Fire in Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona, Az

[WheelEstate USA]

Smoke fills the air here in Flagstaff as Oak Creek Canyon burns less than 25 miles away. Thus far, zero percent containment.
For those who have never been there, Oak Creek runs down along hwy 89A just above Sedona. The Slide Rock State Park is mentioned in the story, a wonderful place to play in the water on hot summer days and as the name implies, sliding down natural water chutes of smooth stone. The area has some of the most beautiful camping in Az.
Sad to hear this terrible news.

http://azdailysun.com/news/local/fi...cle_6d5b4d7c-e0b1-11e3-b1b6-0019bb2963f4.html

 

[SoulRaven]

Being an East Coast guy I can't see what is the attraction to live out West.

I can handle the humidity sitting under a tree in the shade any day vs. the dust, fire, and lack of shade in the West.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Until you see the wonders of this part of the country you'll never know why so many of us love it here.
I've been out east and it has some beautiful places, but many are crowded. We can find solitude here like no other place in the nation....not a soul around for miles.
You can't tell me that there are no forest fires in the east.
I'll take the sunshine over muggy any day of the week, and we make our own shade when we want some

 

[Vagabloggers]

That's a total bummer. We were quite looking forward to spending some time in Oak Creek on our way south as we (against our will) drove straight through the last time we were in the area 3 years ago. The plus side is that we were detoured to the scenic red rock drive to Sedona via 179. Would have missed that. Beautiful!

As a side note... looking for somewhere to boondock for a night or two close to Sedona before we head on to Cottonwood. Any tips out there?

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Hey there Vagabloggers....We were thinking of y'all when we found out where the smoke was coming from this morning.
Sad that you were re-routed, but glad it was an enjoyable drive the way you went.

Its been too long since I was in that area, so I'm sorry to say I haven't got a recommendation for a place over there. I know there's some other vandwellers in that area, but not sure where. Wish I could be more helpful.

Hope we meet up again some time.

 

[akrvbob]

Lots of good camping on FR 525 about half way to Cottonwood. Most people camp close to 89a but the further back you go the prettier it gets--and the more secluded.
Bob

 

[Bandit2]

Hi Jay
I have to agree that is is really beautiful country out there , but I didn't see a single Clam Shack or Lobster Pound and very few Roadside Diners .( Dairy Queen's on every corner , just don't cut it )
Bob
Ps
I don't know how we missed Slide Rock State Park , except that we went through in Feb. ?

 

[akrvbob]

MrLooRead, you're confusing the desert southwest for the whole west. Ever heard of a Sequoia or Redwood tree? They make the trees you have back east look like little teeny-tiny puny twigs!

Of course they are the exception, but the entire Rockies, Sierras and Cascades are densly covered with huge forests of big, beautiful trees.

And even the desert states have lots of forests. About a third of Arizona is beautiful Ponderosa Pines--if they would just stop burning down!
Bob

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Very well said, Mr. Wells

 

[Vagabloggers]

Thanks for the recommendation, Bob! Looks like that may be the same spot we found via freecampsites.net.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Vagabloggers....Glad you found a camp.

This is what we see to the west as the sun sets....

 

[Bandit2]

Jay
Not a good thing to see in any direction
Bob

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Bob....I love Az and consider our beautiful forests one of our most valued assets. It breaks my heart to know of a forest fire anywhere, but it deepens the feeling when it happens in the state I have adopted as my home so many years ago.
To see the vast amounts of smoke rolling across the sky, filling my lungs and feel the weight of each ash as it lands on my shoulders nearly brings me to tears.
There's a lot of America out there I haven't seen and I don't want a bunch of fools burning it away, depriving all of the opportunity to enjoy it.

Now, I do understand natural occurrences, and the benefit of certain types of burning also. My disdain is with human wrong doing.

 

[akrvbob]

Arizona is so dry now that the fire danger is extreme. Last year they very seriously considered closing the whole Coconino National Forest to human activity before the Monsoons finally got here.

Imagine what California is going to be like with the worst drought ever recorded going on there. It's a tenderbox waiting for a fool with a match--and there is no shortage of those!!
Bob

 

[SoulRaven]

Severe t-storms in PA today, dime size at my house, up to golf ball size in other spots and so much of it they had to actually use snow plows to get it off the highways.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

The headlines on the Flagstaff paper this morning announces that the fire rages on.
Yesterday the wind laid down enough they were finally able to fly in water dumps. Hopefully they can get more water in there today since its fairly calm out there.
There's rain in the forecast...that can be good and bad due to the possibility of lightening.
We've seen several hotshot crews rolling in from N.M.
We're praying they get this fire contained quickly and safely.


Loo...I was in Pa several years ago. There was black snow on both sides of the road.
Now, not being from snow country, I thought snow was supposed to be white.
I don't wanna be where the air is full of black gunk :s

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Lol the snow on the road is black because they use this sooty stuff on the road for traction

 

[SoulRaven]

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Lol the snow on the road is black because they use this sooty stuff on the road for traction

I was told it was from the coal mining and steel industry soot.
Whatever it is, it sure looks nasty.

Loo....America might begin there, but people sure did run to this end of the country for some elbow room, freedom, and cleaner air

 

[decodancer]

I've got to put in a good word in for my current location. Some like the beach, some like the desert and luckily this country is large enough for everyone to choose. To me, the Northeast is the most beautiful. New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont have huge areas of unpopulated forests. Even NY and PA have lots of wilderness area. It's not all cities and traffic.