Payson Camping

So this past weekend some families and Los De Marrs went camping. We had a great time and left. The End.


I am joking...

• The Schauer/Moores (Steve, Karen, Josh and Nick)
  
• The Freeds ( Greg, Lisa, Sara and Joe)
• Aidan Tiller
• Los De Marrs (Lindsey+1, Brooklyn, and Avery)

So off we went down the FR 65 (Hey Lisa Forest Road sometimes called a control road or fire road) which is north of Payson to get some more time off from the heat and get Aidan used to the great outdoors. So the first night it was just Aidan and Los De Marrs we all showed up in pretty good time with great directions from the Schauer/Moores and unpacked like little banchees. (which really does not fit at all but in popular lore it does mean to do things quickly not sure why but I digress: Banshee) Then it was 4pm. So 2 adults 2 kids camp is realy no one is hungry and the ground is dusty..what to do? Off we went a caroling a caroling along (ok maybe it was just a "hike") up a small partially driven 4x4+ road to the top of the hill. The kids thought this was fun even if Brooklyn did decide she was tired on the way up and wanted to go on shoulders. The rest of the time was spent talking about animals, berries, flowers, and 'Swords' [See Aidan's constant refrain with sticks as either being swords or guns this weekend]. So we came back had a snack and a drink of water played in the dirt decided the sun was starting to progress towards the True Horizon (Which I almost called the Zenith but little did I know I was SOOO WRONG!) which meant it was certainly time to start dinner (aka it was maybe 6pm at this time). So raviollis it was on time to boil water on the gigantic stove as Steve points out. (Also note Ravioli or Raviolli...similar to tomatoe tomatoe but not really...but I do digress) So we ate the sun was going down it was nice and cool and then it was 7pm. Well it got dark quick so we ate home made ice cream from a rolling ice cream machine (like a soccer ball you don't want to kick as Brooklyn learned) and then it was 7:30 and about pitch black as the mood had no risin yet. So we stumbled to the tent with our lantern on (the other flashlights batties had died) went potty and then off to sleep. Little did we know we slept in a fun little spot for nighttime activities:

• Elk calls that sound like some crazy whistle
• A Cyote pack making lots of fun chace the unfortunate animal noises (or something of that nature)
• Something that sounded like a squeeky windmill
• 4x4s or ATVs going down the road a few miles away
• A in between a Waning Gibbous and a Last Quarter moon that lit up the tent like a christmas tree
• A morning sun that had us awake at first light, Not to be confused with sunrise(6:10AM)

Day 2 had us all up and about and what to do but eat breakfast go on another hike in the opposite direction and wait for the rest of the team to show up. If I was smart I would have taken us to water someplace to fish or something but I was not. So we sat around rested (see chased the kids around camp, tried to keep them marginally entertained, keep them fed [They eat like they have never been fed before] and maintain sanity. Well we did it and then it was 9am. No seriously it was 9am. So what to do well..back to the basics: Books, What's my number, I Spy, Fetch with the dogs etc. Somehow someway the time passed on and it was time for lunch. YEA LUNCH! PB&J heaven it was...well for them I got turkey and an Egg (Trying to be good I am).

So then we napped in the tent which was HOT (thought it was a shady spot and we were just WRONG) but we all napped a bit and read a little more.

Then the cavelry arrived and it the kids played, they laughed, there was more ice cream, hot dogs and hamburgers (salmon for some adults) plenty of corn (see corn in the morning left over before our run) and general kids in tents cuasing laugh laughter and fun. The kids played a little barbershop to no great harm and then voila it was time for bed. Wow time traveled fast.

Woke up again very early in the morning and sat around till almost 8AM when Steve and I went on a run. I had picked out the running time and distance 8miles and Steve had picked out the route. Not sure I am going to let him do that again. Anyways long story short we took Boots with us, and she was good, and started off on our journey. The first .5 miles we were running way to fast (6:30mile) but that was because we lost 200 feet of elevation in that .5mile distance. Then we turned up FR32 and things changed a bit. We went from 5200feet to 5900 feet over the next 3.5 miles (some up and down in there but mostly up) and I was a tired critter. We got a few dogs to chase Boots as well which was fun. So at the 4 mile mark I had lagged a little behind Steve who is like 'Jerome Jerome the Metranome' plugging up the hill. I turned back and he carried on. On the way back I was thankful I had turned back but after the first 3 miles was thinking maybe I should have went with Steve a little further..then we hit that last .5mile 200foot elevation gain and it hit me like a brick that I made a good choice to leave when I did. So I got back Lisa laughed at Steve kicking my butt (I got him by 10-12 years but he has me by about 40 pounds). I said something about he would have slapped my ass and called me sally if I wasn't so far behind which got a chuckle. Steve showed up about 10 minutes later saying he only went another .5miles up the hill and kep wondering on the way back when I was going to stop and rest the poor dog (aka Boots) which made me feel a little better. After Steve and I ate some calories we were both happy to have run in the nice air (minus the cars driving by on occation and leaving long long dust trails) and the beautiful view of the rim as we were running up the hill. I thought I almost ha tired Boots out for once until right after this she was dropping the ball in my lap asking to play.
The ladies then went on a walk with both dogs while the men watched the kids. (Which I will note durring the run is when the barbershop happened NOT durring the men watching). The men sat around played with the kids and just chilled until I looked at the clock noticed it was 10:45 and LPD told me I needed us on the road at 11 to get back to the house with the kids for family dinner which we wer hosting at 4pm (Her parents and my parents[who are now off to Africa]). So a loading I went and noticed that LPD had organized a bunch which was nice to get us off. We broke camp at about 11:45 helped a guy get his car out of the ditch as we drove out and were on the road by noon. Freeds/Schauer/Moors up to the Rim for lunch and play time and Los De Marrs back to Payson/Chandler, which was nice because we were all starving. So off to Taco bell to use the restroom and wait in the drive through line and then to MCD's for the kids. Total time 1 hour. 1 hour to drive 15 miles, illigaly dump trash into a trashcan and then get fast food! WOW. Anways we arrived at aprox 2:45 just enough time to unpack, wash the kids, take showers, go to the store for dinner stuff (Did I mention we did not have everything we needed) and then make the dinner.

WHEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW



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And then we slept!
Avery