The Rim

We were traveling Arizona Highway 280, an up-down, up-down, highway, with elevations upwards of 5,000 feet, listening to Willie, as we rolled along. At a place called Forest Lakes, FS Road 237, we spotted a number of tents on our map. Off to the right we went. Camp ground after camp ground was closed for the season, not to open until May. This high country, usually covered in snow this time of the year, was warm and sunny.  In this warmth, it seemed strange to find the camp grounds closed.

With no camp grounds open, we decided to boondock in a vista turnout and risk being rousted out in the middle of the night.

After a lovely evening stroll along The Rim, elevation 7500 feet, we blacked Thistle's windows out, ate dinner and retired, hoping to be invisible. The next morning, after no night time disturbance from the boondock police, we walked and rode our bikes along the wonderful rim pathways and roadways. Explored Willow Springs Lake. Hung out. This is an Arizona I didn't know existed. I'm enchanted!

Grove of Oaks along the rim.

Rim stones

Old man juniper

A path (sometimes a trail) running about five miles along the rim

We biked to the closed ranger station

Ed & Fran

Ann Marie & Chris, NY

Willow Springs Lake

Benton, watching and waiting for the stick to be thrown

Morning Sun

--

"If Music is a Place -- then Jazz is the City, Folk is the Wilderness, Rock is the Road, Classical is a Temple."

- Vera Nazarian

Posted with Blogsy