12 October 2016 - Williams and Payson, AZ

     I spent a full 6 weeks near Williams, AZ dry camping in the National Forest.  While there, I didn't take many photographs, but did capture a few scenes.
     I had a nice site with good sunlight and surrounded by mature Ponderosa pines.

     One day, my camp was surrounded by a herd of sheep, grazing in the forest, and attended by 2 very large white dogs that had been raised in with the herd, and which functioned as guard dogs, protecting them from coyotes, mountain lions, and errant hikers.  They were attended by one sheepherder and 3 more sheepdogs, and never bothered anyone.  In my 6 weeks there, I think we encountered the sheep about 3 times.

      And the flowers were still blooming, even into September and early October.

         I left Williams October 10th, and drove to Payson, AZ, about 100 miles to the southest.  Payson lies just below the Mogollon Rim (say "Muggy-own"), a massive escarpment that constitutes the southern limit of the Colorado Plateau, and to the south of the Rim, the land falls away precipitously as much as 2000 feet to the start of a drier environment.  Atop the Rim is a ponderosa pine forest, whereas to the south lies a land of pinion pines and junipers.

     Some shots of the Rim take from the south follow:

         And some shots from atop the Rim: