14(America x money x nobody cares)
sounds like a great idea, but people don't have much common sense these days!
Yea it be a great bike and running trail.
I believe that area is part of the Cleveland National Forest
This could have been a PBS documentary. Very well done .
Thank you.
Akin to Huel's California's Gold.
@@podcastfan2544 Man I miss Huel Howser!
Better than PBS.
@@thejohnlocke I think so.
Was a kid when we drove the 80 from Yuma, AZ to San Diego, CA was an all day drive (about 6 1/2 hrs). When I-8 opened the trip was less than 3 hrs. Thanks for the memory.
I used to go ride this section with my motorcycle in the 1980's, it was very serene. Then again I always liked being on The road less traveled. It's amazing to see now how much of that road is covered up by soil at this point. In the 80s and 99% of it was still accessible..
I have no idea why I clicked on this but I’m sure glad I did.
I lived four miles north of rt 80 just 25 mils from the Delaware River Gap and Penn, and 25 miles south of the state line, just 50 miles from Manhatten, I wondered where the original road was, I was born at the Navy Base Port Hueneme, we traveled to NJ just after that and I was baptized 30 days later at my Dad's family home, maybe we traveled that route Aug 1949, Military Family, we had no roots. now in Vermont rooted
In the early 50’s we came up here in my grandfathers 1939 green Chevrolet for a picnic in the mountains we drove up from Chula Vista
He would stop at the rest area and we would drink the water that flowed out of the rocks at the rest area
Thank You To Share Your Real Life Story, Traveling Back then Sure wasnt the Luxury (Vehicles bells & Whistles) It is Now days....................
I lived in SD from 1962-1994 and never had a clue this existed......thanks for taking me along!
Love your little dude tagging along just like so many of us did as kids with our parents. Watched and enjoyed this whole thing. Bet there's some cool stuff along the side of the road if anyone were to take the time to search it out. Bottles, car parts....
It's pretty amazing to see how quickly mother nature reclaims the land! I often wonder how many relics of our collective past are hidden under the soil.
It always reminds of that History Channel show Life After People. Nature takes the land back quickly.
Entropy happens quickly
@@SidetrackAdventures Yep I watched that show. Part of me can't wait for earth to return to it's natural beauty untouched by man.
"I often wonder how many relics of our collective past are hidden under the soil." Where to start.....
Inca, Mayan and Aztec cities that are still being rediscovered from time to time.
Countless cities in the Middle East, Israel and Egypt.
Lets not forget European Countries where lies many cities undiscovered yet.
Finally China, Russia, Japan and all other Asian Countries.
All these and more have cities retaken and even buried by nature. We can never now how many cities there have been between 6,000 years ago and today. Or how many more if you go back 10,000 years or more and today.
@@RichWeigel if what some are saying about global warming is true- that may never happen.
Thanks for this. I remember traveling Old Highway 80 in the 50's when we visited the Laguna Mountains or traveled east. It was a treacherous road. Really want to explore it now.
The parts of 80 that are still in use are really a great drive. Really scenic and not a lot of traffic on them.
I used to take the 80 out to Arizona in the early 70's but it may have been partially 8. I'd have to research to see when 8 started being the way to get back and forth. I loved going through those hills, but yeah, not in weather.
Sidetrack Adventures any cops travel this route?
@@SidetrackAdventures wildwood glen rd used to be a great road until our wonderful park service installed the barricade at the cul-de-sac which has claimed at least one motorist life, but i believe the guy was trying to kill himself on a motorbike.
@@tommurphy4307 Whoa. I didn't know about that. That's crazy.
Cool. Thanks. Many a sunday drive with the fam in our station wagon taking 80 before the interstate.
Took me way back. Thanks again. If remember correctly many segments were concrete. And a clack clack clack....as you drove down the highway hitting the expansion joints.
