Globe Miami Times July 2023 Issue

ROOSEVELT LAKE

Offering cool opportunities, new dining options to travelers trying to beat the heat

by David Abbott

s temperatures spike throughout the state, locals and visitors alike can find relief on the cool waters of Roosevelt Lake along with plenty of activities both on and off the water.

Enhancing the Arizona outdoor experience, there are several new options for food and lodging that offer local culinary takes and indoor entertainment for the hottest days.

Stagecoach Bar and Grill in Roosevelt

“Local is huge for us: We get all our veggies from the farmers market in Superstition and Mesa when we can,” says Sagan Simonis. “There are times we have to improvise, obviously. We’re working on a deal with some of the local farmers to get some local beef in as well.”

Insectary Plants in the Garden

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Simonis is the sole proprietor of the Stagecoach Bar and Grill at Roosevelt Resort Park—formerly Roosevelt Lake Resort— located at 358 N. Stagecoach Trail, in Roosevelt about 22 miles north of Globe on State Highway 188.

LAKE, Continued page 14

Mothering Mothers

By Patti Daley

Carolyn Larsen, 33, is married, with two children and three college degrees and this month she’ll represent the state of Arizona in the Mrs. International pageant in Kingsport, Tennessee.

“Who couldn’t use a little more poise and grace?” she says, in response to why she decided to do it. “You get practice being on stage, and communicating in public.”

Carolyn put her two young daughters into the Cinderella pageant through Dance Elite in downtown Globe. They were having fun with it and Carolyn wondered if there was a pageant for married women that aligned with her values. She was looking for something to do that would lift her spirits, engage her mind and connect her socially.

MOTHERS, Continued page 13

Carolyn loves reading and finds it to be an easy and effective way to bond with her young children.

Editor Patricia Sanders

Creative Designer

Jenifer Lee

Contributing Writers

David Abbott

Patti Daley

Linda Gross

As we go to press this July, I remain grateful for the two months of unseasonably cool weather we enjoyed through May and June. In the past, those months have seen record temperatures and major fires in our area. This year, instead, we were treated to balmy days and nights in the ‘70s and ‘80s. So I can only hope that the current scorching temperatures of 100-degree days are short-lived. Everyone who can is heading north to the White Mountains or out to the lake to cool off.

Roosevelt Lake has always been a go-to place for locals, but in recent years it has seen a big influx, mostly people from Tucson who consider it their go-to lake-place.

The result has been a hot real estate market, especially for properties with RV hook-ups, and several business ownership changes for wellestablished businesses you’ll recognize (p. 15). And with the lake levels high, there’s never been a better time to get on the water and explore all that Roosevelt Lake living has to offer!

The Local First Rural Policy Forum will be hosted in GlobeMiami August 2 to 4. It’s always an honor to be chosen as a host, and this event offers an opportunity to showcase Globe-Miami to hundreds of attendees from all across the state. The focus of the conference is rural issues and community development concerns that affect us all. The forum has been one of my favorite events, because I always walk away with new friends and contacts who share my passion for community and rural issues.

Rural conjures up different images and expectations for different people, but in reality, there’s no one thing that defines it. As a rural community, Globe-Miami is both local and global. Its DNA is deeply historical, but like our fellow rural leaders, our focus is on building a sustainable future where this and future generations will be happy to call home.

If there’s a theme in this issue, it’s the ways we all take care of ourselves and one another - heart, soul, and body - including our families and homes. And the surprising ways our choices affect everyone around us and can echo down through history. Whether you’re heading to the lake, nursing your garden through the summer heat, have a mother in your midst or are a mother yourself, I hope you’ll find something to enrich and entertain in this month’s issue.

Enjoy,

LINDA GROSS Publisher Publisher

Happy Interdependence Day!

by Patricia Sanders

Yesterday was the Fourth of July, but since I’m outside the U.S., there were no celebrations, no fireworks for me. I watched a movie that had fireworks in it, just to get to see some.

Where I am, the Azores islands, belong to Portugal, and Portugal has its own Independence Day – the first of December. That holiday goes back to 1640, when Portugal separated from Spain. So the first of December, I guess I’ll finally get to see real fireworks.

Turns out no less than 163 countries celebrate Independence Day in some form. The oldest celebration is in Switzerland, which broke from the Holy Roman Empire in the year 1291. Just like in the U.S., the Swiss display flags and shoot off fireworks –but on August 1, not July 4.

Burundi, the Congo and Rwanda commemorate freedom from Belgian rule on June 30 or July 1. Belgium, in turn, celebrates its independence from the Netherlands three weeks later. And in the Netherlands, they’ve been partying on the fifth of May every year since they broke from Nazi Germany – they call it Liberation Day.

Even North Korea celebrates its own Independence Day, which goes to show independence doesn’t necessarily mean freedom.

I, too, have my own personal Independence Day: April 11, the day I left Reevis Mountain School after living there six years.

Everybody has their own Independence Days – maybe the day you graduated from high school or moved out of your parents’ house, or got your first job. Your birthday is an Independence Day too, in a way.

Living at Reevis gave me new appreciation for independence, but also for interdependence. If you don’t know about Reevis, it’s a 12-acre farm, a kind of homestead, located south of Roosevelt Lake, deep in the Tonto National Forest, at the edge of the Superstition Wilderness. Peter “Bigfoot” Busnack founded it back in 1980, partly out of fears about where the world was headed.

For over 40 years, Peter has been living there, growing his own food, teaching survival classes. and living life his way. The full name of the farm is Reevis Mountain School of Self-Reliance, and the idea was self-reliance makes freedom and safety possible: If you don’t need anyone else, you can pretty much do whatever you want, and it doesn’t matter so much what they do. You’re separate, and free, and safe.

The thing is, though, in reality, Reevis sits at the center of a network of hundreds of people who ensure it can continue to exist. People who buy the farm’s produce or come to classes, people who donate money, or do volunteer work at the farm, or support the school through its legal framework, as well as the county or other entities helping maintain

SALE

the road, neighbors who look out for Peter the way neighbors do, and on and on.

For a place that’s all about self-reliance, the farm needs, and gets, a lot of help.

And I don’t mean that in a snarky way. What I mean is, one of the best things I learned from living at Reevis was that independence doesn’t even exist. When you look for it, what you get instead is the absolute opposite, interdependence.

And lo and behold, it doesn’t mean you lose freedom, dignity, or safety. In reality, it turns out interdependence is where freedom, dignity, and safety come from.

Reevis and Peter Bigfoot aren’t the only ones who depend on a whole network of others –we all do.

On the other hand, the business guru Stephen Covey wrote, “Effective interdependence can only be built on true independence.”

Covey was the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, the business book that has sold something like 25 million copies and influenced generations of business leaders.

