WALLACE FAMILY GATHERING 2014

DEAD HORSE RANCH STATE PARK

Ron and I visited Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood a couple years ago and were very impressed.  I tucked it away for future possibilities, and decided this year it would be the perfect place to hold our Family Gathering.   It's a reasonable drive for the Tucson folks. It's enough of an elevation rise to make a nice change of scenery but not to be too cold at night in the fall.

 Scott arrive in Flagstaff from Nebraska at zero-dark-thirty Saturday morning, having driven straight through.  He was in the company of his nephew Jacob, who was continuing on to Phoenix to visit his sister.  We took Jacob to the shuttle van in Flagstaff for his final leg to Phoenix.  Everything was ready to be packed into the vehicles, and that was our task when we got back home.   

Dead Horse Ranch is a very popular park and we'd set dates for this Gathering a couple months in advance so I could make reservations for our stay.  Our first preference was to stay in the charming camp cabins that are available.  I secured reservations for three of the four nights we'd chosen; one night had already been completely booked by another group.  I reserved a tent site for that one night.  The combination of cabins and tenting required lots of gear. We filled our van with all the necessary cabin/camp gear, and loaded the back of Scott's truck with ice chests and firewood.

We left Flagstaff on Sunday about 1:30, with check-in time at the park at 3:00.  Ron was in our van as the lead vehicle and I rode with Scott.  Ron chose the scenic route through Oak Creek Canyon.  Coincidentally, Scott had never been through the canyon, nor in Sedona.   He found the drive most spectacular.  

 

We arrived at our cabins, named Grizzly

and Hawk. 

CAMP I

Because Grizzly had two picnic tables, we chose it as our main cabin.  We set up a kitchen and dining area and had our campfires there. 

 

 

Scott, Ron and I chose it for sleeping.

 

  Mike and Karen arrived before dark and got set up in Hawk.  

Our first night we ate, visited, and enjoyed a campfire.  Ron was in charge of the fire, using  well-cured wood from his generous supply at home.

Monday morning dawned downright chilly.  We'd only brought enough wood for night time fires.  We could have used morning fires as well.  We didn't have a thermometer, but it was most likely in the mid to high 40's, which is cool enough for camping.  

After breakfast, Scott, Mike, Ron and I went for a walk around the fishing lagoons in the park, accompanied by Mike and Karen's dogs Zoey and Puggles.  

After lunch, a snooze was required by some members of our party.

Later in the afternoon, Mike, Ron and I took Mike's rubber raft to the lagoons for some leisurely paddling.

Upon looking at this scene, Mike made the observation that perhaps we should be looking for a baby in a basket....

pretty close, I'd say!

A bit of wildlife

some interesting underwater growth

and island exploration.

We finally settled into a mission of spotting and recovering wayward bobbers, and ended up with this haul:

It was a most enjoyable float.

Dinner, talk and stories, campfire, cozy cabins.

Tuesday morning Karen needed to go back to Tucson for an appointment, so she packed up herself and the dogs and headed out.  This was the day the cabins were reserved by another party, so we packed up to move to

CAMP II

Mark and Cindy arrived at the tent site in the early afternoon.

 

 

After lunch, Cindy took a turn in the raft.

Immediately after taking this picture, a park ranger showed up and asked if we had life jackets.  You bet-back in camp, of course.  Scott and I hustled back and got them. 

This woman, taking her daily walk around the lagoon, stopped to make some hilariously sarcastic comments about the paddling prowess she observed, so we made her an honorary member of the family and include her picture here.

Another enjoyable evening of dinner, talk and campfire.

Wednesday morning started with a walk to this old cabin

then along the Verde River and its little tributaries

Cottonwood trees like this gave the town its name.

Three brothers on the loop back to the cars.

Back at camp, we packed up to go back to the cabins.

CAMP III

After camp set-up and lunch, we drove to nearby Jerome, a copper mining town successfully turned tourist and art mecca.

We enjoyed browsing the local shops and looking at the view.

On the way out, we stopped at the Anderson-Mandette Gallery.  Ron is acquainted with Robin Anderson as part of a group he hikes with.  Robin and his wife Margo are both world-renowned artists.  They made a choice to settle in Jerome 21 years ago, and have a 20,000 square foot gallery and studio in the old schoolhouse, now called the Old Mingus Art Center.

 

 Robin visited and showed us around the gallery.  He's very personable and knowledgeable as well has being highly skilled and productive.  What a unique opportunity to experience an artist and his art first-hand!

 

We shopped for dinner at the local Food City, settling on hamburgers.  Ron's birthday was the next day, so we included some cupcakes, ice cream and a birthday card as well.

 

  

 Thursday was going-home day.  We enjoyed the last of the wood for our only morning fire.

 After a scrambled egg breakfast, we packed up for the last time to leave for our respective homes.  

The delightful setting of Dead Horse Ranch State Park made this a particularly enjoyable Gathering.

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe,
call it a family: Whatever you call it,
whoever you are, you need one."

 

                                                                                           - Jane Howard