Speaking of arduous, my grandpa drove a truck for arrowhead water back in the 1920s delivering from San Diego to the high desert settlements. Pre power steering. Back when the phrase 'arms like truck driver' meant something.
And that's the sky I miss so dearly. That crisp blue air so much of the year.
Marooned in the midwest.
I remember in the 60s when I was 10 or 11 years old driving that road out to the Colorado River. I remember stopping at that rest stop to put water in the radiator and to fill up the bag that hung over the radiator in case you ran out of water out in the desert. I remember climbing on that rock and somewhere in the boxes of pictures we have are my sister brother and I sitting on the top of that rock. Thank you for that walk down memory lane! At my age of 70 right now I probably wouldn't have made that much of a hike. My dad also worked on the construction crew at that portion of Interstate 8. It would have actually followed along the old road except they couldn't level out the Mountainside. They tried using Dynamite but it's pure granite and it wouldn't go down so they rerouted the road down little farther.
That music was played at my mother’s funeral.
There's something deeply satisfying about these videos. It's like going on vacation, but not into crowded downtown and streets,. These videos take you to pleasant, scenic, interesting places with a beauty and history, and subtle music in the background is relaxing. . Sidetrack Adventures, I guess that's you and your beautiful family at @9:02. Thanks for sharing.
Wow! Randomly, Found your videos. What a breath of fresh air. Your videos are well informed and great camera work. I binge watched until midnight.
You can see from the number of views that this is a well made video. I also am certain that it will be viewed for years to come by historians. Thanks for making and posting this.
Enjoyed your video on the old portion of US Hwy 80. I currently live on US Hwy 80 in Southeast Georgia. In regards to US Hwy 80 ending in Savannah, GA, the end is actually in Tybee Island, GA , located outside Savannah on Georgia's coast (I'm originally from Savannah).
Thanks for the clarification.
I've been on this road to the mountains and desert many times as a child from El Cajon and later hiked it weekly while there assisting my mother. I was jazzed to see it again but what was missing was the incredible odors on a warm day. There are other sections on the banner grade.
Thank you for sharing. San Diego native. I traveled old HWY80 during construction. Lived in Pine Valley the last 6 years. We used to ride motorcycles up that section. Great memories
we used to build stoplight drag cars and test them on a stretch of road near the descanso well rd. maybe thats why they barricaded the road 20 years ago....
I first came to San Diego in 1968 and remember traveling on parts of Higway 80 and then later replaced by Interstate 8. On the old highway there were some campgrounds which we camped occasionally. Sad to see it as part of the past and not now.
that winding road and california drivers just didn't make a good mix....
Here’s a tip for determining when an abandoned road was most recently maintained: whether the centre line was last painted white or yellow. In 1958 the standard middle lane as mandated by the US government was white. That mandate changed to yellow in 1971. There was probably variation from state to state but in any event around 1971 or just after every state that wasn’t already yellow switched to yellow. I don’t know what the rules were in California but where I live, in Ontario, Canada, we followed the US lead and switched from white to yellow for the centre line and vice versa for the sides just after 1971. So, whether or not this section of highway 80 was still a through road in the seventies, my guess is that if the same thing happened in California as where I live, the last time they painted new markers on this section, and thus the last time it was maintained to keep it open to some form of regular vehicular traffic, was in the 1970s. This also suggests that most of the concrete isn’t quite as old as some commenting here believe - maybe a few sections and parts of the bridge, yes, but the rest, probably not quite so old. I would guess by the look of it that it was likely poured in the fifties or sixties. Also remember that concrete will continue to harden and cure for literally centuries. Cool video, thanks.
Concrete was poured in 1931. Highway was bypassed in 1970, with construction commencing in 1968.
@@socalregion Freeway was not complete until 1975., when the Pine Valley Bridges finished. The entire Interstate 8 was not finished until 1978 with a bridge across the Colorado River at Yuma.
