We love northern AZ!

Especially Payson and the Rim Country.  What's not to love - especially when it's 115-degrees in Phoenix and in the mid-90's up north?  But the BEST part about northern AZ are the amazing monsoons that hit in the mid-afternoon after a long hike Saturday morning. The fresh smell of rain on apple trees and the sound of a raging creek out back while you sip on your fav glass of wine or chilly beer and listen to the Stones or Cat Steven's sing about life and love?!  OMG what am I doing here at a lonely desk in Pho-town?  PS- if you do want to partake in beer and maybe a home-made bratwurst or thick-cut maple bacon, you HAVE to stop by these two hot spots:

Charlies Old Fashioned Sauseges (and more!): http://www.yelp.com/biz/charlies-old-fashioned-sausage-and-fresh-meats-payson

Rim Liquor (yes, that's the real name ;) ): http://www.yelp.com/biz/rim-liquor-payson

Wild flowers on a hike.

East Verde River below the Blue Ridge Reservoir.  Mikey got some fly fishing in on the hike

Little boo

Blue Ridge Reservoir Lake!  We had the entire trail to ourselves - so nice!