Covey said, “Dependent people need others to get what they want. Independent

people can get what they want through their own effort. Interdependent people combine their own efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success.”

America would never even have achieved independence without plenty of interdependence. The revolutionaries got essential help from the French, including weapons and supplies at the beginning of the war. Later, France sent its navy to fight British ships off the American coast, and French soldiers reinforced the Continental Army at the decisive battle in Yorktown.

Spain sent supplies, too, and declared war on England on their own hook, attacking the British in the south.

The Netherlands helped by loaning money to the nascent United States. Russia, Norway, Denmark, and even Portugal took the Americans’ side.

That’s why I propose that along with Independence Day, we also celebrate Interdependence Day. It could be on July 3 or July 5, since independence and interdependence are so closely related.

The new holiday would remind everyone you can’t really have one without the other. It would be a chance to recognize and celebrate all the people who help us be who we want to be and live how we want to live.

Another plus? More fireworks.

Patricia Sanders lived in Globe from 2004 to 2008 and at Reevis Mountain School, in the Tonto National Forest, from 2008 to 2014. She has been a writer and editor for GMT since 2015. She is currently traveling long-term and researching a book on dance. You can follow her writing on the website medium.com, under the pen name SK Camille.

“Dependent people need others to get what they want. Independent people can get what they want through their own effort. Interdependent people combine their own efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success.”

– Business guru Stephen Covey

Plants that attract or support friendly insects are called “insectary” plants. And when you plant an area specifically for attracting, feeding, and sheltering insects – such as a pollinator garden – it’s called an insectary planting. By some reports, insectary plantings can increase beneficial insect populations tenfold.

Consider the following plants to beautify your space – and to welcome the beneficial insects that serve as essential workers in the yard and garden.

Bachelor’s button (cornflower) attracts ladybugs, lacewings, and wasps – all effective predators of aphids. These predator insects also consume caterpillars, mealybugs, and mites. Many other members of the Asteracaea family are just as effective, inviting beneficial insets by producing plenty of pollen and beautiful, attractive flowers. Aster, cosmos, sunflowers, and blanket flowers (gaillardia) all make gorgeous, useful additions to a garden.

Lavender can be a workhorse in the garden – and a beautiful one to boot. Its tiny, aromatic blossoms feed beneficial insects, attracting honeybees, bumblebees, and other beneficial insects – as well as having many culinary, medicinal, and household uses. Lavender doesn’t do well in regular garden soil, so you often see it in drier beds or borders, often among other Mediterranean herbs.

Or consider lavender’s siblings in the mint family (Lamiacaea), such as basil, lemon balm, catnip, oregano, peppermint, or sage. If you allow them to flower rather than cutting them back, they’ll produce spikes of blue or purple flowers that invite beneficials to your yard.

Speaking of plants that you may already have in your garden – such as carrot, parsley, cilantro, and dill – these members of the Apicaea or Umbelliferae family can also serve as very effective insectary plants. Their umbels of miniature flowers produce attractive aromas and lots of pollen and nectar for small beneficial insects. These tall, stalky plants – once they bolt – also offer perfect habitats for helpful predator insects.

Sweet alyssum, with its low masses of tiny white blossoms, grows quickly in areas of part shade, making it ideal for planting among vegetables. Alyssum is highly attractive for predator insects – including lacewings, which feed on alyssum nectar and pollen and then lay their eggs on the plant. The lacewing larvae go on to eat aphids – each of them can consume up to 100 aphids per day. Alyssum makes an especially good companion for onions, as it also helps control onion thrips.

These flowering plants are insect magnets (much like me). But there are also attractive plants that repel unwanted insects, by producing essential oils that act as natural insect repellents. They won’t completely rid your garden or yard of pests, but they can make a difference.

Calendula, also called pot marigold, might be the most well known of the insectrepelling flowering plants. Calendula both attracts beneficial insects and repels unwanted ones – including asparagus beetles, aphids, whiteflies, and mosquitoes. It’s even said to deter rabbits. Normally, pot marigolds are kept as an annual, but if allowed to grow a second year, their roots will begin to repel nematodes.

Alliums – from low-growing chives to leeks and shallots, all the way to the huge Allium giganteum – will drive away slugs, aphids, Japanese beetles, carrot flies, and cabbage worms. Plant them throughout the garden, especially near tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, broccoli, and carrots.

All kinds of cole crops will benefit from the presence of lovely hyssop. Its fragrant purple spikes are said to repel cabbage moths, white butterflies, flea beetles, and slugs – while attracting lots of helpful bees.

Nasturtiums have long been well loved as companion plants, especially as an edging for vegetable gardens. They will protect tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, kale, collards, broccoli, and cabbage from whiteflies, squash bugs, aphids, cabbage loopers, and many kind of beetle.

Chrysanthemums are the natural source for pyrethrum, a common ingredient in commercial bug sprays and pet shampoos. Plant chrysanthemums for use as a cut flower and to control roaches, ants, Japanese beetles, harlequin bugs, root-knot nematodes, and even ticks, lice, and fleas. But please don’t attempt concoct your own insecticidal spray from chrysanthemums –or be very careful if you do! Concentrated pyrethrum is toxic to humans as well as insects, and can cause problems ranging from skin irritation to nausea and unconsciousness. The small amounts found naturally in the flowers won’t hurt you – in fact, the flower petals make a pretty garnish for a salad, and can be used as a substitute for saffron.

Borage’s small, vibrant blue, nodding flowers accent a sprawling plant with soft, fuzzy leaves. Borage repels tomato hornworms, while attracting pollinator bees. Planted near tomatoes, borage will not only help protect the tomatoes but even improve their flavor.

Insectary plants are most helpful when you plant a variety – the different shapes and sizes of flowers will attract and feed different types of insects, and varying blossoming times will ensure nectar, pollen – and color – throughout the season. So don’t hold back when you add these beautiful plants to your garden – the insects will thank you. And you’ll be rewarded with a colorful, healthier garden. u

The Mine Closure That Brought Rail to Globe

by Patricia Sanders

On the north end of Globe, from US 60 you can see the relics of a copper mine –called the Old Dominion – that made Globe what it was for many decades, and gained fame as one of the richest mines in the state. In fact, it would be fair to say Globe as we know it might never have existed without the Old Dominion Mine.

The vein at Old Dominion was discovered in 1874, and the mine soon became an economic engine in what was then just a mining camp. Globe was founded in 1876, and for the next seventy-odd years, “As the mine grew, so did Globe.”

In 1897, the Silver Belt said the Old Dominion “for many years has been widely known as one of the great copper mines of Arizona...with great possibilities for the future.”

The Silver Belt reporter had taken a brief tour of the mine, but said to walk through the entire works would take three days.

But on April 20, 1897, the Old Dominion suddenly shut down for an undetermined period of time.

