Master Plan

hey guys, here's the plan.......

After talking it out with Chris yesterday, we came to the resolution that a better site needed to be found, so I went out on my own weds up north and found some more sites that are better suited for our needs.
What we will do is.....
Leave Friday morning and go up to secure one of our sites. Once we do, we will change our voice mails to either site A, site B, site C or site D. Print this out, get on the road, call, and match up the corresponding site to the directions below, and there you have it...meet you there if you go...

---Site A- Bear Hide Group Site, 5 miles East of Star Valley... (cars are easy on this one)
AZ87 north to Payson. In Payson, go right at the junction for AZ 260. Follow highway through Star Valley. Pass through Little Green Valley...exit right on Forest rd 405/ Thompson Draw, Bear Flats turnoff. Go 1 1/4 miles on 405 to junction of 405A. Go left.
Continue about 2 miles to the Bear Hide Group site on the right. You should see us.

Site B forest rd 656 (cars are easy on this one)

AZ 87 north to Payson. In Payson go right at the 260 junction. Go through Star Valley.
~1 mile past Star Valley look for Lion Springs rd. Go past it, and take the first major right exit road (look for stop signs, and a wide sunken turnoff...be aware, it comes up quick)
If you miss it and stay on the 260, the highway will divide, turn around and backtrack, the turnoff is RIGHT before the highway division. Once on the road, look for the forest rd 371/436 split. Take the left fork onto the 436. Go about 1-2 miles and look for forest rd 656 on the right. Go 1/4 mile on 656 and you'll see us.

Site C-forest rd 414-Rye Creek (rougher road for a car, go slower!)

AZ 87 north through Jakes Corner(AZ 188) & Gisela. Once you have entered Rye, slow down and be alert. Look for the Rye Creek bar and restaurant on the right (a big sign with a cowboy on it). Take that left turn ACROSS the divided highway (there is a short turn lane, DO NOT miss it!! IF you miss, the next turnaround is UP the mountain 7 miles away!) Cross the highway and go right on the frontage road. Go past some ranches and the road goes to a dirt forest road. Go about 5 miles up the dirt road and look for the 414/ 5?? split (I forgot the number, but it is a 500 number). Stay left on the 400 road. Continue up the road a few more miles, and our site is on the right. If lost, call our cells.

Site D- Barnhard Trailhead (a car can handle it, but go slowly)
AZ 87 north through Jakes corner ( AZ 188) and Gisela. Before the town of Rye, you will see a turnoff for the Barnhard Trailhead. Go left, across the divided highway and onto the road. Go up the road 5-7 miles and you will see our camp on the left.


There you go! Print this stuff out and don't forget it! See you there!!!!

Marc Demelo

Upgrades

I finally did it! I ditched that old ass 6 year old 1st generation digital camera yesterday and ponied up $400 for a new toy. I got tired of that slow ass, poor quality, about the size and weight of a brick POS and upgraded. See da pic, Tis mui, mui bueno!
This sucker has more photo editing tools actually IN the camera than some of my programs on my computer. I'll be sure to use it a plenty on this weekends camp trip.
...and yes, it is still on! Bright eyes and bushy tailed Friday morning, hell or high water I am getting TFO!
We actually are having a bunch of people going on this trip that normally don't go with us, along with some new faces (and some interesting single ladies!) too, so this trip promises to be fun. If youz guys want to still go, then just backtrack a few posts and look up directions and info. Now if you all would excuse me, I have some drunken debauchery to plot out.

Deviant

I've been thinking and observing some of my own sexual behaviors lately and I can honestly say that I am a full fledged deviant pervert. What does that mean? Well, like I'm gonna go off and discuss it here in public to you all in detail. Lets just say that there are some things that go definitely go above and beyond your standard sexual behaviors these days, and depending on who you are, maybe even above those levels too. Throw in some legal issues that make certain acts banned in select states and you too can be classified as a deviant.
In all seriousness, I sometimes shock myself at my own behavior, and I still have yet to find someone with whom I can relate to in a partner outside of the standard vanilla sex. Now, I know what you may be thinking...oh, Marc is into the whole S&M thing, or he's thinking of going gay or Bi. Definately not. I hate S&M, and I definitely am not interested in freggin dudes (damn you if you even considered thinking that!). There are plenty of other deviant acts out there that I'm sure a certified shrink would have a field day on. Come to think of it, I think we are all deviant one way or another. Some people like to be tied up, some people like to use food, some people like to dress up, some like to be filmed...etc...etc..
I suppose then its who you can find that would be comfortable in joining you in your little fetishes. Do I waste too much time watching porn...yeah, I guess so...but it's just too damn interesting. Most of the things I'm into does turn me on in some way, but more so, it's just plain interesting to see what people are into. There is some shit out that that blows my mind as to why a person would do it, all the while being thankful that I am not that twisted (at least not in that way). For example, I saw this one clip of some dude who is all about stuffing things up his pee-hole. Fuck that shit! That's just freggin wrong!
It's like a train wreck though. You know you don't wanna see or acknowledge it's existence out there in the world, but at the same time, you can't stop looking away. That's where I get interested in the subjects. What would cause that kind of behavior in a person? It there a specific trigger? A genetic link? Was the person too sheltered as a kid? I mean what!!!
Maybe if I can research what would cause all of that, then it would help to show a little insight into my own behaviors. I could study all day about this stuff. It's just too damn interesting.
That said, viva la pervos!!!

