hiking – Cindy Bruchman

Blue Valley. Below are the small towns of Strawberry-Pine.

We wanted to get away for 24 hours. Off we went yesterday to our new favorite spot of the escarpment that is the 200 mile Mogollon Rim. For my blogging-buddy Fraggle, whose photographs I admire because she has people in them, I created this post. Normally, I focus on the landscape. Rarely do I humanize my outings. This time, Jim and I brought along our granddaughter Milly and our new puppy, Ruby. Which one do you like best?

A colleague suggested a camping spot ninety-minutes away tucked under Ponderosa Pines and surrounded by Mountain Laurel. She promised valley views, and Jim and I felt an escapade was needed. 260 to 87S. Mile Marker 277. Drive through the gate a mile and veer left. Okay, we’ll try it!

We headed up to the high country for glamping and campfire dinner. As we relaxed, we put on George Harrison’s tribute concert from 2002 at London’s Royal Albert Hall. We felt like we were at an outdoor concert. The crisp air combined with a slight breeze whistling through the pines lulled us to sleep. This morning, we hiked along the precipice. This is the Mogollon Rim from the west side. How many times have we driven by this spot thinking we needed to travel 3.5 hours to get there? We halved our time and fell in love with the view and privacy. Not a soul to be found. Which shot do you like best?