Some 200 men were put out of work, and miners were seen leaving town on freight wagons in a mass exodus. All for no apparent reason.

But the editors of the Silver Belt had a good guess – or inside information. They asserted the closure was a cutthroat move on the part of the mine’s owners on the East Coast, who were desperate to get the railroad extended to Globe.

The Gila Valley, Globe & Northern railway had been talking for years about bringing the road to Globe, but it hadn’t happened yet. The Silver Belt editors believed the mine owners were coercing the GVG&N into coming to Globe by shutting the mine down. It could be that high transportation costs were cutting into the mine’s profits such that

the owners weren’t willing to continue to run the mine until the railroad arrived.

The Silver Belt editor estimated the shutdown could last six months or more. He turned out to be wrong. It was much longer than that.

But the mine owners’ gambit, if that was what it was, seems to have worked in the end. The first week of January 1898, the GVG&N signed a contract to build rail from Globe to Geronimo, which would solve the Old Dominion’s transportation problem.

Charles Hayden, the influential Arizona businessman and politician, estimated the railroad would cut the mine’s transportation costs by one-third, and said, “Upon the completion of the railroad the mine should be an immediate earner of money.”

The Old Dominion finally resumed smelting on the 21st of September, 1898, after being closed down for seventeen months.

The first GVG&N train pulled into Globe in late November 1898.

While construction on the railroad was being completed, the Old Dominion had been stockpiling copper to ship. January 1899 saw the mine ship 1.2 million pounds of copper by rail.

The mine prospered – and so did Globe –during the boom years that followed. Some months saw the Old Dominion ship over 2 million pounds of copper. Many of the city’s historic structures were built during that same time – mostly from 1904 to 1910. And the Old Dominion continued to serve as a pillar of Globe’s industrial economy until the early 1920s.

The smelter permanently closed in 1924. In its lifetime, the Old Dominion had produced around 800 million pounds of copper, returned some $134 million to its owners and shareholders – and helped make Globe what it is today.

Walking Through History

By Christa Sadler, Tonto National Monument

Imagine a place where history from every era surrounds you. At the Salado Cliff Dwellings at Tonto National Monument, stories and relics from thousands of years of Sonoran Desert life are to be found right at your feet, wherever you tread.

Since the construction of these iconic cliff dwellings approximately 700 years ago, they have served as a home, a community of growing and evolving culture, and eventually an alluring spectacle for tourists exploring the “Wild West.”

During the early 20th century, as more and more pioneers began moving westward across the United States, places like the cliff dwellings began to receive more attention. Unfortunately, along with this attention came vandalism.

President Theodore Roosevelt saw the need to protect and preserve the cliff dwellings, and so he designated them as a national monument in December of 1907.

After the creation of the National Park Service in 1916, America’s public lands became a distinguishable element of our nation’s landscape. Year after year, more visitors from all over the nation and the world traveled to these significant American sites. With everincreasing numbers of visitors, the National Park Service faced the question, how could they accommodate this rise in visitation and provide a better experience for sightseers?

Conrad Wirth, then director of the National Park Service, envisioned a multiyear plan to revitalize the experience of both visitors and employees in the national parks. Beginning in 1952, Wirth made proposals to construct new facilities: visitor centers, housing for park staff, and other structures to improve park operations. President Dwight Eisenhower approved these plans in 1956, ushering in a new era for the national parks. The plans also set in motion an architectural movement across the United States that would become known as Mission 66, featuring a streamlined, modern style of design called Park Modern.

Plans for a new visitor center at Tonto National Monument soon followed, reflecting the new Park Modern designs that were being built in other major parks around the country. The structure would include a lobby with an

information desk, along with exhibits and displays about the wonders of the cliff dwellings and the prehistoric people who once occupied them.

Major construction took place between 1961 and 1965, and the visitor center made its grand debut on February 21, 1965. This structure went on to serve as a catalyst for road improvements, new trails to the cliff dwellings, and a high standard for visitor experience. With the new visitor center and other facilities at the Monument, visitors now had richer opportunities to connect to the story of the Salado culture and immerse themselves in a world of the past.

After 50 years of providing information and awe, Tonto National Monument unveiled a newly remodeled museum in 2015. Inside a replica room— modeled after the cliff dwellings’ only remaining room with an intact roof—visitors to the Monument can now experience what it would have been like to live here. Artifacts found in the cliff dwellings, including pottery, textiles, and lithics, are on display, and an 18-minute film shown on the shaded deck of this historic building explains the cultural and natural history of the region. The observation deck offers breathtaking views of the Lower Cliff Dwelling and the Sonoran Desert landscape.

When you visit Tonto National Monument, you are not only walking into a building, you are walking through history: the stories of an ancient people who thrived over 700 years ago. The Tonto visitor center itself is a historic Mission 66 structure that helped write the story of our national parks and will preserve the history of the Salado for future generations.

Visitor center opening circa 1965

THE GREAT AMERICAN HORSE RACE

An epic cross-country horse race, dreamt up by two salesmen and won by a mule, made history in 1976.

This is that story.

The race was the brainchild of two men from Illinois, Randy Scheiding and Chuck Waggoner. Both were horsemen who worked as salesmen and dreamed of riding across America on horseback. A few years earlier, Scheiding had covered 300 miles, riding across Illinois into Kansas. He said, “It was the highlight of my life.”

“The country moves so slow on horseback,” Scheiding said. “You have a chance to become part of the landscape. It’s a feeling of freedom I had never experienced.”

Scheiding ran an ad in Western Horseman:

Riders were allowed two horses and could switch them out at any time. Winners would split a $50,000 purse.

It didn’t take long before 94 riders had signed up for the 3,500 mile race, which would cross 13 states as it wound from Saratoga Springs, New York, to Sacramento, California.

The race came at a time when people wanted – and needed – to celebrate America. “People were looking for a party,” said journalist Curt Lewis, who accompanied and documented the race. “Vietnam was just over in ’75. Watergate was over. Nixon was gone.” And, he said, “Everyone was looking for a good time.”

At the same time, America was turning 200 years old. The year-long Bicentennial party included trains and airplanes being painted red, white, and blue, a flotilla of tall ships sailing down the Hudson River, and festivals across the land. The Great American Horse Race fit right in.

Two hundred animals set out from New York on May 31, 1976. The youngest rider was Valorie Briggs, 18, a countrywestern singer riding her half-Arabian half-mustang Tiki, and the oldest was Hub Crossett, 69, a Tennessean horse trader. There were as many women as men among the riders.

Forty-seven states and ten foreign countries were represented. Iceland had contributed ten horses to serve as mounts for Belgian and German riders. There was a Russian Orlov, the only one of its kind in North America, that was descended from a mare and stallion once belonging to Nikita Khrushchev, former premier of the Soviet Union. And as a tribute to the Bicentennial, France’s Team Lafayette had sent 120 riders, who rode in full costume as soldiers of Lafayette, outside competition.

