About Gila County, AZ

It's the long weekend and I've been working more hours that exist in a day, or at least I thought. So we're packing up the ole Coleman Tent Trailer and heading on out to the Mogollon Rim up outside of Payson Arizona for a weekend of great views, hikes, fishing and just plain old relaxing.

The Mogollon Rim is like a mini Grand Canyon, where the cliff sometimes is 2,000 above a MASSIVE view. Lakes and great hiking up on the plateau area.

This workaholic will be bringing his laptop though... :)

Next blog post will most likely be....The Fishing Report!

Cheers

Paul Dunn
Arizona FHA Mortgage Loans
Arizona USDA Rural Home Loans
Mortgage Marketing Community

If you come to visit in Payson or Pine, consider a side trip to the old school house in Strawberry. This is a restored, one room school house which is open to tour on weekends through mid October. The school was built in 1884 to service families in the area.

Strawberry is a small town about 20 miles North of Payson, on Hwy 87. It is nestled RIGHT below the Mogollan Rim. If you head North from Strawberry you begin to climb immediately until you are on top of the Rim. There are not a lot of businesses in Strawberry, but there are many houses and cabins scattered in the trees. Stop off for lunch at the Strawberry Lodge, they have great hamburgers.

Come and let your children see what it used to be like to go to school!

Here is a link to the web page about the school, complete with pictures.

Pine is an attractive, small town about 15 miles North of Payson, on Hwy. 87. Pine is home to many antique shops, craft shops, and art galleries. On Holiday weekends in the Summer the Pine-Strawberry Arts & Crafts Guild features a craft show on the grounds of the old school house, with many and varied booths selling all sorts of interesting items. The shops along the highway are open, some people put up booths along the street. People park wherever they can, and walk up and down the street looking at everything. It makes for a very ferstive time.

This coming weekend the show is 8 to 5 on Aug. 3oth (Sat.) and 8 to 4 on Sunday, Aug. 31st. According to the Chamber of Commerce page it will feature over 80 booths, they usually have a pancake breakfast on Saturday, there's something for everyone!

The weather right now is lovely, cool temperatures, big white clouds. But remember, if you visit, that we are still in the Monsoon, and an afternoon thunderstorm is likely. Those big, white clouds can produce heavy downpours, and even hail. Come prepared.

The Northern Gila County Fair will be held this year on September 5th through 7th, with the fun starting at 9:00 in the morning.

The Fair had been a longtime event for the area, but after the retirement of Walt and Wilene Smith as the coordinators there was a two year hiatus. The Fair was revived in 2005. This is an old-fashioned County Fair which draws participaption from adults in the community as well as from schoolchildren and 4-H and FHA members in the area.

Among the attractions which are entered and judged are quilting and sewing, cooking, flowers and produce, crafts, fine art, photographs, and even livestock. Something for everyone!

The livestock events will be at the Payson Event Center, across the Beeline Hwy from the Mazatzal Casino (South of Payson), while the exhibits will be at the Tonto Apache Gym (turn next to the Casino, the gym is a little ways past the Casino on the right).

There will be live entertainment (by Junction 87) from 7-10 on Saturday night, a horse show, and even a Demolition Derby on the 7th starting at 1:00 pm (gates open at 11:30). Come have a good old time!

graphic by me

On Saturday, August 16, 2008, Payson will host it's 124th continuous rodeo!

Opening the festivities is the Rodeo Parade which begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday.  The Parade will begin on Main Street at Green Valley Park and proceed east to the Sawmill Crossing. 

The Rodeo gates will open at 5 p.m. and the professional rodeo performance will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, August 15.  Saturday evening's performance begins at 7 p.m. with the gates opening at 5 p.m.  For complete information on the event, go to http://www.paysonrimcountry.com/augustdoins

Bring the kids and let's have some family fun in Payson. Ya'll Come!

Sandra Scott, GRI

Four Seasons Realty

email:  MyRealtorSandra@hotmail.com

http://www.paysonhomesmls.com