The Roving Ranchers group enjoying sunny skies before encountering hail!
Pat Sand
The Roving Ranchers took a trip to Mt. Lemmon on Aug. 12. About 30 neighbors met at the McDonald’s at the base of the Catalina Mountains. After a group photo, we drove up Catalina Highway toward Mt. Lemmon. What started out as a sunny trip in the foothills with temps in the 90s, soon developed into darker and darker skies the closer we drove to the summit. About 12 miles from Summerhaven, the skies opened up and we had downpours as well as hail. The temperature dropped to 43 degrees! Those of us with convertibles quickly raised the roofs. With slippery roads to contend with, cars slowed to a crawl, pulled off on the shoulder, and some even turned around and went back down the mountain. Those who braved the thunder and lightning made it to Sawmill Run Restaurant in Summerhaven. We raced from our parked cars in the pouring rain to get inside the restaurant. Some Ranchers had the fortitude to remember their umbrellas and didn’t get as drenched.
Everyone ordered lunch, and the portions were quite generous as well as tasty. People visited with each other as they ate. It was a great way to get to know neighbors and meet some new ones.
After lunch, some people visited the gift shop, went for pie, or returned to their cars to make the trek down the mountain.
The Ranchers’ next event is wine tasting in Wilcox from Oct. 6 through 8. There are still rooms available at the Arizona Sunset Inn in Wilcox. For more details, visit The Roving Ranchers on facebook.com or join The Roving Ranchers group on Nextdoor.com.
The Roving Ranchers are a group of neighbors who get together and do fun things. Everyone is welcome. To get notifications of events, join the group on Nextdoor or Facebook.