And then there were the mules. A steeplejack (painter of tall things, like smokestacks), horse breeder, and trainer by the name of Virl Norton had brought them. At 60, Norton was one of the oldest riders, hailing originally from Wyoming. He didn’t have a crew or much money, but he was smart and, it was said, “tough as a boiled owl.”

Norton had brought two mules: one named Lord Fauntleroy and, as a backup, Lady Eloise. Both were half thoroughbred. Lord Fauntleroy, also

known as Leroy, stood at 16 hands— large for a mule or a horse.

Arabians are considered the best horses for endurance riding. According to Lewis, the journalist, the motto is, “If you’re not riding an Arabian, you’re following an Arabian.”

Norton had Arabians – good ones –but he didn’t bring them. He chose the mules through shrewd thinking, and he had a strategy. The thinking was, mules might be slow, but they had the virtues of durability and stamina. For a 3,200mile ride, those qualities would be more important than speed.

“Watch the mules,” Norton said. “They’re tougher and can take the tough terrain better than a horse.”

And Norton’s strategy? Plod along.

That’s exactly what he did. He kept to a steady pace of 10 miles per hour throughout the race, no matter what kind of land they were riding through. Slow and steady.

Four veterinarians accompanied the riders and checked every horse at tenmile intervals. Any animal found unwell or even unable to walk properly had to be trailered until it was healthy enough to rejoin the race.

It was a slow race. Riders started en masse at dawn and followed a set route to a daily finish line. Each day’s race was timed, to be tallied at the end. There were penalties for late starts and missed days when animals had to be trailered.

And the race almost fell apart before it was halfway across the country. The organizers ran out of money in Hannibal, Missouri, and the race came to a halt. But the riders had too much invested to just go home. They passed the hat to pay for the vets and support crews, and kept the ride going.

There were fun and games along the way. When the race passed through a town, schools would let the kids out and people would line the streets as the riders went by, bringing drinks for the riders and apples for the horses. Virl Norton would let the kids climb on the mules to get their picture taken.

Valorie Briggs recalled that every night, riders and crew gathered around a campfire. “Everybody would sing, and we’d play music, drink whiskey and talk,” she said. They would drop a glowstick in the whiskey jug so they could find it in the dark.

Briggs also remembered the

weather. “Places like Kansas, Missouri,” she said, had rainstorms that she still remembered 30 years later. “You’d put your poncho on, and pull it down so you could barely see out of the eye hole, and it would still drench you.”

A popular topic of conversation was shoeing. Valorie’s shoer had figured out a way to do the long ride. She said, “I wound up with a leather pad, with silicone underneath to keep anything from getting under there, and then a ‘half round shoe’ with borium on it.” When the shoe was shaped and ready, they ran the borium around the heel and toe and welded the shoe on. Briggs said Tiki never wore through his shoes, because the borium was harder than steel.

On the other hand, the Orlov stallion had to be re-shod every five days, and eventually there wasn’t enough hoof left to nail to. He was scratched from the race.

For the first two weeks, the faster horses took the lead, outpacing Virl Norton and Leroy the mule. But in Kankakee, Illinois, Leroy overtook them, and after that Norton was never lower than third place. By the end of the race, only the mules were still strong and sound.

When the 73 finishers rode into Sacramento’s county fair that September afternoon, Leroy was tenth to come in. Valorie Briggs came in fourteenth. But after the times were all tallied and penalties deducted, Lord Fauntleroy had won. Total time: 315 hours.

Norton’s son, Pierce, who had come along to help and drive their ’71 Dodge pickup, remembered, “There was a whole bank of press photographers and just these cameras flashing and going off like crazy. And some of the other competitors put my dad up on [their] shoulders and ran him around the fairground.”

“We did something that nobody had ever done before,” Valorie Briggs said. “I can say, I rode my horse from New York to California! It really was an adventure.”

The adventure of a lifetime for the common American who regards his horse as something special. Longest horse race in history. From New York to California. Entry fee: $500

Pierce Norton

Winner, Virl Norton with his mules Leroy and Lady Eloise. Photos from the Great American Horse Race. This photographic documentary was published after the race in 1976. Although now out of print, it still commands quite a following where used copies can fetch upwards of $800. Those who do own the book give it five-stars. Our writer, Patricia Sanders, pulled accounts of the race from old newspaper clippings to bring you this story.

Valorie Briggs

by Peter Bigfoot

I have been stung 36 times out here on the farm. I’ve been stung grabbing a towel off the towel rack in the shower house, putting on a pair of sandals, carrying a feed sack, leaning against the chicken coop, picking up a piece of lumber, moving a tarp lying on the ground, holding a roll of toilet paper, and, the most popular time, handling firewood. Also once at night when I got out of bed barefoot. There are two basic types of scorpions in this region, rock scorpions and bark scorpions. Rock scorpions are mostly found under rocks, and bark scorpions live around wood and in our homes. If you lift up a rock and there is a scorpion under it, it will probably be sitting on the ground with its tail up over its back or straight out. This will be a rock scorpion. If you pick up a piece of firewood or a cardboard box and there’s a scorpion under it, it will probably cling upside-down to the underside of the board or box. This makes it difficult to see and also puts it right where you might place your hand, greatly increasing the chances of getting stung on a hand – the worst possible place.

Both types of scorpions have a nasty sting, although the bark scorpion’s is often many times more potent and painful than that of the rock scorpion. The sting happens lightning fast. The very first feeling might be like you got a splinter or glochid, but it quickly escalates to pain like having a

lit cigarette crushed into your skin, plus numbness and tingling. Sometimes the discomfort subsides after an hour or so, only to come roaring back a couple of hours later. Then the pain and discomfort spread through your body.

After this point, you hurt all over with what I call restless agitation. Most likely you will be laying down at this point, but there is no comfortable position. This discomfort may go on for 24 to 48 slow-passing hours until the suffering begins to subside. The wound often remains numb and tingly for a month or so.

The amount of pain depends on where you get stung and how much venom was delivered. Because the sting affects the nervous system, the hands and feet are the most painful places to be stung, and they are also, unfortunately, the most likely places to be stung. When I’ve been stung on a fleshy part of my body like my leg or back, it has not been quite so bad. It felt like a scorpion was running up and down under my skin, accompanied by some pain, numbness and tingling. I usually get these kinds of stings in bed after a scorpion drops from the ceiling. Or from the ones waiting in my pants or shirt in the morning.

I have had an obsession for finding remedies growing wild or in my garden. The desert plants, bushes and trees are my pharmacy. I have discovered remedies that really work for bees, snakes, spiders, scorpions, and even rabies. If I did not know these things it would be too dangerous to live out here at the farm. I have at least six good remedies for scorpion stings. One of these remedies I have bottled and for sale to the public, along with remedies for about 20 other maladies. This scorpion remedy relieves about 90% of the suffering. The sooner it is applied the better it works.

