#39 DEAD HORSE RANCH STATE PARK, AZ

One by one our bed kept filling up today! First, Miss Willow, then Alex joined us in the middle of the night, and then Sierra took the last spot down by our feet in the early morning hours. I reached over to find that Alex still had a little bit of a fever & he was not interested in getting up to play with Sierra. She, on the otherhand, was ready to check out her loot from the Easter Bunny. And yes, the Bunny did find us in the forest. We wondered if the rabbit we saw hopping in the campground last week told the Bunny we were traveling. Happy day to all of you... and happy Spring!

 Alex and Steve kept snoozing

 Alex asked me to bring him his goodies, 

and was excited to see what the Bunny brought him

After some more Tylenol and a snack, we headed outdoors at Houston Mesa Campground for our little egg hunt. The kids have now added $20 in quarters to their spending money, along with some money that Gramma Jan surprised the kids with. Happy saving or shopping kiddos!

 

 "4 quarters makes a dollar!"

After the 'hunt', we did a quick breakfast, packed up,

and hit the road... 

We drove through Pine, Strawberry, Camp Verde, and ultimately made it to Cottonwood where we are spending two nights at Dead Horse Ranch State Park. Dead Horse? Yes, Dead Horse Ranch. The story goes that back in the 1940's a family was looking for property & when the had to make a decision about which land to buy, the kids said, "the one that had the dead horse on it." And that is how the ranch was named. When the property was turned over to the Arizona State Parks, the deal was that the name Dead Horse Ranch had to stay. And there you go!

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Oh, and I keep forgetting to talk about SPOT. Many years ago, before the kids, Steve and I both rode dual sports. We'd go adventuring off road and explore parts of Washington together. One year we rode to and attended the Washington State BMW Riders' Rally. The ride to the event was in lots of traffic and we finally arrived in the dark. Not good to ride at night. Well, anyway, Steve bought a SPOT messenger there (it's a personalized GPS beacon). Then, a couple years later, he won a 2nd SPOT on facebook and gave it to me. I've had this device for years and carry it in my car since the river road and valley where we live does not have reliable cell service.

What does SPOT do? Well my old version has a check in button, help button, and a 911 button. I can program my SPOT so when I am traveling, I can hit the ok button and family and friends will receive an email and/or text message with my exact GPS coordinates. If I have a car problem and need help, I can push the help button and friends receive a message stating my location and can find me, and if I am in need of help in an emergency situation- I just push 911 and search and rescue/authorities/etc will come. There is a small service fee for the year and it's totally worth it! Peace of mind in the backcountry, especially with kids.

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When we first arrived at the park, it was warm and pretty crowded at the lagoons. Many many people were fishing and having picnics. I wasn't quite sure about how I felt about the park. It is pretty. Large cottonwood trees, vibrant green grass, some wildflowers. When I saw the campground I felt like we were pulling into an RV park... minimal privacy.

It wasn't until we took a family walk on the nature trail that I fell in love with this park. Within a minute of leaving the campground, we found ourselves following a trail sided by lush green grass and towering Cottonwood trees. A small stream following the trail provided cool relief for the dogs and a fun place to wade into. We will definitely be hiking more tomorrow. What a hidden gem!

 Even though Titus has been limping, he hiked full force and smiled and went in the water on the hike

The kids are really tired tonight... traveling, sugar, and hiking. Alex is curled up next to me watching one of my favorite childhood movies 'Annie' ♡ and Sierra is just about ready to pass out for the night. Tomorrow will bring more local adventuring & fishing. Fun times!