NEVER Trust Your GPS!!

Sharp Creek Campground, Payson AZ 

25 May, 2023

My GPS added a waypoint that took me off route!

I had checked out all the steps along the route and made sure that the end-point was the campground; but I wasn't really paying attention to anything but the scenery as I drove.  By the time I realized that I was off-route, there was no easy place to turn around with a trailer.  Checking the detail on the GPS, I realized that somehow it (or I) had added a way-point that took me off the main route and onto some hairy little county road winding through the mountains.  It started to pour - making the dirt road even more problematic for turning around - then the county road turned into a forest service road.  Checking the road atlas, I thought it was shorter to keep going than try to backtrack (once I got to a turn-around spot) - but, boy howdy! was that an afternoon that I don't want to repeat!  From now on, I will have a paper copy of the route in hand to double check along the way!!

Sharp Creek Campground

Just outside Payson, AZ, this is a small Forest Service Campground with a large group area and 3 small loops.  There are other campgrounds nearby, as well as lakes, a trout fish hatchery, the Mogollan Rim Visitor Center - fishing, hiking, boating - a real camping destination area!!

I was camping in one of the group areas with RVW (RV'ing Women) and, after a very strong drink when I arrived (even with the detour, I got there before dark) and some rain on the first day, it was a lovely weekend.

Willow Lake Paddle

Willow Lake was lovely to paddle - only electric motors allowed, so it was quiet.  We got an early start so it wasn't too crowded (the boat ramp was getting crowded as we finished up).

Chiricahua National Monument

 Bonita Canyon CG: Chiricahua NM, Wilcox AZ

8 May, 2023

I-10 Was Closed!!  But the detour was prettier . . . 

It's rare that an interstate is closed for days on end - but in the days leading up to this latest trip, there was a big accident that closed the highway both directions and the west-bound exit by Wilcox will be closed for awhile because the overpass was compromised.  But, I detoured on county roads to get into the Chiricahua NM and my campground.  By the end of my get-away, the highway had re-opened.

Bonita Canyon CG is an old CCC campground

There are 26 campsites mostly very small tent sites;  There are maybe 6 sites suitable for a trailer.  My site was plenty big enough but, like a lot of older CG, the 1 way loop made for a very difficult back-in.  I ended up going the wrong way around the loop in order to back into the site.  

The campground is at about 5400' so the temps were just lovely!  The air smelled like juniper, pine and oak and wild turkey and white-tailed deer were everywhere.  While I love the Sonoran desert, a brief get-away to the mountains was pure joy.

Camping on the surface of the sun

 Pleasant Lake Regional Park, AZ

2 May, 2023

This trip was WAY hotter than expected

Daytime temps for most of the trip reached the high 90's (36C) which would have been unbearable without the breeze.  My campsite had a beautiful view of the canyon - as well as occasional views of the resident Burros (often heard braying).  The lake is one of biggest in Arizona it was very pretty with a couple of small islands.  I would have liked to get out and paddle - but it was too hot to leave Phoebe in the trailer.

Learning how to camp in Frijole

Each camping vehicle brings new challenges in camp set-up.  My moonshade easily attached to the van with the super-strong magnets - but Frijole is fiberglass and doesn't have a level surface anywhere!

But, the moonshade is nothing if not versatile.  Some gearloops and the suction cup attachments worked well enough (I'll probably get the larger suction cups to offset the SW wind).  I think I need to add a pool noodle the top pole to ensure it doesn't rub on the fiberglass roof.  Over-all, once I got it staked down really well, it handled some pretty breezy conditions.  

My cute little campsite

Luckily, the nights cooled down very nicely.  However, I think I'll have to consider leaving Phoebe behind when I want to do any paddling.  Without AC, leaving pets in the trailer while camping in Arizona is only reasonably safe in the winter.