A few years ago I stopped killing brown recluse and black widow spiders. Want to know why? On several occasions I have seen scorpions attempt to eat spiders, only to have the spider proceed to tie up the scorpion with its strings of web. Immobilized and all bundled up, the scorpion could hardly move. The spider bit the scorpion’s tail and the scorpion died instantly. The spider then hoisted the scorpion up into its web and ate it.

My favorite treatment of scorpions is to search about with an ultraviolet flashlight. The scorpion will light up a bright lime green color. I can see them from 10 feet away or more. Then I come armed with a portable propane plumber’s torch and pull the trigger. The flame comes out and roasts the scorpion instantly. Let off the trigger and the flame goes out. It is best to keep a squirt bottle of water handy to extinguish any possible flames. A few years ago when I first began this practice I roasted 300 scorpions in less than two hours. Now on a good night, or maybe it’s a bad night, I only find about 50. It is, after 36 stings, a very satisfying pursuit.

Peter “Bigfoot” Busnack was born in New Jersey in 1941. He came out west in 1963 and became a natural healing physician, herbalist, desert survival expert, teacher, philosopher, farmer and founder of Reevis Mountain School of Self Reliance. Peter also is the creator of Reevis Mountain Remedies, a line of herbal remedies sold nationwide and here in Globe. You may have met Peter at the Globe farmer’s market selling fruit and vegetables. Peter is also the author of three books: Book of Ancient Natural Remedies, Natural Remedies for Bites & Stings, and Cooking with Bigfoot.

Renovations at 1100 N. Broad Street

The property at 1100 N. Broad Street is seeing new life, with extensive renovations completed by Phoenix developer Erik Marsh, a new name – 1100 Center – and new businesses moving in.

The 19,242-square-foot property – located across the street from DeMarco’s Italian Restaurant in Globe –currently houses Kempton Physical Therapy, Miles Eye Center, The Healing Warehouse, and Metro by T-Mobile.

But its history is just as interesting. Dating back to the late 1800s, the property has long formed part of the heart of Globe. The site first served as a lumber and wheelwright shop, holding a central place in the region’s industrial roots.

Furnished rooms were constructed at the southern end of the property in 1906 – the same year the Gila County Courthouse (now the Cobre Valley Center for the Arts) was built, as well as the legendary Pioneer Hotel, which burned down in 2005.

By 1911 the southern part of the site had evolved into the Hotel Maurel. The owners were Andre and Marie Maurel, a French couple who had immigrated to the US in their twenties. By 1882 they had moved to Globe and were living in a tent along the creek, running a small farm. Twenty-some years later, they opened their hotel, which became a mainstay in the downtown area. And it must have done well – according to newspaper reports, the Maurels added a swimming pool in 1918, which was fed by nearby springs.

While the Maurels were running their hotel in the southern part of the property, the northern portion underwent several transformations: a Chinese

restaurant opened there in 1909, and two years later the property was converted to an auto camp with parking and cabins for travelers.

Over the years, the Maurels’ hotel closed and 1100 Center eventually served various automotive uses – until 1959. By then, all site structures had been removed, and a new build-out was completed, which still stands today. The property remained relatively unmodified until Marsh’s renovations.

IN LOVING MEMORY

DONNA CUNNINGHAM, September 4, 1928

– June 30, 2023, age 94, passed away.

Donna worked at the original Copper Hills and in the Gila County Recorder’s office. She was also a Cub Scout den mother, treasurer of Women of UMC, and member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary. (BM)

JESSIE RIVERA, August 4, 1930 – June 30, 2023, age 92, passed away. (BM)

CARLEEN I. LAMBERT, July 3, 1942 – June 30, 2023, age 80, of Mesa, passed away at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa. (LM)

JONATHAN DALE “GONZO” BROWN SR., May 4, 1990 – June 28, 2023, age 33, of San Carlos, passed away at Banner Estrella Medical Center in Phoenix. Jonathan was originally from Ft. Knox, Kentucky, and worked as a custodian in retail. (LM)

ELEANOR PHILLIPS, September 28, 1929 –June 27, 2023, age 93, of San Carlos, passed away at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix. (LM)

JANET MARIE THOMPSON, March 13, 1949

– June 26, 2023, age 74, of Globe, passed away at CVRMC. (LM)

JOHN MANUEL GARCIA, September 29, 1977 – June 26, 2023, age 45, passed away. (BM)

TANYA RENE CAMPOS, May 17, 1966 –June 24, 2023, age 57, of Miami, passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital in Tucson. Tanya worked at the Miami Fast Stop and was a preschool teacher at Head Start in Superior. (BM)

RENEE SENGSTOCK, February 27, 1974

– June 24, 2023, age 49, of Bylas, passed away. (LM)

RUBEN T. CASTRO, January 18, 1931 – June 21, 2023, age 92, of Superior, passed away at his home. Ruben worked for Magma Copper Railroad for 32 years, taking a two-year leave of absence to serve in the US Army during the Korean War in the 82nd

Airborne. He was a state certified railroad track inspector. (BM)

EARLA ANN SWAIM, September 29, 1945 –June 20, 2023, age 77, passed away. (BM)

DEBBY VALTIERRA, June 14, 1959 – June 19, 2023, age 64, passed away. (LM)

MODESTO ORTIZ, August 17, 1939 – June 17, 2023, age 83, of Globe, passed away in Globe. Modesto worked in heavy equipment mining. He was originally from Pagosa Springs, Colorado. (LM)

CHARLES STEVENS, May 5, 1943 – June 17, 2023, age 80, of Canyon Day, passed away at Haven Health in Lakeside. Charlie was a DPS officer and SCAT Gilson Wash councilman. He was born in San Carlos. (LM)

KAREN “SUNNEY” MARIE CUSHMAN

November 28, 1950 – June 17, 2023, age 72, passed away. (BM)

MARGARITA RUIZ, February 9, 1931 – June 16, 2023, age 92, passed away. (BM)

MARGARET SANTA CRUZ, April 18, 1939

– June 16, 2023, age 84, of Las Vegas, Nevada, passed away at her home. Margaret worked as a bartender, heavy equipment operator at Magma Copper, and detention officer with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, among other jobs. (BM)

NATHANIEL RAY DIXON, July 15, 2006

– June 16, 2023, age 16, passed away in Apache Junction. (LM)

LARRY LYNN BURKE, February 28, 1950 –June 15, 2023, age 73, of Roosevelt, passed away at his home. (LM)

DANIEL EUGENE STRANDBERG, October 21, 1951 – June 15, 2023, age 71, of Globe, passed away at his home. Dan worked as a radiologist at Mason District Hospital in Havana, Illinois. He was originally from Galesburg, Illinois, and moved to Globe when he retired. (LM)

Leasing opportunities are still available at 1100 Center, and are being handled by Kurt Kerner, a real estate agent at Kidder Mathews. “We have some great spaces available for new businesses to serve the community, including approximately 8,965 square feet that can be divided and a 1,539-square-foot space,” Kerner said.