Slacker Joe aka Flakey Jake

Occasionally I'll realize how much of a slacker I am sometimes. For as I rag on people for being flakes, I myself sometimes act careless and slack off in regards to my friends and family. I am shitty at returning phone calls, responding to text messages and definitely am apathetic towards replying to emails. Only thing I can knock myself on in regards to communications. I take way too long, if not at all replying to above said shit. Something for me to work on. I get around to things eventually, but most of the time the moment is passed or forgotten, and people can get on my ass about it. That said, I apologize to you all for me being a slacker. I remember saying on my yearly goals in January that I need to work on my communication skills and further strengthen my current relationships with people. No way can I accomplish that if I slack too much.

Its tough though for me to get motivated to do anything anymore. I have seemed very apathetic towards everything right now. My relationships, my friends, my health, my family. I can tell that I'm getting in a slump. Hopefully my upcoming vacation in a week will recharge my batteries. It needs to, especially with all the money, time and effort into making this specific trip happen. If I can't relax on this trip and not make all the efforts worthwhile for it, then I'm gonna go downhill fast.

Slacker out!

Headway

Well, by no choice of ours, we had to go out again today to find another site for our trip.
BTW- a special shout out to the fuckhead who started that fire up north that is screwing over a whole bunch of people's universes. I hope you go sterile or something.
So, after working last night and getting 2 hrs of sleep, we headed out today and went a bit north of a general campsite we had already chosen for a backup site a few weeks back. Finally, progress!!!
We headed out on a new road that is relatively accessible. Lo and behold! A new campsite, and our FIRST sign of animals this trip. Its about damn time. We scouted around for a while and found not only a great area for Javelina, but another good quail hunting area as well. We marked some good areas, hiked around quite a bit, and I came home with a old lucky horseshoe I found.
So, after scouting for over a month, traveling over 800 miles total by road, miles upon miles of wilderness hiked, a few hundreds of dollars on gas, gear and supplies...this trip is gonna happen hell or high water.
The plan...
IF, by some act of God, the original campsite opens up by Thursday, we will go there. If not, we will use a site off the Barnhart Trailhead.
Go AZ 87 (country club) north, past the turnoff for Jakes Corner, past Gisela, and right before the town of RYE, you will see a turnoff on the left for the Barnhart Trailhead. Go left, follow the dirt road up about 5.5 miles. Look for our campsite (or signs) on the left.
The road is gravel, some parts smooth, some loose, and a tiny bit of it is bumpy, but nothing a normal car couldn't handle going 15 mph. You should be able to go about 25 mph through most of it.
The site is at an elevation of 3400 ft, on a ridgeline, so it may get breezy and chilly at night. Pack accordingly. See the previous blog posts for more gear recommendations.
IF you plan to go, PLEASE let us know no later than this coming Thursday! We seriously need to know so WE can pack supplies accordingly.
If you need more directions or details call Chris or myself.
Now then...after 2 hrs of sleep, trekking all day...I get to go to work...yay...and then get up early in the morning again after getting off work tonight at 330 to drive to Prescott for a few days of R&R. I think I'll be doing a few days of sleeping, boozing and not giving a damn....
Peace out!

