Unidentified green stuff

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On one typical September weekend my step father decided that we were all going to go on a day trip. It was decided that we would go to Payson because of the rich beautful landscapes that surround the city. It also didn't hurt that there was a casino there too. God help us if we ever went somewhere without stopping at a casino at some point in the trip. Payson itself doesn't have much to offer as far as flash and glamour go. It's a small city in Gila county with a population of around 14,000. The forests that neighbor Payson are another story. I tend to have an affinity towards nature. So I was thrilled to find out that we would be hiking all day.

We started off on a fairly conventional path. There were some very nice views up in our area. At one point we walked past a small waterfall. As it turns out, there was actually a trail leading down to the waterfall. My mother has arthritis and it's difficult for her to walk very far. She volunteered to stay back and wait for us. Walking down was fairly simple. We reached the bottom in no time. There was a little pool of dark murky water at the base. Interestingly, there was a cave-like area right behind the waterfall. The babies and I were quick to ignore a strategically placed sign reading "do not enter beyond this point". The rocks of the caves were covored with some sort of green moldy looking substance. I thought it was very beautiful. It started getting late and we made our way back up the steep path. Climbing back up was extremely difficult for me. A warning for those who are out of shape (like I am).

Later we headed to the casino where the adults played on the slots, the babies played at the arcade and I sat next to the restaurant watching for random Jon Kyl for US Senate commercials.

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