Further down Old 80, in the In Ko Pah Canyon there is a cantilever bridge that is poured concrete from 1930. The bridge can't be seen from the roadway. It is near the bottom on EB I-8. JWO Jucumba on the old road going towards Boulevard, there is a piece of the road that can be seen. Just before the downhill into Jucumba.
Also, for FYI, the Mountain Springs WB off ramp from I-8, is an optical illusion. If you go to the bottom of the ramp, put vehicle in neutral, you will roll back up the ramp. And at water barrel 16 and 17 depending on the day, big horn sheep will sit on the ridge and watch.
In 1976 Hurricane Kathleen hit the mountains. A 30 ft. wall of water came down the Meyer Creek, which runs parallel, both beside, and under with I-8. The road was washed out through the canyon from the runaway truck ramp, all the way to the bottom. The water washed out the bridges of WB I-8. The water buried Ocotillo in about 5 feet of mud and water. If I remember correctly, it killed a family on vacation, and a couple others. The WB side was closed, and traffic was run up the EB side as a two lane road. from the bottom, to the Mountain Springs Exit Ramp.
Finally, out in Eastern San Diego County you eill see guard rail on some of the Old 80 spots. Those will have what is called "C" rail. It is guard rail on the posts that looks like the letter c. Cal trans started using the new "W" rail in 1960. The latter rail is still used today. It is said to be stronger than the former.
@@mt3311 I-8 was completed between Alpine and State 79 in 1970, per Caltrans bridge log and TASAS data.
Where is the 1930 bridge you speak of? I'm only aware of larger late 1920's culverts on Mountain Springs Grade and a few remnants of culverts on the 1920's alignment in In-Ko-Pah.
@@socalregion I referred to the Pine Valley bridges. They weren't finished until almost last. I remember as late as '76, there was a detour at Buckman Springs, on Old 80, through the community of Pine Valley, and got back onto the Interstate, at Japatul Road near Descamso. The Detour first was at Kitchen Creek exit, through Boulder Oaks, Buckman Springs, Pine Valley, and back on the road at Japatul Rd. Both were because the Bridges at Pine Valley Creek weren't finished. Those bridges are the same construction and design as the Bridge at Yuma AZ across the Colorado River.
@@socalregion The bridge I am referring to, is not seen from the highway. You have to stop and look.
@Sidetrack Adventures
What's amazing to me is that without any maintenance at all after the county maintenance sign this nearly 90 year old section still has many cement slabs still intact! That says something, if we put a modern road in with asphalt today it would probably be obliterated in 25 years or just a bit more. Those road construction workers knew how to build roads.
Yes, I had read that they made the cement slabs smaller than they normally would have in order for them to stand up to the elements more since it ranges from snow in winter to hot in the summer there.
@Sidetrack Adventures
Interesting fact there, I noticed that the road seemed very narrow even for the time.
No, it would be gone in months.
The trucks were much lighter.
@watershed44 . . . if you go on I-8 between Jacumba Hot Springs and Ocotillo, there's an abandoned section of US Highway 80 that's in remarkable condition in the 21st Century.
I attended Helix High School in La Mesa, just east of San Diego in the early 1960's. A Senior classmate of mine lost his life on a winding, curving section of Hwy 80 in the mountains east of San Diego. He and a carload of buddies went over the edge of a hairpin turn, and went over the edge of the mountain, all 17 or 18 years old.
I want to thank you for this video. It has brought so many memories back to me.
I'm glad it brought back memories. Thank you for sharing your story.
This looks like it could be a great bike trail. Rough parts of it could be renovated by volunteers riding the trail.
I was thinking that myself just bring a trench shovel and your good to go.
@@johnmccallum8512 If I still lived in Santee and were younger (or had an electric bike), I would want to ride it. Maybe find others and start a restoration campaign or something.
@@zappedguy Although having seen some of those gulleys/crevases maybe want to bring a bulldozer? Atleast a mini-excavator
Maybe they could like they do with old rail lines and convert it to a natural gravel trail.
idk how popular 4 wheelers are there but that would be a excellent place to ride through also.