Updates

As of this afternoon, the fires are still burning out of control with containment being at 25%. Road closures have expanded in all directions around the area. We had thought about going to the east, or even trying our usual October campsite up north at Milk Ranch Point, but they have the roads closed for fire worker services and access. So that rules out all areas we can use around that area.
Chris and I are going to go scouting early in the morning to the southeast or Payson on the way to Christopher Creek. If we don't find any areas there, we will head south, through Jakes Corner on the way to Roosevelt lake and the Salt River to find a site. That will be our last resort. If nothing easily accessible is found for people to get in there with a normal car, then we will resort to using our 4th backup site at the Barnhart Trailhead area, off AZ87 just south of Rye to the west. The area is very bad for hunting, but there are PLENTY of good group campsites, flat areas, firewood, great views and is relatively isolated from population.
We hope to have something nailed down by tomorrow evening.
I'll keep you posted.

Alternate site

We may have a setback in the camp trip. The "February Fire" is currently burning northeast of our site and Camp Geronimo. As of now the fire crews have not been able to contain it. Today's forecast is for windy conditions of up to 35 mph, which would ground all planes and helicopters fighting the fires. No rain is forecast anytime soon. Those winds would also push rapidly southwest and cause Camp geronimo to be evacuated, as well as our camp area. If this happens, we need to find another usable site away from this area.

We are thinking of alternate sites either near Woods Canyon Lake, just east of Christopher Creek, an area west of Pine/Strawberry off AZ 260, or somewhere to yet be determined. We hope to find out within a week to let you all know.

By the way, this fire was caused by a bonehead camper who didn't maintain proper control of their campfire. Fucking jackass.

Hockey Night

Last Tuesday Chris and I went to the Coyotes hockey game vs the Chicago Blackhawks. Big surprise, we lost. It was a great time though. The game was televised nationally and we were SO close to being on the TV, twice! The dude sitting right in front of us was in contention for a trip to Hawaii but got "voted" off the island, so he didn't win. Then there was a couple that was back and to the immediate left of us that got on when the dude proposed to her via the jumbotron. I'm pretty sure that she said yes out of embarrassment, because she did not look very happy. When she took the ring, she even accidentally put it on the wrong finger. Pretty sure she didn't like the pressure too much.

Anyways, like I said, we lost, but I'm pretty sure that the team had their minds on other things. Their assistant coach and the head coach's wife ( which makes the head coach equally as implacable..who is Wayne Gretzky by the way) are implicated and are being investigated into an illegal gambling ring here in the valley. No wonder we lose so many games, we're probably rigging the games. On second thought, no, we just suck.

Finalized

After weeks of fruitless scouting for our hunting trip at the end of Feb, we had finally reached an endpoint. Scouring our hunting area from top to bottom, driving and hiking around hundreds of miles, we found nothing. Absolutely nothing. Last Friday was the final straw. We covered the southern half of our unit and found nothing. No water, no food sources, no tracks. We had given up.
What do we do now? We do what we must. Hunting trip cancelled (for the most part)...drunken group debauchery laden camp trip..ON! A silver lining is always around. Signature elements to a successful trip...a bunch of friends, a bunch of random girls, lots of booze, a few dogs, and a share of general stupidity and not giving a shit. With that, you have the potential for a fairly good time.
So, without further adieu...Its on BITCHES!!!!
Feb 24-March 1st! Camp Geronimo.
AZ87 (country club Dr) north from Mesa. Drive through Payson towards Pine and Strawberry.
Once you pass the turnoff to Tonto National Bridge and before the town of Pine, you will see a turnoff for Control Road.
Turn right onto it. Road turns to gravel. Follow the road about 10 miles to Webber Creek/ Camp Geronimo turnoff. Turn left, follow the road up 2 miles. Look for our campsite signs by the road.
Call if you need info or more directions.
IF You GO....
As of today, we have 10 confirmed people going.
stuff to bring...
It will be chilly...bring warm clothes! Gloves, beanie, jacket, sweaters.
Tent, sleeping bag or multiple blankets, pillow. (if you are gearless, let us know. We have some spare stuff for you to borrow)
Cooler with your favorite adult beverages. (we are bringing plenty for you all as well, but beggars can't be choosers)
Ice-self explanatory
Snacks and munchies...WE will provide breakfast only for all youz guys. Bring your own other grub.
Personal toiletries, a roll of TP, medications...yes, we do have a makeshift bathroom, and if need be, you can go up to the boyscout camp to use their outhouse.
Folding camp chairs, games, whatever else you can think of.
Warnings-
There will be dogs, firearms, and for one day, small kids up there. Have a problem with any of them, maybe you shouldn't come.
Otherwise, we hope to see you all up there that weekend. Come and stay for as short or as long as you wish. We chose an easily accessible campsite so you all could make it up by a normal car. You won't need 4WD to get here. See you soon! I'll keep you posted as the time grows nearer.