Within the last month I've seen more license plates of northern states in our national forests here. Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, even Oregon plates are rather common here this time of year.
Today I met Jay from Traverse City, Michigan. His small RV is parked off Lutz Canyon and has been there for a few weeks. He is a retired deputy sherrif and dresses like someone from Tombstone: cowboy hat, longish hair, and face stubble.
I met him while he was driving up the canyon and I was driving down to head back home. We stopped to chat. He asked me if I knew the owners of two Labs that have been hanging around his RV lately. I didn't. Perhaps they are two dogs that have been abandoned.
"I went into town to get some dog food, they have been eating me out of house and home!"
We both pulled our vehicles over, left them running, and chatted.
"You picked a nice area to stay for the winter" I started.
"Oh yeah, I can't believe we didn't discover this place earlier! I sent my wife back to Michigan to sell the house and settle other things--we have greatgrandchildren--and she'll follow me out here. She bought me this KIA before she left." The car still had its temporary dealer plates on.
"This is perhaps the cheapest place to live in Arizona, our taxes are pretty low compared to the rest of the state."
"Yeah, I know, and we're going to come back later this year to look for something to buy."
I did ask if he had any problems with illegal immigrants walking down the canyon.
"Oh, the other night I counted 40 that walked on by." But he didn't seem too concerned. "I have my firearm ready."
But I did worry about him, with the winter weather storm watch in effect at 6pm tonight. High winds could break branches of the trees he's parked under.
"Oh, I have seen worse" he reaffirmed.
I promised Jay I'd come up and visit him in early Janaury when I am back from my roadtrip to Chicagoland. I think joining him for beer or wine over a campfire would be awesome.
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