I remember that highway all too well. Mom decided to move to San Diego and drug me kicking in screaming all the way. We entered via US 80. From the base of the Tecate grade on the east side of the pass, it was nothing but a winding snake-with-the-colic road overloaded with traffic, overheated cars and more than its share of vehicles lying in twisted crumpled heaps at the bottom of a cliff. No attempt was ever made to retrieve them and they're probably still there today. I'm sure 90% must have been fatals from viewing what remained of the vehicles. That leg of the trip has furnace hot, desolate, boring, and interminably long. The last 90-miles from the old Whiting Bros. station felt like you were driving through the bowels of hell. In short its was such a dosalate trip, the Devil would go to hell to get away for a breather.
Thank you for sharing your video and allowing to me to remember my feelings - such as they were - as we neared El Cajon and what appeared to be the reemergence of civilization, or what passed for it in that red-neck, backwater navy town in 1956.
Another interesting video about our history and the beautiful California landscape. It's ironic talking about Savannah, Georgia as my wife and I depart for a 1/1 Marine Corps Vietnam Veterans Reunion in Savannah. The Marine Vietnam Vets are spread around the USA and we try and change locations for our reunions. Thank you for a great video.
Been on that road a few times myself. Great area to hike and explore. I miss California so much.
I've been living in the area for 8 years and have never heard of this. How interesting.
Love the "🛏️" area ! 😮😁
Massive-beautiful my Golden one; love it !
👏🦾💥💯💯
Thank you for taking us along!
Nicely done! Our family took that highway every year on our annual vacation east. I remember my dad often adding water to the car radiator from the burlap bag that hung on the front hood ornament.
I can't even imagine taking the road in the summer time.
I remember those burlap bags.
hanging on the front of the radiator?? that sounds counter-productive. whats making this damn thing OVERHEAT!!!?
"Seems to me" that the quality of the concrete is a LOT better than the concrete used on the early Interstate Highways.
Agreed. You mean earlier interstate highways right?. Cuz this one looks exceptional for its age.
Like Autobahn concrete.
It will definitely last longer. Since the concrete road is no longer in use. Roads tends to get worn out by trucks carrying heavy loads.
Trucks illegally running overloaded loads will definitely increase the wear and tear on the road. Since roads are built and designed to a certain load specification.
@@iMadrid11 yes. I skateboard. Lol.
Concrete today has the same ingredients today as it did yesterday.
I just can't get over how intact the road is! Sucks that no one is maintaining it anymore tho!
I remember driving this to Boulevard, where my parents owned the Oak Knoll Inn. Just west of the Ellis Rest Area was Dead Man's curve. there were cars piled down below the curb that we could see, or just as likely imagined. Several semis, as I recall. Dead Man's Curve was obliterated by I-8.
There is actually a lot more to see out there. The original 1915 road winds back and forth along the 1931 road. You can see early pavement, culverts, and even bridge abutments on the older alignment. Near the end, where the 30s road goes through a big cut, the earlier 1915 road goes around the hill. There is also a section of 1930 road where Wildwood Glen meets CA 78.
Will have to check it out. Saw a lot of road out by the Desert View Tower as well.
I lived in East County from 1980-2002 and thought I knew those hills, but I didn't know about the two versions of the road. Need to go back!
We drove LA to San Diego regularly, my Dad would take us. Sometimes he would take odd roads for scenery or just get away from heavy traffic. I remember stopping on the roads for the engine to cool. They are good memories. My mom was always prepared with water, juice and sandwiches. Hope you did not run into snakes. I would be worried about that. Thank you.
snakes are cool- snakes are our friends. please don't shoot them or try to hit them in your car....
I do believe I remember driving on this highway. Beautiful area
The music enhanced the nostalgic feelings!!
