Arizona Wheeling/camping trip stories and pics!

[Triathlete]

Myself, my wife Regina, Bob (VXCaver), Victor (VCamilo), and his girlfriend Stephanie rolled out of Phoenix bright and early Saturday after meeting up. We headed north up the freeway to the Beeline Highway (87).Rolled through Payson and into Pine. There we headed out a dirt road to the trail turn off. After several miles on the trail and a couple of minor "side trips" (okay, wrong turns) we found out that the trail ended where the forest service has apparently turned the trail into a hiking only trail (apparently not notifying my topo map software company). So we found a big shade tree and broke out some lunch...
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After some eats we decided to try a few other places along the Fossil Creek and Verde River. Both ended up being over crowded with young drunk kids...not exactly the scene we were looking for.
So, at the recommendation of Victor, we backtracked out of the area and cruised a bit up the 87 to the Mogollon Rim. After a few miles of light off roading we found our destination. A camp site with an amazing view...right outside my tent window...
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to be continued...

[Triathlete]

...continued!
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You can see the "rim" drop off behind my tent...
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To be continued...

[Triathlete]

...continued!
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Hanging out after getting camp set up...
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MMMmmmmm! Corn cooking on the grill before the steaks graced the flames...
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[Triathlete]

The fun continues...
My VX doing a "burn out" (Hmmm, great calandar shot!)...
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"Pyro" Victor fueling the fire...
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Sun rise Sunday morning over the Rim and my tent...
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[Triathlete]

More...
After a camp breakfast, breaking down camp, and loading all our gear we headed back out the trail and down the road to a great little side trip.
Tonto Natural Bridge! This place is just amazing...'nuff said, here are the pics!
Lots of wet green follage...rare in Arizona...
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The flowers were in bloom...
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[Triathlete]

More pics from Tonto Bridge...
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The trail bridge going into the bottom of the bridge...
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Happy Mothers Day!...
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The fall from the bottom...
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Under the bridge...
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Bob and Victor "under the bridge"...
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[Triathlete]

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This is one of my favorite pics...
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[Triathlete]

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The mossy falls...
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Finally a pic I am in...
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After a few hours of hiking around the bridge we hopped back in the VX's and headed down into Payson for a Dairy Queen treat...MMmmmm Blizzards! The VX's drew a few admirers as we ate. One guy even came in and looked around, figured we were the owners and asked us a lot of questions about our rigs!
Then we headed on back to civilization and parted ways in Phoenix!


We are planning on recreating the Mogollon Rim camping and Tonto Btidge hike in the fall! So, how many of you might be up to the trip to meet some fellow VXers and see the "other" part of Arizona where very fewe cactus and cooler temps await?

Victor and Bob...I know you got some great shots to add and I will be adding some video once I get around to editing it!

[Triathlete]

P.S.
Almost forgot...I'll let Bob tell you all the snake story! :laughy: :laugho: :laughr: :laughgray

[VXcaver]

Oh, right! Point out the "snake story"! I encountered a giant, fierce looking genus Thamnophis that was trying to get into my cooler. I frightened it into retreating with a war cry. (It just sounded like a girlish scream to those not used to dealing with wild snakes...) Hey, I know how to keep my friends safe in the wild. I watch Survivorman all the time!

[Triathlete]

Yep, thats ALMOST how I remember it. Thats a pretty long technical name for a 12 inch garter snake! :laughy: :laugho: :laughr:

[Triathlete]

Just finished editing the video and loading it on the web. WMV sucks but you get the point. My DVD version is much nicer but those free host sites for some reason don't like 900MB files! :_confused

SO anyway here it is...
VX's on the RIM (http://media.putfile.com/VXs-on-the-RIM) :dance:

WARNING
There is a little rough language in the music so use caution if at work, the little ones are around, or you are sensitive to that type of thing.