It is always interesting to see how the best plans, even in advance, work out. We had planned for a couple of months to go to the snow in the beginning of February. It has been extremely cold all of the US the last couple of months so one would assume that Flagstaff at close to 8,000 feet elevation would have now all over the place. I was in the process this last week of ‘nailing’ down who was driving and how many are going. It is not a good thing to have an extra 10 teens show up and realize that we don’t have enough car space.
The night before we are going to leave I go online to check out the place we are going which is great for family groups. So I go to Winged Mountain’s site and see that it has been closed for a few weeks. OOH so now what? I also go back and google other potential places outside of Flagstaff. There are a couple that come up just a few minutes from our normal place.
The kids have been behaved fairly well during the first hour. We pull off at the usual place to get a banio break and get hyped up with McDonalds. The kids are starting to ask, “Where is the snow?” I keep reminding them that we will soon be at a high elevation and there will be plenty of snow. (I did know at this point that there would be much snow on the group until we arrived in Flagstaff.
As usual I take a bunch of pictures with the different kids as we are driving, fueling and enjoying the ride. It is always interesting to listen to the conversation taking place between the teens in our group. It ranges from what is happening at home, school, with us or their shopping aspirations. Donisah, who is celebrating her 11th birthday, is riding shot gun. This is usually the fought over seat even preferred to the back seat. After about an hour on the road she is sawing logs and totally out of it. Once she does wake up she is blabbing about it being her birthday. I don’t make any concessions about getting anything, I should have but didn’t.
As we arrive in Flagstaff we stop at the Texico Station to gas up and let some fuel up. The air is fresh and cold and definitely different from the Phoenix area. We think it is cold when it is 50 out. We talk to the cashier to see what alternatives there happen to be next to Winged Mountain? She does give a couple of suggestions which are not to far away. We get back on the road and drive through Flag which is always like venturing back into hippy land for me. We eventually get close to Winged Mountain exit only to see it all blocked off and a large sign saying CLOSED. Ok, now what do I do that it is really not open? We drive down the road another 5 miles and see a couple of spots with lots of cars pulled off to the side of the road. I see one but don’t pull off quick enough so we drive down to the Nordic Center, which is for cross country skiing.
We make a u turn in the parking lot and all of the cars follow and we go back to the off road destination. There is some mud and lots of snow around so why not pull off. We get all of the cars next to each other and have to maneuver the snow and mud. We set up ‘camp’ and have the table, chairs, blankets, igloos, ice chests and food ready for everyone. We also start the project of inflating the inner tubes which should provide some fun for the kids. My Hispanic moms/grandmas all hang out around the eating area. All of them are bundled in layers and then also put the blankets on them. Then there is Doris, my African American painting grandma, who would rather stand and walk around to stay warm. So for the next 3 hours we enjoy just hanging out, eating, talking, cleaning up trash and eating. The usual happens, most of the teens and kids have fun playing in the snow. There is always a few who get into some heated discussion or argument. The good thing no one really blew up and we had a good time.
I had my questions about having one of the teen guys come who had just had a cast put on his ankle. So here is Jalil trying to keep a trash back on his foot so it wouldn’t get wet. This didn’t work at all so he gave up and just walked around in the snow and mud. I am assuming his Grandma probably jumped on him that night we returned.
I know that some times the destination on a trip isn’t that big of a deal but the journey itself is much more interesting and adventurous. We start cleaning up and slowing the group returns and the obvious happens all of the girls need to use the bathroom. The guys have been walking out into the trees. So we quickly load back up and return to our Wendy’s and Texico Station. Everyone empties out , I get a couple of the dollar burgers and drinks for Anne and myself. No its time for the ride home which is always faster because we are going downhill and everyone is tried so there is less likelihood that drama will unfold.
We return safely at a good time with everyone in one piece. I drop off most of the kids but the ones that live close to me get the privilege of helping clean out the van. I think the expression was, “How could it be this dirty!!! We just cleaned it out a couple of weeks ago and it was still clean. Now the group does get it together and empty all of the McDonald’s bags, cups and misc candy wrappers. I bring over the big trash can, lend one of the broken broom, everyone gets down and dirty and the van is cleaned in 15 minutes. Now it is time to go home, we have to still clean up the rest of the mess, fed the dogs and make sure the house is still in one peace after leaving Terrance there the whole day by himself.
I am reminded that you don’t need to have lots of snow to have a great day. Actually just being with family, friends and even old people, I grew a little tired of Jalil, the cripple, reminding me that I was the old man, it was a great outing. I was blessed that Roger, another old man, concurred with me that it was a good trip even if the snow wasn’t measured by feet but instead by inches.
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