Looks like a good bikepacking trip
the opening scene... i've been down that road in the early 50's... many times
Nice video and journey into the past. Thanks for sharing ;-)
Thank you for this video which allowed me to go down memory lane. I traveled this road in the early 60's.
I think a book titled "Blue Highways" highlighted these. It is common to see the old pre-interstate era roads out West - they meander back and forth near the interstates and then take different paths. Typically they arent blocked off like this one CA is. Basically anywhere in America if you have the time, get off the interstate and check out the state roads and you'll discover lots of cool places and see the content of this great country.
Blue Highways, by William Least Heat Moon helped fuel my wanderlust way back in the 80’s…along with Charles Kuralt on Television.
old highway 80 was not a typical 'pre-interstate era' road- it was one of the most dangerous highways in the US. a lot of people were hurt or killed on old highway 80- the upgrade to an interstate was badly needed and could not have come soon enough.
Great info! This is also mountain lion country so if you are hiking with pets it is in their best interest that you keep them close by you.
Who would downvote this??? Crazy... awesome video sir!!
As a San Diego native, this road has always fascinated me! There’s even abandoned parts down on the sides of the 8 past Jacumba, in In-Ko-Pah and near Ocotillo! Always wanted to explore!
I did a video on some of that area too, both the section across from the Desert View Tower and the old wagon roads. Really great places to explore.
Highway 80 was still the main highway up to the mid-1960's. Our first trips east in our motorhome in 1962 were on Highway 80. The 8 was built in 1964. Also: At the time, there were dairy farms along Highway 80 in Mission Valley, which is now basically the center of San Diego.
highway 80 was above and south of mission valley- el cajon blvd. I-8 was the first thru-road in mission valley and led to the development of the area- which was primarily agricultural- you are correct about the dairy farms. maybe you are recalling friars road which was there before I-8. but was not a thru-route back then.
@@tommurphy4307 No. As you said, Friars Rd. was not a thru-route. We seldom used it for anything (and still don't much) but I do remember going out it to a circus at the baseball park when I was 4 in 1960. Looking up an old map (one from 1940 is all I can find at the moment) my earliest memory of going east in the valley is apparently of El Camino del Rio, which was (and kind of still is -- where it hasn't been interrupted by I-8) the route on the south side of the river starting at the south end of the Morena Blvd bridge. We lived (and my brother still lives) in Overlook Heights, on the hill to the west of USD, above the intersection of Morena Blvd and Linda Vista Rd.
Our first big trips East were with our 1964 Cortez motorhome (which my brother still has). And by then I guess I-8 was the brand new route through the valley. But after some distance to the East it became Highway 80 because by the time we got down to the desert in Ocotillo on those trips, the main route was still going through Plaster City.
Your channel came across my feed. Glad it did. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome! Thank you!
Love the video. Love the history. How special doing what you love with your family. Great job!
Thank you for sharing, I love these old roads from San Diego ❤
I really enjoyed visiting San Diego in years past. Unfortunately, it takes too long to get there from Los Angeles anymore. The traffic is horrendous.
We know what you mean. We have to plan to drive at weird hours to try and get through LA with as little traffic as possible.
@@SidetrackAdventures I'm a retired old fart so I don't do waking up early anymore.
Good job on the video. I thought you did a great job narrating it and showing us this abandoned piece of history!!
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.
Looks like a great place to ride bikes. The now-abandoned San Diego and Arizona Eastern RR was also a very challenging climb over those mountains.
I grew up on hwy 80 in Terrell, Tx. Now I 20 going parallel. Thanks for the Video
Would love to check out 80 through Texas in the future.
An absolutely stunning walk along and so well done and the piano music delicious BRAVO !!! I hope to see more of this place or other places like it and what do they do with the original blueprints or whatever to call it...the walk and this video is a blessing. Thank you ~
Thank you very much!
I enjoyed your video. Really enjoyed it! Thank you for posting!
