My wife wanted to get out of Phoenix for a bit so first we went to the Renaissance Festival on Saturday in Apache Junction. Then our son, on spring break from college at ASU, was nice enough to watch our ferocious hounds for us for three days for us to go to Christopher Creek, a small cutout in the Mogollon Rim Pine Country just past Payson Arizona. It was 85 when we left Phoenix and so we were unprepared. My wife got me to bring a coat, which I never do, and it was a good thing. On the way, just past Fountain Hills on the Beeline Freeway, we saw all the mountains ahead of us covered in snow. Hmmm.
I had a call earlier that day I had ignored with a 928 area code – from the place we were going. I had thought it was just the usual confirmation. I listen to the message and they say we might need a four wheel drive or chains. Hmmm. We of course had neither. I call them and they say no problem, it is clear now. We go to Payson, pick up some food, and head up the snowy road to Christopher Creek, only to be stopped ten miles short and told the road was closed. I told the Sheriff we were told we could make it. After some negotiations, he told us we could try, but if we got stuck, no one would come help us until the morning. My wife and I chose to take our chances, and were the last normal car through.
Here is the entrance the day we left, after the snow had melted. At first I could not get my car inside:
After we parked outside the cabin, it got really cold again. They estimated they might get another 6 to 8 inches. Here is what my car looked like in the morning:
Here are some pictures of the area, including my wife, me, the picnic areas, and the Mogollon Monster, who looks just like he is cold more than menacing:
That last picture is literally the view from our porch. Our cabin was right on the creek itself, but no one was walking the path too much lol. We had a great time even though we were snowed in for the whole time. Gave us a chance to unwind. The cabins had no cell phone reception, no wi-fi unless you wanted to sit in 30 degree weather in the snow outside, and only four TV channels. One was the channel for the lodge, one was all informercials (living hell), one was Ion Channel, and the other was HNL. We did not do much TV. They had books and games. My wife and I played Scrabble, but first she had to sort the letters because someone had supplied about 1.6 times the right number.
When we were driving back we were Jonesing for some good coffee. At home we brew our own fresh and the cabins had horrible stuff in a bag they told us was coffee, but we weren’t that sure after trying it. Anyway, we stopped at a cool place called the Mountain High Coffee Works, which had a variety of brews and wi-fi! We caught up on my smart phone and her Kindle Fire and drank some real coffee.
The new owners there were pretty awesome, Phil and Roxanne. We talked awhile and my wife noticed they had the latest copy of ConNotations NewZine on display, which has two of my stories in it. Patti Hulstrand had dropped them off there. That led to one thing after another and I gave them an autographed copy of my first novel, The Travelers’ Club and the Ghost Ship. Here they are, the proud new owners – of the book of course!
We had a great time, but it’s good to be back home where I can play with the hounds and update my blog. Have to get back to finishing the next two books tomorrow…
Michael Bradley - Time Traveler 