So this is what 35 looks like:

And this–

And this is 35 with 34…

We’re a mess aren’t we?

Chucklebutt spoiled me rotten with a fantastic weekend trip up to Payson, Arizona, but first he treated me to what I love best — CAKE!

While it looks delicious (and believe me it is), Chuck had a problem getting it on his motorcycle and keeping it cool.  Alas, one side slid off, but like I told him, it still tastes like a little piece of heaven.

So on Saturday, we rented a car (poor Hecate probably wouldn’t make it up the mountain) and drove an hour and a half up to Payson.  We stayed in a quaint motel called the Majestic Mountain Inn.  By the time we got there, it was too late to do any serious hiking, so we did some geocaches in the dark.  This was our first stop.

This is on the campus of the Gila Community College.  The biology students had created this small hike on the property.  It was pretty uneventful except for us running into a family of elk.  It was Chuck who noticed them and they sorta freaked me out.  Anything bigger than me sorta freaks me out — that and those critters that can eat me. 

We had dinner at a great restaurant called Fargo’s and it was a perfect birthday meal.  Crab legs, New York Strip, Oysters Rockefeller and Pina Coladas.  Yum!

After dinner, we asked our waitress if there was anyplace we could go and hang out on a Saturday night — ie: bookstore.  The only thing available to this community is Walmart.  Apparently, the town signed a ten year agreement with Walmart that they wouldn’t allow any other business to come in and compete with the Wallyworld.  Payson has three more years to go on the contract.  Poo!

The next morning we headed up highway 260 in search of Brushy Canyon Swimming Hole.   This was our journey.

Apparently the East Verde River just flows over the roads.

Then we discovered a super duper swimming hole.

The perspective of this photo doesn’t do the scenery any justice.  We were pretty high up and the waterfalls behind Chuck were fairly steep.

The water was WAY over our heads.  Chuck used my leg to dive beneath the water.  He was holding my foot and still couldn’t touch bottom.

He’s like a little tadpole.  🙂

I was so tired from all the fun and sun that I passed out last night.  Chuck tried to wake me up twice but apparently I wouldn’t rouse.  I asked him what he would do with me in a fire — he said he’d slap me.  tee hee.

Finally, I want to let everyone know that I have received my very first blog award!

Thank you so much to Kim at Mystic Paper for bestowing upon me this exciting honor.   I promise to pass it on as soon as possible.

Have a great week everyone and I’ll try to be better about keeping up with my blog.