Arizona is not all desert and cactus. The high country, as it’s called, is full of cute little mountain towns with tall pine trees. One of our favorite cute little towns is Greer. Fun fact alert: at 8,356 feet of elevation, Greer is the highest elevation town in the state and fifth highest in the country! We are lucky that we get to camp, Cousin Eddie style, at our friends cabin on the edge of town.
Their cabin has a long driveway with a nice loop, perfect for our RV. Our Class C fit perfectly at the top of the loop. Our new to us Phaeton can’t make the turn in the loop without taking out a tree or two. Now we pull straight in, stopping just short of the loop, which leaves enough room for cars to access the rest of the loop. Their driveway is more level than most RV parks so setting up is a snap and we are ready for a fun time in minutes. There is plenty of room for all kinds of fun just in their driveway. We’ve had raucous games of badminton and cornhole.
Just past the fire pit in their side yard is a well-used horseshoe pit. Teams that throw from the spot closest to the house have a distinct advantage because they get to throw downhill.
Independence Day is big in the high country and it’s a fun time to be there. Every house is decorated with flags and bunting. The nearby towns of Eager and Springerville jointly put on a great day of events that draw people from near and far. First up is the town parade down Main Street from Eager to Springerville. There are family sponsored floats along with the local scouts, dance studios and candidates running for office. Not to be left out are the reunion floats in 10-year increments. Every year there is a 50 year reunion float with several people on it. I don’t know if they all still live in town but I think it’s really cool that they still participate. The town firetrucks and forest service fire crews get a rousing round of applause as they go by closing out each parade. Getting candy is a big deal for the parade watchers. Most floats have an ample supply of candy and otter pops that they throw to kids at the curb. It’s a mad dash for suckers, candy bars, Tootsie rolls and more.
After the parade, it’s time for the Round Valley Rodeo which has been running for 106 consecutive years. Like the parade, the rodeo is very much a family and town event. It’s important to arrive early enough for a seat under cover because July is prime time for an afternoon rain storm. After the National Anthem the fun begins with teams of local Apache saddling a wild horse. Their speed and teamwork an amazing site to see. The schedule of events is full with calf roping, barrel racing, bronc riding and finishing with bull riding. It sure is a fun few hours.
The fun day for us continues back at the cabin until it’s time for the fireworks. Sadly, the big firework show is not always guaranteed due to storms or high fire danger. We pile into our cars and venture back down to the Springerville airport with probably as many people as were at the morning’s parade. It’s so fun to see so many people enjoy our country’s birthday together.
Our Cousin Eddie time is so much more than our fun on July 4th though.
There are thousands of acres of forest land and trails for both Jeeping and hiking. We like to hike up Mount Baldy where the remnants of an old WWII era plane crash remain. It’s a long and beautiful hike with nice views. Most times we beat the weather but one time the guys weren’t so lucky. They encountered a wicked thunderstorm with enough lightning to make your hair stand on end. Mark says that’s the fastest they’d ever made it back down the mountain.
When the kids were younger, a cafe in town sponsored a pie eating contest two years in a row. The kids were excited to give it a try, especially since we watch the hot dog eating contest from Coney Island while we’re in Greer. The bowls of pie were passed out to all the contestants as strategies were being made. Will opted for the “shove it all in your mouth” approach while Kevin used the shovel quickly method. All the contestants were moving quickly through their pie but we really only cared about the five cute kids at one table. Kevin was first to raise his empty bowl with his prize being a gift card to the famous Molly Butler Lodge which did not make Kevin jump for joy. We parents, however, enjoyed a round of drinks with his prize. Kevin tried to defend his title the next year but was beat out by what the kids called a “ringer.” Even though his time as an eating champ was short-lived, it sure was fun to watch.
Through the years the kids have gone horseback riding, hiked, shot BB guns at targets and had a lot of fun outside. There is always something fun to do in and around Greer. Of course there is always plenty of time for front porch sitting. We like to curl up with a book and listen to the rain roll through while we are nice and dry and their big front porch. Watching the Diamondbacks game sitting among the trees outside our RV is fun, too.
After dinner is pool tournament time. Sometimes we have so many people the Don makes a pool and of course the tournament is single elimination. Other times we play each other, tallying up wins and losses with the two best records playing for the championship. Cathie and I don’t usually last long. We tease our husbands that they are secretly up here practicing while we are sitting on the porch. Strangely enough, they always deny their practice time.
This was the first year without any of the kids. Even though it was really quiet compared to years past, we still managed to have a fun time. Of course we didn’t miss the parade and rodeo. The only thing we cut out this year was the fireworks because our pool tournament took precedent.
We took the Jeep out and explored the mountains. The burn area from the Wallow fire is slowly coming back. New aspen groves are everywhere and the low-lying plants provide a fresh, new carpet of green. Pine trees can’t be far behind. We climbed to the top of a giant hill we’ve driven by for years on our way to the parade. That trail was surprisingly rough compared to other forest service roads but it was a great vantage point to see all of Round Valley.
Much of the forest was closed due to our super dry conditions so our areas to explore were few. One open area was on the north side of Highway 260. As we drove down the dirt road we could see campers tucked in near the trees. There were lots of fun trails to check out. This was a new set of trails for Don and Cathie as well. We climbed the tallest mountain and discovered a fire tower at the top which we had to climb. Turns out it was the last day it would be in operation for the summer. The lady working the tower was completing her 22nd year. She was packing up quickly to make it home in time for the Diamondbacks game. We had a storm rolling in and the views of the clouds were great at the top of the fire tower. I think it could be fun to be up there for an entire storm, lightning aside. A bunch of lightning in the top of a fire tower on the top of a mountain might stretch my adrenaline rush a little too far.
Our time in Greer usually ends with their pancake breakfast that benefits the fire department. The Wallow fire burned through the forest in 2011, burning many houses in Greer along with a lot of forest land. It was a stressful time for Don and Cathie as they closely watched the news looking for any tidbit if information about their cabin and beloved little town. The fire started in May and wasn’t contained until July charring 538,049 acres in its path. We weren’t sure if we’d be able to camp Cousin Eddie style that summer. The townspeople are tough, and when we found out the parade and rodeo were still going on as scheduled, we knew we had to go. It was almost a rallying cry. I don’t know if that was the first pancake breakfast but it was our first time and we’ve gone every year since. I swear the entire town and all surrounding cabins come as it can get crowded. Everyone talks like they’ve known you forever, it really is a nice small town event. Firefighters cook sausage and flip pancakes the size of a dinner plate. You definitely don’t leave hungry.
We drive down the mountain relaxed and refreshed and without the air conditioner on for a little bit. That blast of heat as we get closer to the desert floor smacks you back into the reality of our hot summers. But for a little while we wore pants and jackets in July, listened to rain hit the forest floor and all was right with the world.