Kerner can be reached at (928) 900-4275 for leasing inquiries or further information.

KIMBERLY MAE ASTOR, January 22, 1982 –June 15, 2023, age 41, of San Carlos, passed away at John C. Lincoln Hospital in Phoenix. (LM)

BETH BURNS, July 2, 1952 – June 14, 2023, age 70, passed away. (BM)

GLORIA SANCHEZ GUERRERO, October 13, 1926 – June 13, 2023, age 96, of Globe, passed away at Heritage of Globe. (LM)

MARIE RUTHANN GRIGSBY, October 15, 1960 – June 13, 2023, age 62, passed away. (BM)

ERICA ROSE SADDA, July 6, 1980 – June 13, 2023, age 42, passed away in Albuquerque. Erica worked for the San Carlos Apache Tribe as a police dispatcher before moving to Santa Fe. She was born in Phoenix and attended Globe High School. (LM)

GEORGE ALBERT RYAN, January 9, 1942 – June 12, 2023, age 81, of Miami, passed away. He was a general contractor and served in the US Navy. (LM)

JACK ALLEN KENNEDY, May 30, 1954 – June 12, 2023, age 69, of Globe, passed away at his home. Jack worked as a jewelry designer, as a nurse, and later at Walmart managing the hardware department. He was originally from Ishpeming, Michigan. (BM)

ALFRED S. SANCHEZ, October 1, 1950 –June 10, 2023, age 72, of Superior, passed away at his home. Alfred worked in mining for 30 years and coached Superior Little League He was originally from Patagonia. (BM)

JAMIE LEANDRA “RUSTI” BIXBY, October 2, 1973 – June 10, 2023, age 49, passed away in Tonto Basin. Rusti was born in Globe, spent much of her adult life in New York City, and returned in 2018 to care for her aging parents. As a child she lived at the Bixby Ranch in Wheatfields. (LM)

NENA STEELE, December 20, 1980 – June 9, 2023, age 42, of Crownpoint, New Mexico, passed away at her home in Scottsdale. (LM)

MICHAEL PATTON JR., November 15, 1983 – June 9, 2023, age 39, passed away at Banner Casa Grande Medical Center in Casa Grande. Michael worked at the Gila River Casino, Harkins Theater in Scottsdale, and Apache Gold. (LM)

STANLEY GLEN THOMPSON, June 23, 1941 – June 6, 2023, age 81, of Globe, passed away at KPC Promise Hospital in Mesa. (LM)

FRANCES DOLORES OCHOA, November 2, 1951 – June 6, 2023, age 71, of Globe, passed away at CVRMC. Frances worked in the cafeteria at the Miami USD and at Heritage Health Care as a CNA. She also volunteered for the Globe Food Bank. (LM)

BOBBY JOE SMITH, November 28, 1962 – June 6, 2023, age 60, of Peridot, passed away at CVRMC. (LM)

MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER TWENTY-THREE, November 16, 1969 – June 6, 2023, age 53, of Miami, passed away. Michael was an artist and a leader in the arts community in Miami. (BM)

GUILLERMO NERI, January 20, 1945 –June 5, 2023, age 78, passed away at CVRMC. (LM)

JOSE R. MARQUEZ, August 25, 1981 – June 4, 2023, age 41, passed away. (BM)

NANCY A. MACCLENNAN, February 2, 1938 – June 2, 2023, age 85, passed away in Globe. Nancy was originally from Winkelman. (BM)

DWIGHT VAN CLEAVE, June 12, 1962 – June 2, 2023, age 60, passed away. (BM)

AUDREY MARGARET SMITH, June 2, 1954 –June 1, 2023, age 68, passed away. (BM)

JOANA LEE HULSEY-BARRETT, August 31, 1965 – June 1, 2023, age 57, of Globe, passed away at CVRMC. Joana was originally from Chicago. (LM)

(LM= Lamont Mortuary. BM=Bulman Miles Funeral Home)

MOTHERS, Continued from page 1

The Pageant

“It’s a fun thing to work hard for something,” Carolyn says.

The Mrs. International pageant showcases women, ages 21 to 56, married at least six months and a resident of the state or a citizen of the country she represents. Carolyn applied, had an interview, passed a background check (no nudity, no drugs). She became the first Mrs. Globe in the pageant’s 30-year history. Next Carolyn applied for Mrs. Arizona and was the only applicant that met their standards. On July 21-22, she will compete for the title of Mrs. International. Contestants are evaluated on their interview (50%), evening gown (25%) and fitness wear (25%).

For Carolyn, the most surprising aspect of the pageant so far has been how supportive the other women in the Mrs. pageant have been.

“It is a competition and it is competitive, but it is not cut-throat,” she says. “It’s encouraging. We help each other.”

Her husband, Zach Larsen, will accompany Carolyn to the event and escort her across the stage for the evening gown competition. Zach is employed as an

environmental engineer for BHP; he travels frequently for work.

“I’m really proud of Carolyn,” he says. “I’ve always known how amazing she is, but with her doing the pageant, it’s neat that so many other people will get to see her talents.”

As Mrs. Arizona, Carolyn is sponsored by Copper Vista Dental, Bad Gal Beauty and Sonja Stafford, photographer. She travels weekly to practice in Levine with the State Director along with Miss Arizona and Miss Teen Arizona.

It’s also been a big time commitment, but worth it, says Carolyn, because she’s trying to “help mothers who are often overlooked because they are known as the ones who take care of everyone else.”

The Platform

Mothering Mothers is an initiative to promote maternal mental health, by raising awareness and providing resources. Postpartum depression affects approximately 15% of all mothers. Symptoms are similar to symptoms of depression, but may also include:

• Crying more often than usual.

• Feelings of anger.

• Withdrawing from loved ones.

• Feeling distant from your baby.

• Worrying or feeling overly anxious.

• Thinking about hurting yourself or your baby.

• Doubting your ability to care for your baby.

Carolyn is working with the Arizona chapter of Postpartum Support International (PSI) to host Climb out of Darkness on October 13th, – a resource vendor fair to promote maternal mental health. Location TBD.

“Supporting maternal mental health is a really important and worthwhile cause,” Zach adds via text message, “and this is a way that she can help mothers and families that need that support.”

“No one is immune,” says Carolyn. “It can happen to anyone.”

It happened to her.

