CAMPING...The Long Version by Richard

So, we decided to go camping as a family... An easy trip would be to Roosevelt Lake (or so we thought)

Phase 1: The Preparation

Rebecca has never been camping so we needed to get her a sleeping bag. Of course it had to be pink, her favorite color. Here is a pic of her trying it out.



Then we needed to get the other items in order. Like the tent, air bed for mom and dad, and camp stove. Rebecca had to test the durability of the air bed...





Phase 2: The Driving

So, off we go with a newly burned "road trip" mix CD. All was going great... until we got to Superior.




Here you can see for almost a mile up the road.


We did not know what to do so Sharon called up her favorite radio station, KMLE 108! They told her the road was shut down and they did not know when it would reopen... ugh!


Phase 2.5: The Drive Back

We decided to turn back and head toward home until we could figure it out. We did not want to give up on our trip but at this point it was getting late.

The decision to press on was made and we took another route. Back to Ellsworth Road and to the Beeline. So, it was only a hour and a half detour.



Rebecca took the delay well...
Phase 3: The Camping!

It is always great setting up camp in the dark, but whatever... The campsites at Roosevelt are actually very nice.


We had cheese crisp for dinner, then roasted marshmallows.



Sharon had a VERY hard time dealing with the bugs.



We feasted on breakfast burritos the next morning. And, a great looking cook showed up and showed off his skills.



Phase 4: The Sight Seeing


We stopped by the Native American cliff dwellings. On the way up the road we saw not one but two Tarantulas... Yuck!







We decided to pay the $6 and take (hike) the trail up to the dwellings. After half a mile of switch backs the trail was closed. What a let down!


We did have some great views though.





Other stops included the visitors center, dam, and bridge.






Phase 5: Going home, the right way


We made it back into Globe and had some lunch. Sharon is now is the #1 record holder on some arcade game, of course it was a word search game. Who in their right mind makes an arcade game that is a word search??? Only at Pizza Hut!

As we made our way out of town we stumbled on the Apache Jii festival. A celebration of dancing, fry bread, and the best flee market of Native American crap money can buy.



Rebecca thought it was a Christmas celebration because of the Jingle Bells on the dancers. She actually broke out into an impromptu rendition of Jingle Bells to commemorate the Christmas spirit.



We finally found the illusive two tone purple ice cream truck. In Globe AZ, who would have thought. Now, I need to find that shifty Waldo guy and my life's mission will be complete.



We got our grub on the fry bread. Not bad for a buck and a half.



The place was crowded, so, we went to the elementary school to eat and let Becca play.






Over all it was a fun trip and I can wait until we do it again... and check the traffic reports.