It never rains, but man, it pours!

Next to the fire danger, it’s the biggest challenge to living here. To get out of my neighborhood  I have to cross two arroyos that cut across our primitive dirt road – the only access in or out of my area.  My neighbors just to my north have to cross three. It’s not unusual to have the road become completely impassible, for several hours (days if the road collapses) a couple of times during monsoon.  We’ve clocked debris in the wash traveling about 40mph and estimate a depth of 4 to 5 feet in the center of the larger wash when it is in full flood.  It’s most dangerous, however, when its shallow enough to tempt a crossing. Two of the three washes have claimed lives, from people attempting to drive through. We own and maintain our own roads – the 60 or so families up here comprise a road maintenance district. When the road collapses, or fills with debris, we are on our own to fix it.

Rural Arizona ain’t for sissies.

Ted