New Adventure - Airbnb in Greer, Arizona

We have decided to start a new path - trying out an airBnB, hotel, cabin, whatever, seeing if this new way of seeing the world is comfortable, affordable and doable.  After 33 months of not traveling due to Covid and health issues, we made the jump this past week to get on with life.  Living Our Dream a new way.

Tuesday, July 5, we traveled to Greer, Arizona in the White Mountains which is located about 240 miles north east of Oro Valley where we live (just north of Tucson) to an airBnB cabin that we rented on the Little Colorado River.  The town is known for fishing, elk hunting, hiking, ATVing, skiing, water sports, camping, horseback riding, etc.  A true outdoor's person paradise.  We were at 8400 feet in elevation, way higher than our 3000 feet we sit at in Oro Valley.   Rut-roh.  From the get-go we had altitude sickness, climbed too fast up, and never quite recovered until we got back on the 8th.  

Absolutely beautiful environment.  Clear air, always a breeze, temperatures down to 48 at night and high of 72 during the day (compared to 105 plus highs and 80 lows at home). The log cabin was fully equipped, all the amenities of home.  Kitchen with everything you would need, bathrooms stocked, bedrooms had full linen.  The front porch - heaven.  We had a surprise - the picture I saw on the site did not show the new cabins being installed in the meadow below us, little upsetting that we heard bobcats and backhoes working all day.  But, we were not there from 10am on - we went sight seeing, so by the time we came back for the day, they were just finishing up.  And of course, our last night we saw deer walking along the new cabins and maybe? a wolf.  Osprey flying overhead and the diving into the stocked ponds, blue heron fishing off the banks, lots of birds. And the sound of the river below us as it rushed over the rocks.

Wednesday we drove east to Eager/Springerville which was about 25 miles from Greer and did a little shopping, of course I had to stop at the quilt shop, and then home.  Unpacked and had a light lunch then went to Big Lake, the largest of the alpine lakes around Greer, about 30 miles due south.  Very pretty, lots of folks fishing from the bank, folks in small boats/kayaks out on the lake.  But on our way there, we traveled on Forest Service dirt roads, cattle roaming freely everywhere - and they don't like you getting close.  At the lake we asked a fisherman what he caught (can you tell we aren't fishing people?) and he showed us a 2 pound rainbow trout and a 1 1/2 pound cutthroat trout.  He said good eating.  Yes, trout is wonderful to eat!

This lake was at 8900 feet, since we were not doing anything strenuous, we did not feel so bad.  Altitude sickness is not fun. On the way back to Greer we stopped at a scenic overlook.  Very impressive.  In this area around the White Mountains over 50 volcanoes are known to have erupted in the past.

Thursday we drove to Hawley Lake which is almost due west of Greer but of course there are mountains so we had to drive north then west then south. Then drive was very pretty but very switchbacked and steep. And of course, cattle and horses roaming freely. Hawley Lake is lovely, one I felt truly at peace at.  We saw that they were clearing the base of the forest and letting piles dry out - getting ready for controlled burns.  We hoped that when they do this burn, it won't get out of hand like the Hermits Fire north of Santa Fe, still burning since April 6, and New Mexico's largest wildfire ever and is the largest fire in the United States.  

Saw many cattle, again, right near the road. And horses. Watch out.

Sat on the bank of the lake and watched the world go by.  This lake was at 8200 feet, and again, not doing anything strenuous, we did not feel bad, until we walked around.  Hate altitude sickness. This lake is on the White Mountain Apache Indian land, so they have jurisdiction over the campground, boat rentals, fishing bait, and fees that need to be collected.  

A large lake, not sure of depth, but Hawley Lake had the coldest recorded temperature in Arizona - minus 41 below back in January 1971.

Friday's drive back to Oro Valley was very smooth, all down hill from the White Mountains.  To go to Greer (or Show Low or Pinetop or Lakeside or any parts north and east) you drive US Route 60 through the Salt River Canyon.  A drive I have never liked.  Can you imagine doing this inside an RV, or pulling one behind you? Was not fun.  Thank goodness there were passing lanes built in, felt sorry for truckers and those with big rigs.  You drop down, then across the river, then climb back up.  Last year this route was closed due to a wild fire, people had to drive over 200 miles out of their way to get north or south.

So, we tried it, know we have to plan differently if we are to go to somewhere higher in altitude (stay overnight half way, then continue on instead of driving straight through). We think this will work, and being flexible in dates in the future should help us figure out where we want to go.  We found a perfect cat sitter and Buddy and Pache survived (they did not kill each other) so we will leave them home from now on.  We did worry about them at the beginning but Sandi (the sitter) said they were perfectly happy.  Stay tuned - this could be really fun!