Scottsdale 2012, part 6

After leaving Scottsdale, we headed into the Tonto National Forest up to Payson, saying farewell to the saguaros.

This one was amazing. Just look at all the arms.

Payson has lots of historical buildings.

 This beautiful little house, on a hill above the lake, was once Zane Grey's house, now a museum.

Every year the Hashknife pony express still rides through Payson from Holbrook to Scottsdale.

 Along the highway after Payson, there was a turnoff for the Natural Bridge. We decided to go see it. The road was a 15% grade, downhill all the way. By the time I arrived at the bottom, I could smell my brakes. Then, they stopped working altogether. Scary! Fortunately, we were at the bottom and I was able to pull right into the parking lot. I was really worried but decided that with some time to cool them off, everything would be okay. I went into the gift shop and then hiked down to the bottom of the lower parking lot. I snapped this photo while my mom waited in the car.

 The road was curvy and woodsy much of the way.

In Pine, I took this photograph of this old barn and then I saw the people sitting out front and the cars parked in back. Good grief, do they still use it?

Just across the street was this lovely little house that I'd be happy to live in.

This was a country store, still open for business.

Check out this 'out of place' totem. Cool, huh?

We saw a sign for the oldest log school house and decided to go see it.

 They only open it up for special tours but I was able to look inside.

There was still plenty of snow in the high country.

We passed by an area of the forest that had burned some years ago.

 The road seemed to go on and on for miles.

Finally, we made it to the town of Williams

and then on to the red rocks of eastern Arizona - western New Mexico.

This next area was at a rest stop. Beautiful area, isn't it?

I love the sky patterns in this photo even though they are hard to see.

Finally, we made it home, an end to a wonderful mini trip, hard to believe it was only three days.