A DRIVE ON THE MOGOLLON RIM, FOREST ROAD 300

Tuesday, May 23 - Today we took the drive on The Mogollon Rim!! The Mogollon Rim , Forest Road 300, is a dirt road that is about 100 miles long. The drive we took was only about 40 miles -- West on Forest Road 300, from AZ 260 Southeast of Payson, to AZ 87 North of Strawberry.

This is the Visitor Center across AZ 260 from Forest Road 300. The Visitor Center was closed down because it had been broken into and vandalized; many of its irreplaceable items were stolen!

Ken standing on the porch.

These were our first views of the Mogollon Rim -- the vista from the deck of the Visitor Center!

The first vista on Forest Road 300 was the Military Sinkhole vista!

The next vista was over-looking some lake. I can't remember the name. I was walking out on a ledge looking for the lake to take a picture. Suddenly, I tripped over a rock!! Rather than trying to catch my balance and taking a chance of falling over a two-foot drop to the next ledge, I decided it was safer to drop to my hands and knees!! OUCH!!!

Fortunately, I had some tissues and band-aids in the car and was able to cover the cuts on both knees and the big gash on my right chin!

The worse thing was Ken would not let me get out of the car after my fall!! He took the rest of the pictures from the car! I made several mistakes on this drive. My first mistake was the fall!!

I soon discovered my next major mistake on our drive! I thought since it was a Rim Drive, the vistas would be on both sides of the road. We were heading from East to West. There was not a single vista on the passenger side -- the East side of the Rim!! Every vista was on the West side!! We frequently had to crane our necks to see the vista behind us!! We still managed to get some beautiful views!!

(I highly recommend driving from West to East on the Mogollon Rim.)

Forest Fires scared thousands of acres of the National Forests along FR 300.

The Mogollon Rim, Forest Road 300, is also known as Arizona's Backbone and General Crook Trail.

Our final vista!!

The drive along The Mogollon Rim was fantastic!!

A COLONOSCOPY FOR FAYE

Tuesday - May 17 - On Wednesday, April 27, I

set up an appointment with Dr. Wilkinson at Cottonwood Internal Medicine. The purpose of that appointment was to try to determine the cause of my fatigue and shortness of breath. I was so impressed with her that she became my Primary Care Physician for our time in Cottonwood.

I have already had a mammogram and heart Echo arranged by Dr. Wilkinson. Reports from both exams are good. I also had a bone density test but have not heard the results of that exam.

Dr. Wilkinson referred me to Dr. Hansso also of Cottonwood Internal Medicine to have a Colonoscopy procedure. I spent the three days prior to the procedure in preparation!! UGH!! I had the procedure this morning. I was asleep the entire time so, except for the preparation, it was not a problem.

The result of the exam is that I'm clean as a whistle!! And, since I'm now so OLD, I never have to do this again!! Hurrah!!

I see Dr. Wilkinson on Thursday, May 26, to get the results of my remaining tests!! Hope she can figure out the rest of my problems!!!

MORE PICKLEBALL AT TT VERDE VALLEY, AZ

May 04 - May 14 - Two more weeks at TT Verde Valley. We are still having a great time at the Pickleball courts. Some players have moved on to other adventures and new players have taken their places. Some of them we already knew and some are brand new friends. All of them are a lot of fun to play with and socialize with.

Karen and Will.

Mary and Alan.

My Ken and Mary's Ken.

Ed and Alan.

Ken, Susan, Ken and Ella after their match.

Friends Nancy and Wayne stopped by TT Verde Valley on their way home to Montana! Here is Nancy with Cathy, Mary, and Cathy's husband

Bob is observing while Wayne teaches some beginners basic Pickleball techniques.

Students on the other side of the net: Cathy and Bob's wife, Colene.

We have all certainly enjoyed our time at TT Verde Valley Pickleball courts.

BUSY DAY AT TT VERDE VALLEY

Apr 13 - After a few fun games on the Pickleball courts, the day's activities are not over. Some of us "Gals" have established the routine of going over to the Activity Center at 10 AM to doing some Line Dancing.

Here we are in the middle of a dance. Faye, Nancy, Ella our leader, and Colene.

At 11:30 AM, we go over to the pool for Water Aerobics with "Billie Jo's Wet and Wonderful Celebration!!"


Here's Cathy, I'm the leader of this activity, Mary, and Colene.

Today, at the pool, we decided to go out for a fish fry dinner. Everyone said Randell's was great but it turned out they are only open for breakfast and lunch. So we ended up at Sizzler's.


Around the table: Wayne, Nancy, Ken, Mike, Cathy, Mary, Faye and Ken.

The company was great. Judging from the quantity of food I consumed, you would not believe this, but we don't recommend the Cottonwood Sizzler's Friday night Fish and Seafood. Next time we'll go to Randell's for lunch!!

CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION

May 6 - Well we missed celebrating Cinco de Mayo by a day, but what a celebration we had on Friday!! We invited all the the Pickleball players we could find to come to our site at about 4 PM. Ken made Tacos and had pitchers of Margaritas flowing. I had made a Tortilla Soup. Everyone came bringing Mexican dishes to share with the group!!

We had a great time eating and drinking and talking and laughing. I brought out a CD I had created the night before using my Rhapsody and Audacity combination. It was Cinco de Mayo Party Music including The Mexican Hat Dance, LaBamba, LaCucaracha, Red Hot Salsa. The music raised the level of festivity even more!! Soon I was dancing the Macarena on the table!!

They made me do it.

I, of course, wanted to take some pictures of everyone for the Blog, but wanted to make it fun. I noticed Trudy’s hat and thought it would make a great prop for the ladies to use but, first, it needed some decorating. Trudy just happened to have some red and green napkins in her car. She and Ella soon made the hat into a beautiful Mexican “sombrero”!!

I announced that I wanted to take pictures of each couple for the Blog. They could do anything they wanted, but there were a few requirements: The ladies had to wear the Sombrero; the men had to throw the tea towel we had used to keep the tortillas warm over one shoulder so they could be Gauchos; couples had use the Maracas; and they had to stand in front of the Mexican Blanket as a backdrop! Sandy and Ed (from their experience in Mexico) said, “It's not a blanket; it's a Serape.” OK! They had to stand in front of the Serape!! The resulting pictures were terrific!!

Trudy and Alan are pictured first because she had the Sombrero!!

Anja and Ken cutting up! Ella is helping by stretching the Serape so it can be seen!

Merralee and Oland playing the Maracas!

Ella and Will eating the Maraca!!

Will was so funny. He brought a beef barbecue to spread on crackers. He dubbed it "Steako de Mayo" in honor of the occasion. HA HA

Susan and Larry!

Our friends for years and years - Carolyn and John!

Julie and Bob!

How sweet love is!!

Sandy and Ed who knew about the "Serape"!

Faye and Ken. Ken was so festive that he brought out his special "Eat My Burrito" apron!! It was hysterical but I had to censor from the waist down!!

That's better, Ken!!

Oh, it was so much fun!!! Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite Holidays!!! I hope everyone enjoyed themselves as much as I did!! Thank you, everyone, for coming to help us celebrate!!!