Up the Hill to Payson

It was getting a little warm in Apache Junction, so I headed uphill to meet up with the WINs in Payson, AZ.

Our first outing was to the old school house in Strawberry.

Built by pioneers in 1885, it operated until 1916. It's the oldest standing school in Arizona.

We tried out the seats, and enjoyed the knowledge of the 90-year-old volunteer who rushed over to open the building when she saw us all standing around outside.

I was glad none of us needed to use the facilities...

Afterwards, we went on a hike on the Arizona trail. There were too many trees for my liking, so our group didn't go too far.

On another day, we went to Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. From this side, there was a little waterfall over the bridge opening.

And from the other side, you could almost see through the opening. The bridge is 183 feet high over a 400-foot long tunnel that measures 150 feet at its widest point.

It's believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world.

We didn't hike down to the bottom, but this is the view from the bottom - my picture of a picture.

Afterwards, we went to the nearby Water Wheel waterfalls.

We only went about a third of a mile, because to go farther you have to walk up the creek.

But we did manage to see several small waterfalls.

And then on the way home we stopped at the Shoofly Village ruin. A thousand or more years old, it has not been restored, which I liked.

I may have gone uphill a little early. One day, the high was 48 degrees, so I moved on before the gathering was over.