More Playing in the Forest and 'S' Doesn't Stand for Spring

I never get out of my PJs on Sunday, and don't do much more than read, nap and watch TV. It is a lovely lazy day.

With weather expected for late Monday, and worse on Tuesday, we get out Monday morning while we can.

Camping World in Bellemont is just up the road - we go to pick up a new water pressure regulator, and check their availability for an oil change.

A nice size facility, and we're able to get a very convenient appointment for our travel day. Coming out of the store the wind is up again, with clouds threatening to the northwest.

Wind

Clouds

Although the skies are somewhat intimidating, there is no precipitation on the radar so we take A-1 Mountain Road (the best I'm sure) off the freeway in search of more forest roads.

We pass several large homes in a new-looking gated community, and then the pavement ends. Yay - more back roads to explore!

There are numerous boondocking locations here - we're again in the Coconino National Forest. Investigating one of the spots, we come upon a small herd of prong horns. They don't stick around for many photos. Not quite as well camouflaged as the mule deer, they still blend in with the gold grass.

Already on the move

Still see you.....sort of

The roads get rougher as we move deeper into the forest, and closer to Mt Humphreys. There is no sign of any other people here, and we keep our eyes open for more wildlife. 

Mt Humphreys our constant companion

Bill sees a small lake on Imaps, and we do find it. But it's a dirt tank for animals - dry today and really, really small. We're amazed it shows up on the map!
While on that little side trail we find a small bank of snow. Tessa uses it to make red dirt tracks :-)

The white zone is for loading and unloading of passengers only......

Tracks of the Tessa

That stuff's cold - I'm outta here!

It is beautiful back here. Both old growth and new saplings, this forest is healthy. Standing under these beauties, we hear the wind rushing through the tree tops, dropping lower, then kicking up a bit of dust as it touches down for just a second before moving on. A few minutes later, we hear more coming from the distance. Powerful, mesmerizing, but too cold to enjoy for long.

Magical place

The campsites show some signs of recent use, but are clean with little impact. We appreciate this.

Clean fire ring at one of many primitive campsites

Large, lichen-covered boulders add variety to the forest 

In one area is a large number of downed timber. They are all small trees, and it looks more like a huge wind knocked them down several years ago, than anything humans have done.

We find more patches of snow, including a small area we have to drive over. What we don't find is access to the road that would make this a loop, so we return the way we came. Sadly we don't see any other wildlife, and the prong horns have moved on. There are several birds, but they are all moving so fast we can't really see what they look like.

An old rock wall in the trees

Lowell Observatory, also in the trees, on our way back

Back home, the wind increases and we hunker down for the evening. 

The rain comes during the night, heavy at times. And in the morning it is snowing! It's sticking and within an hour we have a pretty good coating all around us. 

By 10 AM it's melting and there is intermittent sunshine. The wind is still up, moving the clouds quickly past the tall, waving pines around us. 

Doesn't feel much like Spring.