Thanks for watching
Good informative video. You took me back a bit over fifty years when I use to drive it. In the 1970's I use to go shooting there, as well as taking a telescope to sky watch all night long. Thanks for doing and sharing this video.
Watched several of your Old Hwy 80 video's - Thank You. My Dad was a California Highway Patrolman and first stationed in El Centro (1951 to 57). Was 5 to 11 years old and remember many trips to San Diego to visit my Grandparents on Old Hwy 80 especially "Devils Canyon" - the part from the desert up the Mountains to Jacumba. I remember 1 accident my Dad worked that was Big Rig carrying a load of "Cabbage" went off the road half way up down in a Deep Gully. Because of the location they just left it and the Cabbage there. You always knew where the wreck was due to the "Rotten Smell" of the cabbage - this lasted for over a year !! Also, I remember about about every mile going up Devils Canyon there were 55 Gallon Drums with water for your car - for you younger people reading this , back in the 50's just plain water was used in Cars cooling system :) many a car would "Over Heat" especially in the summer heat.
I can just imagine what an adventure it would have been to drive the road back then.
@@SidetrackAdventures Yes , My Dad worked a lot of bad accidents coming down Devils Canyon. Also have you been on the old 80 from the bottom of the Mountains going east into El Centro? I was in 2017. It is still in good condition used mostly by trucks and locals - very little traffic to none half way into El Centro( Ocotillo to several miles past Plaster City) I took pictures to show friends. My Dad use to chase speeding cars up to 100 mph starting in 1955 with the new V8 Cars. The CHP had rocket 88 Oldsmobile(308 V8) and Buicks (322 V8). One day My Dad was chasing 55 Chevy V8 at around 90 mph going west towards San Diego and unknown to my was one of his fellow officers was chasing a 55 Buick at around 90 west inbound to El Centro - They hit Head On ... There was an explosion like a 500 Lb had been dropped on the road . Well my Dad managed to slow and go around without losing control or getting stuck in the sand. Well , getting out of his police and looking back at what the "Hell" happened he heard and saw his fellow Officer yelling and waving at him from across the road. Both cars destroyed with body parts everywhere. It wasn't until the next day they knew how many died - total 5 , 2 in one car and 3 in other. I still have my Dad's 8X10 photo's of that accident.
Thanks for that cool bit of So Cal history!
Glad you enjoyed it
They really should turn that in to a bike trail. 150 miles would be a great ride for sure
Great idea, Low maintenance and it's practically ready to go right now.
Allow ebikes too. Would be great fun to Ride. Camp out spot spaced out maybe every 20 miles. Recharge spots for ebike riders. Make it an event trail to experience.
@@brianmccann666 that’s a helluva idea. Good one!
Perfect road for off road motorcycles
@@garth217 ... Off road motorcyclists would tear up the countryside and ruin the beauty of the Area.
Old highway 80 was referred as old lady highway by my dad. He was comical. I miss him and the road and backroad trips we took together. 🕊️
I live off Hwy 80 in Phenix city Alabama, tjhars beside Columbus Ga. This very cool to see the other end of "my" highway!! Thanks Sir!!
thank u for sharing
Nice Hike with the Family. Its nice to see this its getting to be a lost art enjoing the outdoors.
Nice video, cool views from the drone high up. We enjoyed your video, thank you for sharing
Made the trip from Fresno, Calf. to Monroe, Louisiana several times in the early 50's in our 1951 Studebaker Champion. 3 days of non stop driving, my parents switching off while the other slept.. I was about 5 or 6 at that time.
El Mirage, Arizona
It’s a shame these roads are being lost
Beautiful area, wonderful history.
That area was a lot of fun to explore right after the Cedar Fire of ‘03. I was even able to summit Chiquito Peak over on the right.
Everything about this video was so well done! Thank you for taking the time to share this.
Great video. I have always enjoyed abandoned places, especially old highways. Thanks for posting.
Our pleasure!