Arizona trip, Part 1~ to Payson

Hubby and I just returned home from 9 days in Arizona~3 in Scottsdale and 5 nights up on the Mogollon Rim.  For those of you not familiar with Arizona, the Mogollon Rim, at one time, was below sea level.  It was gradually pushed up and is now over 7,000 high.  This is one of Arizona's forest areas, with huge ponderosa pines and squirrels and elk and deer.This area extends from Payson to the New Mexico border.  And, yes, unfortunately, this summer's Wallow fire was right in this area~down by Springerville, Alpine, and Hannigan Meadows.  Acres and acres of thick forest were burned and one day, hubby and I took a drive down that way.  It was depressing. But, back to the beginning!  We drove up Highway 260, which runs from Payson across the Mogollon Rim.  At this ranger station (we ALWAYS stop here...), you can park and walk out and see the view from the rim.  You can literally see for miles and miles and miles...nothing but pine trees.  We always like this little station because they have very informative items there.  Unfortunately, somebody broke in during the spring and stole some items, so they don't have much right now.  They did have this collection of bird skeletons and bones and feathers.  Oh, and this beautiful poster of Arizona's rattlesnakes (I've yet to see one of them, thank goodness!)  We did see several logging trucks, which we don't see here in Southern California, and hubby shot this photo right out of the car windshield.  While we were there, we saw a sign which announced the Payson rodeo over the weekend.  Unfortunately, we left yesterday, but we did drive by it and I've NEVER seen such huge horse trailers!  My goodness!  Hubby saw the Wells Fargo coach and team while I was pumping gas.  We did drive by it as they were loading the coach into an 18-wheeler.  So, part 1 of our trip was from Scottsdale to Payson.  Payson is at about 5,000 feet.  There were thunderstorms every day we were there and, on this first day, thunderheads were overhead.