Camping on the Rim 7-21/23-05 (Large Pics)

[Wind_Danzer]

So on Thursday I met up with Stomper around 10:30am and headed north towards Payson. On 87 there was a sign calling for heavy smoke but it wasn't to bad.

http://tinypic.com/9a8ehe.jpg

After a quick lunch in Payson we headed out to Rim Rd. This was my first time out of Payson and it was well worth it. Trying to use the GPS coordinates provided by another, we tried to locate Patio Rock. We were told this is one of the best places to camp on the rim. We looked everywhere but the coordinates Stomper had in relation to what his GPS were showing told us we were off. Here he is trying to figure out where we were.

http://tinypic.com/9a8m4x.jpg

Finally after driving around for about an hour or so more trying all the little off shoots, we settled on this area. How would you like to wake up to this every morning:

http://tinypic.com/9a8mer.jpg

Setting up camp about 200 feet from the edge:

http://tinypic.com/9a8mr6.jpg

I had to break out the rain fly later on in the evening as a storm ended up rolling through.

The views from the rim were breathtaking. On Friday we decided to go drive 1/2 of the Rim Rd. to Knoll Lake. Here are a few pics from that day.

Potato Lake:

http://tinypic.com/9a8u4i.jpg

A view down from the overlook:

http://tinypic.com/9a8uaq.jpg

Knoll Lake:

http://tinypic.com/9a8vnm.jpg

Rich and Kathy finding the obstical at the overlook:

http://tinypic.com/9a8wf8.jpg

The next day a few more joined the group, including the person that new how to find Patio Rock. After a late start, he took us there:

http://tinypic.com/9a92mo.jpg

http://tinypic.com/9a930k.jpg

[Wind_Danzer]

Here's the only "carnage" from the trip:

http://tinypic.com/9a93m0.jpg

That bolt had no way of holding up to the washboards. :D

I left out around 3pm today after we cruised aroudn a fire road or two. I have to be at work early in the AM so I get to miss out on the rest of tomorrow.

Anyway here are a few more random pics:

http://tinypic.com/9a95hf.jpg

http://tinypic.com/9a95l5.jpg

http://tinypic.com/9a95qp.jpg

http://tinypic.com/9a95w0.jpg

And the cool pic of the day (and it surpasses a flower pic I took on Thursday):

http://tinypic.com/9a96ds.jpg

This was taken from Rt. 260 near Camp Verde on the way home.

It was a great trip with some good people who are still having FUN!!!!!! Thanks for the great fun y'all and I hope to do it again sometime!!!

[Headspace]

As always, great photos Jamie!!! Looks like you saw some wet weather. :)

[jeepsonly]

Ah, sounds like fun. Thanks for sharing the pics. Nice Jeep trailer, btw. Oh and I can't believe you ran over that dog! :D

[jim0352]

Wow, great views. I'm definitely going to have to add that to my list of places to see.

Jim

[johndorf]

Glad you had fun. The Rim has some of the most beautiful country in the state. I love it up there. I have that same trailer as in the pic, probably from the same group buy. Maybe next time... John

[cypherjoe]

Wow! I forgot how beautiful it is up there!
Wish I could have made it up there but I had to move our office. :( Humm maybe I will head up that direction after I finish my coffee. :D

Great pics glad everything worked out ok with the Stomper pullin lead! :eek:

[Antman]

Wow! I forgot how beautiful it is up there!
Wish I could have made it up there but I had to move our office. :( Humm maybe I will head up that direction after I finish my coffee. :D

Great pics glad everything worked out ok with the Stomper pullin lead! :eek:

Now you guys know why Thom Campbell and I live up in the country. Saturday morning my wife and I met Thom and a group of Jeepers at Buglers restaurant in Forest Lakes for breakfast as they came through on their way to Colorado for a week. My wife and I took the back roads through Black Canyon Lake to get home to Heber afterwards. A nice morning drive with the windows out and beautiful scenery to look at.

Glad you folks had a great time. :D

[cypherjoe]

Sorry I didn't make it up there. :(

I did Broken Arrow instead! :D

[azjeepcjman]

Hey Jamie, do you have any idea as to what the temps were while you were up there? Highs during the day and lows at night?

[honaker]

Wind Danzer,

Thanks for the memories! You reopened the door for me on a camping trip to Potato Lake back in '79.

On that trip I remember driving past a bar somewhere in the rim country that was called "Ya Ta Hey." Anyone see it or know if it still exists?

[Stomper]

Wow, where do I start. It was such a great trip. Thanks to Rich and Kathy for your graciousness and generosity, and thanks to WD for helping me set up my tent. It was nice to see Irv again and meet Shirley she is a great lady. The same goes for Mike Score and his fiance Sylvia I wish you make a great couple. I had not seen Mike Tarver since March of 2003 it was good to see him again.

Highlights of the trip include but are not limited to:

The people that went.

We had cell phone reception.

The views.

The gorgeous weather.

The good times we had drinking beer and margaritas.