Postpartum Depression

After suffering extreme morning sickness, a fast labor and a challenging water birth. Carolyn was rushed back to the hospital with excessive bleeding. There was a full moon in the sky and a global pandemic in progress. No visitors. Nurses masked. It was traumatic.

Still, she thought, it can’t be that hard, being a mother. She didn’t ask for help. Her mom came anyway. So did Zach’s mom. Shortly after her first Mother’s Day, Carolyn started to have dark thoughts thinking she was not needed. For a while she was in this state.

“What is wrong with me?” she wondered, “I’m having weird thoughts and suicidal thought. That’s not me.”

Like nearly half of the women who suffer postpartum depression, she had never experienced depression before.

“I knew I needed to do social things to fill my cup,” she says. “Covid shut down all my plans.”

She found help in the form of Marco Polo, a video chat app and started talking to other moms, at least 3 other people a day. She spoke with a therapist friend who was her postpartum advocate.

“She validated my feelings and let me talk about it over and over,” says Carolyn.

Just over a year later, Carolyn was pregnant again. This time she got sick sooner and lost more weight. Zach continued to work in Canada for quite a bit. The second pregnancy involved concerns about Downs Syndrome and low amniotic fluid which required more tests, weekly checks, bedrest.

“Wonderful people came and took Adelaide for playdates” says Carolyn. “Friends made food.”

Scottie, now 1, was born still in the amniotic sac, with meconium, and went to the NICU. This time Carolyn was prepared for postpartum depression.

“I had a plan,” says Carolyn. “I knew I was at risk and was upfront with my healthcare provider, Zach, my sisters, best friends, and the midwife.”

She tried a prescription to take the edge off but found it “wasn’t a good fit”and reverted to talking it out. Instead of a baby

shower, she hosted a “sip and see’ and socialized in her home.

“Tell me that my baby is beautiful,” she says, “Tell me I’m doing okay.”

Once again, her mom and mother-in-law came to help.

“I had to swallow a lot of pride,” says Carolyn. “This is about my children and family and in order for us to survive I need some extra help.“

Advice for treating postpartum depression includes these suggestions from the CDC:

• Connect with other moms.

• Make time for yourself.

• Do something you enjoy.

• Be realistic. You don’t have to do it all.

• Ask for help.

• Rest when the baby rests.

• Be with others.

• Seek out other adults who can provide comfort and company.

A Friend of the Library

“Even when I’m overwhelmed, I can read,” says Carolyn.

As a child Carolyn checked out as many books as she could from the library and read them in a fort she built.

“I’d have a flashlight and read until late at night,” she says. “Reading has really helped me to accomplish a lot of my academic success and goals.”

By 22, Carolyn had graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University (ASU) with degrees in Psychology and Sociology. For a year she helped her sister, abruptly widowed, with three children. She returned to school to complete a 27-month Master of Occupational Therapy program at A.T. Still University. She began her career in Phoenix, in a Title 1 school district.

“The pediatric population is where my heart is,” says Carolyn.

Currently on break because of the pageant, Carolyn is one of only two OTs in the Globe-Miami-Roosevelt area with a pediatric specialty. She is also a certified handwriting specialist.

“Reading has been an easy and effective way to bond with my children,” says Carolyn, addressing one of the risks of postpartum depression. “They love to be next to me and have books.” u

PHOTO BY PATTI DALEY

Carolyn Larsen, Mrs. Arizona, joined the Friends of the Globe Public Library this year and has already contributed to fundraising and social media efforts.

RORI GLOVER STUDIOS

COURTESY PHOTO

Carolyn suffered her first experience with depression after the birth of her first daughter, at the start of the Covid pandemic

The resort offers cabins of various sizes, double queen motel rooms, full-hookup RV sites, a 3-bedroom mobile home, as well as kitchenette suites. There are also dog-friendly options in a location with easy access to everything the region has to offer.

The Stagecoach serves guests from the resort and has become a popular hangout for locals seeking a family friendly gathering place.

A truly Arizona experience, the restaurant has been redecorated in southwestern, “John Wayne” style, with a menu that is updated regularly to keep the food interesting for its diverse clientele.

“We’ve revamped the bar and are planning a lot of new things,” Simonis says. “We’re planning to have a retail space, games for the kids, and I’ve got chefs that make really good comfort food with rotating specials.”

Her path to intrepid businesswoman has not been easy for Simonis, a Mesa native who’s spent most of her professional life in the food industry.

It was when she worked at a restaurant in Apache Lake that Simonis fell in love with life on the water and she worked hard to ensure she could take a few days on the water every month.

But four years ago her life was shattered when she was riding a scooter near Sky Harbor Airport and was hit by a large Ford pickup at a speed of about 40 miles per hour.

“It was pretty intense,” Simonis remembers. “I had to learn how to walk and talk again and I took a good lickin’ to the noggin as well.”

Her love of the Lake eventually brought her to Roosevelt and on July 15, 2022 her dream of owning a restaurant came to fruition at the Stagecoach.

The Stagecoach menu changes regularly, but there are staples such as burgers, wings and house-smoked meats. Additionally, there is barbecue, shepherd’s pie and locally famous fish fries and brisket

by her “manager/chef” Lonnie, who has taken it upon himself to do what he can to help Simonis succeed.

“I love the work, I love to run the kitchen and I make everybody laugh,” Lonnie says. “Sagan has more heart than any woman I’ve ever seen in my life. I made a promise the first day I met her that I’ll make sure [she] keeps this friggin’ place.”

Lonnie is something of a local legend himself. He was born in Lehi, which was annexed by Mesa in 1970, and aside from being a cook for decades, has worked in mines, been a “cow puncher” and concrete finisher among other various lines of work.

Aside from the food, the Stagecoach features plenty of entertainment,

with karaoke, live music and occasional visits from a Doc Holliday impersonator who puts on a show for adults and kids. There are also horseshoe pits, an air hockey table, corn hole and a pond for fishing and creating an atmosphere to enjoy food and drinks.

Simonis has plans to expand her offerings at the Stagecoach, including a bass tournament for kids, a bounce house and she’s even working on hosting Arizona Historical Society Civil War reenactments at some point in the future.

“It’s been quite a journey, but we’ve been received pretty well,” she says. “After all I’ve been through, I just decided since I get a second chance to be here I want to do what I love.”

For information about upcoming menus or events, go to the Stagecoach Bar and Grill Facebook page.

New ownership at Roosevelt Marina

For visitors who want to be directly on the water, a few miles up 188 the Roosevelt Marina is a full-service facility offering slips, boat storage, rentals and an RV park with 50 spaces, 35 of which are full hook-up with the remainder electric only.

The new owners have big plans for future expansion.

“We have massive plans,” says General Manager Chad Duncan. “Starting this fall, we’re going to add roof structures to existing docks that don’t have them and starting in January, we’re adding the first 100 of 200 new slips we’re putting in.”

