“A road leading SOMEWHERE?” 

These expressions have often been stated about my dear friend FS535 Road. Now, I know some people think roads cannot be a friend but I beg to differ. I not only consider FS535 Road a lifelong friend -- I consider it a road of inspiration.

Perhaps, I feel sentimental about FS535 because we have a long history together. For years and years, Don and I have walked this dirt road for our daily exercise, up and down the rocky, dusty path around curves on the outskirts of our small community Oxbow in Tonto National Forest. When our children were tiny, we would saddle up Sissy, our mare, load one kid in the saddle and hike along as they learned the thrills of riding horses on the rugged trail of FS535. What cherished memories and an inspirational adventure for them!

Over the years, hiking FS535, we have thrilled at the sight of elk grazing on scarce grasses, gracefully running to safer ground as they alerted to our presence. We have delighted in seeing baby javelina run freely with their herd, as the wild boar beasts headed over the hill. We have witnessed deer track; we have seen Mule and White-tail deer leap eloquently in the meadows. Indeed, FS535 has gifted us with wildlife remembrances.  

Just recently, FS535 was the dear old friend I needed to boost my hope of tomorrow and my confidence of strength and togetherness amid the chaos of turbulent times. The threat of social unrest, Covid 19 and the spread of the Bush Fire weighed heavily on our minds. On this June morning, smoke from the Bush Fire hung so heavily in the air, we debated whether we should walk or not, concerned about the smoke’s effect on our lungs.

Shrugging from the side of caution to the side of adventure, we started hiking a little after 6:00 a.m. on this smoky, hazy morning in June. As we walked, talking about the woes of 2020, the lovely fragrance of Morning Glory wafted strongly through the smell of smoke to claim the air. Radiance of delight claimed my attention. The beautiful white blooms of the Morning Glory, a species of the Convolvulaceae family, gorgeously accented the harsh terrain. Inspiration at its finest! I lingered by the gift of nature, knowing the heat of the day would soon close the beauty of the bloom and fragrance. What a glorious morning. 

Don and I trudged onward and, as we neared the halfway mark of our hike, Don stopped. He intently listened. I heard nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! The wind breezed slightly as Don declared, “It’s always so peaceful in this canyon.” Quite a welcomed change from the news and social media.

Later that evening, we took the four-wheeler up on a high point off a tangent on FS535 to visibly see how bad the Bush Fire was spreading. As we were on our way, we saw our neighbors who live west of us. They were in their side by side with their grandsons. We discussed how the Bush Fire started on June 13 due to human causes. We discussed how close the fire was to Mt. Ord and communication towers. But mostly, we discussed how one of their grandsons saw the biggest jack rabbit ever. We drove onward thinking how wonderful it was to see them.

We reached our destination, high on the side of the mountain. As we were taking turns looking through the binoculars at the flames in the distance, our neighbors who live east of us, their children and other neighbor kids joined us. Trying to be cautious of the corona virus social distancing, we discussed the negative impacts of the Bush Fire regarding the evacuations of Punkin Center, Tonto Basin and Sunflower; how the glow of the destruction seemed to be approaching Jakes Corner and how the Bush Fire had already claimed over 185,000 acres of pristine Southwest landscape.

This encounter on FS535 was wonderful. In our busy life, we had not had the chance to visit our neighbors until a crisis brought us together. How inspiring to talk to friends of the accomplishments of our family members, solutions to the loneliness social distancing of Covid 19 brings to young children and the difficulty of staying positive amid negativity. Thank you FS535 for this opportunity!

As I write this, FS535 is closed due to fire restrictions -- and with exceptionally good reason! The dryness of the manzanita shrubbery, grasses, and Utah junipers is exceedingly high which, with one spark, could become a horrific inferno. So, to my dear inspiring friend FS535, I will see you after monsoons.

Thank you to the fire fighters and first responders who keep us safe in fire danger situations; a heartfelt debt of gratitude to you for your dedication and devotion in preserving life and land. Thank you!

Wishing you and yours a very safe and inspiring summer. Please stay healthy and encouraged. May you too have a friend as inspiring as FS535. (No, I do not think it is weird to count a road as a friend.) Blessings!