Yuma to Gila Bend,AZ

[tytrike]

So if you got me from Joshua Tree to Yuma, perhaps you also can route me to Gila Bend on my way to Organ Pipes Cactus National Monument?
How about the seconday (tertiary? tracks?) roads on the north or south side of the Gila River?
I'm on a recumbent tadpole trike pulling a BOB trailer.  Most any maintained road is makeable.  Freeways are extremely difficult.

Terry
Rides West Deserts, Mountains

This message was edited by tytrike on 2-2-08 @ 5:03 PM

[roadrunner]

The following thoughts are based on roads I've biked and driven in SW Arizona.
I'd ride US-95 east out of Yuma to the secondary highway that goes through Dome, Wellton, and Tacna, to Mohawk.  At Mohawk, check if there is a paved road on the south side of I-8 to Dateland.  If not, ride I-10 the 13 miles to Dateland (the terrain is very flat, and the shoulder is wide).  From Dateland to Gila Bend there's a paved road (not on the map) on the south side of the interstate which I've ridden and recall goes virtually all the way to Gila Bend.  The paved road from Dateland to Sentinel that goes north of I-10 through Hyder adds about 15 miles.  I haven't ridden the dirt road west of Hyder.
AZ-85 from Gila Bend to Organ Pipe carries a lot of RV traffic, expecially south of Why.
An alternative route from Joshua Tree to Organ Pipe that passes through more scenic areas in Arizona would be CA-62 to Parker, AZ-72 to Hope, US-60 to Solaome, secondary highways to I-10 Exit 81, Wintersburg, and Arlington to Old Highway 85 that parallels the Gila River to Gila Bend.
All of the routes are through desert country, and many of the towns are just names on the map, so take plenty of water and sufficient food to make up for planned food stops that may not exist.