The Marina also plans to add Wi Fi to the RV park at some point in the near future.

Duncan says that traffic in the summer is mostly day-use, although the RV spaces give visitors a 14-day option from April through the end of September, the limit for summer camping in the Tonto National Forest. From October 1 through April 1, the park is open for long-term stays throughout the winter months.

Thanks to one of the best snowpacks in recent decades—the Arizona

Department of Water Resources reported in March that the snowpack replenishing the Salt River Project watershed is the seconddeepest it’s been in 30 years—Duncan says the lake is at 98% of capacity after hitting 106% in March.

While Roosevelt is a popular highlight for out-of-state visitors, Duncan says in the summer most of the traffic at the Marina is in-state residents escaping the heat. Many are from Tucson, as Valley boaters have closer options such as Saguaro and Canyon lakes.

“It’s been extremely busy, with the lake levels up,” Duncan says. “So there’s no real camping along the shores.”

In addition to providing an array of rental equipment, the Marina also provides a spot for boaters to fuel up, as well as a store, Ffinches Waterfront Restaurant and Bar and a lake-level bar called Pat’s.

Simonis posted this photo with her father on FB after signing the papers for the restaurant.

Manager/ Chef, Lonnie

Chad Duncan, General Manager is part of the new management at the Marina, along with longtime employee Cheryl, who runs the front counter.

LAKE, Continued on page 15

Commercial real estate hot commodity in Roosevelt area

By David Abbott

Anyone interested in purchasing a home in the area around Roosevelt Lake has options in towns such as Roosevelt and Tonto Basin, but the commercial market has been hot in the past few years, particularly for properties with RV amenities.

“I like to tell people that we are one big RV park,” says Margaret Rambo, owner of Rambo Realty. “That’s the demand and the first thing they’d like to have.” Rambo has been in the area for 50 years and has seen something of a gold rush in the area for commercial properties.

“It’s a boater’s dream,” Duncan says. “Visitors can pull right up to the dock and it’s 10 steps from the bar.”

For more information, go to rooseveltlakemarina.com.

Tonto National Forest

The Roosevelt Lake Visitor Center is onsite at the Marina and offers an air conditioned entry point to Tonto National Forest as well as exhibits, videos and information on activities and attractions around the lake.

The Center opened on Nov. 5, 1994 and features a patio with an expansive view of the lake.

Although it’s generally too hot for the myriad trails throughout the region, TNF offers a selection of several hundred developed campsites, multiple shoreline areas, and small, isolated, islands and coves with plenty of opportunities for camping and relaxing.

Surrounded by some of the most stunning examples of untouched Sonoran Desert, Roosevelt Lake is a beautiful body of water that is a sanctuary for migratory waterfowl and raptors that use the lake during the fall and winter.

“There’s boating, there’s day use sites … a lot of our camping is either first come first served or through reservation.gov, where they can reserve sites,” says Forest Service Spokesman Eric Hoskins. “If visitors stop by our visitor center, they can come in, cool off there and learn a little bit more about the area.”

Day-use sites such as Fraser and Vineyard have no camping, but can be used for entry points to the water. Developed campgrounds such as Cholla, Windy Hills and Schoolhouse have boat ramps and other amenities and require nominal fees for use.

Primitive camping in the forest is not subject to fees and is available all across the TNF as long as campers stay near an open road.

“The main thing we want to make sure is that people aren’t driving off those main roads, and they’re not damaging things or driving over bushes,” Hoskins says,

adding that during the summer there are restrictions on the use of fire and the use of certain roads due to construction.

“That means no campfires unless you’re at a specific rec development that has our metal rings,” he says.

In addition to fire restrictions, Hoskins says visitors must be aware of their surroundings and guard against inadvertently setting off wildfires.

When towing, ensure no chains are dragging that may cause sparks that lead to wildfires and be careful about smoking by not throwing butts out of vehicle windows and ensuring cigarettes are completely stubbed out.

“That’s a huge concern for us,” Hoskins says. “If you are at one of our developed campsites, make sure you have a shovel and water to put it out. Obviously, we don’t want campfires anywhere out in the forest itself because it’s such a high danger right now. Also we don’t want fires during red flag days because of the winds and other dangerous conditions.”

One of the premier attractions in the TNF is the Tonto National Monument and its two Salado-style cliff dwellings that were built about 700 years ago.

The Visitor Center offers an introduction on the people who built the dwellings and contains artifacts and replicas of pottery and

textiles that are on display in the museum. Visitors can watch a 20-minute park movie on the upstairs viewing platform ondemand throughout the day.

The park store, operated by Western National Parks Association, sells mementos and educational items.

The dwellings are accessible year-round and the Visitor Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

The Lower Cliff Dwelling trail is open daily during summer months from 8 a.m. to noon. Visitors must begin their hike before noon.

The Upper Cliff Dwelling Trail is only accessible by guided tour from November through April, groups are limited, and require a reservation. Reservations open October 1 for the season. To make a reservation, call 928-467-2241. There is a $10 fee to visit the ruins.

Weather during the summer can be extremely hot, but is typically 10 degrees cooler than the Valley. Park staff may close the trail to the Lower Cliff Dwelling due to safety concerns such as lightning, flooding, bee activity or heat.

For more information, contact the Tonto Basin Ranger District at 602-2255395. For information about fees or road closures, go to www.fs.usda.gov. u

Things have slowed down this year, but 2022 saw a number of businesses change hands, according to Rambo.

In addition to the Stagecoach Bar and Grill in Roosevelt, the Spring Creek Store in Roosevelt changed ownership last year and this year the Tonto Basin IGA Marketplace followed suit.

But the real movement was in property that can easily be set up for RV parks.

“Buyers are looking at RV lots with all utilities installed with Gila County General Use zoning,” Rambo says. “We have limited availability, but when we do have one, this type of lot sells for a lot more than a residential lot.”

Rambo says her office has seen offers of as much as two to three times the price of residential units for such properties.

In 2022, the Lazy JR RV Park, Jakes Corner RV Park and Greenback Crossing RV Park all sold to individuals or investment groups.

Rambo was not involved in any of those deals, but has been working on another for a few years— Roosevelt Lake Cottages RV Park— sitting on 21 acres with more than 100 spaces.

For those interested in buying a dream home near the lake there are limited options in Roosevelt, but settlements such as Tonto Basin have a larger number of residential units for sale.

According to realtor.com, the first week of July there were three homes for sale in Roosevelt, ranging in price from $80,000 for a quarter-acre lot to a 3-bedroom, 3 bath, 2,784 square-foot home for $450,000.

Tonto Basin had 43 homes for sale in early July, with a median price of $412,000.

LAKE, Continued from page 14

Tonto National Monument