Me taking pics of Creeker modeling the Simply Offroad t-shirt he has. Sorry Rich, but taking pics of Nena and Karen was much more fun.

The lady with five kids and two dogs in a Chevy p/u with a pop-up who could not turn herself around and whose right rear tire went flatter than Joan Jett.

Just enjoying the sound of gravel crunching under your tires, the stillness when you are stopped or enjoying nature, and the fact that you are where you want to be instead of where you have to be.

The fact Creeker was in 4 low and had both lockers engaged for one little rock field. :D

The lowlights of the trip:

We had cell phone reception.

All in all a very enjoyable trip and a good time. My thanks to those who came and I hope to see you all on the trail again soon.

CJ: I was only lost once and all I had to do was drive around until I came to a main road. That is the benefit of not having a cb, you cannot hear the others ask if you kow where you are going. :)

Here are pics:
http://community.webshots.com/user/srd2005

[Wind_Danzer]

Nice pics!!!!!!

As for temps, I would say in the mid 80's and between the mid 50's to low 60's at night when I was there.

Nice little rock field, where did you all go on Sunday?

[katvans]

:) Well I have to admit, even with the fires the rim was just beautiful and we hated to come back. My pictures are posted at:
http://community.webshots.com/album/404821589

I'd like to thank Shawn for putting this trip together and finding us a great campsite, even though he was lost and he is so full of BS, I never had both my lockers on, only one. :rolleyes:

It was great to renew old trail friendships with Mike Tarver and Mike Score, it's been too long and we got to meet Mike Score's fiance, Sylvia, although I was sure he told me her name was Mary but I'm sure she knows her own name. Sylvia is a great lady and they make a good couple. I wish them the best. Also got to meet great new people, Irv and Shirley and explore the Rim with Jamie. Thanks to Irv for showing us the patio, the secret is safe with us.

We watched the storms roll in every evening with lightning and thunder as they swept across the forest below and headed for us. We got rain each night but only after we were done grilling and making pudgy pies in the fire for desert. All the tents held up well but I guess Mike and Sylvia got a little wet.

Kathy and I were in the camper so they made us park over the hill and called it the leper camp. Didn't stop them from coming for breakfast though and at least we didn't get voted off the Rim. Anybody get a picture of those pudgy pies. Shawn was the only one that would not try one even after my wife found some wild rasberries and offered to make him one. :p

Friday we went to Potato Lake and then Knoll Lake, the roads were dusty. Saturday we had six jeeps but only ran some of the smaller dirt roads. That night we had a good long rain and Sunday the trails were wet and we ran a few two trackers, nothing more than easy but beautiful and a little muddy.

We can't wait to go back. Thanks to everyone for showing up, it was a fun time.

There's a few pics below and the rest at webshots.

Rich & Kathy (the creekers)

Shawn having fun
http://www.virtualjeepclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1844&stc=1

Wildlife
http://www.virtualjeepclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1845&stc=1

The leper camp
http://www.virtualjeepclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1846&stc=1

The patio
http://www.virtualjeepclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1847&stc=1

A group photo
http://www.virtualjeepclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1848&stc=1


Wow, where do I start. It was such a great trip. Thanks to Rich and Kathy for your graciousness and generosity, and thanks to WD for helping me set up my tent. It was nice to see Irv again and meet Shirley she is a great lady. The same goes for Mike Score and his fiance Sylvia I wish you make a great couple. I had not seen Mike Tarver since March of 2003 it was good to see him again.

Highlights of the trip include but are not limited to:

The people that went.

We had cell phone reception.

The views.

The gorgeous weather.

The good times we had drinking beer and margaritas.

Me taking pics of Creeker modeling the Simply Offroad t-shirt he has. Sorry Rich, but taking pics of Nena and Karen was much more fun.

The lady with five kids and two dogs in a Chevy p/u with a pop-up who could not turn herself around and whose right rear tire went flatter than Joan Jett.

Just enjoying the sound of gravel crunching under your tires, the stillness when you are stopped or enjoying nature, and the fact that you are where you want to be instead of where you have to be.

The fact Creeker was in 4 low and had both lockers engaged for one little rock field. :D

The lowlights of the trip:

We had cell phone reception.

All in all a very enjoyable trip and a good time. My thanks to those who came and I hope to see you all on the trail again soon.

CJ: I was only lost once and all I had to do was drive around until I came to a main road. That is the benefit of not having a cb, you cannot hear the others ask if you kow where you are going. :)

Here are pics:
http://community.webshots.com/user/srd2005

[Dragonfly]

Knoll lake looks really nice...is there camping there? Where about's is it?

Nice pics... :)

[Wind_Danzer]

There is camping about a 1/4 to a 1/2 mile from the lake. It's off of Rim Rd. Take 87 north till you hit the Coconino National Forest and it will be on your right. It's also known as FR 300. It's about 30 miles down that road.

[Joe-CJ7]

SO what are the real coordinates for Patio Rock?

Where did you camp at?

Joe