27-08 Payson to Cottonwood. Well you probably guessed it already, I moved back to Payson for a few more days. Although Roosevelt Lake was only 50 miles down the road, it was also a couple thousand feet lower and right in the heart of the dessert.
Can we say HOT. Ekk! It seems like I haven’t been in really hot weather in a couple of years now. It got up to 98 during the day and it didn’t cool off to about 75 at night and that was after midnight. Without A/C it just wasn’t my life style. I’ve been dry camping the past couple of weeks.
Payson is a comfortable mid 80’s and very cool at night. I was sitting out yesterday, just reading a book and enjoying the wonderful atmosphere of being in a forest. Tonto Forest. This is really great country. Payson is a town of 15,000 folks at 5,000 ft elevation. The town has all the basics including the Super Wal-Mart, Home-Depot, Indian Casino, a fair amount of restaurants and a couple good grocery stores.
Anyone interested in the outdoors, this is the place. 5 or 6 fishing lakes up on top of the Mogollon Ridge, lots of interesting places to visit within an hours drive, plenty of hiking and other outdoor activity. Seems to be reasonably priced living wise as well. And it doesn’t feel crowded.
I had an oil/filter and fuel filter change done on the truck by a local garage and was shocked at the price. $230.00. That’ll teach me to inquire as to the price first. I’m pretty sure I could have gotten the work done at a Chevy dealer for less. I know I could have gotten the oil/filter changed at a Super Wal-Mart for much less, but they don’t change fuel filters on diesel engines. We live and learn don’t we.
The owner told me I should be putting in an additive to the diesel fuel each time I filler up. Told me that the new diesel fuel is causing lots of corrosion with the pistons if I understood him correctly. If anyone has any further information on this, please let me know. By the way, with the oil/filter change he automatically put in an additive to the oil, that cost about $25.00, without even asking if I wanted it.
So around mid week, I moved on down the road again, 70 miles, to Cottonwood.
I was hear a year or so ago and had truck repairs, so I didn’t get a chance to see much. This time, I decided since I have lots of time, why not check into a bit of work camping in the area. To my surprise, I lucked out and the State park has one opening for a month, which is exactly what I was hoping for.
Now lets not all start writing me and telling me I’m back into the working world…. It’s only part time and I get my campsite free for a month.
The next day, I moved my camper over to the Camp host site I’d been assigned, listened in on my walkee talkee and hiked over to the weekend festival taking place in the park. I volunteered to help out at the kids jumpee blow-up toy thingee. When I was finally relieved of my duties, which I didn‘t do too well, as I let too many kids play on the blow up thingee, but I did get better at it, I toured the exhibits, listened to a really great trio sing some old songs, watched the re-enactment of the civil war and then to top it all off, I visited a Vintage Trailer exhibit and enjoyed an ice-cream social with the members. And on a hot day, the ice cream really made it.
I’m hoping I’ll have lots of stories to tell about this area, but don’t expect a report every week, while I stay in the area for the month. So until I have more to write, have a super great day and find your own adventure out there.
Your travelin buddy, Dougp
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